From Tom Brady to Lynn Swann to Maealiuaki Smith, Serra drips with nostalgia, success

Current Padres — Northern California's top-ranked team — pass the eye test of past and present, says award-winning SBLive correspondent John Murphy

SAN MATEO, Calif. — Less than a week ago I was not an SBLive writer. I was a Southern California sports editor, working for a chain of weeklies.

Then last week I visited my brother Jim in Burlingame. He’s a real estate agent and former high school teacher. He also played football at Serra High, back in 1968 and ’69 when the team won consecutive league titles.

I watched those games as a kid. The Padres had the late QB Jesse Freitas Jr., Lynn Swann, and Tom Scott making plays. They all got drafted by NFL teams. Swann and Scott have a shopping cart full of Lombardi trophies and Grey Cups between them. Freitas led the nation in passing as a senior at San Diego State. He wound up with the San Diego Chargers where he and Dan Fouts shared the QB room.

I know Serra is highly touted this season because, after all, I’m in the biz. The way I hear it the Padres are ranked No. 1 in NorCal heading into the season. That’s where they finished the 1968 season, tied with former East Bay power Alameda.

Serra coach Patrick Walsh (in orange) overseas an early August practice. Photo: John Murphy

Coincidentally, my brother met his old Padre football teammate, Neil Christal, last week for lunch. I killed time by trekking over to West 20th Avenue in San Mateo to get an eyeful of the current Pads.

Serra, of course, is coached by Patrick Walsh, the former De La Salle of Concord star back. Now he’s a dripping-with-success coach with championships and honors filling his resume. He also helped stiff arm COVID-19 on behalf of prep players state-wide in 2020.

Thanks to coaches such as Walsh and De La Salle’s Justin Alumbaugh, there was a spring season that year.

Arriving in San Mateo, I roll into the famous school where John Robinson, Jim Fregosi, Freitas, Swann, Scott, Tom Brady, David Bahktiari and the rest played. Barry Bonds gave football a whirl too and caught many passes for Serra before focusing on basketball and baseball. 

But besides Bahktiari, other Serrans dot NFL rosters. They are: Matt Dickerson (Chiefs), Easop Winston Jr. (Seahawks), and Atonio Mafi (Patriots). 

“Legends are made here,” says a sign that is only part hyperbole.

A Brady spiral away, players move in unison. Hand-offs are made. Whistles blow.

The 2023 Padres are focused as they prepare for an Aug. 26 opener against visiting Folsom.

Then I hear a familiar voice. It is Walsh, Serra’s veteran coach. He's starting his 23rd season. 

“Hi Johnny,” Walsh says, jogging over. Walsh calls me Johnny. I’m 68.

Walsh is the rock star coach of the Padres. He wears an orange jacket and tinted shades. His hair is flecked with gray.

“Welcome,” Patrick says. “My house is yours. Take pictures or whatever you want.”

I watch linemen toil. My brother was one. Then I eye the DBs, under coach Lyndon McGee. McGee instructs, prods, cajoles, and laughs. The players respond. Good thing – they’ll be sorely tested in less than two weeks. 

Then it’s time for water.

Water break for Nick Spink and the Padres. Photo: John Murphy

“Hello sir,” says No. 72, extending his hand . “I’m Nick Spink.”

“John Murphy, Class of ’74,” I say. “My brother was Class of ’70. He played with Lynn Swann.

“No way,” Spink says. “That’s sick.”

A whistle shrieks. More plays are run. Sun glistens off the royal blue helmets.

A quarterback named Maealiuaki Smith airs it out. You can look it up. I did.

I don’t know if these Padres are as good as they were in ’68. But I had fun watching. And remembering. Since that practice, coincidentally, I’ve been rehired as a freelancer for SBLive. I’ll be writing features, mostly on SoCal players from the Inland Empire. .

As for this highly touted Serra team, it passes the eye test. But it will get all it can handle and perhaps more from the Folsoms and De La Salles and the St. Francis Lancers and those fast movers from The City, the Archbishop Riordan Crusaders.

My curiosity sated; I move for my car. I glance back just once. Then walk into a warm San Mateo night.

John Murphy is the sports editor of Century Group Media of Southern California. He was named the 2022 Los Angeles Press Club sports journalist of the year at a banquet attended by Sharon Stone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.