School Sports

SPORTS

The Jefferson High School sports teams have turned in some great performances over the years. For example the track teams of the 1950s were probably some of the best all-time performers nation wide. However all of the Demos' teams over the last 80 plus years, win or lose, have strived to build character, discipline, and a sense of fairplay and sportsmanship.

Fall/Winter/Spring 2004-05 Sports Preview

By Andy Fujitsubo, Athletic Director.
July 2004

Fall Sports

Football

J/V Football

Under the direction of Head Coach Arturo Escandon, Coaches Johnny Walker, Jr., and Sidney Lewis, our Frosh-Soph team won 4 games. This was the first time in at least 4 years that our F/S have won any games. This year, under our new F/S Head Coach Issac Hatley, the Demos hope to build on last year’s success. We look forward to your continued support! DEMO Pride!

Varsity Football

Under the leadership of our Head Coach Doi Johnson, the Demos came in 3rd place behind the 1st place Dorsey Dons and the 2nd place Crenshaw Cougars in the always tough Coliseum League. We entered the playoffs as the 12 seeded team, and played the number 5-seeded team, Sylmar in the 1st round. The game went down to the wire, with the Demos losing 13-6. Although we lost a tough game, there were many outstanding performances this year. Seniors Travis Lee and Silas Mardell Valson were selected and participated in the Shrine All-Star Football Game, with Travis Lee scoring on a 40 yard touchdown reception, and Silas Valson recording 4 quarterback sacks! Travis Lee was a 1st Team All-City selection, and is headed for San Jose State University on a football scholarship. Senior Linebacker Dayvon Sinclair was also an All-City selection and will attend Central State University in Ohio. Silas Valson will continue his education and football career at East Los Angeles College. Junior receiver Austin Usher is rated as the # 6 receiver in the nation for the class of 2005, and is being heavily recruited by many major universities, including USC, Florida State, etc. Junior Travis Smith is also being heavily recruited, as he is one of Jefferson High Schools’ outstanding student/athletes. There were of course many other outstanding performances, and although we lose a great senior class, Coach Doi Johnson and his staff who include Darvell Williams (Secondary/Special Teams), Terry Moore (Offensive Coordinator/QB’s), Michael Moore (Offensive Line), Ronald Scott (Wide Receivers), Julio Cortez (Defensive Line/Strength Coach), and Eduardo Craig (Running Backs/Kickers), are extremely optimistic of our chances this year in 2004. Please come out and support the Demos, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!

This years team, with returning Jr. quarterback/safety Contrell Walker, cornerback/receiver Travis Smith, the highly recruited All-City performer Austin Usher, and a nice group of returning letterman, the Demos hope to build on last years success. An off-season of hard work will hopefully payoff for our team!

Girls Volleyball

Last years team under Head Coach Salvador Ochoa, and Asst. Coach Ismael Gonzalez guided our Lady Demos Volleyball Team to the playoffs for the first time in many years. Their 2nd place finish was awarded with a first round match against Franklin High School. Our team eventually lost in 4 games, but more importantly, the Lady Demos are beginning to be recognized as a legitimate and well-respected team!

J/V Basketball

This year at Jefferson there seems to be a very optimistic future toward the potential of the JV Basketball team. Under the strict coaching of Coach Skeadas the JV team season holds much promise. Even though the team is not very deep this year they have a solid starting five rotation and a small but good bench. This year like always Jefferson is in what many consider to be the toughest league out there the coliseum but now the league will get just a little tougher with the edition of another very good team View Park. Yet all this does not change the fact that Jefferson has a very good JV team this year and that they will be a tough and very competitive team to go against. .
By Cristobal Salazar

Cross Country

Head Coach Bret Bunke and Asst. Coach Steve Jefferson are preparing for another successful year in Cross Country. They would like to encourage all students interested or who enjoy running, to join our team. All of our matches are run at either Griffith Park or Peck Park. So if you enjoy or would like to try trail running, please come out and join one of our teams. There are 4 divisions, beginning with Boys’ F/S, Girls’ F/S, Boys’ Varsity and Girls’ Varsity.

Girls’ Tennis

Head Coach Tim Bryant has successfully guided many Lady-Demos tennis players to achieve their potential in this life-time sport. Although tennis is an individual sport, our teams have always been competitive and have done well in the Coliseum League. Coach Bryant is also our Boys’ Tennis coach, so all those interested should speak with him in regards to your involvement in tennis.

Winter Sports

Girls’ Soccer

Head Coach Javier Carbajal, and Asst. Coach Jose Anguiano have guided the Lady Demos Soccer team to 4 of the last 6 Coliseum League Championships, and have not lost a league game in the last 2 ½ years. They advanced to the Quarterfinals of the Championship Division in last years playoffs, before they were eventually defeated by Hamilton High School, 4-3. We would like to congratulate Coaches Carbajal and Anguiano for their tremendous success. They have done a great job, and are often not given the recognition that they deserve! Any young ladies that are interested should contact Coach Carbajal in the PE Dept. Be a part of a winning tradition!

