Giants Review

With the new Major League Baseball season underway, San Francisco Giants fans enter the season cautiously optimistic with tempered excitement for what the ‘12 campaign might bring.  However, for the Giants to reach their ultimate goal, a second World Series title for San Francisco, three key things need to happen for the boys who wear orange on Friday nights.

1. Stay Healthy

  Last season, devastating injuries to key players throughout the season plagued the Giants. Pablo Sandoval, Carlos Beltran and Brian Wilson missed long stretches while Freddy Sanchez and Buster Posey suffered season ending injuries within three weeks of one another.  Bruce Bochy was forced to mix and match his lineup throughout season. The Giants went on to be the lowest scoring team in Major League Baseball. The ‘11 Giants set a record for futility, becoming the lowest scoring team as a defending World Series Champion ever.
 Good health is critical for the Giants to be successful this season. Sadly the Giants are off to a very unhealthy start. The bullpen has already been hit hard; eccentric closer Brian Wilson is out for the year requiring his second Tommy John surgery. Guillermo Mota has been suspended 100 games for abusing the illegal substance policy for the second time, effectively ending his career as a Giant. Also, Jeremy Affeldt has hurt himself for the second year in a row with an off the field self-inflicted injury. The bullpen was a strong suit for this team going into the season, now dissipated, it possesses some glaring holes.
 Before Pablo Sandoval got hurt, he was putting together another All-Star season, leading the team in a multitude of offensive categories. Losing Panda has been the low point so far of the season. Sandoval has now broken bones in both hands in as many seasons. The Giants need to get through this unhealthy patch without falling too far behind the Dodgers and Diamondbacks and pray that none of their prized starting pitching catches the injury bug.



2. Team Unity

When the Giants made their improbable, impossible and extraordinary run to the World Championship in 2010; the team possessed an uncanny and magical chemistry.  Twenty-five players had complete trust in one another and they were all striving for the same goal; the team bonded so tightly believing they couldn’t lose. For this Giants ballclub to be successful they need to find that same chemistry. However they already have had a major setback.  First baseman, and clubhouse old-timer, Aubrey Huff was forced to go on the 15 day DL due to anxiety issues. The struggling veteran dipped out of town without telling any of teammates what was wrong. Whether the fans support it or not, Huff is not going anywhere, he is owed in the range of eleven millions dollars so releasing him is not an option. The clubhouse needs to find a way to rally around Huff and get his head straight, like it or not Aubrey Huff is a piece of the Giants puzzle. Younger players need to step up and replace the veterans of the past, Uribe and Burrell are gone and Wilson has been lost for the season. If this team is to reach the fall classic, they need to rediscover the moxy and attitude that carried the ‘10 Giants.

3.  Average Offense

 For the Giants to be successful they just need their run production to be average, but a clear step up from the dismal offense of last year.  Top flight pitching can carry an average scoring team day in and day out.  The Giants got off to a fast offensive start, being the top scoring team in the MLB the first week of the season. It’s gone downhill since then, with the middle infield struggling with the nightly lineup changes. Bochy has been so far unsuccessful finding the right combination of defense with a hope of offense:  Ryan Theriot, Emmanuel Burriss and Brandon Crawford have all been subpar so far.  Bochy has turned to journeyman Joaquin Arias who has been a pleasant discovery coming through with impressive defensive plays while getting some hits under pressure. The Giants frankly need to get production from newly acquired Melky Cabrera, Angel Pagan and the repaired Buster Posey. If the top of the order bats do not produce until Sandoval gets back, this could be a long season.

 The Giants should able to right the ship if they overcome their recent injury epidemic, remain together as a team and score just enough runs. With the new playoff format, which adds an additional wild card team, the Giants have the talent to achieve that second wild card or better.  It will just be a matter of them putting it all together.

