Bellarmine in dire straits

[colhenrylives]

The Jesuit nightmare in San Jose persists. Bellarmine football is in freefall. The winless (0-6) Bells, once a premier NorCal program dating back to the Great Depression, have been outscored in their three WCAL games, 115-7. They are on track to finish the 2024 season 1-9 or 0-10. Either record would mark the most losses in the school's long history. They were 2-8 last year. The eight defeats are a current record. The one chance for a win they would seem to have this season would be versus Sacred Heart Cathedral. That game is set for the final weekend of the regular season.

 

[colhenrylives]

...and just to reiterate, the WCAL is better when the Bells are strong....they have been one of NorCal's signature prep football programs for decades...until now....not good...

 

[THEOC89]

...and just to reiterate, the WCAL is better when the Bells are strong....they have been one of NorCal's signature prep football programs for decades...until now....not good...

I remember when the Bells knocked off Folsom in a Regional Playoff game….

Hopefully they can turn the program around….

 

[colhenrylives]

Righting this leaking ship will take a renewed commitment from the school's Board of Trustees and Administration.

 

[colhenrylives]

As of this morning, the entire Bellarmine football program's three levels' record was 2-16, 1-8 in the WCAL.

 

[ArmchairGOAT]

So what was the reason Jalal Beauchman stepped down?

 

[colhenrylives]

The Jesuit nightmare in San Jose persists. Bellarmine football is in freefall. The winless (0-6) Bells, once a premier NorCal program dating back to the Great Depression, have been outscored in their three WCAL games, 115-7. They are on track to finish the 2024 season 1-9 or 0-10. Either record would mark the most losses in the school's long history. They were 2-8 last year. The eight defeats are a current record. The one chance for a win they would seem to have this season would be versus Sacred Heart Cathedral. That game is set for the final weekend of the regular season.

Whoops. Maybe the Bells' best shot is vs. Mitty, a loser to SHC today in SF. Or maybe there's no hope whatsoever.

 

[iamgearyblvd]

Mitty took a huge loss when arguably their best player TE/DL Owen Harrington took a shot to what looked like his leg on a pass attempt. SH literally ran through Mitty's line with ease with no Harrington to anchor their line.

This will sound heartless, but honestly dont care if Bellarmine ever recovers back to their old football form. They have so many football titles over the last 40 years that its hard to feel sorry for their football demise. I mean no one really feels sorry for anyone. No other WCAL school ever said, ah jeez, I feel bad for that SH school. I wish they were better so the league can be better.

 

[colhenrylives]

Mitty took a huge loss when arguably their best player TE/DL Owen Harrington took a shot to what looked like his leg on a pass attempt. SH literally ran through Mitty's line with ease with no Harrington to anchor their line.

This will sound heartless, but honestly dont care if Bellarmine ever recovers back to their old football form. They have so many football titles over the last 40 years that its hard to feel sorry for their football demise. I mean no one really feels sorry for anyone. No other WCAL school ever said, ah jeez, I feel bad for that SH school. I wish they were better so the league can be better.

We understand your sentiments re the once-mighty Bells. No one feels sorry for them. But, taking a WCAL-wide perspective, the league just lacks an important signature program when Bellarmine is bad. It's hard to understand why the school's trustees and administration have allowed this situation to persist.

 

[OLCoach51]

We understand your sentiments re the once-mighty Bells. No one feels sorry for them. But, taking a WCAL-wide perspective, the league just lacks an important signature program when Bellarmine is bad. It's hard to understand why the school's trustees and administration have allowed this situation to persist.

The people at the top only do (or don't do) what the parents and alumni allow.

Schools that are bad or go downhill have admin who de-emphasize or don't support football. It doesn't happen at some schools because the principal knows his or her position is somewhat tied to the perception that they support and do what is needed. It happens in places where there is no accountability for the bad actors.

There are sometimes conflicting interests that can hurt football. At the schools where the athletic culture is weak the admin can get away with taking things like athletic sections or discretionary funds away because the parents are either clueless or lack the power/influence to force admin to do the right thing. Try it at Serra, Folsom, Los Gatos, etc and see what happens. You are on your ear before any harm can be done.

None of this is a secret. It's maybe surprising because it's a new dynamic at Bellarmine.

 

[iamgearyblvd]

We understand your sentiments re the once-mighty Bells. No one feels sorry for them. But, taking a WCAL-wide perspective, the league just lacks an important signature program when Bellarmine is bad. It's hard to understand why the school's trustees and administration have allowed this situation to persist.

I looked up the WCAL year by year record books and these were the last league titles by Bellarmine in each sport:
Baseball: 2013 (shared)
Basketball: 2020 (shared)
Cross Country: 2023
Football: 2015 (shared)
Golf: 2024 (shared)
Soccer: 2016
Swimming/Diving: 2024
Tennis: 2024
Track and Field : 2023
Volleyball: 2019
Water Polo: 2024

Id say their athletic department is doing quite well. Their other athletes are achieving and winning titles. Are we just upset that they arent awesome at EVERY SINGLE SPORT? Based on the list above it looks like they are awesome at alot of sports. Just not one in particular.

