Sylmar High School
Encyclopedia
Sylmar High School is a public school in the northeast San Fernando Valley
in the Sylmar
district of Los Angeles, California
. Established in the 1950s, it is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District
, District 2, and serves more than 3,600 students in grades 9-12. The school mascot is the Spartans.
' tight end
George Wrighster
(University of Oregon
) and former Denver Broncos
cornerback
Brandon Browner
(Oregon State). Running back
s, C.J. Gable (USC), Sean Hampton
(University of Hawaii
/ Glendale J.C. / Utah State University
), Jerome Casey (Western New Mexico University
), Kenyatta Green (Ohio State University/ Utah State University), Tobaise Brookins (University of Washington
), Tyrone Crenshaw (Michigan State), Durell Price
(UCLA), 4-A City Section player of the Year. Wide receiver
/kick returner
Brian Roberson
(Fresno State / New York Giants
/ San Francisco Demons
(XFL
) / Saskatchewen Roughriders (CFL
). Roberson concluded his career with Fresno State as the All-Time leading receiver with 188 receptions, for 2,956 yards, and 15 Touchdowns. As a Receiver with the San Francisco Demons in the XFL in 2001, Roberson finished with 36 catches for 395 Yards and 2 Touchdowns.
Correcting a mistake in this description of Sylmar baseball: Sylmar won not one City Section Cahmpionship, but two! The first being in 1973. Sylmar defeated Kennedy High School 3-2, under coach Fred Scott. Also, a notable deletion is pitcher Pete Redfern, 1972 Los Angeles City Baseball player of the year. Redfern played for USC and was the first player drafted in Jan. 1976 free agent draft by the Minnesota Twins. He played for the Twins from 1976-1983.
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
in the Sylmar
Sylmar, Los Angeles, California
Sylmar is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. The northernmost neighborhood in the city, Sylmar is located east of Interstate 5 and north of the city of San Fernando...
district of Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Established in the 1950s, it is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
, District 2, and serves more than 3,600 students in grades 9-12. The school mascot is the Spartans.
History
Sylmar first opened in 1961. On Saturday March 24, 2012 Sylmar High will celebrate its 50th year anniversary.Football
Once led by coach Jeff Engilman, the Spartans won two City Section championships in 1992 and 1994. Engilman, who has won more than 200 games in his 29-year coaching career, once led the Spartans to a City Section-record 69 consecutive league wins. Sylmar has continued the success Engilman built when taking over in 1987, including capturing 17 straight league titles. Many future collegiate and professional players have emerged from Sylmar, including Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
George Wrighster
George Wrighster
George Fredrick Wrighster, III is an American football tight end for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
(University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
) and former Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Brandon Browner
Brandon Browner
Brandon Browner is a cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football league.-High school career:Browner was a Prep Star West All-Region and All-Valley Mission League selection at Sylmar High School as a senior. He also earned Mission League MVP honors. As a junior, Browner played at...
(Oregon State). Running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s, C.J. Gable (USC), Sean Hampton
Sean Hampton
Sean Hampton is an American actor.Born in Ocala, Florida, Sean is the youngest of the 5 children of a Dentist father and a professional model mother. After graduating high school Sean enrolled at Stetson University to pursue a career in law. While in school he not only joined Sigma Nu fraternity ,...
(University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
/ Glendale J.C. / Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
), Jerome Casey (Western New Mexico University
Western New Mexico University
Western New Mexico University, a public university located in Silver City, New Mexico, has served the people of the state of New Mexico and its surrounding areas as a comprehensive, regional, rural, public coeducational university since 1893 and caters to a student body diverse in age, culture,...
), Kenyatta Green (Ohio State University/ Utah State University), Tobaise Brookins (University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
), Tyrone Crenshaw (Michigan State), Durell Price
Durell Price
Durell Price was a football player for the UCLA Bruins and Sylmar High School Spartans between 1993 and 1999. Despite being highly regarded out of college, he was never drafted and did not make it to the NFL except for a short stint with the San Diego Chargers in 2000.-High school:Durell was a...
(UCLA), 4-A City Section player of the Year. Wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
/kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
Brian Roberson
Brian Roberson
Brian Roberson is a former record setting Receiver for Fresno State University and the XFL's San Francisco Demons.-Sylmar High:Roberson was a standout receiver/defensive back for the Spartans during the 1990-91 seasons. As a Junior in 1990, Roberson caught 16 passes for 222 yards and 2 TDs, while...
(Fresno State / New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
/ San Francisco Demons
San Francisco Demons
The San Francisco Demons were a short-lived springtime American football team based in San Francisco, California. This team was part of the failed XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States...
(XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
) / Saskatchewen Roughriders (CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
). Roberson concluded his career with Fresno State as the All-Time leading receiver with 188 receptions, for 2,956 yards, and 15 Touchdowns. As a Receiver with the San Francisco Demons in the XFL in 2001, Roberson finished with 36 catches for 395 Yards and 2 Touchdowns.
Baseball
The Spartans of Sylmar are a notable baseball powerhouse in the San Fernando Valley, having won one City Section Championship in 1980 under Coach Thompson and 8 straight League Titles under Coach Gary Donatella, a Valley Pac 8/Valley Mission League record that still stands. Sylmar also holds the CIF City Section record for consecutive playoff appearances standing at 22 years and counting. The Spartans finished as runner-up in the City Section championship at Dodger Stadium in 2002, when they lost a pitcher's duel, 1-0, to Cleveland High of Reseda, marking the first title-game shutout since 1982. This would be coach Gary Donatella's first championship appearance in 14 years at Sylmar, and his last. Donatella, a 1972 Sylmar graduate, announced his retirement as Head Coach soon after the title game. Donatella, finished with a career record of 402-181 in 20 seasons, six of those at Los Angeles Marshall High, remains on as a teacher. "Gary D." as he is known by many, was succeeded by Assistant Head & Pitching Coach Ray Rivera who quickly led Sylmar to a League title in 2003. Since then, the Spartans have waged baseball-war against historic cross-town rivals San Fernando High and new league powerhouse Kennedy High of Granada for Valley Mission League supremacy. Sylmar has produced such talents as Derek Ornalez, James Lemos, Juan Carlos Velazco and notable Minor League standouts as Jose Villafana, Eddie Camacho, Marco Estrada and Ivan Hernandez.Correcting a mistake in this description of Sylmar baseball: Sylmar won not one City Section Cahmpionship, but two! The first being in 1973. Sylmar defeated Kennedy High School 3-2, under coach Fred Scott. Also, a notable deletion is pitcher Pete Redfern, 1972 Los Angeles City Baseball player of the year. Redfern played for USC and was the first player drafted in Jan. 1976 free agent draft by the Minnesota Twins. He played for the Twins from 1976-1983.
External links
- School website
- Los Angeles Unified School District profile
- "Northridge project cuts dropout rate at Sylmar High School", April 17, 2006, CSUN News (pdf)
- http://sanfernandosun.com/sanfernsun/