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Feb. 3, 2017 Volume 90, Issue Eight Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills, California beverlyhighlights.com
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Isaiah Freedman staff writer A wild Wish Week is concluding along with Senior Night and a storied basketball matchup between two rival schools tonight in the Swim Gym. The action begins at 6:00 p.m. for girls varsity, then 7:30 p.m. for the boys. In addition to Senior Night and the location for this year’s Wish Kid ceremony, the Swim Gym is also hosting the biggest double-headed sports matchup of the year for the Normans: a showdown against our rivals, the Santa Monica Vikings. For Some Great Men and women on the varsity basketball squads, it’s a chance at redemption, since both teams lost to SAMO earlier this year. The Normans-Vikings rivalry stretches back years, and has always stemmed from the two schools’ close proximity to each other. The
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venom between the two schools reached an all-time-high two years ago when students erupted into a parking lot brawl after Beverly crushed Samo in the Vikings’ house. There were arrests, keyed cars and police everywhere. Friday night is sure to cover all emotional bases. There will be warmed hearts for the Wish Week closing ceremony, crying players and parents thanks to Senior Night, and Not Suitable For Work (NSFW) chants courtesy of fans and players during both games. Senior Night coinciding with the loudest and most important basketball game of the year for both boys and girls varsity squads promises for the Swim Gym to be booming. “I really want to beat them considering that it’s my last time playing them. ” forward Grant Gaon said Continued onto page 8: SAMO
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February 3, 2017
Highlights
Self-taught senior rises above adversity Max Yera co-editor-in-chief “Congratulations” appears. The crowd roars. The recipient of the email sits quietly, and smiles. Slowly he stands, walks-limpsinto Room 284, prepared to lead a team in programming. Senior Benjamin Heller was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a relatively rare bone cancer, in November of 2014. A year earlier, Heller ran cross-country, and in the coming three to six months, he had anticipated pitching for the Normans baseball team. Four months earlier, he had spent his summer at Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute studying discrete mathematics, and for the next 11 and a half months, he would spend his days at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, undergoing chemotherapy for an illness that threatened his life. “It was all very annoying,” he said with a smile. “Annoying” translated to missing 30 school days in the first semester. “There were days when he missed a few days in a row, but I don’t believe he ever missed an exam,” Heller’s sophomore AP Biology teacher Marla Weiss said. “He’s just an outstanding student that’s luckily also an independent learner, so he was able to catch up on his own.” This natural ability in the classroom quickly impressed, and continues to inspire, those around him.
“I’ve had a few classes with Ben throughout high school, and in every single one, he was the smartest person in the room, sometimes even smarter than the teacher,” senior classmate Eli Aminpour said. Heller’s strength inside the classroom comes in mathematics, as he has been, since elementary school, two years ahead of his graduating class in terms of course content. This means that he was taking high school-level math classes in the seventh grade and, by his sophomore year of high Senior Ben Heller works in the robotics room. school, had completed Photo by BEN SHOFET the highest level of calcuof what I know now I can credit lus available. “I like the rigorous reasoning in- to Robotics and if I compared my volved with math where not much current knowledge to four years is left ambiguous,” Heller said. ago, there’s a very big difference,” “Whenever I read a question, even Heller said. For the past four years, he has in history class or something, I try to define it and make it an air tight made a concerted effort to increase definition before even trying to the efficiency of the Robotics team, specifically how information is talk about it.” Outside of the classroom, Hell- passed at competitions, by “exer’s interest lies in computers. Ear- panding the scope of Robotics into ly on in middle school, he enrolled web development by making webin an online computer science sites to facilitate what we do.” “He just sits down and writes course, and, upon entering high school, joined the programming code, like that guy from ‘A Beautiteam for Robotics, which he now ful Mind’ except with computers,” Aminpour, the Chief Financial Ofheads with friend David Baum. “I wouldn’t say I fell in love with ficer of Robotics, said. Yet beyond the praise regardcomputer science right away, but it has grown over the years. A lot ing Heller’s intellectual capacity
or ability to code, one finds that among those who know him, it is his kindness, along with his bravery and calmness through adversity, that brings forth such praise. “For as long as I have known Ben, he has been a genuinely nice person. Whether it’s helping get some work done in Robotics, to explaining how to do a math problem, Ben uses his mind to help others,” Robotics programming teammate senior Arvin Zadeh said. “When he was battling through cancer, not once did I hear him complain about his situation. He just continued to live life.” “To live life,” however, proved to be a fight. Ben underwent hip surgery in March of 2015, and had to relearn to walk. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it or make it sound better than it was,” Ben’s brother, sophomore Daniel said. “The first time he tried to walk after surgery he was pissed that he couldn’t do it. But he’s strong, smart and determined. He kept working as hard as he could and he got walking pretty fast.” The end of chemotherapy would finally come in December of 2015. Though he admittedly will likely attend Stanford in the fall of 2017, Ben will wait and weigh his options in the coming months. It seems that whether in the face of life threatening adversity or skillful accomplishment, Ben will remain in the middle, allowing those around him to react, and with a calming smile, go back to work.
