Benjamin Yokoyama
Name: Benjamin Yokoyama
Position: Online Sports Editor
Graduation Year: 2017
Stories (73)
2017 MLB Preview
By Benjamin Yokoyama | April 2, 2017, 1:02 p.m. | In Professional »
Spring training and the month of March are an exciting time for baseball fans, but as the spring drags on, fans want to see some real action. Check out the predictions for this year's Major League Baseball season!
Wizards rise to third place in Eastern Conference
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Feb. 24, 2017, 2:05 p.m. | In Sports Blog »
The Washington Wizards began the season poorly, to put it bluntly. John Wall played well some games, other games Bradley Beal took the starring role. And yet the Wizards could not put two and two together and reach their full potential.
Blair wrestling beats Rockville on senior night
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Feb. 8, 2017, 9:35 p.m. | In Blair »
The Blair Blazers (9-0-4) beat the Rockville Rams (11-3-3) by a score of 38-30 during Saturday's senior night. Blair got out to a big lead early but had to fight hard to hang on in the waning matches. The team celebrated its graduating seniors, captain Nauman Funyas and wrestlers Tommy Norris and Zhaxi Zerong.
Boys' basketball is taken down by Magruder
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Feb. 5, 2017, 12:07 p.m. | In Blair »
The Blair Blazers' boys' basketball team (7-8) threw different defensive looks at their opponents, but could not keep up with the Magruder Colonels' (11-6) accuracy from behind the three point arc. Even a big third quarter comeback that reeled the Colonels' lead to just three points could not keep the Blazers out of the loss column with a 64-55 loss.
Girls' basketball dismantles the Bengals 52-38
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Jan. 27, 2017, 3:08 p.m. | In Blair »
The Blazers girls basketball team (9-3) came back from a first half deficit to take down the Blake Bengals (2-13) on Monday night for their sixth consecutive win after a convincing victory over the Sherwood Warriors.
NFL Playoff Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Jan. 7, 2017, 4:03 p.m. | In Professional »
Congratulations to Ellie for winning the SCO NFL predictions this season! This season was full of unexpected surprises like the Cardinals and the Panthers, as well as more pleasant surprises like the Dolphins and Raiders, who have made it back to the playoffs. Now we're moving on to our playoff predictions.
NFL Week 17 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Jan. 1, 2017, 10:05 a.m. | In Professional »
As we enter the final weekend of regular season football, Ellie remains in a commanding five game lead. The playoff picture in the AFC is set, but the Raiders can grab the top spot in the conference with a win and losses by the Chiefs and Patriots.
NFL Week 16 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 24, 2016, 12:27 p.m. | In Professional »
Two weeks left in the NFL season means teams will be clinching divisions and playoff berths left and right. Some teams may do so without stepping foot on the field, like the Cowboys did on Thursday.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks Week 16
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 23, 2016, 9:53 a.m. | In Sports Blog »
Get ready for your fantasy football championship! Every four weeks SCO editors Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions. This week they are joined by Blair senior Steven Dunne.
NFL Week 15 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 18, 2016, 2:08 p.m. | In Professional »
The NFL season is winding down, which means the playoff races are ramping up. The Seahawks became the second team to punch their ticket after a Thursday night win, following in the footsteps of their NFC counterparts the Cowboys.
NFL Week 14 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 11, 2016, 12:47 p.m. | In Professional »
With just four weeks left in the NFL season, the Cowboys have already clinched a playoff spot. This week the Redskins will face off against their division rivals in Philly, while the Ravens will play the Patriots in an attempt to prove they belong in the playoffs.
NFL Week 13 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 4, 2016, 12:24 p.m. | In Professional »
With the playoffs looming, the Patriots rocked the NFL with the news that tight end Rob Gronkowski will miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing back surgery. Will the Pats' Super Bowl chances suffer because of this?
Japanese classes make rice balls for a good cause
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 2, 2016, 10:50 p.m. | In Local »
On Nov. 18 and 24, Japanese 1 classes, with teacher Yoko Zoll, made rice balls to participate in the "Change the World with Onigiri" campaign, started by an organization called Table for Two.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks Week 12
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 24, 2016, 1:45 p.m. | In Sports Blog »
Every four weeks SCO editors Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions. This week they are joined by BNC scriptwriter and ultimate frisbee captain Nate Blower.
