Amanda Christovich, staff writer

By now you most likely have read the article detailing the violence that took place between Beverly and Samo students two weeks ago. You’ve probably read all about it on Twitter. You’ve definitely heard about it from your friends. You may have even been present when the incident in the parking lot occurred, as I was. There are, ostensibly, two sides to the story, and both schools deserve varying degrees of blame. But with the rematch on the horizon, it is important to remember why the altercations of two weeks ago should stay in the past, and why no physical retaliation should take place on either side.
The Beverly-Samo brawl news story has reached over 3,500 views. Co-editor-in-chief Jackson Prince was interviewed by KCBS-TV Channel 2, KTTV-TV Channel 11 and KTLA-Channel 5 about the incident. Parents, students and alumni have all inquired about the event. The story has gone viral, which means the eyes of Los Angeles will be on us Tuesday evening to determine a reputation for Beverly Hills High School, to see if we are going to allow our anger and grudges to cloud our vision of right and wrong. To see if we believe in violent revenge. Or, conversely, to see if we are strong enough to exercise personal restraint and class. Tuesday is an opportunity to prove that any future, current or graduated student should be proud to attend Beverly, because we don’t need violence to prove our worth.
Samo principal Eva Mayoral wrote an email to Samo parents asking them to encourage their children not to turn to violence if Beverly students provoke them with taunting on Tuesday. Principal Mayoral also asked that her students refrain from social media postings related to these events. Those of us who saw the riot know the magnitude of the event–we saw how terrifying athletic-provoked altercations can be, and recent sports history provides a long list of examples of more serious consequences if we allow another incident to take place. It is now up to us, the Norman Nation, to protect our property, our friends and our neighborhood, by reminding ourselves that this is not a war. Rather, it is a basketball game.
This segues into the most important reason why Beverly students should exercise respect toward and maintain peace with Samo this Tuesday–we need to remember that the goal of athletics is to bring people together. Sports have become an anchor in our culture, a common language. Sports should give people an outlet to escape from the outside world, rather than join a long list of unfortunate catastrophes and stressors. The Beverly-Samo game should be a celebration of two well-respected and well-respecting schools, going head-to-head in a fight to the death–on the court. And at the end of the evening, neither student section will need to say or do anything to prove their worthiness as a school.
Let’s let Jessica Melamed’s incredible circus shots, Chance Comanche’s dominant put-backs and the success of our hard-working Norman basketball teams speak for themselves. Let’s adorn ourselves in black, cheer our hearts out and leave with class and dignity.
This Tuesday, let’s allow the scoreboard to speak for itself.