34-YEAR CURSE - Junipero Serra High School

J u n í p e r o Serra High SchoolVolume 33, Number 2Winter 2007Padres Celebrate end of 34-Year Curse

From The Director of Institutional AdvancementMr. Michael PetersonDuring the past twenty-nine years that I have been at Junípero Serra High School, there have been many significantchanges to our campus. In addition to having over 5,000 young men graduate from our halls during this time,we have also: Remodeled every classroom . . . twice Renovated the locker room Seismically upgraded our campus Added a parking structure to our campus Installed an all weather track . . . three times Established an Art Program Established a state-of-the-art Technology Program Renovated the Chapel Added Development Offices Upgraded the condition of our hallways Added new baseball & football bleachers Installed a field turf football field Established a nationally recognized Academic Resource CenterAll of the above improvements were made possible by the generosity of our benefactors and we continue to rely on the support of theSerra community. Nonetheless, as noteworthy as the above accomplishments have been, I believe that an even more exciting programis on the horizon for Serra -- namely our Planned Giving Program, The Father Serra Heritage Society. If you would like to be afounding member of our heritage society, please refer to page 24 of this issue or call the Development Office at (650) 573-9935.Sincerely,Michael PetersonDirector of Institutional AdvancementIt’sTheBrotherhood

insideissuethisAround the Halls 6Don’t Throw it Away: Let Them Play20 Padres in the Class of 2010National Merit Scholarship WinnersBill Killilea ‘56 Receives Junípero Serra AwardSan Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Commends Senior Jon HaywardKhiry Crawford ‘07 Receives “Winners Breakfast” AwardVisual & Performing Arts 10Serra’s Performing Arts Department Performs “Miracle Worker”“Three Serra Tenors” Make Their MarkRyan Svendsen ‘06 Performs at House of Blues in Los AngelesPadre Bench 12Padre Cross CountryPadre Water PoloVarsity Baseball Coach Pete Jensen - All County Coach of theYearPadre Football: A Curse is BrokenAlumni News 20Robert MacKenzie ‘92 Makes His Mark in Film & Feature AnimationAlumni Memories: “Serra 1949” by Paul (Mante) Marianetti ‘49Father Serra Society / Planned Giving Leadership TeamAlumni Sports: Basketball, Soccer and WaterpoloEldest Padre Hero: Truly a Man of Service (Desmond Ooghe ‘47)Serra Honors Those Who ServedSerra Hall of Fame InducteesNews & Notes 32In Memoriam 34Padre Family Photo Album 35is a quarterlypublication for alumni andfriends of Junípero SerraHigh SchoolPhone 650.345.8207Fax 650.573.6638PrincipalLars Lundllund@serrahs.comDirector ofinstitutionaladvancementMichael Petersonmpeterson@serrahs.comDirector ofDevelopment andAlumni RelationsRuss Bertetta ‘67rbertetta@serrahs.comDirector ofPublic RelationsMichelle Wilkinsonmwilkinson@serrahs.comCirculationMoya Goddardmgoddard@serrahs.comThis publication is designed and editedby Public Relations DirectorMichelle WilkinsonPhoto Credits:Admissions Director Randy VogelAthletic Director Kevin DonahuePrestige Portraitsswaffordimaging.com

From The PrincipalMr. Lars LundDear Alumni and Friends,In a series of letters to parents last year, I reflected on the ways our current students live out the Credo of a Serra Man.The Credo is read aloud at the annual student body assembly at which we award the Junipero Serra Medal to the Alumniof the Year. In this edition of Traditions, you will find but a few examples of how our alumni continue to live out theCredo throughout their lives. By way of reminder, the Credo is as follows:He is a Serra man for whom the promotion of Almighty God’s glory is a cherished duty, for whom the salvation of his soul isparamount. He believes that charity and justice towards all is the fulfilling of the whole law. He believes that the pursuit ofwisdom is an exalted privilege. He believes in whatever is good, true and beautiful. He believes that the furthering of his school’shonor and prestige is a challenging responsibility. He believes in Junípero Serra High School and cherishes the years he has beenprivileged to spend in her fostering care.One of the hallmarks of a Serra education is the fact that alumni have chosen to return to Serra to serve as teachers.Although there is no doubt that these talented and well-educated men would have excelled in any professional endeavor,they have chosen to return to Serra and serve as outstanding role models to their younger Padre brothers.Please join me in thanking and offering prayers of gratitude to the following Serra alumni who live out the Credo of aSerra Man as faculty and staff:Dean Ayoob ‘92Russ Bertetta ‘67Kevin Carey ‘93Perry Carter ‘84Christian Clifford ‘89Ron DiMaggio ‘97Patrick Duggan ‘71Sean Dugoni ‘89Joel Ferrando ‘90Chris Houle ‘92Tim Kennedy ‘95Joe Kmak ‘81Ted Morton ‘85Chuck Rapp ‘86Tom Sullivan ‘81Assistant Athletic Director, Assistant Varsity Football CoachDirector of Development and Alumni RelationsInstructor, Advanced Placement United States History and JSA ModeratorChair, Mathematics Department and Honors Mathematics InstructorInstructor, Theology and Social StudiesInstructor, Mathematics and Social Studies, Assistant Coach Cross Country and TrackInstructor, Advanced Placement United States GovernmentInstructor, Social Studies and Assistant Varsity Basketball CoachChair, English Department, Moderator of the Serra FriarInstructor, Mathematics and Computer Science, Junior Varsity Baseball CoachAcademic Resource Center Assistant and Junior Varsity Basketball CoachMathematics Instructor and Assistant Varsity Baseball CoachEnglish Instructor and Speech Club Moderator, currently on sabbatical(check out his “Morton in Mexico” web journal at www.serrahs.com)English Instructor, Varsity Basketball CoachProfessional Development Coordinator and Advanced Placement English InstructorJunipero Serra High School is a community enlivened by rich traditions, great students and a very bright future. Thank youfor your support of Serra and in our efforts to educate men of “Faith, Wisdom and Service.”Sincerely,Lars LundPrincipal

From the Chair of theAdvisory Board of RegentsMr. Robert SullivanDear Alumni and Friends of Serra,The members of the Board of Regents have not let the “moss grow under their feet” this year. Quite the contrary as evidencedby the following:Phase II of Serra’s Master Plan, “Building for Our Future”:The Phase II Core Team has hired a consultant to assist with important planning and preparation for a major fundraising effort insupport of the construction of a New Art and Music building, a new pool, additional classrooms, new facilities for the AcademicResource Center and expanded locker, training and custodial facilities. This effort will build on previous campaigns that havemade Serra’s campus an effective setting for 21st Century learning. The Buildings and Grounds Committee is provided soundadvice regarding upkeep and enhancements to current facilities and is playing a key role preparing Serra for construction of thenew facilities of Phase II of our Master Plan.Admissions Marketing:Although applications to Serra increase at records paces each year, our Admissions Marketing Committee is doing a wonderfuljob enhancing our efforts to better tell Serra’s story to future Padres and their families. The school will begin implementingrecommendation from this committee in time for the 2007 admissions effort.Strategic Planning:The Strategic Planning Committee has provided significant input regarding our efforts to enhance Campus Ministry programsand staffing, has recommended the adoption of a new 21st Century Learning Committee to the Board of Regents, and is doingimportant work researching programs that will allow us to continue to recruit and retain high quality, mission-driven teachers..Financial Planning:The Development Committee has established a new Planned Giving Program that will allow our endowment to grow and hasimplemented a number of steps that will increase participation in our Fund-a-Dream Program, which is a major source of fundsfor our Financial Aid Program. The Finance Committee, of which I was a member prior to being named board chair, haveproven themselves as effective stewards of tuition and fundraising dollars. The members of this committee do an outstandingjob advising and assisting the Principal and the Business Manager with the development of the school’s annual budget, as wellas with planning for Serra’s long-term financial health.The students and alumni of Junípero Serra High School make a vital contribution to the common good on the local, state,national and international levels. They have proven themselves as men of Faith, Wisdom, and Service. Your support of Serrahas made this possible.In the next edition of Traditions, I will give you an update regarding our efforts to ensure the successful fundraising for andconstruction of the facilities earmarked for Phase II of our Master Plan. Until then . . . Go Padres!Sincerely,Robert SullivanChair of the Advisory Board of Regents