Highlights Keith Stone, Ben Shofet, Max Yera, Veronica Pahamova editors-in-chief
Priscilla Hopper, AJ Wolken, Evan Minniti, Isaiah Freedman, Sam Bernstein, Lauren Hannani, Rinesa Kabashi staff writers
Ben Dahan, Jamie Kim news editors
Vivian Geilim opinion editor
Eleanor Bogart-Stuart culture editor
Sophia Goldberg sports editor
Jason Harward design editor
Natasha Dardashti multimedia editor
Gaby Herbst adviser —
Our goal as a student-run publication is to provide reliable, accurate and fair content that informs and intrigues the Beverly Hills community by following the principles of ethical journalism and represents the student body. We will deliver a broad spectrum of coverage through a variety of mediums, including online and print. Highlights is a forum for public expression that is produced by the Advanced Journalism class of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Letters to the editor may be sent to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com.
Teachers speak on senioritis
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Natasha Dardashti multimedia editor ticipation for the next chapter of their lives is a main demotiSenioritis is known nation-wide vating factor as a crippling disease that seem“I do see it in everybody. It’s ingly affects only second semester hard to finish that race, really behigh school seniors. Symptoms of cause the last quarter of a mile can this epidemic include reluctance to be the hardest part of a marathon. commit to any schoolwork (or even You’re almost done and your legs showing up to school), and the are burning,” physics teacher Kevonly known cure is a phenomenon called “graduation.” “There’s one definition, it’s sort of on an individual case by case basis, I just think it’s when it’s just sort of a time during second sein Bowers said. “Metaphorically, mester when students pull back the same thing happens with sea little bit and become a little bit niors who are really itching to get more relaxed in the process,” phys- out of here.” iology teacher Sue Yovetich said. Still, horror stories pertaining to However, teachers have seen the contraction of senioritis persist. symptoms of senioritis affecting Bowers recounted a time that a students for years. While not every student who was admitted to Duke student succumbs to the “symp- University allowed his grades to toms”, the overarching majority fall dramatically, and therefore tend to contract it. Despite the fact had his acceptance rescinded. that senioritis has been around for “It was the worst senioritis I’ve generations, it continues to main- ever seen,” Bowers said. “He was tain its relevance for each graduat- revoked, and did not go to Duke.” ing class. With student grades as the indi“I do see it in my students in cator of senioritis, it is no question their attitudes toward schoolwork that there will be a noticable imand their study habits. I do notice pact. According to Yovetich, howit and I think its a problem, even ever, students who have intrinsic though there is no such disease motivation will not waver in their as senioritis,” psychology teacher grades. Roel Hinojosa said. “The conse“I think it can [impact students’ quences of acting as if it was real grades] for sure, I’ve seen it hapare very real.” pen, again it’s on an individual Most can agree on a similar the- case by case basis. If the student ory regarding Senioritis in that an-
“It was the worst senioritis I’ve ever seen. He was revoked, and did not go to Duke.”
has always been intrinsically motivated, they’re always going to want to continue to do well. I do think it is the final stretch, fatigue sets in and they can see the end near so I think it’s a result. It certainly can affect their grade,” Yovetich said. While senioritis is known for its effects on grades, it is possible for it to affect a student’s personality. According to Bowers, there has been a case in which a student was admitted into a prestigious university and afterward displayed a negative turn in personality. “He became super egotistical, and nobody wanted to hang out with him anymore because he was really mean about rubbing it into their faces,” Bowers said. “That’s the weird part of senioritis, that it’s not just the laziness part, [but also] just the ‘I’m almost out of here so I don’t care about any of you anymore’ part. You don’t see much of that, but I did see that once and it was kind of ugly.” One way history teacher Dan Moroaica manages to engage seniors is by teaching more “fun” units at the end of second semester. With this integration, Moroaica hopes he can show students that education can take many forms outside of a textbook. “[What is really important is] encouraging students that it’s not just about getting a grade, it’s about learning until the very end. It’s that either you spend your life learning, or you basically become stagnant and die,” Moroaica said.