Boys’ Soccer

Last years team, under Head Coach Frank Alvarez and Asst. Coach Edgar Gutierrez finished 2nd in the always tough Coliseum League to the eventual league champion, Locke Saints. They also advanced to the 2nd round of the Championship Division playoffs where they lost to eventual City Champion, Canoga Park High School. They did a great job, and deserve a tremendous amount of respect and recognition for combining both academic and athletic successes. This year under new Head Coach Anthony Catanzariti, we have no doubts that our success in our Boys’ Soccer program will continue to grow and flourish.

Girls’ Basketball

Last years team brought back a tremendous amount of pride, honor and respect to Jefferson High School. Our Lady Demos Basketball Team advanced to the Invitational Division Championship. The Lady Demos defeated King-Drew in the 1st round, played a hungry and determined team from Garfield in the quarterfinals, and defeated last years Invitational Champion, from Hamilton High School in the Semi-Finals. We advanced to the Championship game where we eventually lost to the Gardena High School Panthers, 47-46. Head Coach Curtis Hughes, who is a former Jefferson Demo himself did a marvelous job of bonding this team together for an unforgettable playoff run which culminated in our school playing in the LA Sports Arena!

There were of course many great and memorable performances this year, starting with senior All-City selection Tena Flores, who will attend Humboult State University on a basketball scholarship, senior center and All-Coliseum League selection Julie Legarde, juniors Kianna Scott, Dominque Carter, Dee Dee Scott, Brittany Holt, Shanna Harper, and Dominque Ross. The outlook for this years team appears very bright with most of our team returning with the exception of Tena Flores and Julie Legarde. We also have a fine group of JV players, that are experienced and hungry to make a major contribution. Please come out and support the Lady-Demos, and hopefully join one of our teams!

Boys’ Basketball

Head Coach Ed Waters has guided the Demos to the playoffs the last 4 years. Over the course of this time the Demos have improved tremendously. Two years ago, our team made it to the Semi-Finals of the Invitational Division playoffs, where we lost to the eventual champions King-Drew in overtime. Last year we made it back to the quarterfinals where we once again lost in overtime to the Garfield Bulldogs.

This year with returning starters Austin Usher, Dherrion White, and returning lettermen Carrington Jones, we hope to build on our last 2 years and hopefully bring a championship to Jefferson High School! If you are interested in playing basketball, you should talk to Coach Waters or Ms. Brooks in the girls’ PE Dept.

Spring Sports

Varsity Baseball

Under Head Coach Al Sanderson, the Demos finished in 3rd place in the tough Coliseum League. This is Coach Sandersons’ 5th year at the helm and all of his teams have always played good sound fundamental baseball. This year should be no different! There should be many open spots as many of last years team were seniors, and have graduated.

Those interested in playing JV Baseball, should also see Coach Sanderson.

Boys’ Volleyball

Under Head Coach Salvador Ochoa, the Demos won the Coliseum League Championship. We received the 8th seed in the Invitational Division playoffs and a home game. Although we lost to North Hollywood (we later won the game, due to the use of an ineligible player from North Hollywood) in 5 sets, the Demos demonstrated the heart and desire that have been so prevalent in all of Coach Ochoa’s teams. Be a part of a winning program, and join our boys’ volleyball team.

Those who are interested, we also have a JV team, and should see Coach Ochoa in B-10.

Boys’ Tennis

Coach Tim Bryant, as I mentioned earlier is also our Girls’ Tennis coach, and offers the opportunity to learn this life-time sport. His teams are always well-coached, and well-prepared. All those interested, should see Coach Bryant in the Deans’ office. He is our school probation officer and a former Jefferson alumnus.

Girls’ Softball

Coach Victor Casas
Softball Coach

This will be an exciting season for the girl’s softball team, with returning players, Sasha Santana, Stephanie Jimenez, Marcia Arana, and Thirza Martinez. This year aiming for the fence and making a run for the playoffs. If you think you have DEMO SPIRIT! Come and join the softball team. It’s not too late to sign-in, practices start on Tuesday and Thursdays after school. Wish them luck, Thanks for the support DEMOS!.

Girls’ Frosh/Soph Basketball

Last year, we were finally able to field a Frosh/Soph girls’ basketball team. Under Coach Andre Caesar, our F/S teams faired very well in the always tough Coliseum League. Much like our boys’ F/S Basketball teams, this level is intended to be the stepping-stone to the JV & Varsity levels of competition, where we would like all of our athletes to get to. Coach Caesar hopes to build on last years success, and all those interested should see Coach Caesar, he is our school-site psycologist.

Track & Field

Jefferson High School has won more City & State Championship in Track & Field than any school in the Los Angeles Unified School District. When you have a chance, take a look at all the banners in our gymnasium. Under Head Coaches Bret Bunke and Steve Jefferson, we hope to carry on this great tradition. We are going to get a new track within a year or two, and we would like to encourage all of our students who enjoy running to join a great tradition and participate in our Track & Field program. It is the one of the ultimate life-time activities that you can acquire. Running and competing against other schools is both challenging and rewarding.