Sophomores John Blickenstaff ‘09 and Ian Keane ‘09TheTradition20 Padre SonsintheClass of 2010

AROUND THE HALLSBill Killilea ‘56 ReceivesJunipero Serra AwardPrincipal Lars Lund, Bill Killilea‘56 and Alumni & DevelopmentDirector Russ Bertetta ‘67Bill Killilea ‘56 was presentedwith the Junípero Serra Awardduring the Annual AlumniAwards Assembly held inSerra’s packed gym full ofalmost 1,000 young men,faculty, staff, and several ofBills’ classmates from the Classof ‘56.The Junípero Serra Award ispresented to an alumnus whobest exemplifies, through his life, the mission of Junípero Serra HighSchool.Alumni Director Russ Bertetta ‘67 introduced Bill as a man whocontinues “to make a difference in the lives of others . . . a man whoexemplifies his faith through his actions.”During his late twenties, Killilea moved toIndiana where he still resides and, for overforty years, has graciously given back to hiscommunity. He has served on a number ofBoards, including the Share Foundation (aresidential facility for enabled adults), St.Monica’s School Board and Parish Council,Marian High School Board, GrangerIndiana Rotary, South Bend CommunityFoundation, the American Red Cross,the Scholarship Foundation of St. JosephCounty, St. Joseph County Chamber ofCommerce, the Center for the Homeless,and Project Future . . . just to name a few.Killilea has had a highly successful businesscareer as well. Serving as Vice President ofMarketing at St. Joseph Regional MedicalCenter, Bill spent 12 years working for the Hospital Foundationoverseeing marketing, public affairs and community relations. Healso spent 26 years as President/CEO of Killilea Oldsmobile inMishawaka, Indiana. He is a graduate of Notre Dame University(BA).It is Bill’s passion and dedicationto a program known asHannah’s House, however, thathe is most proud and deservingof the Junípero Serra Award.Hanna’s House (a programthrough Catholic Charities)is a Christian-based maternityhome located in Mishawaka,Indiana. The home servesunwed pregnant women whohave chosen life for their babies.Student Body PresidentJason Whitney ‘07 presentsBill Killilea ‘56 with aPadre sweatshirt.Hanna’s House provides a safe place to live, assists with prenatal care,education, employment, counseling, life skills and parenting skills.Without these services, many pregnant women would be homeless,with no opportunity to become independent and empowered tomake positive choices for their lives andfor the lives of their baby.Under Bill’s leadership as past Presidentand Board Member, he has securedfinancial support, strengthened theboard, and provided encouragementwhen needed the most. His businessexperience in grant writing anddeveloping community partnerships hasbeen immeasurable.The Director of Hannah’s House,Karen DeLucenay, nominated Bill forthe Governor’s Award for Service andVolunteerism stating, “Bill’s passion forour mission stems from his Catholicbackground and strong belief in thesanctity of life. He demonstrates hiscommitment to serve Christ by ‘seeingthe big picture.’ The circle of support for Hanna’s House has grownthanks to Bill. The ultimate security that our doors will remain openis a blessing to our community. His unwavering commitment hasresulted in helping women choose life versus abortion.”Classmates from the Class of 1956 join Bill Killilea for Junipero Serra Award CeremonyJan Hamman & Bill Killilea ‘56

AROUND THE HALLSSan Mateo County Sheriff’s OfficeCommends Serra High School StudentOn Wednesday, December 13, 2006, Sheriff-Elect Greg Munks presentedsenior Jon Hayward with a Sheriff’s Commendation for using his creativetalents to create the Sheriff’s Gang Intelligence Unit’s new website. Thewebsite enables the public to report gang activity, find information forparents to teach their children about gangs, view wanted subjects andcreate gateways to other useful websites. In addition, Jon translated thepublic version into Spanish.During this past summer, Hayward was asked by Serra Alums TomGallagher ‘85 (Sergeant of the Gang Intelligence Unit) and Deputy BillFogarty ‘88 for some input in creating the website. Hayward decided totake it a step further by designing and creating the entire site.Jon Hayward ‘07 & San Mateo CountySheriff-Elect Greg MunksSheriff-Elect Munks presented the commendation to Jon on behalf ofSheriff Horsley and thanked him for donating a significant portion of hissummer to the project. Supervisor Rose Jacobs-Gibson also presentedHayward with a letter of appreciation for his efforts and praised him forhis work.Jon’s parents, as well as Alumni & Development Director Russ Bertetta, attendedthe ceremony along with several chiefs of police including Redwood City PoliceChief Carlos Bolanos.Jon continues to add to the site, which maintains some Serra flair with a “blueand gold” background. Sergeant Gallagher said, “The general website is a greattool for the public with reference sections and reporting capabilities.”On a side note, several of the Police Chiefs and dozens of law enforcement officersof various ranks in San Mateo County are graduates of Serra High School.Website: smsogang.orgJon Hayward ‘07 & San Mateo CountySupervisor Rose Jacobs-GibsonKhiry Crawford ‘07receives “winners breakfast” awardSenior Khiry Crawford was selected by Serra High School to receive theFamily Service Agency of San Mateo County “Winners Breakfast Award” for2007. Khiry was recognized for overcoming difficult family circumstancesand learning disabilities to achieve academic success at Serra.The Winner’s Breakfast is an annual event that brings together local businesses,school districts and community leaders to honor high school seniors whohave overcome severe personal obstacles to graduate. Family Service istaking the lead in recognizing the achievements of these quiet heroes.Robin Crawford, Khiry Crawford ‘07,and Serra Counselor Steve FarrenThe awards breakfast and ceremony will be held in April at the HyattRegency, San Francisco Airport in Burlingame. Over 600 people will be inattendance to honor approximately twenty-five “Breakfast Winners” fromhigh schools throughout the Bay Area. Khiry will receive an award as wellas a $500 scholarship.

VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTSMiracle10AWorkerSerra’s Performing Arts Department received accolades for their Fall playperformance of “The Miracle Worker,” a play by William Gibson based uponHelen Keller’s autobiography, “The Story of My Life.” It tells the story of therelationship between a deaf and blind girl and Annie Sullivan, the teacher whobrought her into the world of education. The play ran on Broadway for almosttwo years and starred Patty Duke as Helen Keller. The play was also made intoan Academy Award wining film in 1962 and starred Patty Duke (as Helen) andAnne Bancroft (as Annie Sullivan).Cast List (In order of Appearance): Doctor: Alex Jordan; Kate Keller: AdriannaEchandi; Captain Keller: Brad Satterwhite; Helen Keller: Lauren Rhodes;Martha: Jenise Spiteri; Percy: Kyle Poland; Aunt Ev: Emma Jepsen; James:Patrick Niemeyer; Anagnus: Alex Maggi; Annie Sullivan: Jessica Malekos-Smith;Viney: Brendan Quirk; Blind Children: Amanda Downing, Jenise Spiteri;Servant: Addison Goss; Jimmie: Alex Jordan; Crone 1: Amanda Downing;Crone 2: Jenise Spiteri; Crone 3: Addison GossDan Demers, DirectorBob Sullivan, Technical Director