NFL Week 12 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 24, 2016, 12:37 p.m. | In Professional »
Happy thanksgiving! The Redskins will face off against the Cowboys in an important division matchup on this Turkey Day, while the Ravens play the Bengals on Sunday.
NFL Week 11 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 20, 2016, 11:43 a.m. | In Professional »
We're ten weeks into the NFL season, and some teams have been performing as expected, like the 7-2 Patriots and the 0-10 Browns. Surprisingly, there are a lot of teams that are not performing as expected.
Girls soccer loses defensive game in regional finals
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 14, 2016, 7:55 a.m. | In Blair »
In its first ever regional final, the Montgomery Blair Blazers' girls soccer team (10-6-1) lost 1-0 to the Perry Hall Gators (16-1) after a game that forced the Blazers to be strong defensively for 80 full minutes.
NFL Week 10 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 13, 2016, 12:42 p.m. | In Professional »
We are headed into the playoff push. Currently lots of big teams are reeling from surprising losses, as the Eagles, Packers, Saints and Panthers all sit at or below a .500 record.
SCO NBA Preview
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 10, 2016, 1:50 p.m. | In Professional »
The NBA season got started with a bang, and the revamped Warriors took a loss to the Spurs in their first game of the season. A larger salary cap led to teams being bold this offseason, and players will have to earn their money this season after getting some big paydays.
Blair girls' soccer advances to first ever regional final
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 8, 2016, 11:20 a.m. | In Blair »
After beating the Sherwood Warriors (7-7) in the regular season, the Blair Blazers (10-5-1) girls soccer team came out firing early and put two shots past the goalkeeper in their third round playoff victory.
NFL Week 9 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 6, 2016, 10:24 a.m. | In Professional »
We're getting into the home stretch of the season. This is where seasons will be made. The Redskins take their bye week while the Ravens duke it out against their rivals from the Steel City. Can anyone keep up with the Cowboys in the NFC East?
Are you game?
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 2, 2016, 1:02 p.m. | In Humor »
Most of the time, class is fun and engaging. But when you're just not feeling it, a much-needed break can pay dividends. If you're done with your assignment and looking to kill some time, here are some ideas for how you can turn a boring hour and a half into a fun one.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks Week 8
By Nate Bodner, Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 30, 2016, 10:41 a.m. | In Professional »
Every four weeks SCO editors Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions. This week they are joined by Nate Bodner, Silver Chips Online staff writer and fantasy football aficionado.
Blazers take tough loss to Paint Branch
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 30, 2016, 10:01 a.m. | In Blair »
Blair field hockey (2-10) was originally going to play their senior night game on the 17th, but due to unplayable turf conditions, the game was rescheduled for the Monday afternoon.
NFL Week 8 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 30, 2016, 9:41 a.m. | In Professional »
The NFL no longer has any undefeated teams after the Eagles rocked the Vikings 21-10 last week. This week calls for a short slate of games, as six teams have their bye weeks, including the Ravens.
NFL Week 7 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 23, 2016, 2:31 p.m. | In Professional »
The Vikings will put their undefeated season on the line the Eagles. The Redskins will look to take their fifth win in a row while the Ravens will play the Jets this week.
NFL Week 6 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 16, 2016, 9:40 p.m. | In Professional »
After five weeks, the Vikings are the only undefeated team standing. A Broncos loss and an Eagles loss left the Vikings alone on their bye week.
NFL Week 5 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 9, 2016, 12:07 a.m. | In Professional »
Week 4 of the NFL season saw two undefeated teams lose unexpectedly. Now down to the three undefeated teams, the Eagles and Vikings should be expecting to continue their undefeated seasons.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks Week 4
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 2, 2016, 9:27 a.m. | In Sports Blog »
Every four weeks SCO staff writers Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions alongside those of a special guest teacher.
NFL Week 4 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 2, 2016, 8:23 a.m. | In Professional »
The Redskins recorded their first win of the season, and of the five undefeated teams, two are perennial winners, but there are three big surprises atop the standings (Eagles, Vikings and Ravens).
