Serra coach Jesse Freitas chats with son Jim during romp over Sacred Heart in 1973.
By John Murphy
Saw an email from my brother Jim on Monday night and it said, “Remembering Legendary Ex-Serra Football Coach Jesse Freitas.
I knew Papa Jess, an original San Francisco 49er and Serra icon, had died.
Freitas, 99, passed at his San Diego home on Monday morning of cancer. The news froze me.
As the little brother of a Serra High player, I saw and heard a lot from that golden era. Here are five memorable games from 1967 through ’69 when Freitas led Serra to victory:
1967
SERRA 34, BELLARMINE 27
The Bells powered for two early scores and it was 14-0. “Here we go again,” Serra fans said. Then Tom Scott started running wild. His two long kick returns turned the tide.
Said a still-spry Freitas to me five years ago at his son Jesse’s memorial service: “The start of the second half Tom Scott ran back a kickoff for a touchdown. It didn’t look like we were going to do it until Tom’s return. Bellarmine up until that time was kicking our (rears) every year and then it kind of turned around.”
1968
SERRA 57, SAN MATEO 33
Burlingame High was packed. The Padre bus broke down en route. Stars like Lynn Swann, Scott and Freitas were spotted hitch-hiking, with Jesse Jr. running onto the field shortly before kickoff.
The teams gained more than 800 yards combined and scored 90 points. A highlight (of sorts) was Serra’s Steve Morello weaving for a long TD and then puking on the sideline.
Scoop Wynkoop’s headline in the San Bruno Herald: “Serra Out of Sight for San Mateo – Padres Simply Too Much.”
1969
SERRA 13, ST. IGNATIUS 10
Our uncle, JB Murphy, was a teacher at SI for 50 years. The SI field is named after him. Few nights before the game I was awakened by a loud crash. My brother in his sleep had broken a lamp with a forearm shiver. He was ready.
Brutal defensive slugfest at Kezar Stadium. Video of the game can be seen here. SI led late. Then Swann took a kickoff at the 10 and ran 90 yards up the middle for the score. No bedroom lamps were harmed that night.
SERRA 33, RIORDAN 14
Halloween night at Kezar. The Padres vs. Riordan’s “Unholy 11.”.
Tight game until a Crusader dropped a sure TD pass. Then Serra’s power-I took over with Bob Buerger, Mike Rocchi and Pete Jordan dominating.
My brother had the flu but played. After he was hunched over in the locker room, in bad shape.
“Somebody get Murphy some aspirin,” Papa Jess said.
SERRA 30, ST. FRANCIS 6
Last game. A second straight title on the line.
Serra players had a victory party planned afterward and Papa Jess knew it. But the plucky Lancers hung in there.
“You guys better get your (butts) in gear or there’s not going to be any damned victory party,” Freitas said at halftime.
Swann listened. He scored every point in the victory, including a QB sneak 60 yards up the middle to clinch it. Party time.
EPILOGUE
As a kid watching these games, it all seemed so magical. The team in blue and gold ran on the field, the fight song played, and the good guys won. Every game.
Then 1970 happened. Bellarmine pounded the Padres 39-0 in the league opener. Whew. Lesson learned: You don’t always win. But for a while, with Jesse Freitas as coach, Serra did.
RIP, Papa Jess.
Main Street Dog 
John,
Or should I call you Murph as we all do ur older brother, Jim. You are eerily close in looks to your him too. Scary. Tho he’s uglier.
I hope that picture at the top of your article about Papa Jess was a home game because we of the class of ’68 and ’69 were used to that score, but we always the team on top.
Sadly, in your reminiscing of the glory years of ’67, ’68 and ’69, when remembering the 1969 SI game you failed to mention a key play of a post pattern route the SI wide receiver ran that beat Riordan the week before that one Bob Wackerman intercepted. No matter that a holding penalty nullified it, it still psychologically changed the game to the Padres favor. But I digress.
Anyway, great job on the article on Coach Freitas. Jim told me he had cancer and I was hoping at the reunion Jim was doing at his home might give us, even if by Zoom, a chance to see him one last time.
RIP Papa Jess
Stay safe.
Bob Wackerman
LikeLike
Hi Bob. I remember you. I actually thought a pick by Soules had clinched the game, but in watching SI game film it looks like Swann had an interception on final heave. Well, I was only 12 and not taking notes. I learned a lot from being around my brother and his friends like how to show a little class by buying a round and how to help people and elevate them instead of harass them. Thanks for reading and sorry I left out that key disallowed interception!
LikeLike