St. John Bosco pitcher Julian Garcia (12) makes a pitch against La Mirada in their CIF quarterfinal baseball game at La Mirada High School on Saturday. St. John Bosco defeated La Mirada, 5-2. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

DOWNEY – In one of the most miraculous playoff stretches in recent history, the St. John Bosco Braves Baseball team is headed to its third straight CIF Championship.

With a 3-1 win over visiting Harvard Westlake Tuesday (May 26) in the DI Semifinals, the Braves made it three visits to the CIF Finals in three years.

Bosco lost in 2024 to Beckman in the CIF Finals, 2-1 in 8 innings, then have run off an unprecedented 14 playoff wins in a row, which has included two CIF State Championships and a CIF title last season.

“It’s just incredible,” said St. John Bosco coach Andy Rojo, of the streak of wins. “I don’t think people realize how difficult it is just to get to one, much less three years in a row. It speaks to our program and how we’re built and how committed the guys are and the coaching staff and what we ask them to do every day. This is just a tremendous group of athletes who are highly competitive.”

With the win, St. John Bosco improved to 26-5, while Harvard Westlake ends its season at 26-6.

The championship game will be played Friday night (May 29) at Cal State Fullerton against Norco (28-4), a 5-2 winner over Notre Dame. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

As for Friday against Norco, Rojo said of the two featured pitchers, “They have a big arm and we’re going to have our big arm (Julian Garcia). It’s kind of a classic big arm day. We’ll see how it goes.”

Prior to the semi’s, the Braves had another barn-burner of a game and pulled out a late-inning 5-2 victory in the quarterfinals over host La Mirada Saturday, May 23. (See stories below).

In addition to the semifinal win, the Braves have accepted an invite to this years’ CIF State Championships, which begin after the CIF-SS Finals, next Tuesday, June 4.

CIF Semifinals – Bosco 3, Harvard Westlake 1

In the first two innings, both pitchers combined for seven strikeouts, as Westlake starter Evan Alexander (2 Ks) stranded Bosco runners Jaden Jackson (Sgl.) and senior pitcher Jack Champlin (Sgl.) on second and third. Champlin struck out two batters.

Alexander struck out the side in the second.

Champlin got out of a bases loaded jam in the third, but the Braves broke through with the first run of the game in the bottom half of the inning.

With the bases loaded as Jackson reached on a fielders choice, followed by walks to Champlin and senior first baseman Moises Razo (Long Beach State commit), senior left fielder Noah Everly (Seattle University commit) was hit by the pitch to force in the run.’The Wolverines tied the game, 1-1, in the fourth, as freshman third baseman Louis Lappe doubled to left and came home on a single to right by pinch hitter Ryan Nestor.

Lappe highlighted his younger years with a walk-off home run to give El Segundo a Little League a World Series title in 2023.

Champlin finished his four innings allowing only three hits, while striking out four batters. He gave way to sophomore reliever Troy Sibolboro, who allowed two hits and no runs in the last three innings to pick up the win and send the Braves to a third consecutive title game.

“It’s pretty big for me and I want to experience a CIF win and that’s why I put all of my effort into (Tuesday’s) game,” Sibolboro said.

Champlin said of Sibolboro, “Troy did an amazing job pitching the last three innings,” said Champlin, who has committed to UC Irvine next season. “It’s definitely a legacy that we’re leaving.

“It’s been a blessing playing here at Bosco, with the faculty and staff. I’m so excited for the next people that want to come to Bosco. The last two years what coach Rojo has done with this program has been amazing. I don’t think anyone could have imagined the turnaround that he had in two years.”

Bosco added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh, as James Clark led off with a walk, took second on a throwing error by the Westlake pitcher and came home on an RBI single to right field by Razo to lead 2-1.

Clark was chosen as the Bosco Athlete of the Year recently.

Razo came home with the third run on a single to right by Everly.

“I wish we could score much earlier, but we’ll take them late as long as we got one more than the opponent,” added Rojo, of his teams’ late-inning heroics.

CIF Quarterfinals – Bosco 5, La Mirada 2

Bosco senior right hander Julian Garcia went the distance for the Braves, as he scattered four hits and struck out 13 La Mirada batters.

Leading the way for Bosco was Duke commit James Clark with two hits, two runs scored and three RBIs. He connected with two home runs in the game. Also with hits each was Champlin (2 for 3, RBI) and sophomore designated hitter Richie Avina (2 for 3).

The Braves opened the game with two runs in the top of the first. James Clark gave them a 1-0 lead with the first pitch for a home run over the right field fence. Champlin brought in the second run on a single to left, scoring Razo, who walked and stole second.

La Mirada cut the lead in half, 2-1, in the bottom half of the inning with a double to left field by junior second baseman Michael Burgueno, who came home on another double by freshman third baseman Blake Barberena.

The Matadores tied the game 2-2 in the third inning after senior right fielder Aaron Sykes led off with a single to centerfield, was wild pitched to second and third and came home on an infield error.

Meanwhile, Julian Garcia was sailing along with three scoreless innings.

The Braves broke the tie with three runs in the seventh.

Avina singled to left and pinch runner Noah Perez was sacrificed to second by sophomore third baseman Aaron Garcia. UCLA commit Jaden Jackson doubled home Perez to break the tie, 3-2 and James Clark followed with a two-run home run scoring Jackson for the 5-2 lead.

Garcia finished off the Matadores with a 1-2-3 seventh.

The Bears finished third (5-7) in the Gateway League tied with Downey, but made a run in the postseason.

Hollis qualifies for CIF State Shot Put

In Track & Field results, Warren’s Kymani Hollis is following through with his promise of making it to CIF State with a throw of 57’ 4.5” for 6th place in the CIF Masters Saturday (May 23) at Moorpark High School.

The CIF State Track & Field Championships is this Friday and Saturday (May 29, 30) at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium at Buchanan High School in Clovis.

“I feel something good coming this weekend,” said Hollis, prior to the CIF Finals two weeks ago. “I’m going to keep going to state, going to nationals and JO’s (Junior Olympics) and go to college.”

Hollis, who transferred from St. John Bosco after his junior year, was only introduced to the sport before he left Bosco.

“I had a senior friend who kind of introduced me to the sport a little bit and I threw it once for the only time ever and I threw 45’ in practice.”

He progressed from there as he competed at Warren, but didn’t compete the whole season.

That season got cut short for the junior last year, but before that he tossed the shot 50’ 10”. He also competed in the discus and threw it 158’ 11” last year.

This season, however, he had a personal best shot put toss of 58’ 5” in late March.

This past year Hollis had a good year for football, as he received the Defensive Player of the Year award.

“It started out a little rough in track and I wasn’t throwing as good,” Hollis said. “Over time as I practiced more and watched more throwers throw and worked on my own craft at home, it started to come together.”

The CIF-Southern Section record mark is 72’3” by former Bosco athlete Matt Katnik in 2015.

Bosco back in CIF championship game