An athlete’s guide to preventing sports injuries
Derrick Rose, Robert Griffin III, Greg Oden. The list of promising athletes who have had their career cut short due to injuries goes on and on. Sports injuries are some of the most devastating things to happen to any athlete. Luckily, there are ways to prevent them.
Lakers’ father-son duo set the stage for a new era
The Los Angeles Lakers, led by superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, were eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs last season by the Denver Nuggets. After a fourth straight season of disappointment, the Lakers were looking to make some serious changes.
Samo football looks to secure spot in CIF playoffs
The Samo football team currently holds an overall record of 4-5 as they head towards the end of their season. With four league games down, Samo has been gearing up for their final home game against Peninsula that will conclude their regular season. Special leadership has been shown by the captains throughout the season that has built a stronger team and community of players.
Cross-country on road to CIF
Halfway through the 2024 cross-country season, the varsity teams have made a name for themselves in their first year in the Ocean League. So far, the boys have won two meets and the girls have won one, coming second in others. With performances like these, the team is on track to qualify for the CIF Preliminaries, needing a top-three finish in Ocean League to do so.
From Student to staff: katie saunders re-joins Samo
Santa Monica High School alumni Katie Saunders (’17) is returning to Samo as an assistant coach and teacher. Saunders is leading cross country, track and field and Sports Medicine classes regular and advanced, while additionally training to teach physiology for a future Sports Medicine pathway. With ambitious goals set for her dual roles, Saunders is back at her alma mater, bringing wisdom and experience as a staff member.
Girls’ golf team captains shine amidst league struggles
The Santa Monica High School girls' varsity golf team finished the 2024 fall season with a final record of 1-6, ending 5th out of 5 in the league. Despite the team’s inconsistency, both team captains, Frances Aguilar (’26) and Cash Henton (’25) made it to league finals, with Aguilar additionally advancing to the first round of CIF.
Boys’ waterpolo advances in CIF Playoffs
Samo varsity boys’ water polo ended their regular league season with a win on Wednesday, Oct. 23 against Malibu High School. They are now moving forward into Division lll CIF playoffs. Boys’ water polo will go into CIF with a record of 16-14 in overall play, and 2-4 in league play.
Historic spending helps Dodgers reach World Series
The Los Angeles Dodgers finished the 2024 regular season with the best record in Major League Baseball (MLB) at 98-64, and booked themselves a trip to the World Series after the most expensive spending spree in the team's history.
Elevating Athletics: Samo’s New Gold gym
With the new Exploration Building officially open, students are looking forward to the opening of the new Gold Gym. The Gold Gym was originally planned to open for the 2024-2025 school year, but it has experienced some recent delays. At it’s time of opening, the new gym will expand Samo’s athletic programs tremendously. The Gold Gym will house two gyms, a dance studio, outdoor workout areas, a yoga room, a fitness room, new locker rooms and a third auxiliary court for both volleyball and basketball. The gym’s large size and modernization makes it unique to the other gyms on campus. Featuring well-lit spaces and outdoor areas, the new Gold Gym is designed to be an ideal and productive environment for student-athletes.
Team Splash: a Look Into This Season of boys’ water polo
The Samo boys’ water polo team had a very successful 23-24 season and is looking to replicate that again this year. The team, now 8-5, has their next home game on Sept. 24 against Culver City High School.
New coaches and captains propel cross country team to new heights
During Samo’s historic run last season, the Vikings were stopped short in the CIF Southern Sectional championship, ending in a 27-29 loss to Rio Hondo Prep.
HOTLB: Samo’s favorite paris 2024 moments
The 2024 Olympics happened this past summer, from July 26 to Aug. 11, in Paris, France. The Olympic games brought people together, uniting them behind their TV screens while they supported their nation’s leading athletes in search of a gold medal.
Samo football looks to build off of last season’s momentum
During Samo’s historic run last season, the Vikings were stopped short in the CIF Southern Sectional championship, ending in a 27-29 loss to Rio Hondo Prep.
LA 2028’s compounding impact on surrounding homeless community
In preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, local citizens have already noticed the changes in the city with the biggest ones being the renovations to Los Angeles International Airport, the expansion of the Metro system and most significantly the “cleansing” of the homeless community.
Girls’ golf has put in the work: Ready to shine
Last year, the Samo girl's varsity golf team faced various challenges that impacted their performance. Despite the best efforts of the players and their coach, Roshni Mejia, the team often found themselves forfeiting matches due to insufficient team members. This persistent issue overshadowed their potential on the course and the team only managed to get one win last year, against Redondo Union. However, the team still made a huge accomplishment last year, with the current team captain Cash Henton (’25) making League Finals