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50/50/50

 No one thought it would be possible to travel 50 states in 50 weeks with only $50 to one’s name.
  Emmett Milbank took on the challenge; tired of living his life on a path that was headed in a direction he did not want to go. Milbank took the initiative and pursued what he really wanted, a career in travel writing.
  Travel writing is the hardest job in the field of writing to get into says Milbank, “Everyone wants to be a travel writer, who doesn’t want to get paid to travel.” He knew that he would have to do something big to get noticed in the business to make a name for himself and attract future publishers.  
  This is how Hobodyssey started, Milbank sold everything he owned except for his laptop, Go- Pro camera and a backpack filled with some other essentials. To morph into a hobo on a quest.
  His quest was to visit all 50 states, in 50 weeks with a starting budget of $50 to his name. Along the way he is documenting his trip with plans of writing a novel and producing a film documentary.
  He'd travel by train mostly, but not with a ticket on Amtrak.  Remember, Milbank is a modern day Hobo. Riding the rails, jumping on trains, sitting in empty box cars or hiding in unmanned locomotives, and asking random strangers for rides along the nation’s highways.
  When I met Milbank in San Carlos he was roughly half way done with his journey.
 So far Milbank has traveled 10,915 miles, logging time by hopping on freight trains and getting rides from complete strangers. He has conquered 30 states with 20 still remaining.
 His money has fluctuated from absolutely nothing, when his wallet got stolen in Arkansas and $216 when he held a sign outside of New Orleans for countless hours.
  But the hardships have been worth it with all the lessons and people he has met. When Milbank started his journey his mindset was much different than his parents. His father saw the journey as a waste of time and felt like he was throwing a lot away with deciding to go through with the decision. His friends thought the proposal was, “crazy” or “not possible.” Milbank was truly alone when he decided that going through on this was essential for reaching his passions and dreams of becoming a travel writer and making a documentary.
  A lot of students across the country and at Carlmont can take away lessons from Milbank’s journey. If you really truly want something then you need to chase it, at the end of the day the only person stopping you from achieving your dreams is you. Milbank is just a testament to that, with all the doubt and people belittling his 50/50/50 it has fueled his passion to prove all of them wrong.
   When Milbank concludes his journey and returns home to start on his book and documentary he will take with him all the memories and lessons that he acquired throughout all of the 50 states. But, he will also know that anything is possible if you put your mind and heart to it.
   So as Milbank crosses off the last states on his list, think of him as inspiration and that your passions and goals are not as farfetched as they once seem.




http://hobodyssey.com/

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Senior Pranks

  As Carlmont enters its second semester the time has come for the senior class to start scheming and planning the infamous “Senior Prank.”
 A senior prank is a type of organized prank that is orchestrated by the senior class to cause chaos and confusion throughout the school.
 Senior pranks are often seen as final send off of the class, a well thought out and executed prank almost certainly leaves a legacy for the class. If the prank plays out successfully, it could even leave an everlasting memory on the students, staff and community.
 These pranks are an unofficial tradition at most high schools, similar to the unofficial “senior skip day” or throwing a beach ball around at graduation.
 For the prank to have lift off, it requires the cooperation and effort of the majority of the graduating class. Along with secrecy and stealth, the prank must have pinpoint organization and analysis of all the possible logistics.
 All over the country seniors are starting to get their acts together for the yearly prank and it is no different at Carlmont.
 No seniors were willing to go on record to comment on this year’s prank, citing the needs for, “keeping it surprise” and “staying on the down low.”
 Senior pranks go way back as well. Teachers may recall their own classmates pulling off impossible feats at their respective schools.
Although the pranks are supposed to be funny and enthrall the student body, there is an unofficial code of rules. When the pranks venture into the illegal and vandalism category, they become less and less funny and more of a hazard to the safety of the student body and faculty.
 History teacher Patricia Braunstein agrees that damaging school property is not the way to go and that the pranks in recent years have lacked imagination, “putting glue in the locks is just stupid, a lot of the pranks have been bad lately, nothing good in a while,” she said.
The senior prank of the Class of 2011 deserves to be commended for its creativity.
 Last year, the Carlmont senior prank involved posting signs for penis inspections in the boy’s bathroom, easily frightening many of the naive males who ventured into the bathrooms that day. The posters were quickly taken down and did not last the entire day.
 Vice Principal Robert Fishtrom found last year’s prank to one of the better pranks as of late, “The fliers in the bathrooms were very funny and did not disrupt the flow of the school day.”
  Braunstein has been at Carlmont for 18 years and has seen many pranks. “Some of the most memorable ones were when animals were set loose in the administration offices and when a car was somehow parked on the top of the quad,” she mentioned.
   No one knows what to expect from this year’s prank. It could range from sheep being released on campus, all the way to thousands of bouncy balls being released in the hallways.
  It is all in the seniors hands now as they try to leave their final mark on Carlmont before they graduate.
   As the school year winds down, be on the lookout for the class of 2012’s senior prank and the memories that come with it.