February 3, 2017 Highlights
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February 3, 2017 Highlights
4 spotlight
THE POWER OF A Week Timeline Monday
Tuesday
The lunchtime dodgeball tournament begins. Junior Jonathan Tansey participates in the festivites.
Wednesday The fun continues when senior Andy Liu and freshman Jonah Okum battle on the field.
Drama teacher, Karen Chandler raps her group’s rendition of “I’m on a boat” by the Lonely Island.
Wish Week recap Eleanor Bogart-Stuart culture editor Sophia Goldberg sports editor This week, the school and its stThis week, the school and its students united to not only celebrate and encourage Norman spirit, but also to help raise money for the “Wish Kid” during the second annual Wish Week. The week features a variety of activities and events designed to stimulate school spirit while raising money for the Wish Kid. “The point of hosting events and games is to make high school memories, but it’s also mainly to raise money for the Wish Kid,” senior representative Greta Voci said. A “Wish Kid” is a child with some sort of illness, sometimes terminal, who is found by the Make A Wish Foundation. The foundation grants the kid one wish which can range from meeting a celebrity to taking a trip to an exotic country. “The most meaningful and important part of this week is in its name: the wish. This whole week is dedicated to fundraising money to make a kid’s wish come true. I’m so honored that I’ve been able to take part in organizing an event like this,” Voci said. There are four kinds of wishes that the Make A Wish Foundation grants: I wish to meet, I wish to go, I wish to have and I wish to be. This year, all Wish Week donations will go to five-year-old Leighton Kaba, who has chosen a visit to Disneyland as her wish. Last year, Beverly raised $5,000 in honor of 14-year-old
Lilibeth Pedilla, who struggled with kidney failure and had recently gotten her wish of going to Disneyland granted. With the success of the previous year’s Wish Week, ASB and Service Learning have high expectations for the student body this year. “The purpose of Wish Week is to come together as a community and unite to achieve something incredible,” ASB co-president Maytal Sarafian said. “Given the high profile of our school, we could make an enormous difference - not only in Beverly Hills, but all across the country.” ASB vice president Jessica Moghaddam is the head student ambassador for the Make A Wish Greater L.A. division. “Being a part of something that affects so many individuals, that’s what is really larger than life. It stops being about us for a minute and I think that’s why I cherish Wish Week so much. It not only brings our school together, but it brings the whole community of Beverly Hills together. Pocket change suddenly translates to $600 and we are all uniting to accomplish this goal,” Moghaddam said. “Any and every penny counts, even the thought of spreading the word counts. Make A Wish serves as a step in the Wish Kid’s healing process, and a step in a humble direction for the students at Beverly.” ASB vice president Jessica Moghaddam was the designated ASB student representative, the designated ASB student representative, the ASB student,
Photo courtesy: JENNIFER KABA
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Meet Leighton Kaba: 2017’s Wish Kid Natasha Dardashri staff writer For Wish Week, money is being raised for Leighton Kaba, an Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) survivor. Discovery of her cancer occurred in Jan. 2015 after a hospital visit to treat a persistent sinus infection that had caused a swelling in her eye. “As you can imagine, this news was hard to believe since we and her doctors thought we would be [at the hospital] for just one day to knock out the eye infection. Prior to this, we weren’t aware of any symptoms that would lead us to believe anything was seriously wrong,” Leighton’s mother, Jennifer Kaba, said. After four months her sister, Sasha, was found a bone marrow match and Leighton received a bone marrow transplant from her sister along with chemotherapy. “It’s remarkable because the white blood cells from the transferred bone marrow go into the bloodstream and know how to find their way inside the bones,” Jennifer said. Although the condition endured, Leighton remained optimistic during treatment. Her biggest challenge to overcome resided in her confinement. As a typically playful child, being confined to a hospital room because of her compromised immune system was a hardship Leighton was forced to endure. “Aside from having amazing doctors, Leighton was extremely fortunate because while she did have some ups and downs, the downs were generally minor, and she was overall able to maintain her high energy levels throughout her treatment,” Jennifer said. Currently, Leighton is enrolled in kindergarten and her immune system is able to fight off common colds and the flu.
