| St. Francis High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 200 North Foothill Boulevard La Cañada Flintridge, California, (Los Angeles County), 91011 United States |
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| Information | |
| Type | Private, All-Male |
| Motto | A Catholic Tradition of Enriching the Mind and Heart |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic;Order of Friars Minor Capuchin |
| Patron saint(s) | Francis of Assisi |
| Established | 1946 |
| President | Fr. Tony Marti |
| Principal | Tom Moran |
| Chaplain | Fr. Hung Nguyen |
| Faculty | 53 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 670 (as of Fall 06) |
| Color(s) | Brown and Gold |
| Team name | Golden Knights |
| Rival | Loyola High School |
| Accreditation(s) | Western Association of Schools and Colleges[1] |
| Newspaper | KnightLife |
| Yearbook | 'Alvernian' |
| Tuition | $11,800 (2011–2012) |
| Dean of Faculty | Gary Murphy |
| Dean of Academics | Rudy Trujillo |
| Vice Principal | Peter Brang |
| Admissions Director | Joe Monarrez |
| Athletic Director | Terry Terrazone |
| Activities Director | Denise Gunter |
| Website | http://www.sfhs.net |
Saint Francis High School is a Catholic preparatory high school for young men, located in La Cañada Flintridge, California, USA. Founded in 1946 on the lands bought from a golf club, it is owned and directed by the Capuchin Friars of the Western American Province of Our Lady of Angels.
Its official motto, "A Catholic Tradition of Enriching the Mind and Heart", serves as the basis for its curriculum. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
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Saint Francis High School's curriculum primarily emphasizes a core that addresses the requirements outlined by the University of California. Although it is not fully required to address these requirements, it is strongly encouraged to meet these in order to foster an educational career path with goals set at attending a University of California or other 4-year university. Over 99% of graduates go on to attend higher education institutions, with 96% attending 4-year universities.
The core curriculum focuses on basics and follows up with higher tiered courses in each subject. Mathematics, English language and composition, Foreign language, Sciences, Social Studies, and Religion are all represented in the school's core curriculum.
Among these are the vast array of AP and Honors courses, instated to challenge students with hopes of academic enrichment. AP Courses offered by the school include full year/ 2 semester classes in Calculus, Statistics, Computer Science, English, U.S. History, European History, U.S. Government, Foreign Language, Economics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
In addition to the strong core offered at the school, numerous extracurricular activities in the academic field are offered. The school offers courses in introductory arts, studio art, theater, and choir. In addition to art emphasis, there exist numerous clubs and teams that students can take advantage of and join. Such organizations include drum line, student government, LINK, a year long freshmen orientation program, KNIT (Student Television), Yearbook and various other clubs, created and run by the students under the guide of the activities coordinator.
Within a seven year span in the 1990s into the 2000s, the Varsity Soccer Team captured three California Interscholastic Federation ("CIF") championships. In 2009 the team recorded the school's first "CIF" State Regional Championship. Most athletic teams reach the CIF playoffs every year with exceptional showings in the last 10 years by the football, soccer, cross country, baseball and track & field teams.
A FieldTurf and all-weather track has been installed inside the Friedman Field complex, with a gymnasium renovation, Field House, home-side bleacher and patio renovation. The Golden Knights compete in nine sports within the Mission League, which is part of the CIF Southern Section. At the Varsity and Junior Varsity levels, football, cross country, basketball, soccer, tennis, track, volleyball and baseball are available to students. Golf is also a Varsity sport. Football, basketball, track, and volleyball are also available on the Freshmen/Sophomore level. Loyola High School is a principal athletic rival.
Varsity soccer began the 2005 season ranked seventh in the nation and lived up to that ranking early in the year, winning the Admiral National Tournament in Florida. Their dominating run in the tournament included victories over a handful of nationally ranked teams, including Florida's top two soccer programs. In the last eight years coach Glen Appels has led the team to 3 CIF Championships in three divisions. After originally playing in Division V the Golden Knights have now been moved up to Division I despite still only enrolling fewer than 700 students. St. Francis is one of the smallest schools in both CIF sections to have at least one Division I team. In 2008 the team was coached to victory by Glen Appels winning the Mission League Title over Crespi. In 2009, the Golden Knights captured the Southern California State Regional Championship in Division II with a 4–2 victory over San Diego Cathedral Catholic.
After taking the Golden Knights to the CIF Playoffs for the fourth straight year, head coach Jim Bonds’ .638 winning percentage continues among the best since the school first took to the gridiron in 1949.
St. Francis’ first victory was in the 1949 season, a 40–6 trouncing of Notre Dame High School. Four years later, coach Jack Friedman arrived, who immediately moved St. Francis into the Parochial League.
In 1960, QB Tony Petek (1961) outdueled future Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner John Huarte, the win over Mater Dei cementing the Golden Knights’ first league championship.
Other early highlights included:
The 1968 whipping of undefeated Loyola by the Reggie Sanderson led Knights will long be remembered!
The 1980s featured an upset of Loyola and another Del Rey championship.
The 1990s saw a rebuilding program, highlighted by the 1993 hiring of Bill Redell, who led the Golden Knights to its first playoff win in 13 years (1996), its first league title since 1982 and to the 1999 semifinals, losing to eventual champion Hart.
Coach Jim Bonds continued the success of Bill Redell leading the Golden Knight's to the playoffs in 2000, again falling to the eventual champion and his alma mater, Hart High. Now in his ninth season Coach Bonds has reached the playoffs each year and the semi-finals three times. Miguel Melendez of the Pasadena Star New's declares Coach Bonds "one of the smartest football coaches I've ever met."
In 2009, the Golden Knights defeated rival Loyola High School 27-23.
Past Golden Knight coaches include: Jim Glenn (1949–50), John Pacheco (1951–52), Jack Friedman (1953–65, 70–79), Jim Yang (1966, 67,68, 69), Brian Fogarty (1979–82), Terry Terrazone (1983–88), Bill Garrison (1989–90), Andy Boynton (1991–92), Bill Redell (1993–99) and Bonds (2000–current).
The Golden Knights had an excellent 2006 season, with a 25–5 record including a sweep of rival Loyola High School, champions of the Atascadero Easter Tournament and eventual CIF champions, where they had two come from behind wins. The Knights made the playoffs and won the first three playoff games and advanced to the semifinals to face West High School (Torrance). The Golden Knights won in the ninth inning on a walk-off home run, which sent the Golden Knights to the CIF Div II Finals at Angel Stadium of Anaheim for the first time in school history. Although the Golden Knights lost, the 2006 season will never be forgotten.
St. Francis has consistently qualified for the CIF Southern Section meet each year. In the early to mid 1990s, the program achieved its greatest success, including being CIF Division II Runners-Up in 1995, a team that went on to compete as a team at CIF State Finals for the first time in school history.
While the program is no longer active at St. Francis, it was one of the most successful in St. Francis' history during its relatively short lifespan. In a 15 year span from the early 1980s to late 1990s, St. Francis swimmers racked up more All-American awards than all other sports in the school's history combined.
With a fairly young team this season, St. Francis golf finished the 2007 season by placing fifth in the CIF team divisionals.
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