The Crusader December 2024

First year, first banner for flag football Crusaders make history capturing WBAL title

By Kaia Burris ’27

Riordan’s inaugural flag football team made history this season, capturing the 2024 WBAL Skyline Division Championship and the St. Francis Flag Football Jamboree title while completing an outstanding 21 game winning streak.

Led by a group of highly committed athletes and coaches, the team quickly earned a place in the spotlight. From the very first play of the season, when freshman Kaylin Boman ’28 scored the team’s first touchdown, the Crusaders displayed incomparable skill, strategy, and deep passion for the game.

This level of commitment was the key to their incredible win streak. The team was not only talented, but also willing to put in the extra effort to make their time on the field as seamless as possible.

“The motivation and focus came from the players,” said Head Coach Jay’Sen Morris ’07. “After some success, the team bought in and was highly motivated to continue that accomplishment. Once we saw we could win the league, the girls locked in on that goal.”

The players consistently excelled

on both offense and defense, averaging 34 points per game and leaving opponents struggling to keep up. Standout players like Nicole Hayeems ’27, the CoLeague Overall MVP, and Josie Espinoza-Schleicher ’25, the CoDefensive MVP, led the charge. First Team All-League selections Ciara Rivas ’25, Lola Guandique ’27, Malea Boman ’28, and Catie McGoldrick ’26 further secured

the team’s dominance.

The Crusaders’ season was filled with memorable highlights that revealed their skill and determination. “The most exciting moment was at the 49ers tournament, where we beat St. Francis to win the event,” said wide receiver Nora Lee ’27. “It was so impactful because that game demonstrated our ability to get back up when we were down

and truly win as a team.”

The team’s collective effort was evident in every game, propelling them toward their championship victories.

“It’s been crazy,” said wide receiver Sara Noguera ’27. “To come out in our first season and achieve all this is just incredible. It really feels great to bring home this win for Riordan.”

The team’s success has brought incredible pride to the Riordan community and set a high bar for future flag football seasons. With such a strong launch, the Crusaders are well-positioned to remain a formidable team in the years to come.

As the season ends, it is clear that the Riordan flag football team has made history and created a legacy that will be remembered for years to come.

“I hope that the team learns that regardless of the situation, you will get out what you put in,” said Coach Morris. “This season and experience were memorable because each player bought in and gave it their all. Each player sacrificed, worked hard, and stayed positive. As the coach, I get a lot of credit for the team’s success, but all the credit goes to the players.”

Resounding Crusader band returns to field

By William Saunders ’27

On Nov. 2, Riordan’s band performed a field show for a home football game. At the tailgate, they marched down the 50-yard line and got into formation for the top of the show.

“It’s like theater meets band, you dress up and you do wonky stuff,” as George Gamara ’26 described field shows.

Throughout their set list, they simultaneously moved into different geometric shapes, such as triangles, curves, and most notably, the Riordan “R” and the number “75” to commemorate the school’s 75th anniversary.

The last time Riordan had a field show was back in the fall of 1997,

when the field was still covered in natural grass and the band wore white and gold.

“We had a lot of raucous energy,” joked Michael Vezzali-Pascual ’88, English instructor and former band member. “You guys are definitely more polished players.”

The band director in 1997, Steven Thompson, wanted the students to perform a halftime show for a football game.

Please see “Resounding Crusader band returns to field” on page 5

The flag football team went 22-2 overall, and undefeated in league play. They won a WBAL championship, becoming the first girls sport to put up a banner.

Photo Joshua Greenbaum ’25

The Crusader band positions in a “75” formation to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the school at a football game on Mayer Family Field last month.

Photo by Angela Jia ’25

2 Opinion

Archbishop Riordan High School

Commercialization of Christmas undermines values

By Isabel Fonseca ’27

What ever happened to Christmas? Historically deemed as the most wonderful time of the year, people find comfort in hot cocoa and ice skating.

However, many modern Americans now find themselves stressed during the holiday season from the societal expectations of gift giving, socialization, and the need for a “cookie cutter Christmas.” But what caused this, and how can it be resolved?

The anxieties from Christmas time can be traced to the increase of consumerism for the average American. Consumerism has been around for ages, but by the end of the first Industrial Revolution in the 1840s, “marketers began to see Christmas as a prime opportunity to sell goods,” according to the Yorktown Sentry.

By the end of WWI, consumerism became commonplace, as basic security was granted to most U.S. citizens and they were “fueled by the deprivation of the Great Depression and the rationing of

the wartime years.” Once people’s basic needs were met, jealousy of others’ extravagant purchases grew as marketers began to expand their target audience as “necessities of all classes,” according to the MIT press.

By the 1980s the pressure to have the “perfect Christmas” became a stressor in nearly every American household.

So what can you do as a consumer this Christmas season to maximize the spirit and avoid the stress and overconsumption that has become typical for the American Christmas? Here are three ideas to keep in mind this Christmas season.

The first is remembering it is the thought that counts. One way to incorporate this into your Christmas season is making a homemade gift. For example, you can bake them their favorite winter dessert, make them a card or ornament, or give them Polaroid pictures of times spent together. These personal touches enhance the quality of the gift.

Mission Statement for the Archbishop Riordan High School Newspaper

The mission of The Crusader is to inform, educate and entertain the readers—students, teachers, parents, members of the community—about issues that affect the students as well as citizens of San Francisco and the nation. We hope to instill a sense of understanding, responsibility, and curiosity in our readers that results in an eagerness to learn more about their peers and the world around them.

175 Frida Kahlo Way San Francisco, CA 94112

RCrusaderNews.com

RCrusaderNews@riordanhs.org

Editor-in-Chief

Angela Jia ’25

Managing Editor

Aiden Pavon ’25

Opinion Editor

Hoorain Farooq ’25

Campus News Editors

Katelyn Leong ’25

Ashley Villing ’25

Local & State News Editor

Isabelle Abad ’26

National & World News Editor

Daniella Lainez ’26

Boys Sports Editor

Ishaan Gupta ’26

Girls Sports Editor

Eva Bennett ’25

Sports Features Editor

Liam O’Connor ’25

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Hailey Ferrer ’26

Environment Editor

Helena Kai Murguz ’25

Religion Editor

Vincent Douglas ’25

Health Editor

Catherine Hansen ’25

Science Editor

Griffin Doeff ’25

Business & Technology Editor

Caitlin Dowd ’25

Features Editor

Hazel Nagata-Rampata ’26

Food Review Editor

Loghan Hwang ’27

Senior Photo Editor

Sean Reyes ’25

Photo Editors

Ethan Ly ’26

Julia Yamsuan ’25

Copy Editor

Rose Baik ’26

Graphic Artists

Vee Chen ’25 and Kai Murguz ’25

Also with this first idea, remember quality over quantity. You do not need a designer brand, as there are many just as nice alternatives for a more accessible price tag.

The second idea ties into choice of brand and it is celebrating sustainability. You don’t have to stop doing Christmas traditions or gift giving, but there are intentional choices to benefit both yourself and the environment.

Buy from sustainable brands and do some research before you make a purchase. Many brands appear to be sustainable and greenwash their products but often test on animals, use harmful chemicals, or use excess packaging.

In addition, consider donating your old items before Christmas. Doing this can help clear out clutter and help those less fortunate. It also helps to upcycle items you otherwise would have not used or thrown away while additionally helping others in need.

The third and final idea is to start celebrating early. There are many reasons why this is beneficial besides the fact that people who celebrate earlier tend to be happier people.

For one, it gives you more time to buy gifts, similarly to the first point, that are better quality, sustainable, and thoughtful gifts. This extra time allows for substantial time to research about sustainable brands.

Lastly, it allows time to start or continue new traditions. Traditions can be more sustainable than material purchases while cultivating unforgettable memories with your loved ones. Some ideas are doing Secret Santa, a gingerbread or baking competition, a movie marathon, or an ice skating day.

As Christmas approaches, the most important point to remember is that it’s about spending time with those you love, creating meaningful memories, and showing how much you care, not how much you spend.

Reporters and Photographers

Aarav Agrawal ’28

Julian Amann ’26

Jonah Berg ’28

Kaia Burris ’27

Roman Castro ’25

Sofia Chan ’27

Logan Dee ’26

Christopher Dominguez ’25

Liam Falcon ’28

Lucas Fernandez ’27

Isabel Fonseca ’27

Rachel Gerke ’27

Grace Hoelsken ’25

Ellory Jantz ’26

Malcolm Jones-Smith ’25

Joshua Lee ’26

Nora Lee ’27

Rhianna Mallory ’26

Karlo Manglona ’25

Mateo Munoz ’27

Elliott Ng ’28

Emmanuelle Ng ’26

Henry O’Connell ’27

Exchange Editors

Marley Naniola ’25

Taylor Tran ’25

Reporters and Photographers

Kianna Panaligan ’27

Colton Parenti ’25

Ellie Paris ’25

Aaron Peakes ’25

Ciara Rivas ’25

Andres Roca ’25

Emilio Rocha ’25

Emma Rocha ’25

Emilia Ross ’26

Sofia Sarracino ’27

William Saunders ’26

Beatriz Taylor ’26

Isabella Thumas ’26

Rowan Tomassi ’27

Evangeline Tonella ’25

Isabella Torrea ’25

Zoe Walker ’28

Elizabeth Walsh ’26

Crystal Wei ’26

Luna Weng ’28

Miles Witte ’27

Marvin Wong ’25

Bernice Yeung ’28

Charlottie Yip ’26

Adviser

Susan Sutton, MJE

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editors will be accepted with the same deadlines as ads. These letters may come from students, staff, parents, board members, or other members of the community. The Crusader reserves the right to edit the letter for grammatical and spelling errors, as well as length, but not content unless it includes foul language, plagiarized material, or libelous content. If the claims or assertions are incorrect, The Crusader reserves the right to refuse publication of the letter.

Allotted restroom time should keep up with the times

By Keira Wallace ’26

Last year, Archbishop Riordan High School implemented a new policy known as the “15-minute rule.” This policy, as I’m sure many students and faculty are aware of, prohibits students from using the bathroom during the first and last 15 minutes of class. Although this policy made sense last year during our lengthy 10-minute passing periods, our schedule change has made this rule much less effective.

The “15-minute rule” was originally created last year to prevent students from missing too much important class time. With 10-minute passing periods, students had ample time to use the bathroom, even considering the long lines. So, during the first 15 minutes of class, it didn’t make much sense to let students miss class to go to the bathroom again

Faculty also argued that the last 15 minutes of class time were often spent talking about homework and wrapping up the class, which is often true for most of the classes here at Riordan. Therefore, it was unreasonable to let students miss vital class time to go to the bathroom when they

could have easily gone before or after.

However, with our passing periods returning to their normal five-minute length this year, it seems necessary that other rules should change along with them. Our passing periods going back to normal was an important step considering our new schedule changes, but now that the time between classes is much shorter, students have less time to use the facilities.

Students often have classes

on opposite sides of the school or have to access their lockers to get heavy textbooks for their next block. Students who have to use the bathroom in addition to these other tasks will most likely be late for class.

We should also take into consideration the amount of time it takes students to wait in line to go to the bathroom. Even if students don’t use their locker and their classes are all in the same hallway, it would still be quite a struggle to get to class on time if

they had to use the bathroom.

The girl’s bathroom takes around four minutes during passing periods. This amount of time would have been doable during our longer passing periods, but now it’s almost impossible to use the bathroom on time. Taking away the “15-minute rule” would fix this problem easily.

Most students already use the restroom during class time instead of during passing periods because of these preexisting problems. If students were allowed to use the restroom during the first 15 minutes of class, they would be able to pay more attention during the rest of class time, instead of counting the minutes until they were able to use the restroom.