Photo courtesy: JENNIFER KABA
February 3, 2017
6 opinion
Highlights
Betsy DeVos is unskilled, unqualified for position Sam Bernstein staff writer President Donald Trump’s pick for the U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, is a danger to the American people. DeVos is not only unqualified, but the ideas that she brings to the table in are detrimental and destructive to the progress made by former education secretaries Arne Duncan and John King, Jr. DeVos’s desire to kill Common Core will change academic environments at paces they’re not prepared to move at yet. The government cannot force teachers to change their curriculum completely, once again, and expect students’ standardized test scores to rise. They didn’t the last time we changed the curriculum, and we cannot expect schools to adapt to change much better than they did just eight years ago. DeVos also has a central idea to kill teachers unions. American teachers need unions for protection when bargaining, among various other protections. Teachers unions fight for fair pay, health care benefits and pension plan contributions. If DeVos kills unions, teachers completely lose
their collective voice. Without a voice, teachers don’t have anything. Teachers won’t be inspired to enlighten young minds in the
teachers are at an incredible risk of losing everything. DeVos used to work for the American Federation for Chil-
Cartoon by: Veronica Pahomova
classroom if they’re being treated poorly. The teaching field will lose many if DeVos is confirmed and her plans to kill the union go through. If unions are killed,
dren (AFC), which is a pro-charter school organization that is openly against districting children into public schools. Before, as the chair of Michigan’s Republican Party,
Politics plague classrooms Ben Shofet co-editor-in-chief The question as to whether educators should express their personal political opinions in the classroom has long been a topic of debate. Especially in the 2016 election cycle and now with Trump’s presidency, more and more teachers have felt the need to express their ideas to their students in class. A teacher’s job is to teacher, however, not to preach their own personal opinions for five hours a day every day. Rather a teacher should teach in an unbiased manner that will allow for their students to form their own opinions based on their own views, not on the views of their teacher. Nonetheless, it is understandable for a teacher to voice their opinion in the classroom and when the opinionated input from the teacher leads to a constructive debate between the teachers and students, both parties can benefit. But when the teacher is constantly ranting However, when it becomes a reoccurring thing, then there is a problem. While there are subjects such as U.S. Government were remaining nonpartisan can be a challenge, classes like AP Physics and AP Literature can and should be taught without the political input of the teacher every fifteen minutes. Rather than expressing their own personal opinions, teachers should provide students with the facts and allow them to form their own opinions based on their own personal beliefs, rather than those
DeVos famously tanked Michigan’s public schools in an effort to vouch for private, religious or charter schools. The test scores
of their teachers. Especially as employees of the government, on the job, teachers shouldn’t praise a certain policy or ridicule an international trade deal. Teachers do and should exercise
their right to express their political opinions, however, there is a time and place for everything. A classroom is not the place for a teacher to express their political opinions on their students.
Cartoon by: Veronica Pahomova
during her term were Michigan’s worst ever. The major loser in all of this was Detroit’s public schools, who were set up for a decade of poor test scores after her term.
If we kill public schools, what do we have. Beverly is lucky to be able to afford the right to be a basic aid district. According to Education Code Section 41975, a basic aid district is one whose local property taxes meet or exceed its revenue limit. It keeps the money from local property taxes and still receives the constitutionally guaranteed state basic aid funding. The majority of the public schools in the nation need government funding to run on the basic educational necessities of a day-to-day basis. Schools will lose everything that the administration, district and students have worked so tirelessly to achieve. Schools across the nation, will simply be unable to function if DeVos’s ideas to cut funding to public schools go through. If public schools lose that funding, everyone loses. With DeVos, we lose all the progress the Obama administration has made. Americans will lose teachers unions, potential progress on our current system and modernization in schools. Under Trump’s Department of Education, American students lose far more than they gain. Though we’re ready for change, we’re not ready for that change.