Three members of Serra’s Men’s Chorus made their markrecently at a Christmas concert sponsored by Viva LaMusica, a community mixed-voice, adult choir run throughNotre Dame de Namur University.Brendan Quirk ‘07, Alex Jordan ‘08, and Robert Monk‘07 were the only high school students in the group of 60talented singers.Alex and Robert were given solos in one of the numbersand the three of them, nicknamed “The Three SerraTenors,” by Shulamit Hoffman, Artistic Director of VivaLa Musica, were given special recognition and gifts at thedress rehearsal before the concerts.VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS“Three Serra Tenors” Make Their Mark“The experience was special for many reasons,” said Serra’sVisual & Performing Arts Director Jay Jordan, who hasworked with Viva on and off for the past four years. “I wasable to sing side-by-side with my son Alex; Robert’s motheralso sang with the group; and we performed the gloriousMozart Requiem -- one of the most thrilling pieces of musicever written, complete with full orchestra and soloists. Iknow that Brendan, Alex and Robert were all very proud tobe part of such a professional experience.”There’s no denying that trumpeter RyanSvendsen ‘06 made the most of his highschool years while attending Serra. Nowat UCLA as a trumpet performancemajor, Ryan continues to make noisewith his horn. After being rated fifth outof forty-five trumpet majors, includingMasters and Doctoral candidates, Ryandecided to test the waters in the ‘realworld’ of professional music. A chancemeeting with the manager of pedal steelguitar virtuoso and popular recordingartist Robert Randolph led Ryan to offerhis services as a trumpeter if Randolphwas ever performing in the Los Angelesarea. The manager told Ryan to gohome and learn all the trumpet parts toRandolph’s new album and then showup at the famous club, House of Bluesin Los Angeles on a night that Randolphwas performing.“I went to the House of Blues in LAon the Sunset Strip for the RobertRandolph and the Family Band gig andthey had no idea a trumpet player wascoming,” said Ryan. “I soon found outthis was because they have two managersand the one that told me to comewasn’t there (and he didn’t tell anyoneelse that I was coming). Bruce Flohr,the manager on duty, said ‘Sorry, I justcan’t let you play. I can’t trust putting youon stage with Robert. How about you justmeet the guys for the night.’Then, Robert Randolph walked in theroom. The club manager explained thatPictured from L to R: Serra’s Performing Arts Director Jay Jordan, Brendan Quirk ‘07,Artistic Director - Viva La Musica Shulamit Hoffman,Alex Jordan ‘08 and Robert Monk ‘07Ryan Svendsen ‘06 Performs at House of Blues in Los AngelesRobert Randolph & Ryan Svendsen ‘06Ryan performing solo with Robert Randolph& The Family Band2006 American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks& Ryan Svendsen ‘06Ryan had come to play with Randolphand had all the horn parts on his newCD memorized.“Robert told me to get out mytrumpet and play the horn lickfrom his song, “Diane,” said Ryan.“I did and he said, ‘You’re playing withme tonight.’”“I hung out with the band for aboutan hour and in walks Taylor Hicks, lastyear’s American Idol winner. The rest ofthe band came in and Robert told themmy story saying ‘This kid has the biggest***** walking in here and saying hewants to play with us; play us anotherline from the song.’ So, I did and all themembers of the band starting crackingup because they couldn’t believe I knewit. I ended up getting a five minute soloon stage with Robert Randolph and theFamily Band. Prince was also there andI got to meet him. It was an amazingnight!”11

PADRE BENCHPadre Cross CountrySerra’s cross country team completed its season, once again, at the California State CrossCountry Championships in Fresno. Unfortunately, the varsity team did not qualify; however,one runner qualified on his individual merit by finishing twelfth at the Central Coast Sectionmeet.Oran Arms ‘07 surprised us all by his great run, finishing the three mile course at Toro Parkin Salinas in sixteen minutes twenty-five seconds. The remainder of the varsity team, SpencerMcCleod, Dominic Chelini, Cole Jones, David Motamed, Myles Swanton and Gino Leonioperformed admirably and all are commended on a fine season.The varsity team finished fourth with Oran and Gino earning second team, all-league honorsat the WCAL Championships held at Crystal Springs. The Junior Varsity, Sophomore andFreshman teams finished third in their respective divisions. The coaching staff is optimisticabout next year’s Padre Harriers since six of the top seven runners will return.Cross Country Head CoachWill McCarthyOran Arms ‘0712Support Serra’s Booster clubJoining Serra’s Booster Club is your way to support the Padre Athletic Department. Every dollar earned supplements the school’s athletic budget.Each dollar earned helps support all fourteen teams and their players. Becoming a member and volunteering means meeting new people, havingfun, getting to know other parents and sharing your SERRA PADRE PRIDE.The Booster Club invites and encourages you to attend their monthly meetings. They share information about the teams, have guest speakers,present slide presentations and discuss hot issues. Generally, the meetings are held on the first Monday of the month. Please refer to the BoosterClub Calendar on Serra’s website (www.serrahs.com) for exact dates and times.Although membership dues account for most of the Booster Club income, money is also raised through merchandise sales, sponsored dinners andmiscellaneous fundraisers. If you would like to join, please log on to Serra’s website at www.serrahs.com and Click on the “Athletic” or “Parents”main page to find a link to the Booster Club.Thank you for your ongoing support! Go Padres!Sincerely yours,Mike Dutto, Booster Club PresidentMikedutto@comcast.netBecome a Serra Booster Club Member Now!Log On to www.serrahs.com & Click on Athletics tofind your link to Booster Club Membership Information.

PADRE BENCHPadreWater PoloNick Poggetti ‘07Aaron Chhokar ‘07Senior Nick Poggetti was named 1st Team All-WCAL for the 2006 season.He led the league in scoring, with 29 goals for a per game average of 4.83.This is Nick’s third-year as a first-team selection. Coach Greene alwayscalled on Nick to shut down the opponents top player.Named to the 2nd Team All-WCAL are seniors Nick Zakula and AaronChhokar.13Zakula was third in the league in scoring, with 21 goals for a 3.50 pergame average. He was one of the main offensive threats for the Padresusing his 6’7” size to great advantageChhokar scored 15 goals, averaging 2.50 per game. He keyed manyof the Padres counter attacks using his great speed to propel him pastopponents.Nick Zakula ‘07varsity baseball coach Pete JensenNamed 2006 All County Coach of the YearVarsity Baseball Coach Pete Jensen was named All-County Coach of the Year by the SanMateo County Times for the outstanding job he did coaching the varsity squad to a 25-4record and a WCAL title. The Padre Varsity Baseball team earned a No. 18 ranking in theUSA Today “Top 25” national poll.Although the year began with a lineup that did not include any notable “stars,” Petecreated the conditions for the athletes to come together as a team, work hard and play“spotless defense.” In Pete’s 21-year tenure as varsity coach, the Padres have earned a483-160 record that incudes 11 WCAL championships and three CCS titles.Over 150 Serra players have gone on to play college baseball at the junior college andfour-year college levels and twenty-three players have signed professional contracts.Under Coach Jensen’s direction, the Serra baseball program have compiled 39 WCALChampionships (11 varsity, 13 JV, and 15 frosh) since 1985.