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Carlmont getting Lights

On Jan. 18 Carlmont’s frosh-soph soccer team had another game called due to lack of sunlight leaving the team embarrassed that they could not supply its opponent with a 60-minute match time.
  Carlmont parent Jeff Adams expressed his concern on the topic saying, “My son plays on the on the frosh-soph team, and our kids are embarrassed when other teams come to Carlmont to play, and they can’t finish their games because it gets dark.”
  However, these games might be played to their full length sooner than many may think as lights are on the way.
 Carlmont High School is on the verge of attaining a stadium overhaul that would change the makeup of the majority of the sports programs.
  As of now, Carlmont is the only school in the Sequoia Union High School district without permanent field lights.
   In lacking lights, Carlmont cannot hold evening sporting events, and practices are scrunched in after school.
  Sophomore Jake Retchless explains how darkness has hindered the Scots in the past.
  “It gets really hard to see the ball and the game just seems to die out, he said.
  Rumors of lights have been floating around Carlmont for years but this gossip of the past is finally looking like they might come true.”
  Administrative Vice Principal Ralph Crame is optimistic that lights will come to Carlmont.
  “I’m anticipating lights next year; it’s a very, very strong possibility,” said Crame.
  The school district has officially put together a game plan for Carlmont to receive lights, new turf, a sound system and additional parking added in the grass field adjacent to the tennis courts.
  Four permanent field lights would be put in around the field, each standing 80-feet tall. The high-tech lights have beams that emit directly on the field which reduces unwanted spillage.
  The new visitor stands would seat 456 people and the added visitor capacity would be accommodated with the increased parking spaces. Also, a new upgraded amplification system would be more efficient and quieter then the current one.
  The District has set a $900,000 budget on the proposed project. The new turf is not included in the budget as it a required maintenance upgrade. The funds for the project are supplied mainly by the measure J bonds.
  The official plans for the operation were released to the public at a Feb. 2 town hall meeting open to the students and community.
  School administrators, staff, project managers, parents, Carlmont student body and an array of concerned neighbors attended the meeting.
  Superintendent James Lianides listed the pros of the project explaining that,  “Carlmont would be able to improve its school in many different ways, student athletes would improve their way of life, and the school would improve its [school] spirit.”
  The regulations for using the lights included the following: the lights could not be used during the weekdays past 8:30 at night, 10:30 for football games on Fridays, and could not be used for either Saturday or Sunday.
  Carlmont would also be limited to the number of night football games and field usage would only be readily available school related teams and events.
  Passionate neighbors argued that for years increased traffic has affected their way of life around the campus, and that lights would come along with more false promises by the school and local law enforcement that changes were on the way.  Neighbors were also concerned that the field schedule would not live up to its billing and that rules would be abused over time.
  Lianides promised that Carlmont would be held accountable to live by the rules set in stone by the district.
  

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Fantasy Football enthralls American Sports Fans

 Having the first pick in a Fantasy Football draft is liking winning the lottery.

  What could go wrong?

  I chose Michael Vick, the quarterback, and super rich leader of the of the self-named “Dream Team” a.k.a. the Philadelphia Eagles over Chris Johnson, the also newly, super rich all-everything, speedy running back for the Tennessee Titans?

  Starting with a cannot miss picks (or so I thought) like Vick or Johnson, the rest of my team would have fallen into place. I planned a flawless draft where I’d get all the sleepers I wanted.

  You can almost hear NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, stepping to the microphone and announcing, “With the first pick in the Carlmont Fantasy Draft, Graham Godwin selects Michael Vick.”

  Let the train wreck begin.

  Americans are obsessed with Fantasy Football for the 17 straight Sundays that take up the NFL season.

  This year, an expected 27 million Americans are taking part in this booming industry that racks in profits of four billion dollars annually.

  Fantasy Football is a game based on what real NFL players do during the regular season. The participants act as the owner and build a team that competes against other Fantasy owners based on statistics that are earned by those players in real life.

  The idea of Fantasy Football started in 1962 in Oakland, Calif. With no Internet to draft and keep track of statistics, the original leagues would keep track of points by pen and paper while drafts were done in person.

  Over the years, Fantasy evolved and changed to what it is today, a mega billion enterprise that infatuates participants all over the world.

  Americans are so interested in their Fantasy Football that it has steadily gained more Google searches than Obama during the last couple of months and the lead up of the season.   

  The major television broadcasters, major sport Internet sites and social network sites have all come together to build on the Fantasy Football hype.

  ESPN has a television show devoted to just Fantasy advice and a platform online with countless articles in order to help out its Fantasy users.

  Fantasy has even changed the ways fans experience the game through their televisions.

  People do not want scores.  What the fans really want is the rushing, passing and receiving leaders, and the NFL and the networks gladly give them this data.