In concluding our preview, I would just like to once again encourage all of you to participate in athletics or any other endeavor that we offer here at Jefferson High School. Please don’t hesitate, because before you know it, you’ll be graduating and we hope that you won’t miss out on one of the truly great opportunities that athletics and/or any other worthwhile activity (drama, music, art, etc.), can give to you! These are the best days of your young lives, so don’t miss out, and participate in one of the many activities that we offer here! GO DEMO PRIDE!

The Athletic Legacy of Thomas Jefferson High School

By Andy Fujitsubo, Athletic Director.
July 2004

Thomas Jefferson High School was opened in 1916, is located in South-Central Los Angeles, and is one of the oldest schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The athletic legacy here is legendary. There were many great athletes, as well as entertainers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, and many other successful professionals who are Jefferson alumnus. We also had an Ambassador to the United Nations, who was the recipient of the Noble Peace Prize, Dr. Ralph Bunche. The list of are success stories is so vast that it would be impossible to name them all.

Since this is a sports program, I’d like to concentrate on that particular aspect of our school. There were many championships as well as individual champions in our sports history. A short list of some of our championships is as follows:

Our only baseball championship was in 1928.
Track & Field is our most dominant sport with LA City Championships coming in 1935,1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942,1943,1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1961 and 1964.
Our State Track & Field Championships were won in 1937, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1962 and 1964.
Some of the great Track & Field athletes were Lang Stanley (440 champion with a time of 48.6, State 100 yard champion, and National Interscholastic champion in the 880 at 1:53.9), James Cary (All-City Tight End & City Shot Put Champion), Guy Blackburn (All-City sprinter), Rommie Loud (1950-All City Tight End), and former teacher and my good friend Curtis Chappell (City Champion- Pole Vault, All City running back).
Our only football championship came in 1951, and it is also important to note that, not only were they undefeated, but more amazingly they were un-scored upon.
This team was led by All-City quarterback Tom Davis, who is still active with the Jefferson Alumni Association.
Some of the more recent great performers include Travis Weatherspoon (All-City quarterback), Gary White (All-City wide receiver-San Jose State University), Clifton Stanford (All-City lineman-University of Arizona), Whitfield Usher (All-City lineman-Oregon State University), Travis Lee (All-City running back/cornerback-San Jose State University), Dayvon Sinclair (All-City linebacker-Central State University of Ohio), Austin Usher (rated #6 in the nation as a receiver for the class of 2005), Travis Smith is also being heavily recruited and is an outstanding student/athlete, etc., just to name a few!
In basketball, there was the legendary coach Larry Hanson whose team struck fear into all who entered the Demo Dome. They won championships in 1951, 1955, 1958, 1965 and 1972, which was Coach Hansons’ next to last year. There is a story, which is just one of many of course, which exemplified the domination of our basketball teams. A friend of mine who attended Gardena High School, but played on the Bee & Cee (today, they are called Frosh/Soph) level was returning to their school, and when he looked up at the scoreboard and it read Gardena 51- Jefferson 35. He was just so ecstatic, that when he blurted out, “hey, were beating Jefferson High School”, someone in the stands responded that the score was actually Jefferson 135 and Gardena 51. This was before there were the hundreds digits on the scoreboard! It was just so routine for our teams to win that when we lost, it was extremely unusual.
Some of the great basketball players who came here were Billy McGill (University of Utah), Edgar Lacey (UCLA), Bruce Clark (USC), Tommy Lipsey (California State University-Los Angeles), Richard Jefferson (California State University-Long Beach), Micheal Niles (California State University-Fullerton and the Phoenix Suns), Glen McDonald (California State University-Long Beach and the Boston Celtics).
Some of the more recent All-City performers are Anthony Martin, Gary White and current Demo, Austin Usher. These of course are just a few of the many great players and athletes that are a part of this great basketball legacy here at Jefferson High School. Many people still today speak of the Demos domination of LA City Basketball!
In 1983, our Boys’ Soccer Team won the LA City 4A Championship. Coach Bill Hernandez led this team. This is our only soccer championship, but we hope to get back to our championship ways, as our soccer teams are considered extremely strong, with our student population more than 90% Hispanic.
Our most recent City Championship came in 1993. It is our only championship in girls’ basketball. This team was under the direction of Head Coach Paul Goulding, and Jefferson alumnus, Curtis Hughes. The team was led by All-Everything, All-City and 3A Player of the Year, Shontae Tippie and All-City point guard Kytra Brown. They defeated Narbonne High School at the LA Sports Arena!

This year with the support of our Principal, Mr. Norm Morrow, who is a former Athletic Director and Head Football Coach, and a former Track Coach who is our Administrator in Charge of Athletics, Mr. Dan Ellis, Jefferson High School hopes to bring more championship banners to add to those already hanging in our gymnasium! We have a great group of coaches who do a wonderful job with our student/athletes. Please, join a team, and participate in one of the many sports opportunities that we offer here! You only go through high school once, so take advantage and don’t let a valuable experience and opportunity, pass you by!

DEMO PRIDE!

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