PADRE BENCHPadre FootballA Curse is Broken on the Path to A Championship SeasonBy Tyler Anthony ‘0714A football season that began withsome questions and uncertainty,played out to be one of the mostsuccessful campaigns in schoolhistory.Coach Patrick Walsh once againscheduled a challenging preseason,in hopes of preparinghis team for the always toughWCAL. The Padres openedthe season against Buchanan ofClovis. This was the first timethe Padre faithful would seetheir quarterback of the future-- sophomore Cody Jackson, aswell as newcomer, junior DeleonEskridge. The Padre fans were not disappointed as both Jackson andEskridge showed indications that the Padre football future wouldbe a bright one. In Jackson’s first game under center at the varsitylevel, he proved he belonged by leading the Padres to a 35-14 winover Buchanan. On the Padres seventh play of the season Eskridgescampered 40 yards for his first touchdown as a Serra Padre and itwould definitely not be his last. On the Padres’ next drive of thegame, Jackson kept the ball on an option keeper and scampereddown the sideline for a 71-yard touchdown run.“It was a relief to get my first touchdown because I proved to myselfthat I could play at the varsity level,” remarked Jackson.Eskridge scored the other three touchdowns with runs of 7 and 17and a 10 yard pass from Jackson.Serra vs. St. FrancisDe La Salle quickly respondedwith a 41- yard touchdownpass. Then, as part of Jackson’scoming out party, he hit seniorwide receiver B.J. Bryant on acrossing route over the middle.Bryant took the ball 52 yardsfor a touchdown to bring thePadres to within five points ofthe Spartans. De La Salle scoredagain on the first possession ofthe second half.As Serra hoped to respond,things looked grim as the Padresfaced a fourth-down with 13yards to go. It was “do or die,”as there were under twelve minutes remaining. The gamble paid offas Jackson scrambled outside the pocket to his left throwing a 41-yardstrike to Andrew Cullins for a touchdown to bring the Padres withinone score. However, De La Salle’s rushing attack wore out the Padredefense as they responded with a nine play, 80-yard drive capped bya Ryan Maupin 10-yard touchdown run. De La Salle chewed upthe clock, rushing the ball 26 out of their 27 final offensive plays.Maupin scored again with under three minutes remaining on a oneyardplunge up the middle to put the game out of reach. Jacksonscored on a quarterback keeper with 41 seconds remaining; however,it was too little too late.Jackson commented, “Many people doubted my ability to playquarterback at the varsity level as a sophomore and, thus, I wasmotivated to prove them wrong right off the bat.”The Padres biggest test of theseason came in week two whenthey played host to visitingDe La Salle of Concord whowould later take over the#1 spot in the national highschool rankings. Not manypeople believed that thePadres would be able to playwith the national powerhouse;however, the Padres wanted toprove otherwise. After an earlyDe La Salle touchdown, thePadres matched the Spartansblow for blow.A key play occurred whensenior linebacker Chris Diegorecovered a fumble on the DeLa Salle 9-yard line, leading toa one yard TD run by seniorfullback Jeff Thomas.“The last time Serra hadbeaten St. Francis, RonaldReagan was Governor ofCalifornia, first-class letterscost eight cents to mail,the “Price Is Right” wasdebuting on CBS, the firstscientific calculator wasintroduced at a price of$395, ESPN would notbe a reality for anotherseven years and cell phones,e-mail, digital watches,DVDs, iPods and personalcomputers were just adream.”One sided non-league wins over Gilroy and San Mateo set the Padresup for the WCAL opener against Bellarmine. Serra matched theirlong time rivals punch for punch in a physical battle between twooutstanding teams, but it was the Padres that would eventually comeout on top 33-20. The Padres outscored the Bells 13-0 in the finalten minutes, led by Eskridge, Tuike Tuipolotu and Jackson, to ice thecontest.Following the opening league victory, the Padres prepared for anotheropportunity to break the thirty-four year “streak” of St. Francis wins.This year, as in many recent years, Serra was again primed to “reversethe curse.” The last time Serra had beaten St. Francis, Ronald Reaganwas Governor of California, first class letters cost eight cents to mail,the “Price Is Right” was debuting on CBS, the first scientific calculatorwas introduced at a price of $395, ESPN would not be a reality foranother seven years and cell phones, e-mail, digital watches, DVDs,iPods and personal computers were just a dream. During those 34years, more than 6500 students had graduated from Serra.Even though Eskridge was new to the rivalry, he wasted no timemaking an impact, as he took the second play from scrimmage downthe right sideline for a 52-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead over St.

Father Joe Bradley ‘73, formerPresident of Serra, is currently anassociate pastor at St. Gregory inSan Mateo. He also works withCoach Walsh’s football teamhelping with chapel services. Ata 9:00a.m. mass at St. Gregory’sbefore a packed church on theSunday following the victoryover St. Francis, Fr. Joe beganhis homily, “The Yankees areout, the Dodgers are out,Notre Dame thrashed Stanfordand Serra defeated St. Francis--- you can only ask for somuch grace on one weekend!”The congregation burst intoapplause.Francis. Although the momentum was with the Padres, the Lancersresponded with their own 50-yard run for a touchdown early in thesecond quarter. After two fourth-down conversions on the Padres’final drive of the first half, the ball was spotted at the one yard linewith time enough for only one play remaining in the half. Eskridgegot the ball on a pitch and scored as the gun sounded to give thePadres a 14-7 halftime lead.The Lancers tied the game in the third quarter at 14 on a one-yardrush up the middle. Momentum was shifting with St. Francis as theytook Serra’s only turnover of the game and marched far enough tomake a 36 yard field goal.This gave the Lancers a 17-14 lead with 3:08 seconds left and thePadres had to put together one last drive in anattempt to either win with a touchdown or tiewith a field goal. The Padres moved the ballsteadily toward the goal line with a mixture ofrunning and passing as the clock ticked down.With fourth and inches, Walsh called a timeoutwith some wondering if he would try for atying field goal or go for the win. Walsh latercommented, “Everyone in America knew whatwe were going to do. There was no thought at any moment at all tokick, ever.”Eskridge, who had only started hearing about the “streak” the weekbefore the game, said during the timeout that was called with 6.9seconds left, “I want to score, I want to end the streak.” And that isexactly what Eskridge did as he leaped over the goal line for the goahead touchdown with 3 seconds left on a fourth down and one, to putthe Padres up 21-17. The Lancers had one more shot following thekickoff, but once again it was Eskridge who was the hero interceptingan attempted lateral, ending the game.Although the significance of the streak-breaking win cannot beoverlooked by Padre fans, the game provided much more. This localversion of “Friday Night Lights” was an entertaining and superblyplayed high school football game that gave fans an opportunity towitness highly skilled athletes perform at superior levels. And by thefollowing Monday, there were 1000 “Friday Night Lights-Fourth andGoal T-shirts” adorned by the Serra community.Admissions Director RandyVogel, in his 37th year at Serra,was the only faculty member stillat Serra who had seen the previouswin over St. Francis. It was a Saturdayafternoon in November of 1972 whentwo touchdowns by Serra Athletic Hall ofFamer Vince Tammaro ‘73 lead the Padresto a 12-0 victory. Vogel commented,“I kept going to the games year after yearsaying to myself, ‘eventually it has to happenand this could be the year.’ There is no waythat I was going to miss the game that brokethe streak. It was definitely time.”The scene on the field following the game wassurreal. Fans swarmed the field hugging andcongratulating the players and each other.Tears of joy were plentiful. Parents, players,students, faculty, alumni, coaches and Padresupporters from the standing room onlycrowd celebrated under the lights ofFreitas Field. What might be the largest“Padre Whisper” ever took place at midfieldfollowing the game.Senior Andrew Gregg, who spent the game in the chaotic Padrecheering section commented, “I recall that moment before DeLeon’sgame-winning touchdown; the energetic crowd was silenced withanticipation. Hearts pounding, eyes widening, we witnessed thereferee signal a TD… elation followed by chaos.”The Season Wasn’t OverAfter playing what was probably the worst half of their season thePadres went into halftime down 34-14 to Valley Christian, puttingtheir undefeated league record in jeopardy. All Coach Walsh had tosay to his team was, “It’s going to take your best half of football everto win tonight.” The players responded by playing what turned outto be their best half of football of the year. The Padres’ defense, whichdidn’t force a punt in the first half, played a determined and spiritedsecond half, holding Valley Christian scoreless. Led by Eskridge thePadres offense went to work after the defense held the Warriors to athree and out. Eskridge scored on a touchdown run on the Padres’first possession of the second half and he and Thomas shared the loadto propel the Padres to a 41-34 lead. The Pads forced an incompletepass on fourth down at its own four -yard line in the final seconds toassure the victory.Eskridge said, “I really felt the Serra brotherhood after our comebackagainst Valley Christian. Without our strong bond, the team wouldnot have been able to rally together to win this game.”Jackson agreed with Eskridge’s statement and added, “Our uniqueteam unity is what made this team so special and a team that I willnever forget.”After the miracle comeback at Valley Christian, the Padres’ only setbackof the league season occurred against Riordan in a disappointing 38-14 loss. Former Serra assistant coach Mike Langridge ’91, had hisCrusaders primed for an upset on his return to Serra, knocking offthe Padres. The much heralded Riordan defense forced numerous15