  The screen is nearly full of information and data points that have nothing to do with the game fans are watching, instead they show Fantasy Football information.

  The Fantasy phenomenon has also changed the way fans choose games to watch. No longer are fans’ interest restricted to the regional game to which they are seemingly assigned.

  A fan in San Diego could be sweating out a game in Buffalo because he is down by a couple points and he started the Bills tight end.

  Fans are now attached to the players on their Fantasy team and will follow and root for them even if it means watching games that would usually bear no interest in.

  In fact, Fantasy players will often find themselves rooting for players playing against their favorite team.

  Fantasy Football is not going away. It is only going to become increasingly popular as more and more people try it each and every year.

  The average participant can usually access their team from multiple different technological devices and the number of options is growing.

  Unfortunately, obsession can take hold through the constant checking and re-checking on their phones and tablets.

  The disadvantage for some people is having to watch their plans of Fantasy domination unravel.

  Here I am, sitting on my couch, on the receiving end of another fantasy beat down. I am helplessly watching my #1 pick, Michael Vick, of that so called “Dream Team,”  throw interception after interception, wondering where it all went wrong.

  Well one thing is for sure, I will be back next year with a whole new Fantasy strategy that is destined not to fail.

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49ers of to Surprisingly Start

For most people, third time is the charm, It’s looking like seventh time is the charm for the former number one overall draft pick, quarterback Alex Smith. Smith has returned for his seventh year as quarterback of the 49ers and after six mightily disappointing seasons, he is starting to show why the 49ers made him their number one overall pick in 2005.
“Alex Smith is putting the team on his back,” said sophomore Josh Fagel, when asked about the quarterback efficient play.
The biggest addition to the 49ers in the off-season was head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh, fresh off an Orange Bowl victory, was hired away from the Stanford to provide leadership and heart to the 49er team and organization
Because of the NFL lockout, just as Harbaugh stepped in as head coach, he was restricted from communicating with his players in any form. When the lockout was finally lifted, the 49ers were expected to be in the running for marquee free agents such as Nnamdi Asmougha and Matt Hasselback; instead, the Niners had to settle for solid but not as exciting signings in CB Carlos Rogers and C Jonathan Goodwin. Rogers has been an instant success with interceptions now in multiple games.
So far though, none of these issues seem to be an obstacle for Harbaugh’s team. On opening day, the Niners beat division rival Seattle Seahawks behind an outstanding special teams effort, which included two Ted Ginn Jr. touchdown returns. The following week, the Niners lost a tough game to the Dallas Cowboys, led by an inspired quarterback Tony Romo in overtime. This loss seemed to fuel their determination and it’s been smooth sailing since. They pulled out a win in Cincinnati with a strong defensive effort and an unexciting but efficient offense.
The 49ers then traveled to Philadelphia to face the Eagles who were picked by many to win the Superbowl. The Eagles rushed to a 21-3 lead at halftime but the game was far from over. A year ago the 49ers would have been done and the game would have been all but decided. This 49ers team is different behind Harbaugh at the helm. They stormed back to steal the game away from the Eagles in front of their home crowd (22-21).
 “When the Eagles lost to the 49ers I was so devastated; the Eagles haven’t lived up to their preseason billing, but as much as it kills me to say this, the 49ers are the real deal,” said passionate Philly fan Andrew Durlofsky.
The 49ers came back to San Francisco brimming with confidence and they showed it with their absolute thrashing of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (48-3). Fan’s started to recognize this team’s potential and excitement was at a recent high heading into the heavyweight challenge against undefeated Detroit at Ford Field.
 The Niners knew that it would be a daunting task defeating the upstart Lions at their home field. After years of being historically bad Detroit had stockpiled enough talent to turn the tide and enjoy some early success in the season. The Niners seemed to be phased at first by the insane sound produced by Detroit fans in the domed stadium, racking up more penalties than first downs in the first quarter.
The defense came up big again however and kept the Niners in the game even though the offense was struggling mightily against the ever-increasing decibels of sound. In the end however Alex Smith didn’t make any critical mistakes and made key clutch plays towards the end of the game. The Niners won the game in emphatic fashion (25-19); players and coaches were visibly excited and pumped up after the game.
 Six games into the season with the team headed into the bye fans can be confident in the teams ability to play stellar defense and not making critical and game changing mistakes on offense. More success can be expected in the near future if consistent offensive playmakers Vernon Davis and Frank Gore keep making plays and leading the way.
 The one wild card for this Niners season will be the play will be the quarterback play, if Alex Smith can continue to be average and not make mistakes then this team will be fine.
If the Niners can keep to their winning formula then playoffs are certainly within reach. The NFC West is notoriously bad, the Seattle Seahawks are extremely inconsistent, the Arizona Cardinals are terrible on defense and the St. Louis Rams have caught the injury plague and are currently unable to win.
 With Harbaugh at the lead, a shutdown defense and an offense thats just getting the job done,  the San Francisco 49ers are breathing new life and a run to the Super Bowl is not as far fetched as it once seemed.