According to this policy, if a student had to use the restroom near the end of class, they would have to wait 15 minutes for the class to be over, five minutes for the passing period, and an additional 15 minutes in their next class block to be able to finally use the restroom.

Understanding concerns that teachers may have, students still should not have to wait for 35 minutes to use the restroom.

The great Christmas tree debate: real or fake?

By Hazel Nagata-Rampata ’26

The sweet, nostalgic, woody smell of the festive annual Christmas tree. For some, this smell of a real Christmas tree is something traditional, for others, the fake tree alternative is a tradition. But what really trickles down this Christmas tree discussion is the decision on whether to buy a fake or real Christmas tree this holiday season.

Growing up, the real Christmas tree was the tree my family and I bought every year for Christmas.

Memories like trying to strap the tree to the roof of the car–anxiously waiting to see if it would fly off and hit the car behind us–were ones that filled my childhood holiday nostalgia.

Trying to bring the big tree up the stairs was truly a struggle, needles poking my face and sap getting all over my hands as I struggled to help my parents carry the tree. Smelling the fresh pine aroma as the tricky pine needles fell all over the ground after setting the tree down in its stand was a cherished moment.

Now, the Christmas tree I put up every year is a fake Christmas tree with no fresh pine smell, no sap, no tricky pine needles poking my hands and dropping all over the floor. This artificial tree is

something that doesn’t require me to drive to a Christmas tree lot, tie it to the top of my car, and carry it all the way up the stairs.

Setting this tree up can be easy: assembling all the parts of the tree and then fluffing the fake pine needles by separating them. It can take a while, maybe even the same amount of time as it would to go to the Christmas tree lot and to buy a real tree, but in a matter of minutes, there’s a Christmas tree!

Decorating the tree with lights, garland, ornaments, and the star atop the tree, the building of a plain old tree into a real Christmas tree is the real transformation of a real or a fake tree.

But the most important part of the enjoyment of having a Christmas tree isn’t the tree itself, but Christmas morning.

Waking up to open Christmas presents laid out around the festive tree, to see the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree and the ornaments all looking jolly, nothing can get better than that.

In that moment of joy, does the wonder of having a real versus fake Christmas tree really matter? Does the coziness, the love, the excitement of the holidays and Christmas really revolve around a fake or real tree?

At left is a fake Christmas tree, and to the right, a real one. Both trees are decorated with love and care and provide joy for the families who put them up.

The debate between buying a real or fake Christmas tree is indeed just a trivial debate. Some can argue that one is more expensive than the other or that buying a fake tree is more environmentally

friendly. At the end of the day, when you’re opening up presents next to your Christmas tree, all that truly matters is the love and care that came with its presence.

Photo by Vincent Douglas ’25

Vincent Douglas ’25 uses Minga to make a pass to go to the restroom.

Photo by Loghan Hwang ’27

4 Campus News

Abundance of boarding students call Riordan home

By Sofia Sarracino ’27

As Riordan High School celebrates 75 years, the boarding program celebrates 13 years of its own.

Riordan’s boarding program consists of students from all over the world, including but not limited to Taiwan, France, Vietnam, Ukraine, China, Brazil, Spain, Italy, and Cameroon. This year, the number of boarding students has reached an all-time high of 88. The majority originate from Vietnam, which is home to 19 boarding students.

David Lin ’99, the current director of the boarding program, works closely alongside Kelsey Cotrell, Joe Kopp, and Lee Mauga. In the beginning of his career at Riordan, he was a counselor who was later asked to be a study hall coordinator for the boarding program. When the previous director stepped down from his position, Lin stepped in.

“It was really just something that just kind of fell into my lap,” said Lin.

He added, “Helping a student deal with growth and adversity is

very rewarding because you know that their parents aren’t here. So having to be able to guide someone, and support someone to feel like they can learn to be confident is probably the coolest part.”

Lin also said he enjoys witnessing how close the students get.

“If you’re coming from a totally different country, you have no idea what high school in America is like,” he said.

Maxine Sutisna ’25 came from Indonesia to play basketball at Archbishop Riordan. She said part of the reason she chose Riordan was because she wants to continue basketball in college.

“Sports were never a main focus, and we didn’t have big facilities like gyms and indoor basketball courts.”

Sophomore Hugo Lobato from Spain mentioned some of the differences between school in

“I think my favorite thing is watching a student learn to love Riordan.”

-David Lin ’99, Director of Boarding Program

America, and school in Spain.

“This school is much bigger,” said Lobato. “The education system is different, and the schedule is very different.”

Lobato said that while some of the students miss their home and family, “Most of them are very happy to stay here.”

Sutisna added that her boarding friends feel like home away from home.

“They fill the void and cheer me up when I miss home,” she said.

The boarding program has been a huge part of Riordan for the past 13 years, and has grown tremendously from the start.

Lin summed up the experience saying, “I think my favorite thing is watching a student learn to love Riordan.”

From left: Sofia Agostinelli ’26, Aurora Guerra ’25, Beatrice Pignatelli ’25, Ginevra Velo ’25, Mathilda Schreiber ’27, Joana Costa ’25, Lilly Weisheit ’26.

Photo by Loghan Hwang ’27

Community welcomes Kelleher as new wellness counselor

By Rachel Gerke ’27

Mental health can often feel like a taboo subject; something that should be kept secret from friends and family. Riordan’s new wellness counselor, Madison Kelleher, is shaping a new narrative.

Previous to Riordan, Kelleher worked as a therapist and School Counselor at Ygnacio Valley High School. What led her to Riordan ultimately was an opening as a Wellness and Support Counselor that she learned about through long term friend Greg Callaghan, who is a teacher here.

“Ms. Kelleher has been one of my closest friends for over 20 years. She is chill, funny, fair, and able to help other people find new perspectives and ways to think about things going on in their life,” Callaghan commented.

When Kelleher was in her sophomore year of high school, she lost a close friend after she had taken her life. It formed a

new perspective on life and its limited nature, as well as how many people struggle with their mental health silently, specifically teenagers.

“I think the biggest struggle with teens today is the belief that you’re in this alone. The number of times I have a student come to me with something they think is horrible or unimaginable yet little do they know I’m seeing four to five other students with nearly the same struggle or challenge. You’re not alone,” Kelleher stated. As a community, this is important to understand. Kat Belfor ’27 said, “People can be judgmental and everyone has their own thing going on so it’s crucial to be able to talk to someone who will give you that space without a bias.”

Nobody is truly alone, and no one can ever know the extent of someone’s suffering unless there is a safe environment to talk about

is the newest

it. If everyone opens their minds to other people’s experiences and listens to their stories, it might just save someone’s life.

If you or someone you know is

of the counseling staff.

considering harming themselves, or needs emotional support, there are crisis lines available via phone, chat, or text. Contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

St. Francis Scholars serve another school year

By Miles Witte ’27

In 2012-2013, the St. Francis Scholars program was created by former communications director, Victoria Terheyden, who, according to Danny Curtin ’08, “designed the program to provide access and opportunity to high academic-achieving students.”

But, the program had almost disappeared in recent years, seemingly forgotten amongst the ocean of other programs offered at Riordan. Yet, the new Director of the St. Francis Scholars program, David Lin ’99, hopes to change the program’s identity, building it up on pillars of service and leadership. So, who is Lin and what can he bring to the St. Francis Scholars program?

At Riordan, Lin wears many hats. He’s a college counselor, boarding program director, coach for the baseball and basketball teams, an RSP aide, a moderator for the Yknot Mentality Club, as well as a moderator for the Life Team. Suffice to say, Lin is pretty involved with the Riordan community, but it was actually something else that landed him the job.

According to Lin, “I got the job after completing the Remick Leadership Program at Notre Dame University.”

In addition to completing this rather prestigious program, Curtin said that Lin was “service driven and had the right personality skill set.”

This choice is seemingly paying

off already, as some members of the St. Francis Scholars program have already begun collaborating with various organizations to feed the less fortunate. Some of these leaders include Ellie Umberg ’28 and Nora Lee ’27.

Umberg said, “[I] thought there was a lack of service in the program even though there was

“I started leading these trips because I really care about serving people who are less fortunate.”

-Nora Lee ’27

lots of potential to help the many less fortunate in San Francisco” Similarly, Lee said, “I started leading these trips because I really care about serving people who are less fortunate.”

In addition to the service aspect of the St. Francis Scholars Program, a less known part of it, called the Lyceum, is also offered to students.

Led by Michael O’Brien, students learn about different philosophers to, in O’Brien’s words, “Think in different ways, philosophically, analytically, and critically.”

From learning about philosophy to unique service opportunities, members see this as an exciting time to be a part of the St. Francis Scholars Program.

Resounding Crusader band returns to field

Continued from page 1

“This could be something that we do […] that no one else is doing and in the city, no one was doing it at the time” is how Thompson described his thought process behind the first field show. The band marched in lines and formed an “R” shape, similar to the one they did this year.

Riordan alumnus and former band member Dr. Claiborne

Childs ’98 said, “Considering the band prior to that could barely get through playing the national anthem, this felt like an accomplishment.”

In preparation for the most recent show, the band practiced for three hours every Wednesday on and off the field.

“Six weeks. It took six weeks from the beginning to end to put

together,” stated the band director, Lance Ohnmeiss.

In the future, the band hopes to compete in field shows against other schools.

Ohnmeiss said, “We’ve been moving towards a field model for about five years since I started at Riordan. So it’s something that we can go and move into competitively.”

The other performances, such as parade, are still here to stay.

“When Mr. O or anyone else talks about us transitioning into becoming a field show band, it just means that we’re adding onto something we’re doing,” said Drum Major Josh Greenbaum ’25. As the band looks forward to the future, they will work hard to be at their best.

Photo by Julia Yamsuan ’25

Madison Kelleher

member

Photo provided by David Lin ’99

David Lin ’99 and the St. Francis Scholars at GLIDE Memorial Church.

Archbishop Riordan High School

RSP celebrates 30 years of serving students

By Ciara Rivas

The Resource Specialist Program is celebrating its 30th anniversary. The idea of an RSP program was first formulated in 1992, but became an official program at Riordan two years later, in 1994. This was the beginning of an essential support system for students with mild to moderate learning differences.

Today, Riordan is one of the few Catholic schools that offer a program specifically designed to support students with diagnosed learning challenges, ensuring they have access to the resources and accommodations needed to succeed academically and personally. The RSP program develops individual strategies for each student’s academic success.

As the student body grows, so does the RSP program. Originally starting out with roughly 30 students, the program now serves more than 160 students, with a dedicated team of coordinators and specialists who work diligently to provide individualized support for each student. This significant growth is evidence of the program’s success and its vital role in helping students overcome barriers to learning.

Stephanie Lundin, the Director of the RSP program, has seen this progression firsthand. She explained what makes the program so special: “Our students not only grasp a better

understanding of their own learning styles, but they gain the skills needed to manage their learning disability by figuring out what accommodations best help them learn, and most importantly how to advocate for themselves.”

The focus on self-advocacy empowers students to use the tools given to them to navigate challenges both inside and outside the classroom.

The RSP advisory committee includes experts in the field of dyslexia, cognitive functioning, communication and mental health.

Each student receives personalized attention and is provided with strategies that cater to their unique needs. This can include specialized note-taking, extra time on tests, or catered instruction in specific subjects.

Jamont Brown ’26 shared how the program has positively impacted his educational experience. He said, “Knowing that if I don’t understand something in class, I don’t have to freak out because I know that my RSP teacher will help me.”

This sense of reassurance and support has helped students like

Brown feel more confident in their abilities, leading to increased academic success and most importantly, a greater sense of well-being.