PADRE BENCHcontinued from page 1516turnovers to stifle the Padre attack.The Padres responded the following week knowing that if they wantedat the very least a co-championship they would have to beat undefeatedSt. Ignatius. As SI focused on trying to shut down Eskridge, thePadres unleashed another weapon as running back Tuike Tuipolotucarried the ball 11 times for 199 yards and three touchdowns. It wasthe Padre speed on defense which enabled them to shut down thepotent St. Ignatius offense. Led by linebackers Diego and J. P. Hurrellas well the Tuipolotu brothers, the defense was able to get to thequarterback and shut down the pass.With the win against St. Ignatius the Padres’ destiny was in their ownhands. A win against Archbishop Mitty would guarantee a leaguechampionship and loss would mean that they would need St. Ignatiusto lose as well. Mitty went on top 7-0 on their first drive of the gamecapped by a 2-yard touchdown run. The Padres’ quickly respondedwith a drive of their own finished off with a 23 yard TD run by TuikeTuipolotu. The turning point of the game occurred midway throughthe third quarter when Mitty was on the Padre four yard-line primedto score. Before the Mitty running back could cross the goal line, hetook a vicious hit, was stripped of the ball and the ball was recoveredin the end zone by senior defensive back Tobi Wulff for a touchback.On the ensuing possession, Eskridge took a ball around right end 70yards inside the Monarch ten yard line. From there Tuipolotu scoredfrom two yards out and the Padres’ went on to win 28-14 to capturetheir first league title since 2002.CCS PlayoffsIn the first CCS playoff game the Padres carried a 14-0 lead intohalftime under the lights at Scotts Valley and then exploded in thesecond half for a 49-7 victory. Eskridge ran wild leading the way with256 yards and a school record six touchdowns.The win allowed the Padres to advance to play top-seeded Oak Grovein the semi-finals of CCS. Serra was able to get on the board first witha seven yard run by Tuike Tuipolotu, but the extra point was blocked.The Padres were unable to find the end-zone for the rest of the firsthalf and gave up seventeen unanswered points heading into halftime.Serra came out in the second half firing on all cylinders and scored onthree straight possessions giving the Padres a 22-17 lead with 7:45remaining. On the ensuing kickoff, Oak Grove returned the ball 40-yards shifting the momentum back to the Eagles sideline. Three playslater, the Eagles were able to score on a 38-yard touchdown pass. ThePadres had one last chance with the ball on their own 19-yard linewith 2:54 remaining. After a first down, the Padres lost the ball on afumble ending hopes of a comeback victory.The Padres fell 23-22 completing a season filled with thrills, excitementand lasting memories.of the scoreboard. The 9-3 record is one of the best in school history,again, something I will never forget.”In reflecting on the make up of his 2006 club, Walsh stated, “Thisseason was special because of the way our kids bought into ourseason slogan, “Protect the Core.” We have five core values in ourfootball program: ‘Commitment, Personal Accountability, Work-Ethic, Brotherhood and Compete.’ The 2006 football team boughtinto these core values better than any other team I have had and wasthe first team to truly, “Protect the Core!” Because of this, the 2006Padres built character and toughness that allowed them to win all ofthe tight games we played.”Walsh concluded, “The 2006 football team set a standard of characterthat will be tough to live up to in the future. Because of their effortswe now know that to win at the highest level, living by our core valueson a daily basis must come first. I truly will miss this football team.”In The Record booksSchool records and all league honors were plentiful for the Padres.The offense set marks for most points in a season with 388 andmost yards of total offence with 4580. Eskridge scored 162 pointsto claim a new school record. He also set records for most pointsand touchdowns in a single season and put his name on the charts innumerous other rushing categories. Sophomore kicker Greg Guttasbroke the school record with 49 PATs in a season and twice tied themark of seven extra points in a game.Thirteen members of the team received all league honors. Selectedto the WCAL all-league first team were Tiuke Tuipulotu, DeLeonEskridge, J.P. Hurrell, Nick Tuipulotu, Chris Diego, Jeff Thomas,Cody Jackson. Second team honors went to Max Paris, RayBaldonado and Derek Carthy, while Sean Sabean, Brian Hammel andAndrew Cullins received honorable mention. WCAL player of theyear awards went to: DeLeon Eskridge (Running Back of the Year),Cody Jackson (Quarterback of the Year), J.P. Hurrell (Linebackerof the Year), Greg Guttas (Kicker of the Year) and Tiuke Tuipulotu(Junior of the Year).It was a team that will be remembered as the most exciting, and oneof the best, to ever wear the Padre Blue and Gold!Coach Walsh Reflects On SeasonLooking back on the season, Coach Patrick Walsh commented, “The2006 season was the most satisfying season of my six-year careerat Serra. Beating St. Francis for the first time in 35 tries will be amemory I will never forget. Many other games during this seasoncame down to the fourth quarter and in some cases the very last playof the game. Most of the time we found ourselves on the right side

PADRE BENCHAcademic Captain Brian Hammel ‘07Reflects on Incredible SeasonThe proverbial tree leaves fell throughout the fall season and so, too,did Serra’s football frustrations and “curses” of seasons past, bothrecent and decades long. Or, as English literature teacher, Mr. TomSullivan might prefer to frame it: “Now is the winter of our discontentmade glorious autumn by these Padres of Serra.”The 2006 Padres were trying to bounce back from what was a mostdisappointing 2005 season, both on and off the field. Our image andour pride were tarnished and we were committed to restoring eachof these important indices of success. 2006 began with a pledge to“Protect the Core” and it ended with a WCAL title, the first victoryover St. Francis in 34 years, and a trip to the CCS playoffs with a 9-3overall record. School single season records were set for most pointsin a season (388), most overall yards in a season (4,580) and mosttouchdowns in a season (56).The “cardiac kids” gave their loyal fans too many great moments torecord in an article of this length, but several will be forever ingrainedin my mind. Never to be forgotten was the return of a high-powered,smash mouth style running game against Buchanan, the toe to toe,hit for hit, big play for big play performance against De La Salle, thenumber one team in the nation, or the goal line stand against Gilroyat the close of the first half that turned the game around. Memoriescontinue with “The Hit” by Tiuke on Bellarmine’s outstandingreceiver, the “fourth down and destiny” touchdown victory dive inthe final seconds against St. Francis, and the 27 unanswered secondhalf points, spearheaded by DeLeon the Great, that resulted in adramatic come from behind victory at Valley Christian. We willalways remember the Cody Jackson bootleg to assure victory overSt. Ignatius, the pass attempt by Mitty that was broken up to seal theWCAL Championship, another goal line stand against Scotts Valleythat included a tackle so hard that it sent their running back spinning360 degrees into mid-air, and the heart and passion displayed againstundefeated Oak Grove in the second half of the CCS semi-final game,which had us poised to negate the effects of multiple, self induced firsthalf mistakes and a 17-6 halftime deficit. But, alas, we simply ran outof time and came up short 23-22.Not only did the team provide Padre fans with great football moments,it also gave them some of the coolest sounding football names sinceRay Neitchke, Dick Butkus and Joe Montana. Names like TiukeTuipulotu, Derek Carthy and Ray “Huggy” Baldonado. (Admit itAcademic Captain Brian Hammel ‘07 & Admissions Director Randy Vogelfans - you said Huggy’s name more often than needed just becauseyou liked to say it!).And who among us players will soon forget our pre game Chapelservices, which epitomized what Serra football is really all about.It was there that we learned the importance not only of laying ourbodies down for our teammates, but also opening up our hearts toone another.So, here’s to you Coach Walsh and staff for teaching us and believingin us. Here’s to you Aarash Zakeri and company for showing us thatdedication to Padre football goes beyond those individuals situatedinside the lines of a 100 yard piece of turf. Here’s to you Mrs.Ferretti for quarterbacking the formation of our spirituality. Here’s toyou Mr. Taylor for being the best announcer in high school football.Here’s to you Mrs. Rossi for healing our wounds so we could returnto the battles we loved. And, here’s to you gray-haired former Padrewarriors, sitting in the stands, whose names we may not know butwhose loyal support, rain or shine, win or lose, we can always counton. Thank you alumni and student body - Never was there a partybetter than the one at mid-field after the St. Francis victory. Thanksmost of all to you Moms and Dads, for the opportunity to play andfor your love. To all of you we raise our helmets and proudly proclaim“PADRES!”Only a couple of months have passed since the conclusion of a seasonthat we wished would never end. Already, nostalgic tears are falling.Thanks for the memories. Padre Blue and Gold Forever!17Senior Brian Hammel served as Academic Team Captainthis past year. The offensive tackle has been a member of thefootball and basketball program for four years.