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Where it all went wrong for the Giants?

Cody Ross wasn’t a boss, nobody really feared the beard and the Arizona Diamondbacks successfully dispatched the band of misfits that defied baseball odds almost a year ago.
  Last year the Giants brought baseball excitement back to San Francisco with a stunning and exhilarating World Series championship. In a season filled with ups and downs the Giants won the Fall Classic with timely hitting and a pitching staff that was superb all season long.
  This year, Giants fans entered the season with a feeling of optimism and raised expectations. The Giants hung tough in the first half of the season clinging to first place while attacked by a slew of injuries. During the second half of the season the Giants stumbled their way into second place, and many fans were left wondering, where it all went wrong?
  Many could point to the teams overall health issues which had 25 DL stints and notable season ending injuries to star catcher Buster Posey and reliable all-star second baseman Freddy Sanchez. With so many injuries, manager Bruce Bochy was forced to mix and match his lineup on a daily basis.
  Others have turned their blame to the management of Bochy and his reluctance to bench struggling veterans in favor of younger players. In particular, the way Bochy coddled first baseman Aubrey Huff. By advanced statistics, Huff is the worst at his position in the National League; however he still leads the Giants in at bats and games played. His eventual replacement Brandon Belt has been confined to the bench or AAA for large portions of the season.
  Last year was a career breakthrough for center fielder Andres Torres; he was an offensive spark plug who came through in the clutch countless times during the season. This year he is just one of the many offensively challenged Giants to struggle at the plate. Sophomore John Palladino said, “Last year, he was such a threat at the top of the order. This year, he has just been a strikeout machine.”
  No Giants fan can deny that the team would not have reached greatness last year without the savvy additions by General Manager Brian Sabean. He caught lightning in a bottle with outfielders Cody Ross and Pat Burrell and smartly upgraded the bullpen at the trade deadline.
  However, in Sabean’s tenure at San Francisco, his obsession with signing veterans has started to take its toll on some fans. His deadline deal for veteran shortstop Orlando Cabrera has proven to be a head-scratcher for many.  Sabean did pull the trigger on the Carlos Beltran saga and successfully acquired him from the Mets.  
  Beltran was struck with a hand injury and the Giants went 5-8 without him, falling to second place.If Beltran stayed healthy, the Giants could be in a better position right now.
  Although this season has been painful, the future is not that bleak. Math teacher Andy Ramroth believes the team can be in the playoff race again next season. “With the pitching we have and an offense that can’t possibly be worse than it was this year, I think we will will retain the N.L West next year.”
   Pitching will be crucial again with the staff returning all of its key pitchers. The lineup also has the potential to score more runs with the expected promotion of promising young players in the minor leagues and the return of the injured Posey and Sanchez. With this quest for a repeat officially down the drain, fans can turn their attention to next year and hope for another run at the World Series.

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MLS soars in American's eyes

Major League Soccer has officially become the third most attended sport in the United States, passing the NBA and NHL.

The MLS now only trails the MLB and NFL in average attendance.

Average attendance in the MLS now stands at 17,872 people per a match, a drastic increase from the league low point of 13,766 in 2000. Attendance has not been this high since the MLS had its inaugural season in 1996.

“The MLS is certainly gaining traction, theres an energy about it now, you did not see it three or four years ago but now theres always a game on television and the game is spreading at a rapid rate,” commented sophomore John Russell.

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Becoming the third most attended sport in America is a testament to how much the league has grown and changed in the recent years. The MLS now possesses 19 teams in two leagues and the league is expanding at a rapid rate. It has now added three teams in the last two years, with Vancouver, Portland, and Montreal now boasting new franchises.

The days of the MLS sharing vast stadiums with NFL teams are gone, 13 of the 19 teams now have cozy tailor made soccer stadiums that create a much more enjoyable atmosphere than the daunting football stadiums with rows upon rows of empty seats.

The San Jose Earthquakes and Montreal Impact are expecting to move into new stadiums of their own in the coming years.

“I think its a really great idea for the Earthquakes to finally get their own stadium, because they have come so far and they finally have put together a winning formula on and off the field,” said season ticket holder Jordan Kiss.

