Writing Pieces:
Playing the Odds: How Gambling is Testing the Integrity of American Sports…
Decision Day: Where the class of 2026 is headed next…
Coming Soon…
The integrity Americans place in their professional sports leagues has been unrivaled for decades. It upholds the image of athletic competition as the true determinant of a winner. But the dramatic rise in sports betting over the last few years has raised the question: can the games still be trusted? What was once a shadow of a problem has turned into a serious threat. The system now is exponentially easier to exploit than when the Black Sox fixed the 1919 World Series. Individual player prop bets play a huge part in this. They allow the fixing of games to play out in real time, with athletes and coaches colluding with third parties to make a profit. While most of the bets being made are on micro player props, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the games are scripted. But it does expose a fault in the modern sports world and a loss of American integrity.
NBA: Fake Injuries and a Mafia-Run Poker Ring
Federal prosecutors and the FBI have charged more than 30 individuals, including Charlotte Hornets player Terry Rozier and Toronto Raptors head coach Chauncey Billups, in a large illegal gambling case linked to mafia networks. Rozier allegedly gave bettors insider information on when he would leave games early with an “injury,” allowing bettors to bet the under on his performance for the night. Meanwhile, Billups and his crime family associates have been accused of running rigged poker games throughout Las Vegas, New York, Miami, and other cities. They used marked cards and X-ray machines to read face-down cards. Prosecutors say that Billups and various crime families (Bonanno, Genovese, Gambino) profited over 7 million dollars off deep-pocketed players.
MLB: Rigging Pitches for Prop Bets
In a different case, two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, were indicted on charges that they rigged specific pitches in exchange for a portion of the money earned from prop bets. Bettors placed multiple different wagers on the outcome and speed of the pitch. Clase allegedly began defrauding the system in 2023. On May 19th, 2023, Clase told bettors well in advance that he would throw his first pitch to New York Mets batter Starling Marte slower than 98.5 MPH — and then he did. Clase’s teammate Luis Ortiz would join the conspiracy two years later. In a June 15th, 2025 game vs. the Seattle Mariners, Ortiz told bettors that the first pitch he threw would be a ball. After throwing the first pitch for a ball, he was allegedly paid out $7,000.
The first semester of senior year is as busy as it gets. Whether you're playing a fall sport, studying, attending one of the numerous senior school events, juggling clubs or spending time with friends, there is something going on every day of the week. College applications only add on to the already packed schedule. With application deadlines already passed and final chances to apply coming up, the pressure of finalizing the list is at its peak.
Walk through any hallway in November and December, and tensions are high as ever. Seniors are slouched over their laptops, making final edits to supplemental essays or refreshing their application portal, waiting for a decision.
While California colleges see the most applicants from Las Lomas students, the main Arizonan schools see a lot as well. Within the last 4 years, 305 Las Lomas students have applied to Arizona State or the University of Arizona. Out of the 305 an astonishing 210 have been admitted. Coloradan schools display similar statistics.. The University of Boulder and Colorado State University have seen 408 applicants out of Las Lomas with over 60% being accepted to one or the other.
For student athletes, LL recruitments have been promising. Last year, several Las Lomas seniors of the class of 2025 were recruited to play at the division one level. The class of 2026 is full of high-level athletes as well. Chase Martin plays defensive end and left tackle for the Knights Football team. When asked about his plans after high school, Chase stated, “I plan on playing football. I was offered by [University of San Diego], but I am still actively being recruited.” Martin received an offer to play for the Toreros while attending a skills camp over the summer. While some student-athletes have their minds set, others face a difficult decision. Senior student-athlete Aiden Williams is debating between continuing his basketball career and stepping away from the court to pursue his academics. “If I go purely for education and career path, I plan on attending Cal Poly. If I decide to go with the athletics route I would plan on playing at SF State.” Aiden has been on a visit to the school but is actively pursuing other options.
However, getting into your top college is not guaranteed. Senior, Maddox Zardkoohi stated that “I would like to go to one of the UC’s. The dream is UCLA.” Zardkoohi has his sights set high on a selective university. Last year, 11 out of the 117 Las Lomas students that applied for UCLA were accepted. While only nine percent of Las Lomas students were admitted, The LL average is still better than the national average which sits at eight percent.
As of now seniors applying to college are at the tail end of the process. Some frantically finish essays to meet deadlines while others wait patiently to receive their admissions letter. And even though most are working towards their future, the present calls for Seniors to live in every moment of their last year of high school.