It’s A Win!Padres 21 - St. Francis 17

ARed CarpetWe didn’t need PricewaterhouseCoopers to tabulate the results for the 2006Benefit Auction, “Night at the Oscars” -- the winners were easy to pick out.In the category of Best Director, the Oscars went to co-chairs Angi DiPaola,Jackie Cooper, Kathy Flynn, Virginia McIsaac and Theresa Stoye for the fabulousjob they did in producing another fantastic Benefit Auction.In the category of Best Set Decorations, the Oscar went to Leane Ciardi forher beautiful decorations. And, in the category for Best Supporting Cast, theOscar went to the parents and friends of Serra High School who helped raise over$209,000 for “A Night at the Oscars!”Our faux Joan Rivers who greeted guests as they walked up the red carpet was heard to exclaim, “Whata fabulous event! What a fabulous school! If I had a son, this is the place he would go to school! Ican’t wait to see what they do next year!”. . . Neither can we.Evening

20Drawing for class MacKenzie taught at SanJose State (gouache and water color)Above three paintings from “Out of Picture”

21Crossing the finish line with Joel are histwo children Camryn and NicholasSupport Serra By Making a Donation OnlineIt’s Just A Click AwayVisit the Serra Website @ www.serrahs.com and Click on “On Line Giving” from our home page!Gifts to Serra are Tax Deductible

ALUMNI NEWSPaul Marianette ‘4922Father John L. ZophFather Edward R. Allen

ALUMNI NEWSLOG ON TO SERRA’S NEWWEBSITE & RECONNECTWITH PADRE ALUMSwww.SERRAHS.COMHundreds of Padre Alums have already registered with Serra’snew Online Alumni Community and have begun reconnectingwith old classmates.If you have not already received an alumni postcard with your loginID, you’ll find it on the address label on the back page of thisedition of Traditions. Your log-in ID is the number locatedabove your name, and it’s all you need to begin catching upwith your Padre pals.Follow these easy steps:1. Log on to www.serrahs.com2. Click on Alumni3. Click on Online Alumni Community4. Click on Register Here. You will need to enter yourlast name, choose your class, and enter your Log-in ID!Join Serra’s Alumni BoardThe Alumni Board is composed of twenty volunteer alums who rangein year of graduation from 1962 to 1997. Our new Board Presidentis Greg Hart from the Class of ‘76. Board members serve as longas they continue to remain interested and committed to our goalsof strengthening the relationship between the school and its alumni,providing links between the alumni and our current students, andproviding social activities for our alumni. An example of this is RichZanardi from the class of 1962, who has been involved on the Boardcontinuously since the mid 1980s! We welcome new members fromany era. If you are interested in joining the Board, contact Russ Bertettaat (650) 573-9935 ext. 130 or by email at rbertetta@serrhas.com.What does the Alumni Board do? The answer is quite a bit! First,the Alumni Board annually hosts the Homecoming Barbecue duringthe Homecoming football game. In addition, the Board coordinatesthe receptions following the Alumni basketball, soccer and baseballgames. Members of the Board serve on sub-committees that selectthe inductees to our Athletic Hall of Fame, the recipients of the AlumniAward of Merit, and the recipient of the Alumni Association’s mostprestigious award, the Junípero Serra Award. Every other year, theAlumni Association, in conjunction with the College and CareerCenter, hosts Career Day when over fifty alums talk to our studentsabout their careers and how they can use their Serra experiences to planfor their futures. Members of the Board have participated in severalcommunity service projects over the years in an attempt to reach out tothe larger community. Last year, the Board took the leadership role inthe Serra Golf Classic which raises money for the Alumni AssociationScholarship Fund. The tournament has raised nearly $175,000 for thescholarship fund in the last seven years.The role of the Alumni Board continues to expand and evolve. We areexcited about this growing role and our impact on our alumni and onSerra. You can continue to be part of the Serra Brotherhood by joiningus in our endeavors.

ALUMNI NEWSThe Father Serra SocietyThe Father Serra Society has been established to recognize and honor those individuals who have acted to provide support in order to ensurethe future of Serra High School. It honors those who make provisions for Serra High School through bequests of wills or trusts, life incomegifts, retirement plans, life insurance policies or other planned giving vehicles. From time to time, the school holds special events to honorFather Serra Society members. The school publicly recognizes and honors those names, which are listed below, as founding members of theFather Serra Society. Some members have wished to remain anonymous and the school respects their wishes.The generosity of the following Founding Members of the Father Serra Society is gratefully appreciated:Anonymous ‘63Mr. and Mrs. Jack Allain ‘53Mr. and Mrs. Bart Araujo ‘61Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bankovitch, Sr.Mr. and Mrs. Russ Bertetta ‘67Mr. and Mrs. Tony Crisafi ‘69 RIPMr. And Mrs. Steve Difu ‘60Mr. Jerry Driscoll ’49 (RIP)Mrs. Ellen EinarssonMrs. Eleanor Figoni (RIP)Mr. Bob Grassilli ‘66Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Lucey ‘58Mr. and Mrs. Lars LundMr. and Mrs. Stephen McLaughlinMr. and Mrs. Michael PetersonMr. Kevin Ragan (RIP)Mr. Ben Reichmuth ‘53Mr. and Mrs. Ferencz Sipos (RIP)Mr. Randy VogelMrs. Claire Carey Willard(*New members above appear in blue text.)If you have already made Serra High School part of your estate plans and are not listed above, or if you would like to learn more about Serra’s PlannedGiving Program, please contact Russ Bertetta at (650)573-9935 or by e-mail to : rbertetta@serrahs.com24P l a n n e d Giving Leadership T e a mLori Whitney Robert (Rob) Rius ‘96Lori is a Senior Vice-President and FinancialPlanning Specialist at Smith Barney in SanMateo. Graduating from Michigan State in1982, she began her brokerage career withPaineWebber in San Mateo in 1984 and joinedCitigroup Smith Barney in 1996.Lori works with individual investors and helpsthem achieve their retirement, educational andfinancial planning goals. She currently manages over $450 millionfor 200 different families. Her investment strategy focuses on highquality investments with proper diversification.2004 marked the return back into the financialservices industry for Rob Rius, who is now aFinancial Advisor for Morgan Stanley in PaloAlto. Having been involved in youth sports innumerous Bay Area communities for the past 6years, Rob felt that there was a synergy betweenathletic and financial enrichment. “My goal isto help youth develop through sports, and tohelp the family develop as a whole, financially.”He was recently awarded the Silicon ValleyDirector’s Award, the Morgan Stanley PFP Leaders Award and is amember of the Pace Setter’s Club in 2005 and 2006.Lori is a member of Serra’s Board of Regents, participating on theDevelopment Committee while serving as a liaison to the PlannedGiving sub-committee. She and her husband David currently havetwo sons attending Serra.In the spring of 2000, Rius co-founded and became an ExecutiveDirector for Bay Area Sports Academy (BASA). He was responsiblefor launching Menlo College’s first Business Plan Writing Contest. Inthe spring of 2001, Rius graduated from Menlo College with MagnaCum Laude Honors and a B.S. in Business Administration focusingin Management.Jim Hing ‘84Jim Hing took over the management and operations of HingAccountancy Corporation in 1994. He has also served in variouspositions with KPMG Peat Marwick, and Frank, Rimerman andCompany in Menlo Park. He has been responsible for consultingwith many start-up companies, high wealth individuals and otherbusiness entities. Jim has a broad range of experience that allows himto use cross business solutions for each of his clients.He received his BS degree from California Polytechnic StateUniversity in San Luis Obispo, and his Masters degree in Taxationfrom Golden Gate University. Jim’s 18 years of public accountingexperience ensures that he has been exposed to many different taxand accounting issues.Larry Dugoni ‘86After graduating from Serra in 1986, Larry graduated Magna CumLaude from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in BusinessAdministration and a concentration in accounting. He is a CertifiedPublic Accountant who worked for Price Waterhouse from 1991 to1994 and received his J.D. from USF Law School in 1997.He currently is a partner in the law firm of Barulich SchoknechtDugoni Law Group, Inc., specializing in estate planning, trust andprobate law, estate and gift taxation and asset protection planning.