The quality of play has also greatly increased. The MLS is now host to a magnitude of bonafide superstars, David Beckham, a midfielder on the Los Angeles Galaxy is a world icon and Theirry Henry is one of the greatest strikers to ever play the game.

If there is one thing to take away from the MLS’s growth and the ability to gain loyal supporters allover the country, it’s this: soccer has arrived in America and it’s only getting started.

Carlmont falters in CCS

The Carlmont men's tennis team had its season come to an end on May 4. The Scots traveled all the way to Pebble Beach to face Stevenson School in the second round of the Central Coast Sectionals.

Carlmont, which was excused after third period, had a long journey to face the stout boarding school. The Scots could not prevail and fell to Stevenson (12-6). This marks the end of a very impressive season for the Scots.

Carlmont won its first round in CCS, beating Los Gatos (10-8). Going into CCS, Carlmont was coming off a PAL tournament championship and finished second in the league.

"It's a bummer that our season ended this way, we all battled hard but we just came up a little short," commented sophomore Theo Fedronic about the season coming too an end.

The Scots finished their season second in the PAL league standings, carrying a record of (10-3).

The Scots will look to build on this season and remain optimistic as they return many critical players. Top junior Corey Pang returns for his senior season, the six foot five Pang dominated much of the season as number one singles spot for Carlmont. The Scots also return their top doubles tandem, Byron Wu returns for his senior season and Ben Knoot is only going to be a junior.

Carlmont aces Hillsdale tennis

The Carlmont mens tennis team cruised to victory on Friday on their home court against Hillsdale and were never in danger of losing the contest.

Carlmont, which resides in the Bay division of Peninsula Athletic League, made quick work of Hillsdale who currently are in first place of the Ocean division.

Carlmont won all of their seven varsity matches. The Scots also won most of their open division matches that do not count.

The Scots were dominant on the court finishing with 9 sets that resulted at 6-0.

“The heat was annoying, but the matches were not too tough,” said Theo Fedronic.

The Scots finished up with a 10-3 record and finished in second place, behind undefeated Menlo-Atherton.

With this win Carlmont moved on in the first round of the PAL playoffs. Aragon also won its match and will battle the Scots for the PAL finals on Monday. Carlmont is the number one seed in the tournament.

“The first time we played Aragon we beat them comfortably but the next day for our rematch we were missing three of our top ten and lost a close match. With a full squad we will be looking to get back at them, and advancing to the Central Coast Section Championships ,” stated Fedronic.

Carlmont baseball swept by Knights

Amidst the Northern California downpour, Carlmont baseball got both of it’s games in against the Hillsdale Knights. The Scots were swept by the Knights losing 8-3 on Wednesday at Hillsdale and 5-3 on Friday at Carlmont.

The Scots are currently in a three game slide after losing the second match up of the Burlingame series. Carlmont falls to 1-3 in league play.

On Wednesday, the Scots lost to a dominating Hillsdale lineup which put up runs in the first,third,fourth,fifth and sixth innings. The Scots were unable to keep up with the high octane offense of the Knights. Jacob Cox led the Scots with two hits and a run.

Both teams returned to Carlmont on Friday for the second leg of the series. This game was much closer than the first, the Knights and Scots were tied up heading into the 7th inning. Hillsdale scored two runs in the top of the inning and held on to win the game. Carlmont was held to 5 hits to Hillsdale’s 10. Kyle Barrett went one for three with a double.

“Hillsdale hit really well and we didn’t, we held them close in the second game but our bullpen fell apart at the end,” said Ryan McGuire.

The Scot’s have a long layoff till their next league game. Over Spring Break they will contend in the Monta Vista Tournament, playing Monta Vista, Aptos and Mitty.

The Scots return to league action against Capuchino on April 11.

March Madness enthralls students

“It’s March Madness baby,” as the famous Dick Vitale would say. March Madness is in full swing and the free flowing, crazy basketball tournament is captivating the entire nation.

March Madness Bracket

Andy Gross thinks March Madness is so exciting because, “You never know who is going to win it all and when there will be a big upset. Everybody has a chance.”

March Madness is a seeded basketball tournament featuring 68 of the best college basketball teams all over the country. All regular season long the 285 Division 1 schools vie for a spot in the historic tournament.

The tournament crams 63 games in 3 weeks and comes out with one national champion.

A popular thing that comes with the tournament is filling out brackets. Also known as the Tourney Pick ‘em, trying to predict how the tournament will pan out exactly is a long standing tradition all over the country.