Editorial The public has a love/hate relationship with the media. Though media outlets are consumed (and trusted) by millions of people every day, a rising movement, led by the president, has looked to discredit all media as false click-bait due to the actions of a very small minority of sites. In fact, discrediting the media entirely is dangerous because a free and trusted media is an important link between the people and their representatives in a successful republican form of government. Instead of allowing the media to report wellresearched facts, the president has decided to skip the republican process and report his “alternative facts,” such as the cost of the border wall or the scale of voter fraud, straight to the American public. Credible news sources would fact-check these statements instead of publishign them as simple truths-and this applies to the studentjournalists of Highlights. Highlights works hard to follow high journalistic standards, and direct and indirect attacks on the validity of the media attacks undermine the goal of every publication: to inform the public and cultivate interest in stories even if they don’t align with a raeder’s views or occur in the same place as the reader. Sadly, that goal is diminished when people from both sides of the aisle discredit news that doesn’t align with their opinion, as well as when the need to be the best surpasses the need to be completely correct.
The product we put out is meant to inform, entertain and inspire. It is not sensationalized nor does it target any particular group. Every article follows a set process that makes sure that everybody pertinent to the article can voice his/her side of story. While articles can be perceived as putting someone in a lessthan-stellar-light, it is only because the facts we are aware of at the time of publication point to this conclusion. Remember, a fact cannot be dismissed because somebody does not like it. A fact can’t be alternative, nor can it be changed, no matter how many times “believe me” is said. So for students of Beverly and truly every single school in the country, vigilance is required when looking for news. Sensational headlines don’t mean well-researched stories. Explosive pictures don’t mean facts. Most importantly, some news is good. While many news sources tend toward click-bait, especially online news sources, a lot of websites and many news sources still remain true to the facts. Rather than simply click on an article and take it as Gospel, students should be determining who wrote the article, whether that news source is known for impartiality and truth and consider the potential biases a reporter/writer may have. Highlights remains however, trustworthy and unpartisan, honestly and truthfully reporting the important news that the student body needs to hear. Don’t distrust all news, verify.
culture 7
February 3, 2017 Highlights
Enterprising entrepreneur promotes pastries Lauren Hannani staff writer
It all started with a cookie. Her brother’s best friends began coming over to her house with different cookie recipes, and she and her family gave their opinion of each one. Now, five years later, she has been named the head of high school ambassadors of Dozen’s Cookies. Junior Sophia Martin got involved with this online cookie delivery company after her brother, Maxwell Martin (class of 2014), began running its marketing department. When the owners of Dozen’s Cookies started looking for ambassadors to represent the business and increase brand awareness, Martin stepped up. “I asked to join the ambassador program because I have an entrepreneurial mind and wanted to learn from Jared and Ethan Forman [the owners], who have graduated from a top business school in the country,” Martin said. “I think that this will be a great learning experience.” As the head ambassador, Martin’s job consists of promoting the company on social media and recruiting other high school students in the area to represent the brand. “I hope to help expand the busi-
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ness by recruiting new ambassadors and posting on social media,” Martin said. “I think social media is really cool and a great platform in promoting a new business.” Although Dozen’s Cookies opened up in December of last year, the work behind it has been going on for about five years. Martin has been there to witness her brother’s friends work hard every day since then to create a business for the first time. “My favorite part is being exposed to a startup business at an early age and being able to see two driven former Beverly students create their business from the ground up,” Martin said. “I am also excited to see all the hard work that the Formans have put into their business pay off. For the last five years they would continuously bring new cookie recipes to our house in order to get feedback on what we liked and did not like.” The owner and head chef of the business, Jared Forman, thinks Martin is a great fit for the job because of their friendship and advantageous access to many students. “I have a long standing relationship with Sophia’s twin brothers, so it made a lot of sense to bring Sophia on board to help us out in capturing the high school audi-
ence,” Forman said. “I’m far from old but I no longer have the direct connections to students she has. She’s a very valuable asset and member of our Dozen’s family.” Forman also wants to challenge Martin and give her a chance to experience a business-type job on her own for the first time. “We want to give her a lot of freedom in her role in order to challenge her to be as creative as she wants and make this business hers as much as it is ours.” Martin plans on promoting the business even after she graduates. “I think the most important thing for myself to do in order to stay involved is continue to post and promote the business. I want to fall into a habit of doing my part for the brand in order for Dozen’s Cookies to flourish,” Martin said. Since she also hopes to make her own business when she becomes older, Martin thinks that her experience promoting Dozen’s Cookies will prepare her for when the time comes. “Because I will be predisposed to watching the creation of a company, I think that this will help me when I try to begin my own company. I have a lot of things on my mind...I’m just waiting for the right time.”
