Girls’ basketball makes CIF, exits first round
The Samo girls’ basketball team ended their season on Feb. 13 after a 32-34 loss to Lawndale in the first round of the CIF playoffs. The team finished with an overall record of 11-15 and a league record of 6-4.
Samo girls’ soccer falls short in first round of CIF’s
With the Samo girls’ soccer season coming to an end, finishing second in the Ocean League, the team is proud of their accomplished run. The team ended their regular season with a record of 7-2, a notable achievement after switching from the Bay League.
Samo cheer returns to competition after four year hiatus
On Jan. 25, the Samo cheerleading team took part in four Double A Medium Division CIF competitions at Riverside’s Martin Luther King High School. The event marked the teams return to competition after more than four years of not participating, due to the instability in coaching.
Signing Day: 12 Samo athletes make their college commitments official
On Feb. 5, Samo hosted their school-wide edition of national signing day for 12 committing senior athletes in the North Gym. Various sports teams came to support the athletes signing and cheer them on from afar. Surrounded by friends, family, coaches and staff, these athletes officially committed to their respective colleges, with putting pen to paper. They celebrated years of dedication and hard work. The event highlighted some of the athletes achievements and each respective coach gave a short speech commending the dedication they had given these past four years. As they embark on the next chapter, they look ahead to the next level of competition, ready to bring the same dedication and hard work to their college teams.
Boys’ soccer advance to playoffs semi-finals
The Samo boys’ varsity soccer team has had a season of immense success, earning the title of Ocean league champs and league tournament champs, in addition to qualifying for CIF-SS Open-Division playoffs for the first time in school history. Although they had a disheartening season last year, having an overall record of 9-10-1, the Samo boys’ varsity soccer team has come back soaring.
Professional athletes share perspective through podcasts
Recently, professional athletes have increasingly turned to podcasting as a platform to share their perspectives, insights and opinions. With the rise of digital media, these podcasts have become a significant trend within the sports industry. But why are athletes starting these podcasts, what social impact do they have, and how do they affect their teams and leagues?
impact of air quality upon athletes amidst recent fires
Athletes in Los Angeles face unique challenges posed by the city’s air quality ranging from city pollution to wildfires. Air quality can have a major impact on an athlete's performance, health and overall well-being.
Steep prices and steep slopes in the us vs europe
Skiing has grown enormously in popularity throughout the years, but so have its expenses. As skiing is one of the biggest winter sports, only a small group of individuals can call it a common hobby as the price of a single ski trip can cost thousands of dollars. As so many travel around the world to experience the thrill of winter sports, the US and Europe remain the two biggest hot spots; but the question comes down to which trip is worth your money.
An athletes struggle in staying fit over break
Winter athletes face so many hardships from weather to air quality, however winter break may be the worst one of all. For most winter sports, winter break falls right in the middle of their season. When athletes get back, some of their most important (league and CIF) games commence. However they cannot let winter break stop them.
Samo wrestling ready to pin their competition in this winter season
The Samo co-ed wrestling team has begun their long anticipated season, currently standing evenly with three dual-meet wins and losses against their rivals in Bay League and two tournament placements. Led by Coach Jason Mun, boys team captains Raden Madley (‘25) and Frederick Ekberg (‘25) and girl team captain Maia Baker (‘25), the team is confident the season will be success for the program.
Returning starters look to lead boys’ basketball to postseason
In the 2023-2024 season, the Samo boys’ basketball team finished their year strong, ending with a 16-13 record overall. A 4-6 record in the league allowed them an at-large playoff bid in the CIF-SS playoffs. Seeded against a tough Westlake team, the Vikings fought hard until they were eliminated with a final score of 71-49 in the first round of playoffs.
samo sports hub
On Nov. 3 and 4, the San Antonio Spurs, a National Basketball Association (NBA) team, rented out Samo’s gym in preparation for their match against the Los Angeles Clippers. From NBA teams such as the Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and the Oklahoma City Thunder to the U.S. Olympic Artistic Swimming Team, professional sports teams have been renting Samo’s sports facilities for years.
athlete’s impact on viewership
From Caitlin Clark’s ability to represent strong female athletes to Jared Mccain’s ability to bring in a younger crowd, a new wave of sports fans have been formed. Many sport surrounded fan bases aren't just built off of the love for the sport, but also from seeing the athletes you admire and look up to on the big screen.
Boys’ soccer with dominant start on return to CIF journey
The Samo boys’ varsity soccer team finished last season with an overall record of 9-10-1 and a league record of 4-6, ultimately falling short of qualifying for CIF playoffs. This season, however, the Vikings have started off strong and are well on their way to maintaining a positive record. As of Dec. 15, the Vikings are 5-1. Head coach Chris Sandoval (’16) has his eyes set on glory this winter, hoping for a successful playoff run come February.
Girls’ basketball aims to make playoffs after patchy start
The girls’ basketball team had a disappointing year last year, notching only four wins in regular season play and just falling short of the playoffs. This year’s team however is more experienced, having a large portion of last year’s roster returning for the season. With one of the largest senior classes in recent years, head coach Lance Radford is hopeful the team will find more success than last year.
Marching band’s championship run reflects both art and athletics
Samo’s marching band finished their season 4th in 5A with a score of 88.2 at Championships this past Saturday, Nov. 23. While the band’s performance is undeniably an achievement, it resurfaces the challenge of categorizing marching band as either a sport or a performing art. Marching band walks a fine line between physical performance and artistic expression, blending musical talent with technical skill and athleticism, making it tough to distinguish the activity as either a sport or an art.
Boys waterpolo faces heartbreaking CIF semi-final loss
The Samo boys’ varsity water polo team capped off their season on Nov. 12, 2024. The Vikings’ made it all the way to the CIF Semifinals and ended the season with an overall record of 19 wins and 16 losses and a record of 3-5 in league play. Despite losing 11 crucial seniors last year, this year’s team adapted and exceeded expectations.
The unseen struggles of the Samo surf team
Samo students have a plethora of opportunities and communities available to them through the school; many of which provide room for freedom and expression that aren’t necessarily centered on campus. The Samo surf team embodies all of these qualities and offers students a chance to represent their school up and down the California coast, still without being considered a CIF sport.
LA Galaxy to conference final, LAFC fall short
The Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles Football Club were battling it out for first place in the MLS Western Conference throughout the 2024 regular season, in what has been the most competitive year for the rivalry since LAFC’s establishment a decade ago. The Galaxy spent much of the year in the driver's seat, but it was LAFC who came out on top during the dying embers of the season.