 

[THEOC89]

I looked up the WCAL year by year record books and these were the last league titles by Bellarmine in each sport:
Baseball: 2013 (shared)
Basketball: 2020 (shared)
Cross Country: 2023
Football: 2015 (shared)
Golf: 2024 (shared)
Soccer: 2016
Swimming/Diving: 2024
Tennis: 2024
Track and Field : 2023
Volleyball: 2019
Water Polo: 2024

Id say their athletic department is doing quite well. Their other athletes are achieving and winning titles. Are we just upset that they arent awesome at EVERY SINGLE SPORT? Based on the list above it looks like they are awesome at alot of sports. Just not one in particular.

They seem to be doing fine in the “Nobody Cares But Parents” Sports….

But as far as the actual sports that drive attendance and people care about Football, Baseball and Basketball they haven’t been relevent in 10, 12 and 5 years respectively….. 🤣

 

[iamgearyblvd]

They seem to be doing fine in the “Nobody Cares But Parents” Sports….

But as far as the actual sports that drive attendance and people care about Football, Baseball and Basketball they haven’t been relevent in 10, 12 and 5 years respectively….. 🤣

As far as those main three sports, Bellarmine may be experiencing what SH has experienced forever. In that San Jose area, if you want to play hoops, you go to Mitty. If you want to play baseball, go to VC. For football, go up the road to Mountain View. SH has always been the 2nd or 3rd choice school behind our arch nemesis.

 

[THEOC89]

As far as those main three sports, Bellarmine may be experiencing what SH has experienced forever. In that San Jose area, if you want to play hoops, you go to Mitty. If you want to play baseball, go to VC. For football, go up the road to Mountain View. SH has always been the 2nd or 3rd choice school behind our arch nemesis.

For the 3 main sports it comes down to Coaching and Consistency…. The Bells have beautiful Baseball Facilities but VC and SF dominate in that sport because of their Coaches…. Just like Serra and SF dominate in FB because of Coaching and attracting kids to their programs….

The Bells are a sleeping Giant…. They have more $$ than anyone else…. With the right Coach and Support they could be the best in the WCAL…..

 

[ThunderRam]

I remember when the Bells knocked off Folsom in a Regional Playoff game….

Hopefully they can turn the program around….

You really mean, Troy Martig knocked off Folsom. And pretty much every other opponent in the Bells path that season.

Martig did for Bells back then what Ryder Lyons does for Folsom now.

 

[Adam007]

You really mean, Troy Martig knocked off Folsom. And pretty much every other opponent in the Bells path that season.

Martig did for Bells back then what Ryder Lyons does for Folsom now.

I wouldn’t say that Bell’s team success was due to one individual. They had players flying around on both sides of the ball. Go back and watch that game, they had huge plays from a handful of contributors.

 

[LWinslow1973]

I looked up the WCAL year by year record books and these were the last league titles by Bellarmine in each sport:
Baseball: 2013 (shared)
Basketball: 2020 (shared)
Cross Country: 2023
Football: 2015 (shared)
Golf: 2024 (shared)
Soccer: 2016
Swimming/Diving: 2024
Tennis: 2024
Track and Field : 2023
Volleyball: 2019
Water Polo: 2024

Id say their athletic department is doing quite well. Their other athletes are achieving and winning titles. Are we just upset that they arent awesome at EVERY SINGLE SPORT? Based on the list above it looks like they are awesome at alot of sports. Just not one in particular.

As a Bellarmine Grad and the father of a Bellarmine son these numbers are not what Bellarmine is about or ever has been. The last soccer title almost a decade ago, baseball more than a decade ago, so on and so on. We expect more out of this school and with 1600 boys the school should be delivering more. Be better Bellarmine and fix this problem.

 

[ThunderRam]

I wouldn’t say that Bell’s team success was due to one individual. They had players flying around on both sides of the ball. Go back and watch that game, they had huge plays from a handful of contributors.

The degree or level of their success was most definitely due to one individual.

A couple of 4th down miracles by Martig allowed the Bells to steal one at Del Oro, without which they wouldn’t have even been in the Regional against Folsom in the first place. Then Martig was also the key ingredient that took down Folsom.

No other QB the Bells could have had behind center those particular days could have led the Bells to wins in either of those games, let alone both. Martig was that good.

They were a very good team without Martig, but not league, section, and regional champion good.

4 of their WCAL wins were by 8 points or less, and 2 of those were by mere 2 and 3 point differences.

W/O Martig they definitely lose to Del Oro (really should have anyway) and were very unlikely to win all 4 of those closely contested league games (they did lose to St. Francis that season).