Alumni Report: Former Serra standout the all-time leading receiver at U.S. Coast Guard Academy

When Broock Desta applied to the Coast Guard Academy, he wasn’t even sure the school had a football program.

“My brother (Solomon) enlisted in the Marines, and I was going to do the same,” Detsa said. “Then I got a call from a coach who said if I was interested in going into the service, why not try to get into one of the service academies?”

Now in his fourth season at the NCAA Division III Coast Guard Academy, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Desta has 216 career receptions for a program-record 3,242 yards. He caught touchdown passes of 60 and 55 yards in Saturday’s 28-26 win over SUNY Maritime, giving him 31 for his career. The Bears (4-1) are off this week before hosting MIT on Oct. 18.

“Really, I’m kind of a late-bloomer,” said Desta, who, as part of the final graduating class at Serra High School before it was renamed Canyon Hills, was captain of the football and basketball teams. “My freshman year here, I was kind of a nobody, but I made some plays and earned some respect.”

Desta caught 61 passes for 752 yards and eight TDs as a freshman. His sophomore year was even better: He caught 75 passes for 1,154 yards and nine more TDs.

Last season, he had 54 receptions for 727 yards and nine scores.

Through five games this season, Desta has 26 catches for 605 yards and five TDs

“I can make the tough catch. I run good routes. I’m versatile, working inside and out,” he said. “I have good hands. Honestly, I practice one-handed catches. Love one-handed catches.”

The Coast Guard Academy is one of five service academies, along with Army, Navy, Air Force and the Merchant Marine Academy. All carry a five-year postgraduate active duty commitment, with three years in the reserves.

“I love it here,” Desta said. “The alumni are great, reaching out, very involved. I could do without the cold in the winter, but I’ve gotten to experience something different, something out of my comfort zone.”

Desta will graduate in June with a degree in cyber systems. He’ll find out in March where he’s assigned. Desta will likely be assigned as a deck officer, with duties of securing borders, enforcing drug laws, taking part in search-and-rescue missions and looking for environmental issues.

“I’m hoping for California … San Pedro, because it’s close to family, or Alameda, because that’s where the biggest boats are,” Desta said. “The East Coast is great, but there is nothing like California … San Diego.”

“You have to be a strong swimmer to be in the Coast Guard, but I was a good swimmer before I was accepted,” Desta said. “Being here has been a great experience. I spent a summer in Virginia, where we responded to some search and rescues. I’m so fortunate, so blessed (with) the way things turned out. If we can finish this football season strong, it would be a perfect ending.”

More football

Michael Houk (Bishop’s), James Ryan (Carlsbad), Brady Joralemon (El Capitan), Brady Kaelin (Rancho Bernardo), Zeke Vellez (El Camino), Kellen Zammit (San Marcos), Caleb Addleman (Eastlake), Roman Ramirez (St. Augustine) and Adam Chen (Westview) are all playing for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. In three games, Houk has 18 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss and five sacks. Ryan is the top receiver with 11 catches for 134 yards and two TDs. Joralemon has 10 carries for 19 yards.

• Kalani Pickett (Oceanside), Michael Ryan (Carlsbad), Zachary Dorros (La Jolla Country Day) and Gage Eastlack (Cathedral Catholic) are all playing for Pomona-Pitzer. Pickett, a first-team all-conference player last season, has 13 tackles on defense and two catches for 14 yards and a touchdown on offense. Eastlack is the kickoff specialist. Michael Ryan of Pomona-Pitzer and James Ryan of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps are brothers.

• There are eight local players in the Ivy League. Robert Tucker (Grossmont) has 21 carries for 79 yards in two games at Cornell. Quarterback Garrett Bass-Sulpizio (La Jolla Country Day) has completed 8 of 16 for 63 yards. Defensive back No’Koi Maddux (Granite Hills) has a pair of tackles at Dartmouth. Defensive back Ty Cortes (Cathedral Catholic) is Penn’s leading tackler with 15, while receiver Griffin Rosenbloom (Carlsbad) has appeared in three games. Will Closkey (Bishop’s) is the kickoff specialist at Princeton. Ian Browne (Bishop’s) is a defensive back at Brown, while Julius Patton (La Jolla Country Day) is a defensive lineman at Columbia.

Women’s soccer

Kailey Powers (Helix), Karra Brunst (Pacific Ridge), Tristan Tessier (Chula Vista Learning Community Charter), Vanessa Cruz (Oceanside), Mikaela Marr (Sage Creek) and Hannah York (Rancho Bernardo) are all playing at Cal Poly Pomona. Cruz leads the team with five goals.

• Rachel Penick (Mater Dei Catholic) has two goals and an assist in six game for Vanguard University. A senior, she has 12 career goals.

• Sophie Rossier (Santa Fe Christian) has played in all seven games for Lewis and Clark. Goalie Delaney Jones has made one start, allowing three goals with six saves.

Men’s tennis

Cameron McAllister (Mission Bay) is playing at Emerson College in Medford, Mass. He went 1-1 in singles and doubles in the season-opening North Shore Slam Invitational.

John Maffei’s Alumni Report appears periodically during the college season. Readers are encouraged to send information on local athletes to john.maffei@sduniontribune.com.