On Thursday, Jan. 16, the varsity wrestling team had a match against rival Warren High School, winning the dual with a total of 14 wins out of 18 matches.
The crowd roared with cheers as they watched the boys win round after round. The boys would not relent and wrestled their opponents with all their might, earning cheers from family, friends, and faculty. Junior Darlene Lopez attended the match and was glad the Vikes beat the Bears.
“They really deserved the win,” Lopez said. “The boys worked hard this season. They have definitely improved since last season.”
As the coaches motivated their team, they kept on wrestling and keeping their heads high after matches. Coach Soto was proud of his team and how humble they were after defeating the Bears.
“It was a great show of dominance to win 11 of the 14 matches over the Bears,” Soto said. “The way our wrestlers handled the victory with class and sportsmanship made us proud.”
Even after a wrestler lost a match, the crowd stayed hopeful, and after every win, they chanted, “Let’s go, Downey! Let’s go!” which was usually followed by rivaling cheers from Warren’s crowd. The wrestlers, along with the fans, were grateful for the win. Senior Adeyinka Ajose was one of those proud fans.
“The Vikings worked hard, and they killed those Bears,” Ajose said. “Even if they didn’t win every round, the final score was the thing that mattered.”
The match ended with the Vikings crushing the Bears with a final score of 42 to 12. They defended Downey’s name as they reign over Warren. It was a match fought hard on both sides, but the Vikings came out victorious in the end.