ALUMNI NEWSArchbishop Francis T. Hurley Celebrates His80th Birthday with Serra Alum Dennis Lucey ‘58Dennis Lucey ‘58 and his wife Pam were the gracious hosts forArchbishop Francis T. Hurley’s 80th Birthday celebration this pastNovember. Archbishop Hurley was visiting Baltimore to attend theNational Bishop’s meeting, so Dennis and Pam decided to give him aparty at their home in McLean, VA.Archbishop Hurley is the retired Archbishop of Alaska and currentlyresides in Anchorage. He taught at Serra from 1954-1957 and thenmoved to Washington, DC and was part of the US Bishop’s Conference.He was named by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as Bishop Juneau and, two yearslater, named as Archbishop of Alaska.Archbishop Francis T. Hurley with Pam & Dennis Lucey ‘58Alum Gene Klein ‘75 - Keeping it Local in San MateoSerra Alum Gene Klein uses the slogan, “Make Us Your First Stop” when referring to the San Mateo BayArea. In addition to being the CEO of BarkerBlue Digital Imaging of San Mateo, Gene is currently theChairman of the Board for the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce.The San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce, established in 1939, promotes business and the publicinterest through representation, advocacy and sponsorship. The Chamber organizes and funds programsthat support the economic, civic, cultural and educational excellence of the San Mateo area, and representsthe interests of over 1,000 businesses employing a total of more than 20,000 people.Gene Klein ‘75After graduating from Serra, Gene attended Stanford University where he graduated with a BA in EnglishLiterature in 1979. He joined BarkerBlue shortly thereafter and is currently the CEO, involved in allaspects of the company, from strategic planning to technology purchases to client relations. Gene is alsoon the board of the San Mateo Police Athletic League.25Alum Jim Kniffin ‘75 Giving Back in Padre StyleCo-Founder of the Hoopla AssociationJim Kniffin ‘75 is co-founder of the Salem Hoopla Association (formed in1998), with its stated goal to raise money for charitable purposes - specificallyfor various youth programs. From its humble beginnings, “Hoopla” hasgrown to facilitate over 500 teams and boasts to be the finest outdoor 3-on-3 street basketball tournament in the nation. Working together withsponsors and volunteers, Jim’s Hoopla Association provides a festival of sport,celebrating the principles of competition, teamwork, fair play and fitness.Hoopla also fosters economic development in Salem by attracting thousandsof participants and spectators to the steps of the Oregon State Capitol andone of the most unique and spectacular venues for street basketball in thenation.(L to R:) Kyle, Lindsay, Jim ‘75, Pam and Adam KniffinMark Your Calendars!June 25, 2007JUNIPERO SERRA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION’S20 thannualSERRA GOLF CLASSICPeninsula Golf & Country Club

ALUMNI NEWSBattle of the "Marching Bands"The football match-up between the Cal Bears and the UCLA Bruins was notthe only battle taking place at Memorial Stadium this past November. Padrealums Ryan Svendsen ‘06 and Ben Bubenheim ‘06 also battled it out with theirmarching band performances during the halftime festivities.Ryan is a member of the UCLA Bruin Marching Band that performs annuallyat the Rose Bowl for crowds as large as 100,000, while his former classmateBen is part of one of the oldest college marching bands on the West Coast, theUniversity of California Marching Band -- one of the few bands in the nationthat still marches the traditional and demanding high-step form.When the halftime whistle blew, both bands performed incredibly -- addingenergy, enthusiasm and spirit with every step and every note they played.As for the football game, the Bears won it 38-24, making up for a heartbreakingRyan Svendsen ‘06loss to the Bruins in the 2005 season.Ben Bubenheim ‘0626Shobeir Shobeiri ‘99 uses his freetime to co-host a television showcalled “Iranican,” which focuses onIranian-American youths growing uphere in the United States, as well asin Canada. The program identifies,analyzes and suggests solutions to avariety of problems and issues facingIranian-American youth today.“After graduating from Serra, it wasimportant to me to continue to beactive against social injustices,” saidShobeir Shobeiri ‘99, in a recenttelephone interview. “Ultimately, ourprogram’s goal is to project a positiveand representative image of Iranian Americans. We are responsive tothe needs of our viewers and committed to developing new avenues ofcommunication with our existing and potential viewers. We embracethe diversity of our viewers and respect individual differences, ideasand contributions.”After graduating from Serra, Shobeir studied at San Jose State,majoring in International Business and minoring in Communications.Alum Shobeir Shobeiri ‘99 Active Against Social InjusticeWhile at SJSU, Shobeir was an officer of the Entrepreneurial Society, astudent-operated organization dedicated to empowering the businessleaders of tomorrow.Shobeir also served as the President of a youth group sponsored by theIslamic Cultural Center of Northern California known as “BAYM (BayArea Youth Muslims).” The program brings Muslim youth from theBay Area together to help build a community of trust and friendship,while allowing them to spiritually and emotionally understand whothey really are as young Muslims in society. While acting as BAYMPresident, Shobeir planned many events including an open paneldiscussion between a psychologist, parents, and a youth group called“Unconscious Parenting,” that allowed the audience, particularly ofMiddle Eastern descent, to open up and discuss a wide variety of issuesfacing Muslims in American society.“My goal in life is to fight for a better day for everyone, while keepinga positive mind set each and every day,” says Shobeir.Shobeir also works at a Technology Center called “Plug & Play TechCenter” as a Business Relationship Manager and at Amidzad Partnersas an analyst. Plug & Play Tech Center Company, located in the SiliconValley, provides ready-to-move-in office space for start-up companiesand venture capitalists. Amidzad Partners is a private investment fundinvesting in early stage technology startups.Serra Alum & Daly City Fire Fighter Jason Hamilton ‘88 “Fires Out First Novel”Like many fathers, Serra Alum Jason Hamilton ‘88 realized his young son would have a lot of questionsabout life, so he set out to gather some answers. Jason decided to assemble them into a literary trilogy.His debut novel, “Wolf Hunter: Akhirah Moon,” became more than a way for three year-old Cory toparse the events of world history when it was published in July, after more than two years of researchand writing.Jason is no ordinary writer. His full-time job is with the Daly City Fire Department,where he is an Engineer/Paramedic. “My whole department has basically helped me editit all along the way,” said Jason. “I definitely have a career that I love and plan to stay in.”The novel, which takes its “Everyman” main character from the Bay Area to cloak-and-dagger intrigue in Iraq, is the first volume in whatHamilton envisions as an epic look at Middle Eastern politics. Inspired by “Lord of the Rings,” Anne Rice’s vampire tales and other sweepingstories of good-versus-evil, Hamilton worked to understand the ancient conflict that pulled America into the fray on Sept. 11, 2001, and sharewhat he learned in literary form. “I probably could have picked an easier topic for my first novel,” said Jason. “The research was grueling.”Finding a home for the book was fairly grueling. “I got some really nice letters back,” Jason said. “If you don’t have an agent, it’s really kind ofhard for a no-name to get in the door. I got turned down by just about everybody.” Eventually, Jason hooked up with Trafford Publishing, an“on-demand” printer in British Columbia. He said that since the book came out in July, it has sold almost 200 copies each through the Amazonand Borders Web sites. He hopes to get physical copies in front of potential readers as well.“That would be a dream come true, if I could actually see it in a store,” Jason said.Excerpts from San Mateo County Times Staff Writer Todd R. Brown

ALUMNI NEWSAlumniSportsNearly 100 alumni athletes turned out overThanksgiving Weekend to participate in the annualalumni athletic events. On Wednesday evening inthe opener of the Alumni Basketball double-header,sophomore Kevin McEntee sank a 3-pointer at thebuzzer to force over-time. In the over-time period, theolder alumni wilted under the pressure of the JuniorVarsity defense and lost to Coach Tim Kennedy’syoung squad. In the nightcap, Coach Chuck Rapp’sthree-time defending CCS championship team tookthe floor against a heavily favored alumni squad led byCoach Kennedy and Jason Hardee. However, Rapp’steam would give an early showing of how the 2006-2007 squad would play once league play began. Usinggreat ball movement and intense defense, the Varsityscored a 19-point victory over the Alumni.Thursday morning bright and early, 30 alumni water polo players jumped in the pool to play their annual game. As always, this game is aboisterous, spirited event that shows the great camaraderie of the Aquatics Alumni. These games are always close and the “Odds” (classes whoseyear is an odd number) defeated the “Evens” 17-16. Players ranged in age from the class of 1982 (Mark Stemmy) to the class of 2006.On Friday afternoon new Coach Jeff Panos welcomed alumni soccer players back to Serra for the 20th annual Alumni Soccer game. He talkedto them about the tradition of the program and the importance of their legacy to this year’s team. Then the teams squared off and played anoutstanding game of soccer. The alumni team featured players from five decades - the oldest being Fred Wahl from the class of 1969. However,it was the play of Mike Giotinis ’77 in goal that brought the crowd to its feet. His acrobatic and gutsy play was certainly the highlight of thegame as the Varsity edged the Alumni 4 to 3.Although the games are always fun and exciting, the best part of the weekend is seeing Padre spirit rekindled, memories shared and friendshipsrenewed.