CLASSIC “DOZEN’S” FLAVORS OATMEAL COOKIE
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JADE GARLAND
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I dyed my hair pink because I love the color and I hate looking like everyone else.
The motivation was to try something new and different and be adventurous. I liked my normal hair but this color is so much nicer. I’m really glad I did it because it turned out well and it adds fun and festive vibe whenever I see it.
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RED VELVET COOKIE
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DESTINY LEE As my life changes, I like showing the changes in my art and through my appearance. It shows a sense of growth and feels refreshing to have something new about myself that I can experience.”
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February 3, 2017
8 sports
Highlights
Wrestling shines with youngsters Max Yera co-editor-in-chief Through the course of the season thus far, the varsity wrestling squad has overcome adversity due to a younger roster. The team is 1-3 in dual meets this year, and is headed by captains sophomore Daniel Heller, junior Mateo DeCamargo Hanley and junior Sebastian Fanucci. “Last year we had a larger senior group, none of which were first year wrestlers,” Heller said. “We are just as successful as a team as last year, but we had lot more confidence because we didn’t always feel like the underdog that we are now due to our young age.” Despite this potential lack of confidence the young group may have against predominantly senior squads, Heller believes the team’s youth will work to their advantage in years to come. “We are ahead of where we need to be,” he said. “We have all but three of our guys coming back
SAMO “I’m excited to get on the court and get our revenge against them, I’m going to be hyped all week to play them and we will be ready.” In this rare season, there happen to be no current seniors on girls varsity, making the night just another game for all the juniors and underclassmen populating the team. Although, Senior Night or not, playing a rival is never “just another game.” Junior Amanda Lee, a forward for girls varsity, wants to beat SAMO as much as anyone. “I’m very excited to destroy SAMO. Luckily, Wish Week will bring a bigger crowd and better mood,” Lee said. Boys varsity, on the other hand, is filled with seniors and some are anticipating getting emotional, Gaon chief among them. “I am very excited for Senior Night, especially since we get to play Santa Monica. Yes, it will be a
Senior Cameron Ifekwunigwe battles against his SAMO opponent during their dual met on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Photo by: RINESA KABASHI next year which means we have a ton of time to keep building upon the success we have already been having. I’m beyond excited.” However, beyond mere age, the team’s potential stems from the character of those on the roster. “Compared to past seasons, this team has a better work ethic,” Fanucci said. “The guys who come
little sad because it’s a night reminiscing the last four years of my life,” Gaon said. “It’s crazy to think that it’s been four years, but it will still be a fun night.” While reaping rewards from four long years of work is emotional, the hatred between the boys varsity squads of the Normans and Vikings is real and ugly. Players smack-talked and engaged in some scuffles while fans screamed obscenities along opposite sidelines three weeks ago. The environment has grown and is projected to be hostile. While boys varsity basketball coach Jarvis Turner has consistently downplayed the rivalry throughout countless interviews, his team could not be more fired up about the big game. “You know what, to me SAMO is not a rivalry,” Turner told Highlights over the summer. “That is more for the students. That’s not my thing.” Forward Barry Gibbons is confident that the Normans can not
to wrestle actually work hard and want to do better.” Cameron Ifekwunigwe, one of only three seniors on the varsity squad, agreed with this sentiment. “During my first year, we had a lot of kids who would often put in the minimum amount of work and disrupt practice on a daily basis,” Ifekwunigwe said. “Since then,
only pull out the victory, but to do so with ease. “I have to say that we are pumped about playing SAMO. We know that we can destroy them. They just got lucky last time with their shooting. We are ready this time and expect a big W in Beverly’s favor,” Gibbons said after a Saturday practice. Before the season, center Ron Artest III stated one of his biggest goals of the year. “To beat SAMO,” Artest III said simply. The heated rivalry games always attract a large, rambunctious crowd and administration has confirmed that all security guards will be present, as well as six BHPD police officers in addition to all principals. But take away the fuzzy feeling from Wish Week and Senior Night for a moment. Remove the animosity pulsating from both schools for just a second. The games both come down to one purpose for the Normans: winning.
