Second time was not the charm

Marilyn Ramirez, Copy Editor/Co-Editor-in-Chief

April 24, 2012

The boys volleyball team entered the gymnasium ready for their second chance in defeating cross-town rival, Warren High School, on Apr. 19. The team had every intention of winning this match to secure their advancement into league, however, they were not prepared for the defeat ahead, with a final score of 3-0.

The first match, ending at 24-17, proved to the Vikings the tough opponent they had yet to face. Starting off with Warren in the lead, the fans were not dismayed at their initial over empowerment.

“I thought they had a pretty good chance of winning,” Joy Abubo, 11, said. “The game was matched in the beginning and the team celebrated every hit, good and bad.”

In an attempt to catch up with the Bears, Juan Vasquez, 12, saved his team from a spike, smacking it back to his opponent and scoring a point for the Vikings.

“We played a lot better than our first time,” Vazquez said.

His effort was not followed quickly, however; Warren continued to score and leave Downey to make even more drastic dives to save the ball. After Garret Neilan, 12, set the ball, it was quickly returned, forcing a teammate to dive for a save. His feat went acknowledged, pushing the Vikings to move closer to passing Warren. Fans continue to remain loyal to the striving team even though they could not surpass their rivals.

The second match appeared to only be another bleak outcome for Downey. The Bears’ speed was a true disadvantage to the Vikings, bringing in many strikes that left them falling behind in the match. Downey, however, remained strong in the aspect of the tremendous teamwork they had showed throughout the entire game. Players were there to save a missed set, assist in blocking a spike, and dive for a wide shot. They encouraged their teammates even when a play faltered, making this game stand out from the previous matches against Warren. The Vikes pulled together with more hope and determination in the match.

The team led the third match knowing it would be their last chance to change the odds to their favor. Neilan and Vasquez teamed up and jumped for blocks as Warren attempted to fake a spike to the opposite side of the court.

“You just have to be smart about where the ball is going,” Neilan said. “Sometimes they’ll position themselves to move one way when they are really shooting it down the other.”

Downey tied the game twice as they tried to make their way to the 25-point goal they needed to continue on to the next match. Warren grew overconfident, allowing the Vikes to sneak the ball over with simple tips and quick spikes. By the end, however, the ball went back and forth between Warren and Downey with only one point until the Bears’ victory; the cross-town rivals finally managed to get the ball into the Vikings’ court, leaving the game at 3-0.

About the Contributor

Marilyn Ramirez, Copy Editor/Co-Editor-in-Chief

For senior Marilyn Ramirez, newspaper is not only a class. No, for this young journalist, The Downey Legend is her inner voice, her happy, her passion, her future. Ramirez sets out to improve her writing ability with every new story, setting new goals for herself with the start of every deadline. She is currently the Copy Editor and Co-Editor-in-Chief on staff. She joined the online publication in order to gain experience in journalism; after studying at either UC Berkley or San Francisco State University, she is certain she will write for Time Magazine and develop a career in photojournalism. Ramirez plans on hiking through war-zones, or the jungles of Borneo in order to capture the beauty she wishes to documents. This journalist has no space in her agenda for anything less than extraordinary. When she is not writing stories or improving her photo and web layout skills, Ramirez enjoys spending time with her better half, Kyle Hudspeth. Like many others, she adores Disneyland and shopping . She might be found at her favorite drinks chain, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, reading a book or making awkward conversation with strangers. She has an unbelievable amount of positive energy, which she utilizes in a myriad of activities from school work, to staff bonding, however, it is not so obnoxious, because it is balanced out with the right amount of sarcasm. Ramirez is a fast-paced, modern girl of sorts with a dedicated disposition; she is undoubtedly heading toward great heights.