NFL Week 3 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Sept. 25, 2016, 10:16 a.m. | In Professional »
Another week down in the NFL season. Last week we saw a ton of injuries to some major players, most notably Danny Woodhead. Just kidding. Adrian Peterson left last week's game with a torn meniscus, and his status is seriously doubtful for this week.
NFL Week 2 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Sept. 18, 2016, 12:22 p.m. | In Professional »
Week 2 of the NFL is coming, and the prediction team is here with their picks for this week's games. Lots of unanimous choices this week by our writers. Will those favorites hold their ground against teams hunting for an early-season upset?
SCO Fantasy Football Picks Week 1
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Sept. 11, 2016, 1:32 p.m. | In Sports Blog »
Once a week SCO staff writers Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions alongside those of a special guest student from the general Blair population.
NFL Week 1 Predictions
By Nate Bodner, Ryan Handel, Ellie Williams, Benjamin Yokoyama | Sept. 11, 2016, 11:56 a.m. | In Professional »
Every football fan is excited for week one, but with a Super Bowl rematch to kick off the season, the slate is even better than expected.
Blair field hockey rolls over Watkins Mill in first game of the season
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Sept. 8, 2016, 2:06 p.m. | In Blair »
In a slow moving first game of the season, the Blair field hockey team (1-0) was able to squeak out a 2-1 victory over the Watkins Mill Wolverines (0-1) on Friday afternoon.
SCO Fantasy Football Preview
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Aug. 31, 2016, 1:04 p.m. | In Sports Blog »
The NFL season is on its way, and along with it comes the fantasy football season. Silver Chips Online's Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott are back this year with their picks of the week to help you set your lineup. Below is a preview of the upcoming season, along with sleepers and busts to avoid in your fantasy football draft.
Getting to know you
By Benjamin Yokoyama | June 30, 2016, 9:24 p.m. | In Features »
It's senior year, and students have to figure out what they're doing after they graduate. Some students look around for jobs or apprenticeships, but for most students, their time will be spent going through the arduous college application process. Students are applying to the schools of their dreams and are putting every aspect of their life out there for complete strangers to read.
SCO NBA Draft Preview
By Benjamin Yokoyama | June 21, 2016, 2:45 p.m. | In Professional »
Buddy Hield, Brice Johnson, Malcolm Brogdon, local NCAA tournament hero Kris Jenkins. These guys all stayed in college for the long haul. Three seniors and Jenkins, the lone junior, who all made it deep into the tourney despite not being on the forefront of the NBA radar.
Blair softball loses high-scoring state semifinal
By Benjamin Yokoyama | May 29, 2016, 9:03 p.m. | In Blair »
The Blair Blazers (16-5) and the Chopticon Braves (20-4) battled each other for six innings, but the seventh inning saw 14 total runs scored and ended when Chopticon's bats came alive and brought the winning run across.
MoCo running back enrolls early to UMD
By Benjamin Yokoyama | May 17, 2016, 2:19 p.m. | In College »
After setting records and winning the Maryland 3A state championship for the Damascus Swarmin' Hornets this past fall sports season, local running back Jake Funk is poised to make an impact at the college level. The former high schooler enrolled early for the spring semester at the University of Maryland, where he committed in October.
BNC expands to two periods for next school year
By Benjamin Yokoyama | April 15, 2016, 12:58 p.m. | In Local »
Blair Network Communications (BNC) will expand next year and separate into BNC and Infoflow, according to executive producers and juniors Luc Picone and Karuna Nandkumar.
MLB 2016 Preview
By Benjamin Yokoyama | April 9, 2016, 3:34 p.m. | In Professional »
The baseball season is back, heaters and homers, breaking balls and bat flips come back to bring in the summer.
Nationals offseason moves hope to prove helpful down the stretch
By Benjamin Yokoyama | April 9, 2016, 2:53 p.m. | In Sports Blog »
The Washington Nationals have flipped a lot of players over the offseason after a disappointing finish last season, and getting toppled by the New York Mets for the National League East.