In fact, the program’s success is reflected in the outcomes of its students. Last year, 94 percent of RSP graduates attended two or four year colleges. This high college acceptance rate shows the effectiveness of the program and its goal in preparing students for a higher education despite their challenges.

Former student Lionel Rivas ’18, offered a piece of advice to current and future students in RSP. “Take advantage of the resources that are provided for you and don’t be afraid to ask for more help.”

These words from an alumnus who greatly benefited from RSP, highlight the importance of learning how to ask for help when needed, an essential skill.

Looking ahead, the Resource Specialist Program will continue to grow depending on the needs of the students in the Riordan community.

Celebrating 30 years is a huge accomplishment for a program that is truly life-changing for students. RSP and its committed team will ensure the program will carry on with its long lasting impact for many years to come.

Book Club collects pages for children of all ages

By Rowan Tomassi

The 2024 book drive is an organization organized by the new Book Club leaders Ava Bowles ’25 and Catherine Hansen ’25. This is a drive where people donate used books in good contention for a good cause.

The children’s book project is an organization to donate books for schools and people with low income and who don’t have the option to buy new books for the school year.

The organizers see it as an amazing opportunity to help out children and parents.

Recently, an article posted by the National Literacy Trust (NLT) stated that “Only 34.6 percent of 8 to 18-year olds claim in a survey that they enjoy reading in their spare time.”

This is a devastating number because many of these students who stated that they did not enjoy reading in their free time, don’t even have the option to purchase a book that they enjoy. This is why the children’s book project was created, so students with lower income can enjoy reading without worrying about the cost of books.

Hansen discussed the importance of collecting books for the Children’s Book Project, saying, “This drive is important because access to books should not be a privilege.”

“Being able to read is something that is often taken for granted and no child should miss out on an educational opportunity because they do not have the resources,” she added.

Collecting books for the Children’s Book Project is a great way to help out the community and especially young students

who would really benefit from reading new books. Bowles spoke about how the students and teachers involved in this organization collected books.

She said, “We put bins in each English classroom as well as a bin near the front office to make sure there were lots of options on where people could donate to make it easy for them to drop off their books. We also tried to put up posters and promote the book drive with videos and announcements to make sure it was well advertised.”

Many people were invested in helping young students get the education they need by making books free.

Jennifer Parker, a teacher at Archbishop Riordan and one of the Book Club moderators, helped the students facilitate the logistics of the drive.

She said, “We put up many posters around the school, especially around the English classrooms. So far, we have collected a very large amount of books and the turnout for it has been very good this year.”

The book club drive ended after Thanksgiving break. Students, teachers and staff donated more than 100 books.

This Christmas, books like Cat in the Hat, The Giving Tree, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar will arrive under the trees of children in the Bay Area.

As the holiday season rolls around, the club’s generosity is emblematic of Jesus’ teachings as well as the Marianist charisms of Family Spirit and Service, Justice, Peace & the Integrity of Creation.

’25

’27

Photo by Sean Reyes ’25

Stephanie Lundin, Director of RSP, speaks to current and past parents and students in the library at the 30th anniversary celebration of the program.

Photo by Nick Nye ’25

The Book Club collected books to donate to children this Christmas.

10 years later, justice for Jacob realized

By Karlo Manglona ’25

More than 10 years ago, on March 30, 2013, Jacob Valdiviezo ’11 was murdered in the Mission District of San Francisco.

He had returned home from Lewis and Clark College for spring break, which was a surprise visit for his family and friends, as Valdiviezo initially told them he could not make the trip.

However, what was a joyous surprise turned into a deadly tragedy.

Valdiviezo was walking home with a friend at around 3 a.m. They were at 24th and Bryant streets when a man jumped out of a gray sedan, asked Valdiviezo if he was affiliated with a gang, and then shot him multiple times.

Valdiviezo later died at San Francisco General Hospital.

Valdiviezo’s family and friends remember him as a good man. They affirm he had no gang affiliation. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, “(Orlando) Hernandez received a 25-year sentence” in April of this year.

Valdiviezo, 19, was an accomplished scholar and athlete. He attended Riordan, where he played football for four years and graduated with honors in 2011.

Danny Curtin ’08, Vice President of Enrollment & Strategy, said, “Jacob and I shared a unique bond as San Francisco natives who both attended Riordan and Lewis and

Clark. I was a few years older than him and I hosted him during his recruiting visit to Lewis and Clark and on his shadow day at Riordan when he was in eighth grade.”

Continuing his academic and athletic career, Valdiviezo attended Lewis and Clark College. He was a sophomore, on a football scholarship while studying economics.

The impact he made in his short life has not gone unnoticed. Achieve, a local scholarship program that Validiviezo was a member of, established the “Jacob Scholarship,” which helps graduating Achieve seniors with college expenses.

Christopher Dominguez ’25, a member of the Achieve Program, said, “The Jacob Scholarship is just a small way to honor the amazing life he lived.”

Jeirome Nunez ’15 said, “I did not know Jacob personally, but a lot of my upperclassmen friends did. They only said great things about him. His death hit them hard.”

Valdiviezo’s story touched the hearts of many San Franciscans. Former San Francisco 49ers player Aldon Smith tweeted, “My prayers go out to the Valdiviezo family. #ripjacob.” Another 49ers player, Patrick Willis, gave the Valdiviezo family a signed jersey, sending his condolences.

Today, Valdiviezo’s life legacy

lives on. A Facebook page named Remembering Jacob Valdiviezo has been posting since his death in 2013. It reminds those who knew Jacob about his life, and welcomes those who did not know Jacob to share in it. Today, Valdiviezo would have been 30 years old.

Curtin said, “He was a good student, teammate, and friend.

He would have carried out those skills for a long time. I could totally have seen him become a teacher and coach at Riordan.”

Valdiviezo’s story is a reminder of how precious life is. It can be taken in an instant, so it must be lived to the fullest. Living to the fullest is exactly what Jacob Valdiviezo did.

Cookie franchise crumbls into Lakeshore Plaza

The delay in opening has been met with mixed reactions from students in the area.

“Honestly, Crumbl is overhyped,” Andrew Beltran ’25 said. “Their cookies are way too sweet, and for the price, I’d rather just eat something else.”

Despite the skepticism, plenty of students are excited about the opening of the new location.

“I can’t wait for it to finally open,” Michael Zegarra ’25 said. “Crumbl’s cookies are always fun to try. I love how they switch up the flavors every week, it will be cool to go to after school.”

“I can’t wait for it to finally open. . . Crumbl’s cookies are always fun to try. I love how they switch up the flavors every week.”

-Michael Zegarra ’25

By Liam O’Connor ’25

For over a year, Crumbl Cookie, a popular gourmet cookie chain known for its rotating menu of over-the-top flavors, has teased its arrival at Lakeshore Plaza in San Francisco.

This would be Crumbl’s first official location in San Francisco. It would be located in a busy area with proximity to several schools, including Archbishop Riordan, Saint Ignatius, and Lowell, seemingly primed to attract a

crowd of students and families. However, despite months of anticipation, the store has yet to announce an official opening date.

Crumbl Cookie is known for its weekly changing menu, with fan-favorite flavors like Milk Chocolate Chip and Pink Sugar Cookie alongside others such as Churro, Lemon Bar, and Cookie Dough. Customers love the unique flavors, but some critics argue that the cookies are too sweet or overpriced.

“Honestly, Crumbl is overhyped. Their cookies are way too sweet.”

-Andrew Beltran ’25

Devin Angeles ’25 said, “It’s super convenient, I know my friends and I will be stopping by all the time.”

The delayed construction at the site has been a point of frustration

for some. With the storefront’s signage up and initial progress visible months ago, many hoped the opening would happen in 2024. However, as the year winds down, it seems the wait will stretch into 2025.

For now, students and community members can only speculate about the potential success of Crumbl in Lakeshore Plaza. While some share the view that the chain may not live up to the hype, others are excited to not have to travel so far to eat their delicious cookies. Whenever Crumbl does officially open its doors, one thing is certain: the talk surrounding it proves that dessert businesses are here to stay.

Image provided by Michael Vezzali-Pascual ’88 Jacob Valdiviezo ’11 was killed two years after graduating from Riordan.

Photo by Hoorain Farooq ’25

Crumbl Cookie is famous for its rotating flavor menu, always surprising customers with new, unique cookies to try and favorite ones to revisit.

Menendez brothers: revisiting a killer case

By Daniella Lainez ’26

Infamous brothers, Lyle and Erik Menendez, convicted for the 1989 murder of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, are back in the public eye. Social media platforms such as TikTok have sparked popularity in the case, with related hashtags and videos garnering millions of views.

Many viewers are debating whether allegations of abuse warrant leniency to their release, with common comparisons to the high profile Gypsy Rose Blanchard case from 2015, which has gained renewed attention due to her release from prison.

Khloe Wu ’26 said, “If Gypsy Rose is being released for meticulously planning her mother’s murder, then the Menendez brothers should also be considered for release. They both endured severe abuse yet the Menedez brothers are still in prison after over 30 years.”

Netflix has played a pivotal role in the case’s popularity, first with Monsters: The Menendez Brothers, a hit series that explores the events surrounding their parents’ murder, from its tense lead-up to its dramatic aftermath.

This series topped charts in 89 countries, amassing 97.5 million viewing within its first four days according to IMDb.

Following the series was a Netflix documentary featuring

interviews and perspectives from the Menendez brothers, their cousin Diane Vander Molen jurors, lawyers, journalists, and the lead prosecutor Pamela Bozanich on the 1989 case. These insights brought more information to the case and stirred up public empathy for their complicated situation.

The brothers’ relatives and extended family are rallying for their release, emphasizing the severe abuse Lyle and Erik endured during their childhood and highlighted their over 30

years of rehabilitation behind bars.

This unwavering support was shown on Oct. 16, when around two dozen relatives gathered outside the Los Angeles news conference, urging the previous District Attorney George Gascón to show leniency as the case undergoes review.

Sourced from CBS News, Kitty’s Menendez’s sister, Joan Vander Molen said, “As details of the abuse came to light, it became clear their actions—while tragic— were the desperate response of

trying to survive their father’s unspeakable cruelty.”

Following Nathan Hochman’s decisive victory in the recent LA County District Attorney election on Nov. 6, the Menendez brothers’ case may take a new direction under his leadership. According to ABC News, Hochman plans to, “Read through the new alleged evidence, trial transcripts, confidential prison files and interviews with family, lawyers and law enforcement.”

In addition to family support, high-profile celebrities such as Kim Kardashian have joined the conversation, showing her support, and heightening discussions about justice reform, particularly in cases involving abuse allegations.

Overall, the next legal chapter for this case will unfold in January 2025, during a rescheduled resentencing hearing that will consider new evidence, including a 1988 letter Erik wrote to his cousin, Andy Canto, detailing the abuse.

As their resentencing hearing approaches, the Menendez brothers’ case continues to serve as a focal point for debates over justice, the grueling impact of childhood abuse, and the possibility of redemption after time served.

Trump’s win put his cases on hold as pardons wait in wings

By Elizabeth Walsh ’26

Voters were at the edge of their seats watching maps turn red and blue last month. As the results came in and Donald Trump was declared President-elect, many wondered what would happen regarding his many active cases.

Trump is the first U.S. president that has been accused and convicted of felony crimes. However, the Supreme Court ruling in Trump v. United States allows a president to pardon himself from any actions classified as official acts.

It also protects a president from being indicted and going on trial while serving their term. This allows the president an unprecedented amount of power, and puts into question the balance of powers between the three branches of government.

One case involves allegations of hush money he allegedly had attorney Michael Cohen pay. As it’s a federal case, Trump can pardon himself.

