Wrestling makes their way to league

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

January 30, 2013

In the Downey High gym during a match against Domingez wrestler, Maria Hernadez,11, attempts to pin her opponent on, Jan. 24, in order to win her match. Hernadez is the sole girl on the wrestling team this year.

Since their first match on Nov. 28, 2012, wrestling has competed in 15 duels with a 13-2 winning streak that puts them on the road to San Gabriel Valley League Finals this Saturday, February 2.

Although the team had had their ups and downs, they have been left with an imprint of the dedication they put into the sport. Senior Arya Givehchin understood what it took to be a part of an intense sport like wrestling and stood by his team after both wins and losses.

“For wrestling, you need discipline immensely,” Givehchin said. “It really pushes you. Even though anyone can join, you’re not automatically born great; you make yourself great.”

Team members agreed with Givehchin. Some of their goals included the obvious: making CIF Finals and becoming league champions; some, however, were not as monumental. During summer drillings teammates like junior David Garcia expected more from the team than awards and honors.

“I wanted to be a part of this team to make it better,” Garcia said. “Yeah, titles would be really cool but I think what we lacked from last year was hard work, determination, and drive. That’s what I wanted to accomplish this year.”

Coach Soto, undoubtedly proud of his team, spoke of the season so far with expectations for the weekend to come.

“I know that these kids can do it with their eyes closed,” Soto said, “but it’s up to them if they really want it.”

Although not a widely watched sport by the student body, except for the popular duels vs. Warren, family members and friends take the time to watch the sometimes three-hour event to support the team. For every pin to the ground, students Vanessa Lopez, 10, and Pamela Salazar, 9, give a rowdy cheer for Downey. Even though they have only been Vikings for one year, Lopez and Salazar have a passion for the sport and even played for their own school in Arizona.

“My dad was really into MMA fighting, so it kind of rubbed off on us,” Lopez said. “Wrestling was the closest thing to it and when we came to Downey, I thought it’d be cool to support the team by going to the matches.”

With support and the team’s dedication, there’s optimism for this Saturday. This season’s hard work has given the team a chance to follow up on their CIF championship two years ago and prepare a suitable team for next year.

About the Contributors

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.

Lauren Montano, Co-Copy Editor

Senior Lauren Montano is an aspiring photographer for The Downey Legend. As a cheerful photojournalist, she is inspired by her settings when taking images of the everyday life of Downey High’s students. For Montano, anything that captures the vibe of a certain place should be photograph-worthy. Her main source of inspiration comes from National Geographic, since the magazine depicts both professional and amateur photographs. This exuberant student hopes to one day be employed by this magazine. Montano regularly checks Vanity Fair and The New York Times for their visually enticing photographs and in-depth articles. Personally, the vivacious photographer prefers to take black and white photography, since it is more timeless and isn’t set in one period. Montano finds pleasure in listening to music, discovering new artists, and reading. “Books give a unique perspective of the world,” Montano said. Author Zora Neale Hurston has had a huge impact of Montano’s life, allowing her to appreciate the writing style of an American author. In her free time, traveling and discovering the world also satisfies Montano, reaching destinations as far as Spain. As an interested Liberal Arts major, Montano hopes to attend Arizona State University or The University of Denver. Whatever Montano chooses to do in life, all she needs is a little inspiration from her colleagues to make her dreams come true.