If you can dodge a wrench…

Darla Sanchez

Jumping over the ball in the Downey High School gym, Joseph Lopez, 11, and his team compete in the dodge ball tournament on Mar. 6. “The wresting team and I decided, since we didn’t do it last year, we are going to this year,” Lopez said. “I had lots of fun being with my team members.”

Irania Quintero, Staff Writer
March 25, 2015

On Mar. 6, Downey High School’s dance team hosted their annual dodge ball tournament in the gym to fundraise for their team and provide a thrilling experience for the student body. A total of 28 teams participated but only one came out on top to take home the championship trophy. The stuffiness of the gym atmosphere did not stop the crowd from cheering and it did not stop “Dem Boyzz” from winning.

All 10 members of this all boys team did not feel like they took the tournament seriously because of their simple outfit coordination and joking attitudes, but when they saw the chance to take home the prize, they did not pass it up.

Junior Tony Laverde expressed his excitement towards their win and how the heat of the moment overcame them.

“It was wild,” Laverde said. “There was no way we were going to let ourselves lose.”

Apart from an earned win by “Dem Boyzz,” another team was recognized for their ongoing team spirit and sportsmanship. Team USA received recognition for having the loudest fans and a motivational pre-game ritual of gathering in a circle and pumping themselves up with cheers for their match. Although they did not come in first place, their spirit kept them rowdy in the stands.

Senior Miguel Gutierrez [team USA] was excited about the opportunity he and the team had together. The crowd’s cheers and his girlfriend’s support ultimately gave him the motivation to help his team and give his all.

“The overall mood was positive for us,” Gutierrez said. “The experience was priceless thanks to our great fans and the team’s unity.”

Junior Isabel Palencia [dance team member] expressed her gratitude for all the teams participating partially because the tournament serves as a major fundraiser for the dance team. She was also grateful to see everyone in the gym having fun and giving the crowd games worth watching.

“It is stressful having to organize such a huge event,” Palencia said. “It definitely pays off once we see how much money we raise and how much fun everyone is having.”

The dodge ball tournament has been around for about seven years and has been beneficial for the dance team and their competitions. The tournament usually helps fundraise for a Six Flags competition, but this year, the girls are heading to compete in Las Vegas for Nationals. Next year’s tournament will take place in early spring.

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About the Contributors

Irania Quintero, Staff Writer

As a first year staff writer, senior Irania Quintero joined The Downey Legend in search of new experiences and opportunities. “I joined Newspaper because it gives me a chance to explore and build upon my passion for writing,” Quintero said. “It is indeed a new environment for me but a challenge worth taking on.” She has a passion for writing and hopes that with being a part of the staff she’ll expand her knowledge on different writing styles, improve her own writing, and get a feel for what she plans to do in the future. “Great writing to me is writing that makes the reader feel like he or she is a part of the experience or event described,” Quintero stated. “My ultimate goal is to deliver the same feeling to readers as many writers have done for me.” As a writer for The Downey Legend, Quintero will be in charge of pitching new story ideas and meeting deadlines. The job of a writer may get stressful and tedious at times but with Quintero’s passion for writing and undeniable reliability, she’ll take this job on without the slightest of difficulty.

Aside from being a writer for The Downey Legend, Quintero enjoys writing poetry, reading books by Nicholas Sparks, watching the Angels during their baseball season, and cooking and/or baking in her spare time. She also says that her favorite music varies from John Legend, Kanye West, The XX, to different alternative bands. Quintero also shared that she’s great with puns and that she has a positive vibe about herself at all times. “There’s almost always a smile on my face no matter what my mood is,” Quintero said. After high school she plans to attend a four-year-university, her top choice being San Francisco State University, and eventually become a journalist. Quintero has the right mind set and motivation to help her accomplish her dreams and succeed in her near future as well as in her current position on The Downey Legend.

Darla Sanchez, Student Life Section Editor

As a first year staff member of The Downey Legend, photographer Darla Sanchez has many goals to make her last year at Downey High School a memorable one. Sanchez was persuaded not only by her friends to join, but also by a previous staff member. She enjoys taking photos and decided to become a photographer. “I want to capture the essence of the photo,” Sanchez said. “I want to really bring the meaning of the picture to life.” She also wants to accomplish many academic goals such as: getting better at sign language, passing her English class with a B or higher and finally graduating. Although Sanchez is nervous about senior year, she is willing to work hard to reach her goals.

During her down time, Sanchez enjoys baking. “I love to try new things, that’s why I started baking,” Sanchez said. “I love to get creative when I experiment with new desserts; it relaxes me.” Sanchez also loves listening to music. She is currently obsessed with Paramore and One Direction. She loves playing sports, especially softball and track. Sanchez is open to new things and wants her senior year to be the best. With that said she plans on not only making memories but also striving to make the best of her time here at The Downey Legend.