Serra football schedules St. John Bosco in 2024

Before rugged West Catholic Athletic League schedule, the Padres will take on Northern California powerhouses Folsom and De La Salle as well; "Game on," Serra coach Patrick Walsh says

Serra's football team, a week from playing a national juggernaut for a third straight year in California's pinnacle game, is already planning for 2024. 

And the route is daunting. 

Despite graduating arguably it's best, most experienced and talented class in school history, the Padres have added St. John Bosco to its nonleague schedule in 2024, joining Northern California's top two other programs, De La Salle and Folsom to its slate.

The Padres will open with road games at Folsom and De La Salle before hosting Bosco, a three-time national champion Braves. After a week off, it will play the seven-week gauntlet of traditionally Northern California's toughest league, the West Catholic Athletic League.    

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"The reality of life is that it it's hard and you don't always win," Serra coach Patrick Walsh texted. "We are not afraid to lose at Serra, while we want to win ... football for us is a tool to improve lives." 

Last season when Serra (white uniforms) dropped a 45-0 game to St. John Bosco in the 2022 CIF Open Division Bowl Game at Saddleback College.  / Photo: Joe Bergman

Most people aren't expecting the Padres to beat Mater Dei in the CIF Open Division title game on Dec. 9 at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. Mater Dei is ranked in the top three nationally and in 2021 the Monarchs manhandled the Padres, 44-7. 

St. John Bosco dominates Serra 45-0 to win fourth state championship in school history

The following season, St. John Bosco — Mater Dei's equal from the same Trinity League — beat the Padres with equal force, winning 45-0. 

Walsh, the master motivator and gamesmen, goes into this season's title game trying to find any edge. He has to. The Padres, despite a 12-0 record and perhaps boasting their best team ever with seasoned senior standouts, are considerable underdogs. 

On top of that, by a strange convergence of section reshapes and CIF schedules, Serra has 22 days between games. The Padres scored a 63-27 CCS Open Division title win on Nov. 17 and won't play the Monarchs, who will have 15 days off, until Dec. 9. 

Walsh has made the most of his time off, given his starters time off, calling up JV and freshmen players to organize a Turkey Bowl scrimmage on Thanksgiving and generally celebrating the moment. All laid out in this San Jose Mercury News story.  

Some coaches would see the layoff — much like a college team waiting around for a Bowl game — as a detriment. Walsh sees the layoff as a positive.

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"It's the perfect storm right?" Walsh said. "In a section where there is an open game built in and also being that the No. 1 team in NorCal allows another week off has set this all up. I'm fine with it. We have made the most of the situation by utilizing time to our advantage and celebrating our relationships. We relish each moment and each day together. 

"We maxed out the season — playing in the last game in the state of California which is one of the best football states in the country. We feel very proud and we are excited to play in the game." 

Patrick Walsh during the Padres 2022 Central Coast Section title win over Mitty / Photo: Jim Malone

 And excited to play the Braves as part of a Murderer's Row of a nonleague schedule in 2024. 

Walsh explained that his program's biggest goal is to win the WCAL, a league of great tradition and history.  He said the game with Bosco was planned "months ago." 

"We see the preseason as a window to our mental, physical and spiritual souls as a football team," he wrote. "When we look inside sometimes we see beauty, sometimes we don't and when pushed by the greatest of the great teams in California we can expedite the process of building on the things we are good at and fixing the things we are bad at." 

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Clearly they are good at building one heck of a schedule. And, of course, they are good at winning football games with with three straight CCS titles while going 54-5 since 2019. 

"We welcome all outcomes in all games – especially against the best teams in the state. 

"Game on.”

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