Damien High School

We are saddened to pass along the news of the death of Frank Pastore, a 1975 graduate. After a one month battle, Frank succumbed to injuries he received in a traffic accident while riding his motorcycle on the 210 Freeway.

Frank was a star baseball player at Damien, and was drafted after his senior year by the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds brought him up to the majors in 1979, and his career lasted 8 seasons before ending prematurely as a result of being hit in the elbow by a line drive off the bat of Steve Sax at Dodger Stadium. After leaving baseball, Frank embarked on a second career as an academic, Christian talk show host, and author.

Frank is survived by his wife of 27 years, Gina, his daughter Gina, his son, Frank a 1999 graduate of Damien, and a grandchild. Funeral arrangements are pending.

A public service weill be held at Calvary Chapel Chino Valley at 1pm on December 29th. The address is 12205 Pipeline Ave in Chino, CA.

December 6, 2012 - La Verne Online

Don’t cry a tear for Argentina or Damien basketball coach Matt Dunn just yet. While Dunn loses four-year starting center Chris Reyes now playing for St. Mary’s and playmaker Clayton White, he brings back a stellar back court in sophomore Jeremy Hemsley and senior Jared Dizon and a supporting cast of experienced players that should prove deadly to league and non-league rivals alike.

Damien tipped its hand early last week, winning and running away with the Sierra Vista tournament, featuring a host of heavyweights, including Thousand Oaks, Troy and Glendora. The Spartans will now put its early undefeated 5-0 winning streak on the line this Friday against Alta Loma on Damien’s home court at 6:30 p.m.

Although Reyes’ towering, shot-blocking  influence in the middle will be sorely absent, Damien literally will not be coming up short.

“We’re not small at all,” said Dunn, now in his 10th season as Damien’s head basketball coach. “We pretty much start five guys who are between 6-3 and 6-6.”

A relic of our school patron and namesake, St. Damien of Molokai, was presented for veneration by the faithful on Thursday, December 6 and Friday, December 7 in the school chapel.  The relic, a foot bone fragment, has travelled the country over the past year making appearances in New York, Maryland, Oklahoma, Illinois, and now La Verne, California.  Thanks to the coordination of Damien's Campus Ministry department, Damien students, faculty and parents had the opportunity to view and venerate the relic while taking part in this historical occasion.

Please Click Here to view the December Parent Newsletter

Congratulations to the Damien Spartan basketball team 5-0, on their 60-56 victory over Thousand Oaks in the championship game of the Baldwin Park- Sierra Vista Tournament tonight. Also recognition to All tournament Jared Dizon and Keith Cavanaugh with Jeremy Hemsley named tournament MVP. Well done Coach Matt Dunn and staff. We are proud of you!

COVINA - What a difference a day makes for the Damien High School boys basketball team.

The Spartans held on for a tight two-point semifinal victory over California on Friday night, but Saturday's championship game of the Sierra Vista/Baldwin Park Winter Tip Off tournament was a 60-56, come-from-behind win over Thousand Oaks at Covina High.

Damien trailed by as much as 10 points, 32-22, early in the third quarter, but went on an 18-11 run to trail by only three points, 43-40, entering the final quarter.

The Spartans (5-0) were led by sophomore Jeremy Hemsley with a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds.

Damien held a two-point lead, 58-56, with 20 seconds remaining in the game, when Hemsley drove the lane and scored a layup to give the Spartans a four-point lead.

"We played great and they (Thousand Oaks) were really, really good," Damien coach Matt Dunn said. 

We hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving break and are ready to resume school Monday.

First, our congratulations to the Spartan Regiment who traveled to the State Championship Band competition last weekend and came away State Champions! Special note to the Director Mr. James Plunkett and all the members of the Regiment who worked so hard for this recognition. We are proud of you!

Also special appreciation to the Damien students who represented our school so well at the Go to Bat for Life celebration at Dodger Stadium on November 17th. Thanks to Gary Sullivan for organizing the event.

Congratulations to the Damien High School Spartan Regiment who won the Western Band Assocation's Division 1A Championships in Fresno on Saturday, 11/17/12. Jump to 3:30 in the video below to watch the winning performance and awards ceremony! Click Read More below to see the final scores.