Gross commented on filling out his brackets, “I usually fill out a bracket, I have been for the last couple of years.”

As of now, the 2012 tournament has been full of surprises and upsets. Powerhouses like Duke and Missouri have been ousted in the first round. These upsets have screwed up countless brackets all over the country.

As the tournament goes on it promises even more eye opening upsets and cinderella stories, because you know, “It’s March Madness baby!”

Samoas or Thin Mints?

Its cookie season and America's Girl Scouts are frantically selling cookies by the day to masses of Thin Mint craving and Samoa coveting people allover the country. For more than 80 years, Girl Scouts have sold cookies to fund their activities and events. Selling the cookies also is fun for the scouts and they acquire valuable life skills.

Enough with the history though, that's not why we are here today. Our purpose is to dissect and analyze each of the top cookies sold by the Girl Scouts, so that you can be guided through your purchases and know which cookie really is the best.

Today our final grade will be determined on three important factors: taste, size and appearance. Each will be graded on a scale of one to five, the higher the better. We will try to determine which cookie on top out of the three top sellers: Samoas, Thin Mints and Tagalongs.

Samoas

Samoas are doughnut shaped cookies that are a mixture of caramel and coconut and have a glaze of chocolate on the outside.

Graham Godwin | Scot Scoop News

Girl Scout Cookies

Taste: 5/5: Chewy yet tangy, not for people who do not like coconut.

Size  4/5 : The hole in the center leaves precious cookie left out.

Appearance 5/5 :looks delicately made with the shredded coconut and glazed chocolate.

Thin Mints 

Thin Mints are the most popular girl scout cookie and are recognized throughout as the top dog. They are round mint-flavored cookies combined with a dark chocolate coating.

Taste 4/5: Simple but effective, powerful mint tasting cookie.

Size 3/5: Cookie is surprisingly small, size could be increased a bit.

Appearance 4/5: Dark chocolate coating compliments the green of the box quite well.

Tagalongs 

Tagalongs are round cookies that are also coated in chocolate, inside is a layer of peanut butter.

Taste 4/5: Sweet and chewy is always a combination for success, the Girl Scouts get just that with this cookie.

Size 4/5: Fatter than the Thin Mint and also does not possess any holes, maximum cookie surface area!

Appearance 3/5: Kind of dull and unimaginative, not much to the Tagalong compared to the stylish Samoa.

Results: The judging shows that Samoas come out on top according to our results. Although Thin Mints may be the most popular, the true quality lays with the Samoas. Remember that all the proceeds of these cookies go to a good cause and you really cannot go wrong with any of them.

Carlmont JV soccer wins PAL

After months of hard work and dedication the Carlmont  boys JV soccer team walked away with a league championship. Carlmont ended up at the top of the table with a (11-2-1) record to arch out Woodsideand Sequoia for first place.

Carlmont went into league play optimistic after a strong preseason against difficult competition. However, most of the sophomores on the team remembered that the year before the Scots dominated the early part of the season. Only faltering when it mattered most to end the season in a disappointing 4th place finish. This year the motto was, “Its not how you start the season but how you end it.”

Again, Carlmont found itself coasting through the first half of league play, with its only blemish being a home draw against Woodside. With seven games left the Scots were in first place with a (6-0-1) record, it was almost deja-vu of the year before. This time though the team was determined to finish stronger than it started.

The second half of the season got off to rocky start with a frustrating loss against rivals Sequoia. The team then rattled off three straight wins to stay in first place.

A critical game lay ahead when the Scots faced Woodside in Redwood City. Carlmont was ahead in the first half with a 1-0 lead but could not close the deal with Woodside scoring three unanswered goals in the remainder of the match.

To win the league Carlmont would need to win the remainder of its matches against Aragon and Menlo-Atherton. The Scots did just that and closed out the season on top!

Carlmont seniors carry the Scots

Carlmont Boys Basketball won a crazy game against Menlo-Atherton on Friday night (43-40). Carlmont (8-13 , 3-5 ocean) has had to play every game to the buzzer and this one was no different, Jacob Cox had a chance to seal the game for the Scots at the free throw line, but his first attempt rimmed out and the Bears had a chance to win the game at the buzzer.

It was senior night at Carlmont so it was the final home game for, Cox, Josh Faulkner, and Derek Kaptanoglu who were all recognized in a ceremony before the game.

Michael Costello, a sophomore student, was determined to win this game for the seniors, “I really wanted to win it for the seniors because tonight was their night. It was the last time they would ever play a home game at Carlmont and we as a unit were determined to make it special.”

