Girls Volleyball
Nobody knew where Palos Verdes Girls Volleyball stood going into the season.
Kaci Demaria, last year’s star player, was not playing with the team, as she was on the USA National team.
This meant someone needed to step up. Kendall Beshear’s breakout season got her selected to the AVCA GIrls High School All-America First Team.
Twins Molly and Mallory LaBreche shined. Palos Verdes beat a very good Redondo team two times in the regular season, and took Mira Costa, second in the nation, to five sets.
They went into the State Playoffs with high expectations as the fourth seed, playing 13th seed Oaks Christian in round one.
They found themselves down 2 sets to 0, but battled back and won 3-2.
They beat JSerra Catholic HS in round two. Then, they found themselves in a familiar place, head to head against Redondo in the South semifinal.
They outlasted Redondo for the third win over them this year, all in five sets. Palos Verdes hosted the South Championship, sweeping La Canada to move to the State championship.
They fell short in a hard fought battle to Valley Christian.
“I am incredibly proud of our team, getting this far with our relentless effort,” said senior Sofia Daneshvar. “I hold so much love for these girls and cherished every moment spent with them, making this the best and most memorable season of my high school career.”
Boys Waterpolo
Sports like soccer, basketball, and football are all popular sports that gain a lot of attention but there are plenty of other underappreciated sports that require immense skills.
BMX is a sport built on the premise of Off-roading on a small light bicycle at very fast speeds. Riders race on dirt tracks with rollers, jumps, turns and have to maintain a lot of control.
Max Marohn is a senior at Palos Verdes High School who has been in many BMX competitions, such as the Sea Otter Classics and other local races. He rides everyday and claims BMX has gotten him outside more and that he spends most of his free time practicing.
Max started off with mountain biking but his focus has shifted to mainly BMX riding. Marohn started riding around the time Covid-19 started and has improved a lot since then. Now he wants to start applying his tricks to motocross.
His younger sister Maddie Mahron is happy his brother has found BMX. “BMX gives him something to focus on and improve,” she says, “I think it’s a big passion for him and that’s really cool, it’s very inspiring.”
BMX riding is not just a physical sport, but it also provides a mental challenge. The riders need to be able to focus and make quick decisions during races.
It also helps keep people happier by promoting a healthy, positive shift in mental wellbeing.
Despite the risks involved, it is a great way to stay active and healthy, and provides a sense of community.
Whether you’re looking for a new hobby or a way to challenge yourself, BMX riding is definitely worth considering.
With the right training and equipment, anyone can become a skilled rider and enjoy the thrill of off-road racing.
After a successful 2022 season, Palos Verdes Boys Water Polo followed up with another successful season this year.
The team ended the regular season with a 6-2 Bay League record, and played Damien in the first round of the playoffs. The team ultimately put up a great fight, but lost 13-11.
“I am obviously a bit down because it was my last season with this high school, but it also is a new beginning for the next step in college,” senior Taj Whitehead said.
“I think we could have done a lot better than we did. Our overall talent shines way brighter than our performance, but we did the best we could given how much time we had together.”
Football
Palos Verdes football is coming off a historic season in which they finished the regular season undefeated at 10-0. This didn’t come easily, however.
Close games against Bay League rivals Culver City and Mira costa came down to the last minutes, but PV came on top.
PV cruised through the rest of their games and finished 5-0 in the Bay League.
This dominance led to them being matched up against a very difficult Mission Viejo team in the first round of the playoffs.
They battled, but fell short in an offensive battle 59-35.
“It was a fun year playing with my friends,” senior Niko Tsangaris said.
“We had a great regular season, but fell short in the playoffs. My favorite memory was cookie day every Tuesday, and the long practice days with all my friends.”
Girls Tennis
PV Girls tennis followed up a successful 2022 campaign, with another impressive season.
The girls went 20-4 this season, and made it to the semifinals of CIF.
“I think the team had one of the best results this season, being undefeated in Bay League and making it to the Semi-Finals of CIF,” senior Maily Huynh said.
“I’m going to miss the close friends I have made on this team and winning matches.”