ALUMNI NEWS28If you were to ask some of ourcurrent students who their“Serra Heroes” might be,they’d probably say Tom Brady‘95, Bill Keller ‘66, Lynn Swann‘70, or any of the alums who arecurrently teaching at Serra.But to Padres who walked thehalls during Serra’s infancy,Desmond Ooghe ‘47 is a real,living and breathing hero.Eldest Padre Hero: Truly a Man of ServiceInterestingly, Des’s story beginsat Bellarmine where he enrolledin the summer of ‘42, a yearbefore Serra was founded.Though he lived only fourblocks from Serra’s originalsite on Columbia Drive and theAlameda, Des took the trainevery day to “Prune Valley.”Des’s life changed in 1944 when his brother, who was in the Navy,was killed in action. Somehow, Des talked his mother into letting himenlist in the Navy even though he was only 17 years old. He servedon a mine sweeper at the end of World War II, sweeping for mines inthe Panama Canal area and as far west as Port Arthur, Texas. At theend of the war Des joined the Naval Reserves and went back to highschool as a war veteran. But instead of returning to Bellarmine, hewalked up the street and enrolled at Serra. “It was a lot better thantaking that train to San Jose,” Des recalled this summer.Things were different at the fledgling Serra than at the well-establishedBellarmine campus. “Everything was makeshift-labs, the football field,the cafeteria.” He remembers Father Zoph as “being tough” andthat Fr. Allen “couldn’t go through a class without having a smoke.”But his time at Serra was a good one, although a little bit differentbecause he was a bit older than his classmates, and, of course, becauseby Russ Bertetta ‘67Al Chanteloup ‘50, Desmond Ooghe ‘47 & Russ Bertetta ‘67of his experiences in the Navy, hadseen a lot more of life than any ofhis classmates. “He was a heroto us,” Al Chanteloup ’50, andnow a neighbor of Des in Arnold,CA said. “I was just this littlefreshman and here was a WorldWar II vet walking around theschool. The war was still fresh.We were very patriotic and one ofour own had served. And he wasa great guy!” During his senioryear, Des would regularly attendNaval Reserve meetings at CoyotePoint, all the while trying to gethis homework done! When theClass of 1947 became Serra’s firstgraduating class, Des was a fewmonths shy of his 20 th birthday,which today makes him the oldestSerra grad.Upon graduation, Des enrolled at St. Mary’s College in Moraga but whenthe Korean War broke out in 1950, his reserve unit was called to activeduty and Des served his country again. This time it was aboard an aircraftcarrier in the Sea of Japan. After the war he took his knowledge of shipsto the steam ship business where he worked for the next 44 years beforeretiring to Arnold. His son Robert graduated from Serra in 1980.Today you can find Des in his workshop making wooden toys for theunder-privileged kids of San Andreas and Stanislaus counties. Heorganized a group of about 10 retirees, known as the Ebbetts Pass Elves, afew years ago “to help make some kids’ lives a little happier.” He estimateshe makes about 240 to 250 train sets a year which get distributed aroundChristmas time. So the young man who was a hero to his school matesmore than sixty years ago is a little older but is still a hero to a wholedifferent generation of kids.Jake Landholt ‘06 Visits from AnnapolisJake Landholt ‘06 was worried since the sixth grade about what he wanted to do in his life.“Everyone told me not to worry because I had lots of time, but I worried anyhow,” said Jake ina recent interview with Public Relations Director Michelle Wilkinson.Although Jake is one of our newest Padre alums, he came back to visit Serra in September whileon leave from the Annapolis Naval Academy. Jake was in the Bay Area for the Stanford vs.Navy game to participate in the pre-game ceremonies, as Stanford prepared to take the field forthe first time in their new stadium (Navy won 37-9).Looking quite dapper and obviously proud of his decision to join the academy, Jake shared someof his thoughts about the “college” process that he went through while here at Serra.“I was in my sophomore year when I finally knew that I wanted to be an engineer,” said Jake.“So I began looking at a variety of colleges with good engineering programs.”Jake wasn’t aware of the military options that were available, but he had heard a little aboutROTC and wanted to know more. During his senior year, he learned about the Officer Programswithin the Naval Academy and soon became very interested.Admissions Director Randy Vogel, Jake Landholt ‘06,and Student Activities Director Patti Ferretti“When I decided to apply to the Naval Academy, it was much like applying to a college oruniversity, but with physical requirements,” said Jake. “I knew in my heart, though, it waswhere I wanted to be.”

In Memoriam342006-2007 Alumni calendarDateEventSeptember 20067 Alumni Father Son Mass (Serra Chapel)12 Alumni Board MeetingOctober 200619 Junίpero Serra Award Mass20 Hall of Fame Induction Dinner @ Crowne Plaza, Foster City21 Reunion Gala 2006 @ Crowne Plaza, Foster CityClasses of ‘56, ‘66, ‘76, ‘81, ‘86, ‘96November 200622 Alumni Soccer Game22 Alumni Basketball Games23 Alumni Water Polo Game27, 28, & 29 Alumni Phon-A-ThonDecember 200612 Alumni Board Meetingwww.serrahs.comSerra’s New Website &Online Alumni CommunityNew Features Include:Up-to-date calendar of school activities and athletic events that sync with yourpersonal Outlook and PDA!Teacher Sites with up-to-date classroom informationOn Line Padre Store!On Line DonationsEvent RegistrationNews BlastsReal Time Athletic Scores and Rich Media Gallery15 Alumni 50-YR Club Luncheon, San Mateo MarriottFebruary 20079 Career Day13 Alumni Board MeetingMarch 2007Alumni Award of Merit Selection MeetingMay 20078 Alumni Board MeetingJune 20071 Senior “Welcome to the Alumni Association” Lunch25 Alumni Golf Tournament @ Peninsula Golf & Country ClubFor Information on any of the above events, please contact:Alumni Director Russ Bertetta@ (650) 573-9935 x 130or email: rbertetta@serrahs.comGated Alumni Community: Ability to communicate with old friends, update profiles,and share family news and photos.** If you have not received a postcard with your Alumni Log-In ID, you can find yourLog-In ID on the back cover of this publication above your name.Send Us Your Family Photos!If you would like share your family photos with us, we would be glad to include them in our“Padre Family Photo Album” section of TRADITIONS.You may send printed photos or digital images to:Serra High School Development Office 451 West 20th Avenue San Mateo, CA 94403Attention: Michelle Wilkinson, Director of Public Relations, or by e-mail to mwilkinson@serrahs.com

Scott Delucchi ‘85 & JoAnn Schultz Wedding

Scene from Serra High School’s Performing Ars production of“The Miracle Worker”Jungle Game Win!serra 39 - si 34six in a row!Junípero Serra High School451 West 20th AvenueSan Mateo, CA 94403-1385(650) 345-8207Fax (650) 573-6638www.serrahs.comReturn Service requestedNon-ProfitOrg.U.S. PostagePAIDSan Mateo, CAPermit No. 180