On the evening of Jan 5, the varsity wrestling team lost to Warren for the first time in four years with the final score of 37-30, at the rival’s gym.

The fanatics began to slowly fill empty seats, while the teams warmed-up and the excitement and anticipation floated around the gym. As the time to step onto the mat approached, wrestlers focused on what was to come.

The duel began at the 182-weight class and worked its way up to heavyweight. Downey had lost the first three matches and was down by fifteen points, when Robert Chism, 12, made his way onto the mat feeling confident on his win.

“I knew I could win,” Chism, 12, said.

He wrestled his opponent into a pin thirty-four seconds into the first period, and won the Vikings six points.

The score was 21-6 when senior Enrique Carrazco stepped onto the mat. He knew that his team was struggling and he needed to contribute.

“I was thinking that I had to pull through with a pin because I really wanted my team to win,” Carrazco said.

Carrazco pinned during the third period, adding six points to Downey’s team score. The next few matches were eminent for the final score. 132-pounder Danny Rivas won the team three more points and gave Downey the opportunity to tie. Co-captain Nathaniel Lee lost his match, leaving the team’s only hope to win or tie the scoreboard to 145-pounder Juan Soto.

Soto lost a close match and the scoreboard displayed 29-9. Downey fans flooded the gym with anguish because there was no way for the team to tie with only three matches left. The following matches established the final of score with two more pins from the Vikings and a win by major decision. Downey lost to Warren with a final score of 37-30 and fans gloomily left the gym shocked at the final score.

“I expected us to win and do better!” stat girl Eva Flores, 12, said.

The team will continue to work hard to reach their ultimate goal and is looking forward to yet another winning season.