Next is the Georgia election interference case. After winning the 2016 election, Joe Biden won the 2020 election. According to court documents, Trump called the Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger and told him

to recount the votes and overturn the election. Trump insisted that more than 11,000 votes were missing.

Being a state case, this case falls out of Trump’s jurisdiction as president and cannot be cleared by him. The case will have to resume sometime after his presidency, since the Presidential Immunity Act prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president.

Next in Florida: Trump left the White House in 2021, but not without taking boxes of classified documents. When confronted by the government, he denied the fact. However, as an FBI search revealed at his estate in Mar-alago Florida, there were boxes upon boxes of classified documents taken from the White House.

“Generally speaking, taking classified documents from a government building is probably unlawful,” Joseph Olsen ’26 commented.

Trump is not alone in accusations of mishandling official documents.

In February, the Associated Press reported, “Special Counsel Robert Hur . . . released his long-awaited report on President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents. . . The report concludes that no criminal charges against Biden are warranted, a key difference

from Donald Trump’s situation.”

“But it also says there was evidence that Biden ‘willfully’ retained and disclosed highly classified materials when he was a private citizen. And it highlights his confusion and ‘significantly limited’ recall of events related to the documents.”

With the rationale that special counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed to the case, Judge Aileen Cannon granted Trump’s motion to dismiss the case on July 15.

Both the Georgia election interference (federal) and Florida classified documents (state) cases were dismissed. However, since they were dismissed without prejudice, they can be brought back anytime–including after Trump finishes his upcoming term. As president, Trump only has the ability to pardon cases in federal courts, not in state courts.

However, Gisella Bellarosa ’27 expressed, “I think every single case that has ever been made against him, he will find a way to pardon it.”

Whether that is the case will remain to be seen.

Presidential pardons have long been an American tradition.

According to the National Constitution Center, President

Carter commuted the sentence of G. Gordon Liddy related to the 1972 Watergate burglary as well as restoring citizenship to former Confederate president Jefferson Davis. President Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon for his involvement in the Watergate scandal.

President Bill Clinton pardoned his brother, Roger, who had served a one-year jail sentence on a drug conviction.

Most recently, Biden pardoned his son Hunter who was convicted of three federal firearms-related felony charges in June 2024 after he had admitted to illegally owning a gun while a drug user.

In a statement from the White House, President Biden said, “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. . . . I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. . . . The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.”

If Trump pardons himself, it would be unprecedented, but legal. However, according to the Washington Post, “The Justice Department will not prosecute a sitting president, so the case won’t go to trial.”

Art by Charlottie Yip ’26

The Menendez brothers were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989.

Hefty rodent wreaks havoc in Bay Area

By Nora Lee ’27

Lurking all over the waters of the Bay Area is a creature that is destroying infrastructure, gobbling up crops, and rampantly spreading diseases. As it continues to multiply, this creature, known as the nutria, becomes progressively more difficult for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to handle.

The nutria is a semi-aquatic rodent, originating from South America. Weighing up to a whopping 25 pounds, these beaver-adjacent beasts known by many as “swamp rats” were first introduced to Southern California in the 1800s, as part of the fur trade.

Though they were eradicated in the 1970s, they’ve made a comeback since 2017 in the San Joaquin Valley. Since then, they have invaded north into the Bay Area, ravaging in Solano and Contra Costa counties.

As burrowing creatures, nutria make their homes in dams, dikes, and embankments, eroding stream banks and damaging waterways and irrigation systems. Moreover, these hungry hellions often consume up to

25 percent of their body weight, wolfing down much of the native plant and agricultural crop and leaving extensive harm to soil structure and fields.

As if they couldn’t be any more of a nuisance, nutria are dirty. Dwelling in water supplies, they can infect local water drinkers and swimmers with their tapeworms, septicemia, and tuberculosis.

Animal enthusiast Ellie Umberg ’28 commented, “This sounds terrible, and although I love animals, they shouldn’t be here. It’s also very scary that they are invading our water systems.”

Efforts to stop the nutria takeover have been somewhat successful, as their population has been subdued enough to prevent an uncontrollable infestation. However, despite the CDFW killing 5,200 Nutria since 2017 and allowing citizens to capture them with virtually no restrictions, these creatures still find ways to avoid hunting human eyes.

It doesn’t help that these beasts reproduce rapidly–a female nutria

California contemplates compost conundrum

By Ellie Jantz ’26

California is within the top 10 most environmentally friendly states in the country. But how do they do it? It might be due to composting.

When leftovers are thrown into the compost, they are taken to a Recology composting facility. They are sorted into large piles with water and lots of oxygen. As a result, the piles heat up, helping microscopic microbes break down the compost.

This process takes about 12 weeks. The healthy dirt made from this process is used in local farms to grow new crops that are often sold back to local markets. But not everyone throws their leftovers in the compost.

“In the United States, upwards of 30 percent of the food we produce gets thrown away, which means all the minerals and other nutrients which went into that food gets buried at the bottom of a landfill, rather than going back into the ecosystem,” stated AP Biology teacher Colleen O’Rourke. Not having compost bins, or not knowing how to compost could be factors as to why so much compost is put into landfills, especially here at Riordan.

Michael O’Brien, the AP Environmental Science teacher, commented on how the Riordan community could improve saying, “Continuing to educate people to

can produce her first litter of 2-13 pups at as young as 8 months old, and can churn out three litters per nutria mama each year.

Still, there is light at the end of the tunnel. As the populace becomes increasingly aware of this greedy rodent’s existence, efforts

put things in the compost bin that matches the pictures and having more bins like that.”

This could be Riordan’s next step to becoming more environmentally friendly.

Alternatively, people could not know the consequences of putting compost in the landfill. According to Recology.com, compost makes up one third of California’s waste, most of which goes into landfill.

“If you don’t compost, it goes to waste and increases pollution rather than purifying the environment.”

-Jessica Cheung ’26

When compostables go into landfill, they are packed into a low oxygen space and produce methane. This accounts for 20 percent of California’s methane production. If these products were to be normally composted, they would produce carbon dioxide, which is 28-80 times less harmful to the environment, according to climate.mit.edu.

Jessica Cheung ’26 shared her thoughts on this, saying: “If you don’t compost, it goes to waste and increases pollution rather than purifying the environment.”

Students

to neutralize the nutria will likely be ramped up in following months. Invasive species like the Nutria serve as a lesson to the importance of preserving native life in an era where preserving biodiversity is crucial to the balance of the Earth.

Our youth is spent in three “sandboxes” (pre-school, grammar school, high school) for us to play and grow while facing our personal challenges, whether they are physical, mental, social, parental or financial. In each sandbox, we learn and adopt different interests, habits, qualities, virtues and values. We also make different mistakes, which we learn not to repeat. This book was written for today’s boys and girls to benefit from an earlier generation of Riordan students’ challenges, handicaps, experiences, disappointments, successes, failures and innate teenager stupidity to help you develop assimilation, character, independence, confidence, responsibility, self-motivation, humility, courage, integrity, pride, and loyalty in order to make fewer mistakes and “get it right” in order to be the best you can be. From the mud – the challenges and obstacles in life – grew a generation of lotuses, symbolizing mental evolution, rebirth and growth. This story is about Riordan students who made that journey.

“As a 4th generation San Franciscan, I appreciate that you are teaching San Francisco history through stories.” – Tim Reardon, ARHS President

“The authors left nothing out, such as, loss of cultural identities, schoolyard bullying, racial issues, adult prejudices, loneliness of being gay, and the ruination of alcohol. It showed the cold truth of their childhood and their mental strength and growth – a great down to earth book about kids in the early days at Riordan.” – Jameson Datoc, Riordan 2023

“Boys and girls supposedly have different interests, but we did so many of the same things at the same places.” – Bonnie Pischoff, Presentation 1958

“A first-class book... apart from the great text, the footnotes and appendices are amazing.” – Joe Fama, Riordan 1960

“Should be a class reading assignment like Catcher in the Rye.” – Guido Mori-Prange, Riordan 1958

“I loved the memories. They reflected on life experiences that contributed to whom we all became.” – Patricia Whitman, Mercy 1958

A free copy of this 534-page 2nd edition book is available to all Riordan students at www.sandboxbook.com

Artwork by Helena Kai Murguz ’25

Nutrias are large rodents that have infiltrated Bay Area counties.

Alumni answer call to priesthood

By Emma Rocha ’25

Two of Archbishop Riordan’s alumni – Jimmy Velasco ’17 and Aidan Murtagh ’20 – are currently studying at St. Patrick’s Seminary. Planned and founded by the second Archbishop of San Francisco, Archbishop William Patrick Riordan, the seminary has been around for 125 years serving those who want to take a next step in their faith journey.

Both Velasco and Murtagh, although in different stages at the seminary, have one thing in common: attending Riordan was a main contributor to their decision on becoming a spiritual leader in the eyes of the church.

Velasco, in his seventh year of studies, said that he had always felt a special connection to God. He studied for three years in Washington State before transferring to St. Patrick’s Seminary and University. As a student at Riordan, Velasco was an active member of campus ministry and said that for him, it was an inclination of wanting to be more involved with his faith.

“I think Riordan just supported me in my faith naturally, and supported me all the way through,” Velasco said.

The overall ambition to be a priest is what drives Velasco to continue on his journey. The connections he has made along the way and the examples he has been able to look upon continue to be symbols of support and motivation for him.

“Being around such model

priests that have been good influences to me, has just been the biggest motivation for me that I want to do what they do,” claimed Velasco.

One of the most rewarding parts in his journey was having the opportunity to attend the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage traveling from San Francisco to Indianapolis with Jesus Christ and the Eucharist.

Velasco said, “That would not have ever happened had God not placed me on this path to be a priest.”

For Murtagh, he had many questions about his future and the goals he wanted to fulfill. With these questions he decided to attend church more often and felt peace in doing so. Realizing that sacramental life nourished him, he wanted to be able to provide that nourishment for others.

“It wasn’t until my senior year in college that I returned to daily prayer and sacramental life that priesthood seemed so appealing for me,” said Murtagh.

Through this daily prayer and reflection, Murtagh decided to apply for the seminary.

His Riordan connection holds strong as being on the Liturgy, Core, and LIFE teams helped him to realize how much he enjoyed incorporating faith in his life.

“Being in campus ministry helped me realize that I really enjoyed talking about the Catholic faith and bringing other people into the faith community,” claimed Murtagh.

Reflecting on his life, he said that God’s generosity and the relationship he’s built with faith is the most rewarding part of this journey.

Retreats at Riordan have also been memorable for both Velasco and Murtagh.

“The retreats really helped me experience that – God loves everyone as they are,” Velasco said.

The openness and community that attending retreats has brought them are continued to be mirrored through their work in the seminary.

Now, as they return to Riordan with an entirely new purpose of coming to talk about faith, they

remember their time at the school and get to share their experiences with students currently attending.

“I think students connect more knowing they are alumni,” said Danielle Jow, Religious Studies Department Chair.

“It shows us a glimpse of what it’s like to be a spiritual father and to have people look to us to be representatives of Jesus’ church,” mentioned Murtagh.

Both Velasco and Murtagh take immense pride in being representatives of Jesus’ church to the underclassmen at Riordan, being able to provide them with leadership through God’s teachings, and are excited to continue that in the future.

Mass in gym accommodates increased enrollment

By Charlottie Yip ’26

As Archbishop Riordan High School gains more and more new students each school year, half of the student body has experienced school masses solely in the gym.

Until fall 2023, Riordan had its masses in the Lindland Theater.

The change to having Mass in the gym became effective when the Class of 2027 enrolled and “the Riordan Community surpassed the capacity of students, teachers, and staff in the Lindland theater,” said the moderators for the Liturgy Team, Mary Ann Datoc and Deacon Chris Mariano.

