Laying it out on the field

Gabby Sanchez, Co-Editor-In-Chief

May 21, 2013

On May 9,during the CIF Champions vs. the Faculty, Mr. Glasser lifts his shirt and runs with excitement after scoring a penalty kick. With Glasser’s goal, he helped his team get one step closer to win

The Allen Layne Stadium and its audience witnessed an intense soccer game on Thursday, May 9 where teachers and the CIF champion girls soccer team competed against each other on the field while displaying sportsmanship. Although a friendly game, the teachers ultimately sealed the deal with a tight score of 5-4, reigning victorious.

As the game began, teachers, coaches, and school security guards stepped out onto the field, fully geared and in uniform. The bleachers were filled with excited students, anxious to watch the teachers challenge the girls’ team and curious to see the final score.

The first half of the game saw various attempts from the adult group, including those from the team’s striker, math teacher, Mr. Nevarro. The Algebra 2 teacher noticed the girls’ unusual performance and acknowledged one of the advantages of his teammates.

“I know the girls were going easy on a lot of the players, but I think it helped that we had coaches playing too,” Nevarro said.

The first forty minutes of the match saw a mellow and relaxed girls’ soccer team and a contrasting active teachers’ team. Without the full efforts from the CIF champions, the opposing team kicked up their game and security guard Barry, scored the first goal which amped up both his team and the audience members.

Carlos Henriquez, 11, a bystander and former soccer team member attended the game and did not expect to see the skill that was thrown out onto the field from the educators.

“I was surprised to see that a lot of the teachers did really well,” Henriquez said. “I was definitely not expecting it.”

The second half presented a different energy level from the CIF winning team. With the teachers in the lead, the girls put their skills into gear and began to score. The varsity soccer team members began to fire up and varsity players such as Tara Kazimi, Emilie Botello, and Cindy Rodriguez fired at the goalie, earning a total of four goals.

The score was close but aside from the nail-biting 2^nd half, the highlights of the game mainly included the goal celebrations. Mr. Glasser, history and Economics teacher, celebrated his goal in an extravagant manner. The instructor pulled up his shirt over his head, ran through the field, and fell to his knees in all his glory. Although, the girls were fierce competitors, teachers kept their energy at a high throughout the entire game and were able to maintain the lead with five goals.

Coach Mires, the varsity boys’ soccer and girls’ lacrosse coach, was very invested in the game and felt overjoyed with the overall outcome.

“Beating the girls soccer team is always a special feeling, especially a two-time CIF champion,” Mires said. “They played hard and gave us a scare at the end, but in the end, the more experienced team won! We look forward to the challenge next year.”

The game was full of close calls, penalty kicks and, most of all, laughs. The competitive energy was seen in each individual player, but ultimately the most memorable part of the game was the sense of sportsmanship and friendliness seen throughout the field.

About the Contributors

Gabby Sanchez, Co-Editor-In-Chief

As her time at Downey High School reaches a conclusion, senior Gabby Sanchez is thrilled to be on The Downey Legend as Co-Editor-In-Chief for the 2013-2014 school year. She originally joined the school newspaper the previous year at the suggestion of her Honors English 10 teacher, Ms. Kasner. Kasner saw Sanchez’s writing potential and was glad she applied. Once Sanchez was accepted, she noticed how being part of a school newspaper only improved her writing. “Its definitely given me the opportunity to constantly practice and better my writing,” Sanchez said. “but mostly it's given me an idea of how a journalist would write as opposed to how I would write an essay for an English class.” Eventually, her passion for journalism, and writing in general, started to grow. She became more and more dedicated to the craft of providing newsworthy stories for the student body to enjoy. Now as she juggles AP courses and a leadership position on the newspaper staff, Sanchez wants to make sure that the hidden stories on campus are published, but that also, all staff members respect each other so that being newspaper is more thrilling than dreadful.

Although Sanchez is a senior and college is on the horizon, she is still not sure exactly what university she wants to attend; however, she does have a general view of what she wants her college life to be life. “I want to go to a college that will fulfill my needs, expand my horizons, and expose me to wonderful, weird, and mind boggling things,” Sanchez said. “Honestly, I just want to be somewhere I wouldn’t mind spending another four years.” Although she isn’t particularly sure what she wants to do after college, Sanchez wants to make sure that she lives on the East Coast, doing something she is extremely passionate about. On her days when she isn’t pondering life and her future, Sanchez enjoys gluing her eyes to her iPad screen, watching Netflix movies (her taste in movies is eclectic, ranging from the deeply emotional foreign films, to the goofy comedies featuring Seth Rogen, Will Ferrell, and James Franco). Aside from spending time viewing films, Sanchez also enjoys the company of her dog, Mia, whom she absolutely adores with her whole heart. At the end of the day, Sanchez is confident that whichever path she takes will be because her passions will lead her to the happiness she so craves in life.

Alexandra Menendez, Photographer

Returner Alexandra Menendez took up photography for The Downey Legend her junior year. Since the purchase of her first camera as a mere 6^th grader, photography has been a point of interest for the 17 year old; the school newspaper is just one on a long list of creative outlets she uses to express her photography skills. “I like having the ability to capture a memory before it’s gone forever.” Menendez says. Outside of campus, she refines her skills through photo-shoots with her friends and sister along the railroad tracks and otherwise simple backdrops. She plans on enrolling at San Francisco State and studying to be a professional photographer, but if all else fails, she aspires to at least be a qualified teacher. Currently, she is attending the ROP class Principles in Education to guide her into being the ideal photography instructor she aims to be. The soft-spoken Menendez lives her life to the fullest of its potential each and every day. She is a proud film enthusiast, lover of Asian cuisine, and self-proclaimed introvert – though she claims to enjoy wasting away the weekends with her friends. Nonetheless, rather than having a traditional quinceñera with the spotlight on her, Menendez chose to travel Europe alone. “I’ve always wanted to go, just to see new places I’d never seen before.” Menendez says. “I wanted something new. She still longs to travel the rest of the world – all the while, documenting her trips through a camera lens. A small girl, Menendez has big dreams ahead of herself.