Simple set yet profound messages in "Good Kids"
By Benjamin Yokoyama | March 15, 2016, 1:12 p.m. | In Plays »
The Round House Theatre Teen Performance Company produced a riveting and extremely topical performance of "Good Kids" by Naomi Iizuka for the annual Sarah Metzger Memorial Play.
"High"er education
By Benjamin Yokoyama | March 7, 2016, 1:05 p.m. | In Features »
When Justin has down time after doing schoolwork, he likes to wind down by smoking a joint. This is one way Justin relieves his own stress in a tumultuous junior year that is filled with long essays and difficult math problems.
Blazers downed by taller Cavaliers team
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Feb. 12, 2016, 2:18 p.m. | In Blair »
As the clock wound down, a frustrated Blair varsity girls' basketball team had been worn down by a short-benched, but taller Kennedy team. The Blazers lost 40-31 in a long game marred by turnovers from both sides as the Cavaliers pulled away late in the third quarter to grab the win on Tuesday night.
Your holiday is not complete without 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 29, 2015, 11:15 a.m. | In Movies »
Although not the most unique film of the franchise, drawing frequently from the original six, Abrams created a visual masterpiece with the sound effects to draw a viewer back to that galaxy far, far away.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks for Week 16
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 20, 2015, 12:11 p.m. | In Sports Blog »
Once a week SCO staff writers Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions alongside those of a special guest teacher and one student from the general Blair population.
Much Ado for Blair theater as show time neared
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 16, 2015, 1:30 p.m. | In Features »
As the first drawing of the curtain nears, nerves abound backstage. And after the final drawing of the curtain, pride and oftentimes tears are apparent in the days after performance week.
Blazer girls down RM with defense in 51-38 win
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 16, 2015, 1:27 p.m. | In Blair »
Blair falls on last second shot from Einstein
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 13, 2015, 8:23 p.m. | In Blair »
As time expired, the buzzer beating shot from the Einstein Titans guard banked off the backboard and sunk through the net. The Blair Blazers were handed their first loss of the young season, 51-49, in a game in which Blair was set back by missed open jumpers, layups and free throws. Despite controlling the ball and playing strong defense throughout the game, the Blazers lack of offense led to the loss on Tuesday night.
Blair boys open season with a victory over Wheaton 69-52
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Dec. 9, 2015, 6:04 p.m. | In Blair »
The Montgomery Blair Blazers started five guards, but still used their size advantage to take down the Wheaton Knights 69-52 in their season opener Friday night.
Blair teacher designs and sells new line of Blair wear
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 30, 2015, 1:09 p.m. | In Local »
Blair teacher Vincent Inatomi designed and started selling new Blair shirts at lunch with a logo that draws inspiration from University of Maryland lacrosse jerseys with the state flag and the current Blair Blazer logo.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks Week 12
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 26, 2015, 12:32 p.m. | In Sports Blog »
Once a week SCO staff writers Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions alongside those of a special guest teacher and one student from the general Blair population.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks Week 11
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 22, 2015, 12:10 p.m. | In Professional »
Once a week SCO staff writers Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions alongside those of a special guest teacher and one student from the general Blair population.
Fantasy football is changing NFL fans
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 20, 2015, 1:17 p.m. | In Sports Blog »
Some fantasy players find that friendly competition between league members is the most important part of their weekly games, not to mention bragging rights for the rest of the week when they win. Others remain loyal to their NFL teams while playing fantasy sports, but find ways to still be competitive.
What student athletes don't know about their coaches
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 18, 2015, 1:35 p.m. | In Features »
Some teachers have already been out of the building for hours, doing their second jobs at the school. They are the coaches of Blair's sports teams.
Blair loses tough first round matchup at Quince Orchard 48-17
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 18, 2015, 1:12 p.m. | In Blair »
Despite mounting a two score comeback in the third quarter, the deficit faced by the Montgomery Blair Blazers was too steep in a 48-17 loss in the first round of the playoffs to the Quince Orchard (QO) Cougars on a windy Friday night.