Along with this change, organizational teams on campus, such as the Liturgy Team, DJ Club, and Choir, had to adapt to a new, and different, echoey environment. One of the many challenges they had to face and still have issues with is technical difficulties and communication issues.

Considering Lindland Theater has hosted many fantastic plays and musicals, its sound and audio system is much more advanced and acoustically cleaner in design compared to the boomy and large gym.

Sid Thomas ’25 expressed the difficulty in his role as part of the DJ Club, who run the sound during Mass, “The gym [is] a lot

Archbishop Cordileone celebrated All Saints Day Mass in the Riordan gym. Marianist Cross need to be moved from [the] theater to [the] gym for each Mass.”

more echoey than the theater… [and] there are problems with how the choir is set up in the gym… and essentially creates feedback into [the priest’s] mic.”

Datoc and Deacon Mariano added how the Liturgy Team was affected by this change, “The biggest effect is the number of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. It has increased from six ministers to up to 14 ministers. We also have 14 Eucharistic Monitors, which are adults making sure the Body of Christ was consumed in front of the Extraordinary Ministers.”

In addition, “The altar and

“The gym and field are the only locations where we can have a student body Mass.”

-Mary Ann Datoc

Datoc also added that switching the location of Mass has impacted the engagement of students and faculty since “[they] continuously need to remind the congregation that we need to be reverent on Mass days in the gym, especially in the beginning of Mass and

Communion.”

Despite these difficulties, the gym solves a big problem that the theater had: space. When Mass was held in the theater, communion had a huge trafficking problem and took up a lot of time, having only four walkable paths.

Gavin Guan ’26 recalled the time during his freshman year, “There was just a long line going all the way through the whole theater [during communion].”

Now, communion is distributed in the gym stands. The theater had several hundred students in a section, while the gym only has a few dozen, allowing for less confusion.

Considering the size the Riordan community has grown, there’s not a lot of places that can fit all students, teachers, and staff; this is also the reason the new 2024 bell schedule was instilled.

“The gym and field are the only locations where we can have a student body Mass. It is too cold to be in the field,” said Datoc.

Now that masses are held in a much wider, much larger space, and the senior class is seated on the gym floor, there are a lot more available places for receiving communion, thus making Mass less crowded and more time efficient. In this way, members of the community can focus on the Mass.

Riordan alumni Jimmy Velasco ’17 (left) and Aidan Murtagh ’20 (right) are studying at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park to become priests.

Photo by Jesse Pascua

Photo by Julia Yamsuan ’25

12 Features

O’Connell trio’s Crusader journey comes full circle

By Catherine Hansen ’25

From the field to the auditorium, Riordan’s family spirit runs deep within the veins of the school. Through friendly house rivalries, purple and gold pride, and a shared affinity to the alma mater, the Crusader community is the epitome of four houses unified under one roof. However, for some members of Riordan’s community, the treasured family spirit assumes more literal meaning.

Meet Sally Alioto O’Connell: Riordan’s Admissions Associate, responsible for the growth of the Crusader family every year. Mrs. O’Connell manages the Knights of Riordan club, where she works to organize the Crusader for a Day program, open houses, and prospective student events.

Mrs. O’Connell has been working at Riordan since 2012, when Riordan was an all boys school. However in 2021, her daughter Caroline O’Connell entered Riordan’s first in-person coed class.

“It was very different because when I first started working here it was all boys, so in my mind there was never a possibility to have my kids at school with me,” said Mrs. O’Connell.

Reflecting on her time before her daughter arrived at school, she added, “It was a very definite separation between work life and home life.”

When Caroline enrolled in

Riordan however, the “lines got a little blurrier” and the O’Connells learned to adjust to their new shared environment.

Riordan senior Caroline O’Connell, the 2024-2025 Student Body President, spends her time between classes bouncing between the student activities center and flag football practices. Daughter of Sally and John O’Connell ’84, Caroline, was raised around Riordan.

“Growing up with this school inspired me to be a bigger part of the change that I grew up witnessing. Throughout the years I watched Riordan go from 600 students to double. With a larger student body with more demographics, I observed more and more opportunities and accomplishments happen.”

As Riordan’s first solo female president, Caroline has been a direct witness to the abundant change Riordan has undergone in the past four years.

“I knew she’d loved this place, even when it was all boys, because it was her second home in many ways,” said Mrs. O’Connell.

This year, the newest edition to Riordan from the O’Connell family, Hannah O’Connell, joined the Riordan staff. Hannah graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2024 with a degree in physiological and brain studies, along with communications. Hannah is actively pursuing a

PhD in family communication studies. At Riordan, she works in the RSP department as a math and science aide.

“I’m most looking forward to witnessing the growth of the students over the course of the year and developing my ability to support students,” Hannah stated.

Growing up in San Francisco and attending Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, Hannah has observed Riordan’s evolution: “The seamless integration of girls into the school is a testament to the dedication and skill of our faculty and staff. Every year, Riordan becomes more impressive, both academically and athletically and I’m excited to jump on the bandwagon.”

When it comes to Riordan’s

community, Mrs. O’Connell stated, “Even before, when I started here with all boys, that was a very special part of Riordan. The experiences my kids had going to other schools…I never felt a sense of community as a parent there.”

She continued, “But I could see that we had it here, that’s always been very special. To be able to have that community affect both my kids in different ways–Caroline being a student leader and Hannah working here–what a blessing.”

“They can see what I have been talking about all these years, they are in the middle of it, they are living it.”

“Now, we just need to convince my dad to join us at work so he doesn’t feel left out during dinner conversations,” added Hannah.

Boston 20 stapler connects past to present

By Emilio Rocha ’25

Click, click, click. The shiny head of its black and silver lining along the outside, with its heavy weight of iron bringing it down, joins the pages of paper like a dominant shadow above a bright city. The thin, sharp pieces of metal press down one by one on the blank sheets of nothingness, folding its ends away slowly. Holding it in the palm of a hand, it is rough and smooth all at once, yet still feels potently mighty as its bold black lettering reads, Boston 20.

The Boston 20 is a firm, vintage style, all metal stapler that has been around for decades. Although they have been discontinued for some time now, whenever they do make an appearance to the public eye, it creates a buzz.

Under the current ownership of Michael Vezzali-Pascual ’88, the Boston 20 sits high and mighty in his classroom. However, beyond just being a stapler, there is an enticing story behind its origin, trailing a tradition that has been followed for years.

Being in the Riordan English Department for around 40 years, Tom Barber was its original holder in the late 70s and early 80s. In teaching Vezzali-Pascual as a student, he was first introduced to the Boston 20 Stapler, not knowing it would be under his ownership in the future.

After graduating, he returned to Riordan in 1993 as an alumnus, and Barber was still the English Department Chair. Leaving a few years later, Vezzali was no longer alone, as two of his former school mates joined the faculty of the English department, that being Doug Brown and Chris Valdez.

In the passing down of the stapler, Brown became the new

“It reminds me of that time at Riordan and the connection we all had.” -Michael Vezzali-Pascual ’88

owner, until he eventually left in 1997, giving it to Vezzali, who is its current owner and has had it ever since.

Looking back on receiving it, Vezzali said, “It reminds me of that time at Riordan and the connection we all had,” adding, “... of the time we spent together here first as schoolmates and now as colleagues.”

Aside from being a materialistic object, it has deeper, meaningful value to the embracing, loving culture of Riordan, as it not only connects the past to the present, but shows the uniqueness of culture through impact.

Don Dilag ’25, a student of Vezzali’s, stated, “It represents the legacy and culture of Riordan as it is a symbol of the past teachers who once walked these halls and classrooms and laid the foundation for the students and teachers today.”

Now, as a tradition, there are some rules Vezzali has to uphold to keep the legacy true. These rules were placed by Barber himself,

and consisted of freshmen not being able to use it immediately, having students staple their papers a certain way, and most importantly, having to take a yearbook photo with it every year.

That being said, the future of this tradition awaits for three people in the English Department, all alumni of Riordan. Kevin Estrada ’00, Richard Sylvester ’01, and Brian Kosewic ’16, all of whom have had an association with Vezzali in the past.

“It’s one of those random and unique memories that you carry with you from school long after you’ve forgotten everything you learned in class,” Kosewic said. Riordan is like no other place. Full of a unique, loving, embracing culture that has been rooted in the Marinsist Legacy for decades, making it a school of special community and involvement. However, it is the people in the school who make it so special, bringing the spirit to a whole new level.

“Coed or all boys doesn’t matter, it’s the same wonderful legacy and that’s what’s important,” Vezzali said. Adding, “Now, there’s no better time to be a Crusader. The good old days are now.”

Photo by Hazel Nagata-Rampata ’26

Photo by Angela Jia ’25

Three members of the O’Connell family: Sally, Caroline ’25 and Hannah.

Forward, onward, upward!

Fall play ‘Emma’ celebrates women in theater

By Evangeline Tonella ’25

Riordan’s fall play “Emma” was pieced together after months of preparation by the hardworking cast who brought presented the previous shows, “Clue” and “The Sound of Music.”

“The most rewarding part of being in the show was forming the tight knit community of people. We grew so close together,” exclaimed Adam Zakrzewski ’25 who played George Knightly, the childhood friend of Emma, demonstrating a back and forth, love-hate relationship with her.

The adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel features Emma, a bright girl dedicated to finding a match for her friend, Harriet Smith, while remaining ignorant to her own love life by refusing to marry.

This production is set apart from others done in the past, because it follows a feminist motif.

“I wanted to do a play to highlight the women who’ve helped build Riordan’s theatre department over the past 75 years,” voiced theatre director Greg Callaghan. “The theme of this production was educating women. Emma has an education but because of the time period she lives in, she’s

unable to get a job or do anything with what she knows. Forward, onward, upward, was the motto of the play, and I hope that it resonates with everyone to make sure that society is a better place for women.”

For the first time in recent memory, which includes the last 10 years, this play featured two different casts. For the Purple Cast, the leads were Flora Denardo ’25 as Emma, Fiona Mulderrig ’25 as Harriet, and Hoorain Farooq ’25 as Jane Fairfax while the Gold Cast starred Julia O’Neil ’26 as Emma, Lucy Galvin ’27 as Harriet, and Annika Turunen ’26 as Jane. They alternated casts every other show.

“It was our first time double casting to get more people involved,” stated Callaghan.

“Since we have a large senior class, by casting the same actors we get less new performers.”

Unopposed to continuing this strategy, there’s a possibility Riordan may be seeing more double casting in future productions.

The drama department also had the privilege to include international students in their cast.

“I came here because of theatre,” expressed Annika Turunen ’26, a boarding student from Finland. “I’ve been acting for about 10 years, it’s the same wherever you go.”

After performing in her school’s and outside theatre clubs in Finland, Turunen continued her acting career in the United States, starring as Jane Fairfax

in the Gold Cast.

The cast and crew worked diligently as one for nearly three months until they successfully put together the performance which drew in hundreds of audience members.

In regards to their bonding, Flora Denardo ’25 said, “I love the cast and crew. We really do feel like a family.”

Moana sets sail once more

By Hailey Ferrer ’26

After a long journey across the sea, Moana 2 was released to theaters on Nov. 27.

In 2016, Disney released Moana, a film about a girl who received a calling from the ocean to bring back balance to the world by restoring the heart of Te Fiti that was taken centuries ago by Maui, demigod of the wind and sea.

Despite her father’s protocols about not going beyond the reef, Moana boarded her boat and set sail to find Maui to mend all the damaged islands.

Since then, Moana has been extremely successful and made $600 million worldwide. It was also the most-streamed movie on Disney+ in 2023 and claimed the title of Disney’s most-streamed movie of all time.