our team has weeded out those individuals and has grown to be a fun and enjoyable team to be on, and at the same time be a team that knows how to push ourselves and work as hard as we possibly can.” This “weeding out” has produced a team that, according to head coach Ryan Faintich, will not only be strong in the future, but has showed promise thus far this season. “This has been the most rewarding season for me as a coach. If you had asked me before the season I would’ve said this was a rebuilding year, but if you ask me now, this is really an up year for us in the sense that everybody sans one or two guys on our varsity lineup out of 14 are coming back next year and the majority of those guys are coming back the year after that,” Faintich said. “With a little bit of luck we’re going to have a really terrific team for many years to come.”
“In order to win, we just have to play fearless,” Artest III said. SAMO rivalry aside, co-captain senior Sam Cohen, reflecting on his tenure with the basketball program, just wanted to thank all the fans for their support. “Playing for the basketball program has been incredible. We have developed such a good reputation over the last couple of years and it is so fun to play for and represent this school. Thank you,” Cohen said. In advance of the huge faceoff, guard Jason Mehraban, who sunk the breathtaking three point buzzer-beater against Crossroads, sums it up perfectly. “A game against Santa Monica is always the best feeling, so to have Senior Night on top of it makes that even better. This is probably the game I have been looking forward to my entire high school career, my last game against Santa Monica at home with a huge crowd,” Mehraban said. “To say that I want to only win this one is an understatement.”
Facilities try to juggle many teams Jason Harward design editor It’s Monday, Jan. 30, and the turf field is chaotic. The varsity girls soccer team is making up a game, baseball conditioning works on the perimeter, multiple teams use the track and boys varsity and JV soccer work on the perimeter as well. Athletics has a problem. As postseason winter and early-season spring sports collide, there is just not enough real estate to go around. The field will juggle girls varsity soccer, JV baseball, football conditioning, boys varsity lacrosse
and boys JV lacrosse, while girls varsity lacrosse takes the front lawn and track prays that it isn’t hit by flying balls as it practices. The Konheim Athletic Building and Swim Gym will manage boys and girls basketball, as well as boys varsity and JV volleyball and swimming. Athletic director Kevin Brown believes his department does a good job of using field space and that the coaches do a good job of compromising. “Well, we’ve got a lot of teams and a lot of levels, and we have limited space. So, the coaches do a good job of working together and
sharing the limited space that we have,” Brown said. Yet not everyone is satisfied with these negotiations. Although her coach decided to use the front lawn to practice, girls varsity lacrosse captain Sara Beth Tansey thinks the surface is not fit for a varsity team. Even though it is a grass field and the team will be the only ones who use it, there are some disadvantages to it, such as its uneven surface. “Practicing on the front lawn is awful. There isn’t a lot of grass and there are holes and bumps that lead to injuries. Balls roll into the street all the time and
the front lawn isn’t big enough for a scrimmage or even for some drills,” Tansey said. Boys varsity lacrosse coach Kyle Kobe understands the compromise that has to happen among the coaches for any schedule to work. Though games take priority, practice schedules must be discussed during preseason, and not everybody gets what they want. “Our athletic director set up meetings in the preseason where the coaches discuss what time we would like to use the field in a perfect world, and then it’s just a little bit of give and take, a little bit of compromise,” Kobe said.
QUICK hits
Boys varsity basketball moves closer to their CIF playoff postseason after defeating El Segundo 56-26.
After beating El Segundo 32-25 and advancing to 5-2 in league, Girls varsity basketball looks to beat SAMO tonight at 6:00 p.m.
Boys varsity soccer lost their playoff opportunity, but secured their first league win over El Segundo 2-0 on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
Advancing to the playoffs after beating Hawthorne 1-0 on Friday, Jan. 21, Girls varsity soccer prepares to face Santa Monica away tonight.
Girls varsity water polo lost to Santa Monica 17-0 on Thursday, Feb. 2, and their record in league falls to 0-3.
Varsity wrestling moves to 1-3 in dual meets after their loss to SAMO on Tuesday, Jan. 31.
Check next print cycle, coming out on Feb. 17, to receive more sports updates. To see other sports coverage and sports game recaps on your favorite Norman sports team, check
www.beverlyhighlights.com.