Blair's practice fields don't get the ball rolling
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 12, 2015, 1:27 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
Blair's practice fields are large, strangely shaped patches of dirt surrounded by weed-filled grass. Rocks are in almost all of the dirt patches, making the fields seem like a gravel road. When there is a dry stretch, dust is commonly kicked up as players run through.
Good. Very good.
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 10, 2015, 1 p.m. | In Movies »
Sam Mendes' "Spectre" is yet another thrilling James Bond movie. The exciting movie is filled with action, and changes direction as often as actor Daniel Craig does in the final scene. The quick-moving plot, the explosive scenes and the seductive power of Bond make the film a must-see.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks for Week 9
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 8, 2015, 11:36 a.m. | In Sports Blog »
Once a week SCO staff writers Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions alongside those of a special guest teacher and one student from the general Blair population.
Blazers blank Titans 41-0 on senior night
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Nov. 4, 2015, 1:17 p.m. | In Blair »
The Montgomery Blair Blazers (6-3) used the passing game to pick apart the lowly Einstein Titans (1-8), and win a convincing victory during Friday's senior night.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks Week 7
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 22, 2015, 2:17 p.m. | In Sports Blog »
Once a week SCO staff writers Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions alongside those of a special guest teacher and one student from the general Blair population.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks Week 6
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 16, 2015, 1:35 p.m. | In Professional »
Once a week SCO staff writers Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions alongside those of a special guest teacher and one student from the general Blair population.
Blair's strong offense shreds the Springbrook defense in 38-20 win
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 13, 2015, 1:51 p.m. | In Blair »
The Montgomery Blair Blazers (4-2) used the passing game on offense and forced turnovers on defense to beat the Springbrook Blue Devils (4-2) by a score of 38-20 after the game was delayed nearly two hours due to lightning Friday night.
MLB playoffs get started without Nationals and Orioles
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 6, 2015, 2:07 p.m. | In Professional »
It's October again, meaning that the Major League Baseball playoffs are getting underway. The postseason has proven to be random and spontaneous, but a consistent theme among championship teams has been the bullpen. Teams that can manage and utilize their bullpens effectively stand the best chance of winning games.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks of the Week - 4
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Oct. 4, 2015, 2:08 p.m. | In Professional »
Once a week SCO staff writers Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions alongside those of a special guest teacher and one student from the general Blair population.
Blair takes 58-23 loss to Northwest
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Sept. 21, 2015, 1:02 p.m. | In Blair »
The Montgomery Blair Blazers (2-1) could not get their offense going against the Northwest Jaguars (2-1), who ran away with the game late in the second quarter in a 58-23 loss on Friday night.
Blair takes tough 2-0 loss to B-CC
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Sept. 20, 2015, 2:26 p.m. | In Blair »
The Montgomery Blair Blazers (1-1-1) varsity field hockey team lost a tough game to the B-CC Barons (2-0) by the score of 2-0 despite playing solid defense for most of the game.
SCO Fantasy Football Picks of the Week
By Charles Lott, Benjamin Yokoyama | Sept. 20, 2015, 1:24 p.m. | In Professional »
Once a week SCO staff writers Ben Yokoyama and Charlie Lott will post their fantasy football predictions alongside those of a special guest teacher and one student from the general Blair population. To submit your fantasy football picks, you need to pick one player for each of the below categories, and write a brief explanation of why you have chosen him. Send your picks in to our experts to get them online.
Blazers take the Boulevard in season opener
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Sept. 8, 2015, 2:08 p.m. | In Blair »
The Montgomery Blair Blazers (1-0) used a huge offensive first quarter to obliterate the cross-Boulevard rival Northwood Gladiators (0-1) 48-3 in the Battle of the Boulevard on Friday.
Back to football: Peterson must let his play do the talking
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Aug. 17, 2015, 3:57 p.m. | In Op/Ed »
The media scrutiny that Peterson has endured in the last year has been hectic. His problem is a family issue that should be solved by a mindset change, not a national legal issue.
Not quite time to terminate the "Terminator" series
By Benjamin Yokoyama | Aug. 1, 2015, 11:59 a.m. | In Movies »
Directed by Alan Taylor, "Terminator Genisys" is an action-packed film that brings the whole Terminator series together, for the most part, comprehensively.