Moana is voiced by actress Auli’i Cravalho and Maui is voiced by actor and professional wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Moana 2 takes place three years after the original movie. On her island of Motunui, Moana is now a wayfinder. She receives a signal

from her ancestors to find the lost island of Motufetu, break their curse, and connect their people.

Viewers get to see Moana go on a new adventure through the ocean with Maui. However, new characters are introduced. She now has a crew to go with her and even a new family member.

Cravalho stated in an interview with Screen Rant, “I feel like growth is such a central theme

in this film, and not being able to rely on the same people or the same support group as you did in years prior forces you to grow up.”

Seeing this movie in theaters was amazing. I was reminded of the time when I was eight years old watching the first movie with my family and being so excited.

Although I believe that it was not as good as the original, it was still entertaining and enjoyable.

The songs were fun and catchy but I don’t believe that they top the previous ones. The thrilling plot of Moana and her new crew sailing the ocean was intriguing. I truly got to see how she changed from the first movie, but how parts of her also stayed the same. Through emotional waves and tides, Moana 2 is bound to give audiences an amusing exposure of her wanderings.

Photo by Ella Torrea ’25

Riordan’s 2024 fall play consisted of two different casts. Flora Denardo ’25 starred as Emma Woodhouse and Fiona Mulderrig ’25 as Harriet Smith.

By Belle Abad ’26

As the holiday season approaches, many anticipate cheerful gatherings with their friends and loved ones. However for others, the winter months can bring feelings of isolation and sadness, otherwise known as the “holiday blues.”

For teens especially, due to the mix of either family dynamics, academic pressures, and other outside expectations, it contributes to the vulnerability of their feelings, making it harder to cope through both internal and external factors.

According to Verywell Mind, statistics suggest that 64 percent of individuals with preexisting mental conditions report that their symptoms do indeed intensify during the holiday seasons.

Jackeline Gamez ’26 stated, “The last couple of weeks of the end of the year are built up with a lot of tension and stress. I tend to be more anxious during this time of the year because of everything that is coming to an end.”

Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise commonly known as SAD, is a form of depression triggered by the changing seasons. Such symptoms of SAD include fatigue, changing in sleeping and

Health concerns multiply with spread of mpox Holiday Blues dampen Christmas spirits

By Emma Rocha ’25

Mpox is a disease that has had recent outbreaks predominantly due to travel and physical contact between both humans and animals. This disease or virus consists of small bumps on the skin and rashes around the entire body commonly compared with smallpox.

The first human case was detected in the 70s and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most recent outbreaks began in 2023 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Previously, mpox had been spread mainly in Central and Western Africa mostly by animals obtaining infections. This year however, the number of mpox cases has risen and has traveled into the United States. There have been more than 500 cases of mpox in 2024, viewing the CDC’s weekly table.

More recently, the first known case of a new strain was reported from an individual returning from Africa. This new strand remains low risk but is still obtainable. The patient who tested positive is currently being treated in San Mateo County and is isolating with little symptoms according to the New York Post.

“Most people don’t get vaccinated

eating patterns, difficulty in remembering and concentrating, and social withdrawal from others. SAD can severely impact one’s daily functioning, leaving most to struggle getting out of bed and even completing simple everyday tasks.

“Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of Major Depressive Disorder with a seasonal pattern…There is specific criteria that needs to be met (like when symptoms occur and for how long) in order to be officially diagnosed,” said counselor David Canales ’02.

Additionally, Kylee Cherkis ’26 shared, “I have noticed myself feeling more tired, and I’m pretty sure it relates to the time of year when everything gets darker earlier. I find myself going out less and spending more time by myself inside.”

Though being commonly well known, researchers are yet to discover the real cause. As indicated by the National Institute of Mental Health, not being able to spend enough time outside and in the sun prevents molecules that help maintain normal levels of serotonin from functioning in its proper way, further decreasing serotonin activity.

While this holiday season is depicted as a time to celebrate,

filled with happiness and huge amounts of joy, it’s important to acknowledge that the “holiday blues” do have an effect on others.

Though the “holiday blues” are just beginning for some who are experiencing this unpleasant feeling this holiday season, there are coping mechanisms that may help to manage stress and prioritize one’s own self-care.

Practicing and building up on

habits like getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising can help reduce burnout and agitation, finding a sense of peace amidst the seasonal challenges.

“Make sure to have a balanced lifestyle,” said Gamez. “Try to go out more, hang out with friends and family, try new hobbies, and enjoy the winter time because San Francisco is especially beautiful around this time of year.”

for smallpox anymore, which in this case means that most people wouldn’t have extra resistance to mpox as a side effect,” stated AP biology teacher Colleen O’Rourke.

While the majority of cases are adults and those in physical contact with others, there is high risk to children and those who suffer from previous health issues, “the very young–who are still developing their immune systems–or the very old–who have severely weakened immune systems–are far more at risk of developing severe complications,” said O’Rourke.

Although it is not as lethal as Covid–19 for example, mpox is still transmissible and can be passed on. Concerns of mpox having a similar impact as Covid–19, an airborne virus, are less critical because mpox is transferred purely through contact.

“The way that mpox spreads from contact is not as scary as if it were spread by the air,” said Dr. Caroline Gochoco-Tsuyuki. Lastly, in regards to vaccinations, there are no direct vaccines for mpox, however, doctors are supplying patients with a medicine that is also used to

treat smallpox; a virus with similar effects.

Some primary symptoms of the disease that indicate a need for testing are fevers, headaches, and body aches.

“Mpox has a high enough profile right now that everybody should be informed about it…access information from the CDC because they have all kinds of informative videos and reader material,” mentioned Dr. Gochoco-Tsuyuki. Although there is no direct treatment as of now, remaining informed is crucial in order to subside the number of mpox cases in prevention of a larger outbreak.

Illustration by Vee Chen ’25

Image by cdc.gov

This infographic from the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention depicts the symptoms of mpox.

Tsunami warning makes waves across NorCal

By Griffin Doeff ’25

On Dec. 5, Northern California was rocked by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Humboldt County, prompting tsunami warnings to be issued throughout the northern coast of the state, including San Francisco.

Although the quake, being of marginally greater magnitude than the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, it was the strongest recorded in Northern California in nearly 20 years, property damage appears to be relatively minimal, and no casualties have been reported.

Even still, roughly 10 percent of Humboldt County was estimated to be left without power, and moderate damage was incurred in the immediate area through gas leaks, cracked roads, and shifted home foundations.

It is also worth noting that earthquakes of magnitudes above 6.0 have occurred in the same region in 2020, 2021, and 2022, to far less fanfare.

What sets apart this quake–known as the 2024 Cape Mendocino Earthquake–is the scale of its response, as tsunami warnings were put in place from southern Oregon to Santa Cruz.

These warnings were received by a projected 5.3 million people, rather tactfully stating “You are in danger” and urging residents to seek higher ground.

This subsequently resulted in small-scale evacuations of select beaches and schools in San Francisco and Pacifica, and both BART’s Transbay Tube and the San Francisco Zoo halted operations.

Arman Mander ’25 expressed

that he “was very frightened” but applauded school faculty’s role in quickly elucidating the situation, while Ian Gryb ’25 stated he was “happy it was a false alarm,” and that he feared his home may have been at risk of flooding.

Confusingly, not all apparently applicable citizens received the warning, and warnings appear to have gone off at different times for some individuals, which may have been attributable to different cell providers.

Collectively, this has caused many to question the necessity of the tsunami warning given the almost intrusively widespread nature of the alerts for seemingly no consequence.

Science Instructor and Director of Professional Development Michael O’Brien noted that while the alerts “may have erred on the side of caution” and “spread widereaching information to people very unlikely to be affected” it is ultimately more beneficial to “cast a wide net” when informing the public on matters that could immediately affect their lives and livelihoods.

O’Brien also cited extensive damage and flooding in upon Santa Cruz harbor due to tsunamis from the 2021 Hunga eruption in Tonga–located over 5,000 miles from the Bay Area–as an example of the threat tsunamis could feasibly present to the Bay Area.

Of critical relevance is that the November earthquake occurred at what is known as the Mendocino Triple Junction, where the boundaries of three plates rendezvous along the San Andreas Fault, Mendocino Fracture Zone,

and Cascadia subduction zone. Of these, subduction zones are known to produce tsunamis with their violent vertical motion. And while the Cape Mendocino Earthquake was eventually concluded to be product of a strike-strip fault, its proximity to a subduction zone may have been the root of initial alarm and ambiguity as to ascertaining the tsunami risk in the quake’s

immediate aftermath.

So while no tsunamis ultimately did occur, the fears placed towards their potential risk weren’t necessarily unfounded.

This is all to say that in the aftermath of events such as major earthquakes, details are often lacking or unclear, and false positives would seem to be vastly preferable to the potentially more grim alternative.

‘Doomsday fish’ washes ashore in SoCal

By Joshua Lee ’26

A third carcass of the elusive oarfish was recently reported in November having washed onto the coast of Encinitas in Southern California, following similar beachings in Huntington Beach and La Jolla earlier in the year.

Described to be 12 feet long, this aquatic species is rarely encountered, habituating at depths roughly 3,000 feet under sea level.

These unusually rare marine animals have purportedly been linked with sudden occurrences of major natural disasters and earthquakes, and thus are known as the “doomsday fish.”

In 2011, Japan’s most powerful earthquake struck after the appearance of 20 oarfish on its shores. A tsunami caused by the earthquake tragically resulted in the deaths of 15,000 people, leading some to place suspicion towards the mysterious oarfish appearances.

However, there has been no evidence linking oarfish to the earthquake, leaving the supposed association mere speculation.

“The possibility of natural disasters signaled by oarfish should not be significantly constrained just to the sighting of them,” Jonathan Vi ’25 said.

“There could be other pushing factors such as ocean levels rising or global warming conditions that affect sightings of oarfish.”

Since 1901, only 21 oarfish

have ever washed upon the shores of California waters, and are considered incredibly rare. Because of this, questions have been raised about what brings these strange creatures to the shores.

“The sightings of oarfish appearing could be because of changes in the ocean due to

global warming, leading to them washing ashore. It’s hard to say since they live so deep and it’s hard to observe them,” suggested Mia Campero ’26.

UC San Diego researcher Ben Frable suggests recent climate changes in the ocean’s topography may be behind the sighting. Additionally, La Jolla has two underwater canyons that funnel deep water up to its shores, tending to be a hot spot for injured deep sea fish.

While some ponder over the omen of whether California will be facing a soon-to-be-coming natural disaster, scientists find this an incredible opportunity to study such a magnificent creature.

“While I do find the phenomena of the oarfish to be quite fascinating, I do not see any scientific evidence linking their sightings with predicting catastrophic events,” aid Human Body Systems teacher Brian Tuel, concluding that “Weather patterns in El Niño and La Niña can disrupt food availability at various depths, and can prompt these deep sea fish to venture outside of normal feeding conditions.”

Artist’s interpretation of an oarfish, alleged by some to be omens of disaster.

Artwork by Jonathan Couch and A. F. Lydon

Image of one of the tsunami warnings received by millions of Californians.

Image provided by The Crusader Staff

Prop M tax cut holds promise for SF small businesses

By Angela Jia ’25

San Francisco is notorious for its high taxes. With the recent exodus of downtown’s companies as well as a reputation on crime nationwide, city leaders are looking for ways to incentivize businesses to remain in SF.

Enter Prop M, a business tax cut that will affect 91 percent of restaurants and 97 percent of bars and nightclubs. It’s a measure that has gained rare, across-the-board support in SF’s famously divisive politics, drawing endorsements from progressives, moderates, business owners, and politicians city-wide. It passed overwhelmingly by 69.51 percent to 30.49 percent.

