In Brief

Amir Soofi
Mirror contributing writer

   Anyone who has ever had his biology teacher as his wrestling coach knows that monkeys are the best grapplers in the animal kingdom and that wrestling, along with running and swimming, are the physical activities we share most closely with the primitive man, and that ironically, evolution has made us worse, not better, at all of these activities. The men and women of the Santa Monica High School wrestling team have such a coach—and teacher—in Mark Black.
   The Viking grapplers are young, with freshmen filling a majority of the traveling squad. As they transition from preseason to league play, they find themselves competing against some of the best teams in the southland including Peninsula, Torrance and North Torrance, all expected to advance individuals to the state competition. In December, the team’s fiercest competition came from Woodbridge High of Irvine in a match at El Segundo. Santa Monica suffered a tough loss there but went on to gain two victories over Bell High and University High. As usual, Santa Monica will advance at least a handful of wrestlers to CIF. Black is yet to coach a year without a CIF berth for one of his wrestlers.
   St. Monica’s womens’ soccer recorded its second shutout in Camino League play on Saturday, January 12, at Marine Park. Senior Diane Hubbel scored on a penalty kick and Hortencia Lechuga scored off Courtney Hubbel’s assist as St. Monica’s stomped on Serra 6-0.
   Santa Monica womens’ basketball lost to Venice, beat Dorsey, and went on to compete in the Marlborough tournament, earning the consolation bracket victory. The tournament included a tough and late 42-41 loss to Pacific Hills, and three consecutive victories over St. Mary’s, Romona Covent, and Culver City. It was clear that Santa Monica was stronger than most teams there, as the ladies’ closest victories were by more than 10 points, including a 70-38 stomp on rival Culver City for the consolation bracket victory. The Viking lady hoopsters are 1-1 in league, 6-6 overall.
   Logan Hansen, Santa Monica’s sensational junior tennis player, has done it again. After winning the USTA Silver Ball in the Hard Courts Super National Under 12 last Summer, she has won her first USTA Gold Ball in Winter Super Nationals, in Tucson, Arizona, by defeating Kimberly Couts of Florida in straight sets, 7-6, 6-1, for the title. “Logan is still full of humility and loves her friends and plays soccer for the school and sings in the school choir,” explains Sue Hansen, Logan’s mother. Staying humble is a formidable achievement for Hansen, whose 40-1 record in the last year is no small feat, considering a majority of her opponents are home schooled and involved in very little else than tennis. Hansen, who will celebrate only her 12th birthday later this month, plans on competing in the U-14 bracket nationally, instead of U-12, in which she could play for another 13 months.