The Scots went into halftime with a one point lead thanks to the precise shooting of Costello, David Hobbs, and Cox. The Scots knew that this was a lead that they could not be content with.

Coming out of halftime the Scots changed their defensive scheme, “Our defense got a little more intense and we started to press and put in a zone,” said Costello.

A key 12-2 run in the third allowed the Scots to build their lead and in the end it was enough for the victory.

The Scots travel to South City and Aragon next week.

Scots basketball falls to South City

Carlmont’s varsity boys basketball team lost to South San Francisco, 37-41, Friday night at Carlmont’s home gym.

It was a tough loss for Carlmont to swallow as they dominated the game for much of the first half.

The Scots started off the first quarter with some timely shooting and suffocating defense. Jacob Cox, Josh Faulkner and Michael Costello all drained threes in the first to put the Scots is the drivers seat up by five after the first.

Although the momentum all changed when South City subbed in guard Johnson. Immediately made a difference on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court.

Although the Scots kept plugging along and went into halftime with an assuring four point lead.

South City came out of a halftime with a new found aggression and a stellar fast break led by their speedy guards. Ending the third quarter with their first lead of the game.

Johnson took over in the second half rolling off fifteen of his eighteen points in the final two quarters. The game was interrupted slightly in the fourth quarter with a power outage, however, it was quickly resolved by Carlmont Athletic Director Patrick Smith.

The game resumed and was set for a climatic finish for the Scots. Costello drained a three from the corner to pull his team within three, but in the end it was to little to late for the Scots as South City squeezed out with the victory.

“We couldn’t keep our composure near the end of the game and we need to be more intense in our defense,” said Costello.

Carlmont fell to 1-2 in league play.

Carlmont boys soccer completed a sweep against Jefferson High School, with the Varsity winning, 4-0, and the JV also picking up a victory, 4-1.

Varsity kicked off first and Justin Quan got the scoring started with a nifty chip over the opposing keeper and then stayed composed and slotted home for the Scots. Justin Harpster then followed up with another goal for the Scots grasping onto a cross and finishing close range.

The Scots went into half time with a 2-0 lead and hungry for more goals in the second half.

Luke Petersen kept the scoring going with an absolutely sensational goal, a perfectly executed bicycle kick into the top corner of the net. Marty Milkovski then put the game out of reach for Jefferson with another goal putting Carlmont up by four.

“We played exceptionaly well, we took are chances and capitalised on them,” said Keea Khalili. 

This was a big win for Carlmont as they were coming off a disappointing loss against Sacred Heart Prep earlier in the week and it was important for them to bounce back.

However this victory was no cure for Carlmont’s injury woes, staters Han Li and Jackson Criswell are both out with ongoing injuries, to add depth for this match Coach Jodi Beloff called up three sophomores: Ryan Freeman, Jake Retchless, and Graham Godwin.

Carlmont can be happy with its performance this week but will need to be even better next week against Mitty and Palo Alto.

Football team misses out on CCS

Football’s Central Coast Sectionals started Friday night and sadly the committee decided against putting the Scots in the seedings. Although Carlmont was part of a virtual three way tie in the PAL Lake division, it wasn’t enough to grant them a spot in the Division 1 section.This marks the end to a season of ups and downs for the Scots.

Carlmont’s football team started the year off with a string of heartbreaking losses to non-league opponents: Kings Academy, Willow Glen, Aragon and Woodside. Going into league play, the Scots were searching for something to kick start the season.

They found something as they followed up their 0-4 start with four wins in their next four games. They shut down the power running game of San Mateo at home, absolutely annihilated Mills in Millbrae, shut down the high flying offense of Hillsdale and won a dramatic game against Capuchino in front of a packed Homecoming game crowd.

Carlmont football turned their season around once league play rolled in, and they found themselves with a game under the lights against El-Camino. The winner would take home the PAL Lake trophy and a surefire bid into CCS.

The Scots just couldn’t get it done as they lost in heartbreaking fashion, totally muddling the standings and creating a three-way tie a top of the standings.

Although they couldn’t be down on themselves for too long, the following Friday arch-rivals Sequoia travled to Carlmont to face the Scots under the lights in a packed house. Carlmont was determined from the get go, as a steady running game and timely defense defeated the Cherokees and the Scots retained the Terremere trophy infront of their excited home crowd.

Carlmont football can be pleased with their 2011 season, but returning players and coaches will be even more determined next year to win the PAL outright and to clinch that CCS berth.