Brian Davis, who teaches the Business Track Program at Riordan, said, “Small businesses typically fail within the first year. Lowering the tax burden will enable small businesses to be more competitive with larger businesses.”

Prop M aims to enact a complete overhaul of the city’s business tax system. The state of San Francisco’s post-pandemic recovery has spurred the momentum behind the measure as well as concern behind the sustainability of the city government’s current business tax system.

Along with exempting more small businesses from taxes and fees–eliminating gross receipts

taxes for 2,700 small businesses–it also reduces taxes for some of SF’s biggest companies in an effort to get them to stay.

According to a city report, only the five largest companies pay around a quarter of all business taxes. Should a single one of those companies leave, it will have significant repercussions on SF’s tax revenue–and thus ability to fund vital public services.

Davis continued, “It will help consumers – ‘everyday San Franciscans’ – via lower prices as taxes are ultimately paid for by consumers via higher pricing. If a business is unable to pass along the taxes they may be forced to close.”

However, Prop M would also raise taxes on mid-size businesses that make large revenue and have a small number of staff. Industries likely to see their gross receipts taxes (applied to a business’s total revenue from sales) increase included biotechnology (18 percent increase), retail (16 percent), and construction (7 percent) in order to supplement the loss in revenue from corresponding tax cuts.

Now that Prop M has passed, it’s expected to initially lose money for the city for three years, by $40 million annually. It intends to recoup costs with scheduled rate increases that earn $50 million per year, thus offsetting the loss in time for the 2029-2030 Fiscal year.

San Francisco Prop M:

BUSINESS TAXES

80%deduction for arts, entertainment, & recreation businesses

90% of restaurants will benefit from tax cuts

The measure further benefits most businesses by consolidating the city’s 14 business categories into seven, making it easier for businesses to pay their taxes. It also aims to incentivize workers to come back to office, with the specific goal of revitalizing downtown, with proponents citing how the continued trend of remote work has been partially responsible for downtown.

The primary opposition comes from Larry Marso, a local tech executive and attorney. Marso, a Republican, argues that Prop M tries to generate more revenue through steep tax hikes that primarily affect larger to midsize companies. However, opposition was largely limited; no formal campaign has reported fundraising activity in opposition to the measure.

Stonestown’s Golden Arches dim after 30 years

By Aiden Pavon ’25

Over the summer, the McDonald’s at Stonestown Galleria closed down after 30 years of operation.

The iconic fast food restaurant was a staple for students and shoppers who will miss the convenience and memories of the location.

Sean Dowd ’27 shared,“I am sad this location closed. I would go there after school with friends all the time.”

The closure was sudden and unexpected by customers. Up until the closing, the branch was packed with lines full.

Though the opposite was true for the owner of the location, Scott Rodrick.

“The decision to close the restaurant was a long and difficult one for my family [...] First, the landlord was unwilling to negotiate a long term, sensible rent for the location despite our exceptional three decade history. The property taxes and shared tenant mall fees alone were the highest paid for a single location in my entire company. Secondly, the costs of operating a restaurant

in the City of San Francisco continue to accelerate to historically high levels,” Rodrick told The Crusader via email.

Problems also arose with California’s raise of entry level wages when they went up 25 percent on April 1 earlier this year, causing the cost of operating the location to soar much higher than before.

Thankfully, every employee at the location was offered a job.

“All of my employees, many who have been with me for years, were offered opportunities to transfer to positions in other nearby McDonald’s. I am grateful that the vast majority of team members are continuing on with my family,” Rodrick said.

Stonestown is not the only location in the city to close over the years. In the past 20 years, over 10 different locations have stopped operation.

According to McDonalds.com, there are currently nine locations in San Francisco: 1100 Fillmore St., 302 Potrero Ave., 441 Sutter St., 609 Market St., 2801 Mission St., 345 Bayshore Blvd., 5411 3rd St., 5454 Mission St., and the one near Archbishop Riordan at 1201 Ocean Ave.

Van Ness Avenue have all closed within the past 10 years.

Notably, over the years, locations in the Excelsior, the Haight, Front Street in Downtown SF, Fisherman’s Wharf and one on

Drive-thru restrictions and lease costs all contributed to the reduced number of locations.

The lease for McDonald’s expired at the end of June. Stonestown is looking to repurpose the space.

Graphic by Angela Jia ’25

San Francisco’s Prop M is designed to cut taxes for the city’s small businesses.

Source: San Francisco Public Press. “Proposition M--Overhaul SF Business Tax System”

Photo by Vincent Douglas ’25

The McDonald’s in Stonestown closed this past summer after 30 years.

New look Warriors fight for their respect

By Ishaan Gupta ’26

After a disappointing two seasons in the afterglow of winning the NBA finals where the Warriors went 44-38 and 46-36, a loss to the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament, and the departure of franchise legend Klay Thompson, many were sure that the Warriors’ dynasty was truly over.

This season, the Warriors have been through their ups and downs. After their start of 12-3, where they had a top 5 offense and defense in the league, they went 2-6 with players like Buddy Hield going through a slump. As of press time, the Warriors are the 8 seed and sit at 14-11. During that 8 game stretch, they’ve had a bottom 5 offensive rating.

The Warriors have proven their capability after beating teams like the defending champion Celtics, the 1st seed OKC Thunder, the 2nd seed Grizzlies, and the 3rd seed Rockets.

“Despite their struggles, I think the Warriors still have what it takes to compete for a title,” said Michael Zegarra ’25. Additionally, they have a top five defense rating in the league led by Draymond Green. Furthermore, they are second in the league in rebounding and fifth in the league in assists.

A lot of this has been made possible by the revived theme of “strength in numbers.” “Even with the setbacks, I believe the Warriors’ culture of perseverance will help them bounce back,” said Devin Angeles ’25.

With offseason acquisitions such as Kyle Anderson and Lindy Waters III providing contributions, the Warriors have been able to maintain their wins. However, the Warriors lost a key player in De’Anthony Melton who is out for the season with a ACL sprain. His presence as a key offensive player has been missed during this slump.

Additionally, Jonathan Kuminga, who had a slow start to the season, has recently moved to the starting lineup and has shined, including a 33-point game where he led the Warriors to a win against the Rockets without Stephen Curry or Andrew Wiggins.

Wiggins looks like his 20212022 self where he was named an all-star starter, averaging 17 points a game and being one of the team’s key defenders. However, the Warriors lack of a consistent secondary option has led to many of their losses. In their stretch of games where they went 2-6, they either led by 10 points or more or lost those games by less than 10 points.

These losses were caused by the Warriors’ prevalence of scoring droughts where they don’t end up scoring for five minutes or more at a time.

Ethan Situ ’25 added, “It’s been frustrating to watch, but you can tell the team still has a lot of potential. They’re just missing a few pieces.”

Furthermore, Brandin Podziemski has had a very slow start to the season, which has made many the Warriors labeling him as “untouchable” and unwilling to trade him for stars such as Lauri Markannen.

The Warriors are also shooting a league worst 70 percent from the free throw line, which has also contributed to some of their losses and close games.

Stephen Curry’s leadership, even when not on the court, continues to be a stabilizing force for the team, as he helps younger players such as Trayce Jackson Davis and Moses Moody to develop skills that help them to compete at the highest level. Despite their key weaknesses, the Warriors have shown their potential with their feats and have a hopeful season ahead.

Broadcasting insider’s unfiltered look at San Francisco 49ers

By Liam O’Connor ’25

In an exclusive interview, Bob Sargent ’82, Director of Broadcasting for the San Francisco 49ers, offered insight into his multifaceted role and the challenges the team has faced in recent years. Sargent’s responsibilities as Director of Broadcasting extend beyond traditional media. He oversees marketing strategies and works closely with partners to enhance the 49ers’ brand visibility.

As someone who watches the team up close, he has many opinions on the team’s current standing. When asked about the

toll the Super Bowl loss and other setbacks have had on the team, Sargent highlighted the profound emotional and physical toll these events have taken.

“Four of the last five years, they have come so close and all the playoff games they have played have almost added up to a full season. Add to that players dealing with personal challenges, like one being shot, it’s layered. These moments weigh heavily on the team emotionally,” he explained.

Despite the adversity, the organization remains resilient. Sargent believes that navigating

these hardships in the past has strengthened the team’s ability to push forward.

Discussing the extension of cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, Sargent emphasized the collaborative nature of contract negotiations. “It takes two sides to reach an agreement.

Conversations are ongoing, and if terms align, things will work out,” he said, noting optimism about the future of the 49ers’ secondary. He mentioned how the 49ers have had a pattern in the past of waiting until the offseason to extend players such as Nick Bosa, and even recently Brandon Aiyuk. This recent extension may be a sign that the 49ers are leaning towards getting business done during the season, so that the offseason is not clouded by concerns about the future.

On Brock Purdy’s contract, Sargent praised the quarterback’s contributions, mentioning that his performance and the rising salary cap align with a well-deserved increase. He said, “The team has gone to the NFC championship and the Super Bowl in Brock’s two years. It is foolish to entertain the idea of not paying him or even letting him walk.” Purdy is

worth about $60 million a year. He mentioned that while $60 million is a lot of money, the market for quarterbacks is growing and this contract is just a reflection of the growing curve and is very much deserved.

With some fans calling for head coach Kyle Shanahan’s dismissal, Sargent offered a candid perspective. “Shanahan’s record speaks for itself. He’s earned a seat at the adult table,” he remarked, while also acknowledging areas for improvement. “Of course, he needs to improve. He doesn’t have the most approachable personality, but you can’t ignore his success.”

Despite setbacks, Sargent remains hopeful about the team’s direction. From strengthening the roster to bolstering its leadership, he believes the 49ers are poised for continued success. As the NFL continues to evolve, the 49ers stand at a critical point of deciding the future. Their commitment to excellence remains unwavering, but the next seasons will be extremely pivotal in determining whether the team can transform these misses into a Lomabrdi trophy or if they will be forced to reset and start from scratch.

Photo by Liam O’Connor ’25

Warriors fans received a Captain Klay hat before the Dallas Mavericks game.

Photo by Liam O’Connor ’25

The 49ers and their fans celebrate a 32-19 win against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football on Sept. 9 at Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium.

Riordan soccer kicks off with a new coach

By Emmanuelle Ng ’26

As the saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work. With a goal of making this dream work possible is Maddy Samilo, the new head coach of the girls varsity soccer team.

Samilo is currently a coach for the San Francisco Glens soccer club and was previously a coach at the Bay School for the junior varsity program. With a strong passion for both playing and coaching the sport, Samilo believes that “Riordan has a lot of potential to become a soccer powerhouse in San Francisco.”

“It’s a game that puts the people who work the hardest on top,” said goalkeeper on the varsity team, Samantha Rold ’26.

Rold continued about the new head coach, saying, “She pushes us to work hard in the weightroom and on the field but she also encourages us to have

fun and do a little team bonding here and there.”

Coach Samilo chose to coach at Riordan because she “enjoy[s] helping programs grow and giving opportunities to others that she had growing up.” To Coach Samilo, helping the girls’ soccer team grow is something she finds very important, as she recognizes that the program is relatively new–only three years old to be exact.

The team played their first game of the season on Dec. 3 against Monta Vista High School. Riordan won with a final score of 5-0, marking the very beginning of a successful soccer season.

Along with Coach Samilo, members of the team are looking forward to what the new season has to offer. Captain and center midfielder, Ava Bowles ’25, said she is “looking forward to having

to work hard with the team to improve and have a good season.”

To everyone part of the team, soccer is not just a game, but

rather an opportunity to build relationships, strengthen skills, and of course, have fun and bring home some wins.

Hoop hopes: Team dribbles to success

By Eva Bennett ’25

After a year in the West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL), the Riordan girls basketball team is ready to face a new season of triumphs and challenges.

“As one of the best leagues in California, it’s truly a blessing to finally be part of the WCAL. With a high level of competitiveness, things like rival games, city tournaments, and more can be very strategic, due to always trying to be the top in the league,” Kona Dacoscos ’25, the only senior on the team that has played for Riordan all four years, commented.

Outside of the league, the team showcased their skills and hard work at the LadyCat Classic at Marin Catholic High School and finished with a final game tally of 2-1.

Starting the year with strong tournament and league victories,

their team’s current record is 4-2.

Even with competitive city rivalries ahead such as St. Ignatius and Sacred Heart Cathedral, the team is ready to rise to the occasion. No matter who they play, the team is determined to leave their mark and show that their time so far in the WCAL has prepared them for whatever comes their way.

With strong support from the cheers of the Riordan community, the team is motivated by the student section at games, giving them an extra boost.

Maxine Sutisna ’25 concluded, “The intense competition, presence of high-level players, and the constant pressure to perform can be tough at times, but these challenges make the experience both exciting and rewarding. They push us to build resilience and confidence along the way.”

Sailing team crushes SF Bay waves

By Loghan Hwang ’27

Riordan Sailing has been crushing waves throughout this season, dominating other schools around California. Sailing is only in its second season as an official sport, but started at Riordan in the 2019-2020 school year.

Last year, Riordan was ranked 33rd out of 75 in the state. Head Coach Parker Colantuono said that his goals for the team this year are to continue improving every year and grow the team.

Parker said, “I think the team can become a top team in the Bay Area in the next few years. They need to focus on recruiting and building a strong team framework to ensure their success for years to come.”

Sailing has a small, but feisty roster, only consisting of six people: Jai Walthew ’27, Nolan

Balocki ’27, Kaia Burris ’27, Paige Walsh ’27, Elizabeth Walsh ’26, and team captain Eva Bennett ’25. Since the team is small, there are many challenges to overcome. Even so, the team is dedicated to the sport, putting in time and effort into becoming better.

So far, the sailing team has participated in six regattas (competitions) and has done relatively well, placing top 10 out of 30 in two regattas. At the Anteater Regatta in Newport Beach, California, sophomores Walthew and Balocki placed 2nd in their first rotation, bumping up Riordan’s overall score.

The sailing team practices at St. Francis Yacht Club near the bay. Practices are done with other schools in San Francisco.

Burris said, “I love being part of the community, all the high school

teams are really tight. When we’re competing out of town together we always have each other’s backs.”

“It’s fun but can be stressful. Windy days can be a little scary because the chances of capsizing

are higher, but you get to hangout with friends and meet new people,” Walthew said.

Riordan sailing has a bright future with how fast they have been improving and growing.

Photo by Grace Hoelsken ’25

Photo by Ryan Garcia

Bailey Moore ’28 runs past a Capuchino High School player at an away game.

Maxine Sutisna ’25 goes for an unchallenged layup against Mitty High School.

Photo by Elizabeth Walsh ’26

Eva Bennett ’25 and Paige Walsh ’27 battle the waves and competitors.

Crusaders dominate early in season

By Ishaan Gupta ’26 and Mateo Munoz ’27

The 2024-2025 Archbishop Riordan boys basketball team has picked up right where they left off last year after they set records and made it to the CCS (Central Coast Selection) open division NorCal finals. As of press time, they are 6-0 and won the Crusader Classic over Sacred Heart Prep in an impressive 50 point blowout.

Head coach Joey Curtin ’01 said, “It’s a new season and a new team so we aren’t worried about any losses from last year. We’ve been working hard every day . . . skill training, weight training and at team practices.”

Additionally, they’ve won three games by 24, 42, and 41 points.

Nico Rivera ’27, a fan, said, “I think the team has been looking good so far and can make it all the way.”

Despite the fact that key players left in the offseason, the players feel confident in their team’s ability to win this year with their

ability to win this year with their new additions.

Varsity player John Tofi ’25 said, “We’ve been preparing a lot this off-season, and especially losing some key pieces.”

He added, “But I think our team is better than last year, so I like our squad going into this year.”

Jasir Rencher ’25 added, “You can expect lots of winning and highlight plays.”

The team has a new mentality as they carry on throughout the season.

Center Nes Emeneke ’25 expressed the difference about this year’s team, saying, “Less ego . . . everybody buying into the common goal which is ultimately winning it all.”

As their season progresses and the team continues to grow and play on, they hope to become the league champions, CCS and NorCal title holders, and state champions.

Football team returns to playoffs

By Ishaan Gupta ’26

The Riordan football team went 6-4 this season, including a game where they beat an undefeated 8-0 St. Francis team. This allowed them to get a spot in the CCS Open/Division 1 playoffs where they went on to defeat Soquel High school 41-7. However, in a hard-fought battle, they lost to Los Gatos 28-35 in the semi-finals.

Despite the heartbreaker, the football season was filled with challenges that the team was able to triumph over and improve upon.

Athletic Director Bob Greene said, “Our varsity football team showed great resilience, overcoming a slow start to the season and continuing to work hard through adversity, leading to five consecutive victories through the end of the regular season and into the playoffs, including our first CCS playoff win since 2015.” The football team also triumphed

over rival Archbishop Mitty, beating them 42-13.

Quarterback Michael Mitchell ’26 was named the Offensive Player of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports.

Boys soccer laces up for a new season Upcoming Varsity Games

Mitchell said, “My mentality going into next season is keeping the main thing the main thing and just falling in love with the work and the process to get to not only my goals, but our team’s

goals for next season. ”

Despite their shortcomings, the players are excited for the next season. Offensive Lineman Tommy Tofi ’26 said, “I think we can improve on starting off strong in the beginning of the season and carry on that same energy we had from last season into next season.”

The playoff loss has been something the team as a whole has been able to reflect upon.

Wide Receiver Tyrone Jones III ’27 expressed what he hopes the team can accomplish next year, saying, “I hope the team can represent the R well in every aspect of life. That we can do well in the classroom and on the field.” He added, “We are all studentathletes. Student comes first.”

The football team will hope carry the momentum they had from this year and win titles in the WCAL, CCS, Regional, and State.

Photo by Loghan Hwang ’27

Cole White ’27 elevates for a layup against Sacred Heart Preparatory.

Photo by Sean Reyes ’25

Chris Lawson ’25 runs the ball down field in a game versus Saint Francis.

Photo by Loghan Hwang ’27

Matthew Zander ’27 prepares for the soccer season on Mayer Family Field.

20 Food Reviews

Archbishop Riordan High School

Hot takes on hot pot

2 Valera Ave., Suite 203

San Francisco

By The Crusader Editors

By Vincent Douglas ’25 Mumu Hot Pot

When I first entered the door, I was overcome with the smell of delicious meats and sauces. My glasses fogged with the steam from the boiling soups. I was not sure what to order as this is outside of my usual palette.

The sauce bar was completely foreign to me, and I did my best to work out how to make it all fit together. I spent the first half of the meal conservatively eating pork boiled in my pot of lettuce, broccoli, and a single mushroom. However, as the evening went on, I reached out across the table of foods before me. Before the night ended, I had experienced new, delicious flavors in meats I have not tasted before. I even ate tofu (which is not a particular favorite of mine) soaked in the pot with pork and vegetables.

Hot Pot is a kind of do-it-yourself Benihanas. Part of the appeal is the ability to be completely in charge of what one eats. There is also a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in cooking and eating without worrying about prepping or clean-up.

On Nov. 26, five of The Crusader Newspaper editors reviewed Mumu Hot Pot, a small restaurant tucked away on Valera Avenue, right near San Francisco State

By Loghan Hwang ’27

A variety of soups was presented to me on a little tab labeled soups. Green pepper soup labeled as spicy intrigued me. As we submitted our order through our phones, excitement grew. The sauce bar was our next stop. Many different soy sauces, oils, and even herbs lay in shiny silver containers creating an endless combination of flavors. This was perfect to make your concoction as

Review and photo by Junhan Xie ’26

On Nov. 27, I visited Supreme Pot, which is a Chinese hotpot restaurant in Daly City with one of my friends. Supreme Pot provides small pots for each individual. Offering individual pots, double pots, and Yin-Yang pots, ensures a personalized dining experience.

The broth is essential for the hotpot, and it has various flavors. For spice lovers, the House Special Spicy, for those passionate individuals who truly crave the intense heat and thrill of spicy food.

It glistened with a vivid and fiery red color, speckled generously with an abundance of chili peppers. For those people who like mushroom broth, it is

Supreme Pot

3 St. Francis Square, Daly City

earthy and umami-rich.

The mushroom broth, on the contrary, had an earthy quality, accompanied by a rich umami flavor that expertly enhanced the natural taste of every ingredient it came into contact with.

The Tomato Broth offers a warmth reminiscent of sunshine on a cold day. Individual pots allow everyone to try their favorite flavors without compromise.

Supreme beef, meltingly tender pork belly, and thinly sliced lamb round out the meats. Seafood, fresh vegetables, noodles, and tofu complete the feast. Supreme beef, is like silk on the tongue, luxurious. Everything is perfected at Supreme Pot.

University, making it a perfect spot to grab dinner after class. This article is a special joint review with editors sharing their experiences.

vegetables basked in the flavor of the soup.

Back at the table, a green soup, floated atop a dark green oil and sediment of peppercorns. An aroma gave a zing. Lamb, pork, and beef were stacked up on platters accompanied by an assortment of vegetables. My chopsticks, snatched a piece of beef then immediately dunked into the broth. A quick few seconds passed, and almost magically, the meat was cooked. The beef, now coated in the broth, melted in my mouth.

After eating plenty of brothcooked delectables, a numbing feeling on my tongue approached.

Green pepper, almost like a milder version of Sichuan, tingled my tongue. The freshness of the pepper created a contrast to the numbing heat of the broth. Mumu hotpot is a great option for goodquality meat and veggies! I would go again.

By Ishaan Gupta ’26

Walking into Mumu’s hit me with the instant aroma of broths and meats. After a long day of being outside, Mumu’s decor and vibe felt like the perfect place to have my dinner.

As I sat down, I tried to order my food through my phone but it wouldn’t connect to the internet, a problem present with everyone at the table. Eventually, the waiter was able to provide the password to another wifi, which we were able to connect to.

I settled for the Sichuan spicy base while ordering New Zealand lamb and pork collar with an addition of house ramen and vegetables. Mumu’s doesn’t offer all-you-can-eat but my experience wasn’t affected by that fact.

While waiting for my soup base and meats to arrive, I went to the sauce bar where I went for a concoction of spices.

Once my food and soup base arrived, I was excited to dig in after looking at the vibrant red and chillies present throughout it. I put mushrooms for the vegetables and let my soup base boil while I prepared to cook my meat.

After the base reached a boil, I dipped the piece of meat inside the soup base and waited the few seconds it needed to cook.

As I took my first bite, I was instantly hit with the strong and delicious flavors that soaked into the meat, flooding my mouth with flavors.

Those were further intensified when I decided to use the sauce I made, providing my mouth with an explosion of flavor.

Besides its technical problems, Mumu’s is a place I would definitely recommend for hot pot on a cold day, or any day.

Rolled meat in uniform formation accompanied by enoki mushrooms.

Photo by Vincent Douglas ’25

Left to right editors Taylor Tran ’25, Loghan Hwang ’27, Ishaan Gupta ’26, Aiden Pavon ’25, and Vincent Douglas ’25 enjoy a meal at Mumu Hot Pot.

Photo by Loghan Hwang ’27

An array of vegetables at Mumu Hot Pot sit in preparation for the meal.