They have been waiting for this moment all season, practicing endless afternoons, pushing themselves until a new personal record is reached. Downey versus Warren week for spring sports is an annual tradition in which baseball, softball, swim, track, boys tennis, and boys volleyball go against the rivalry school for the last time in the season.

Softball took on Warren on April 19 and won with a score of 4-3. It had been 6 years since the softball team had beat the Bears.

Alongside softball, track and field went against Warren on April 23 and all levels won against the rivalry school.

Track runner, Mario Marsetti, 12, runs the 200, 400, and 4×400 and has been on varsity for four years.

“This track meet I was able to win the 400 which had been difficult for me the previous year, but we were also able to secure the win on the meet by winning the 200 early on,” Marsetti said. “The new coaching staff helped us be more prepared to take on Warren, and honestly just the crowd’s energy gives us adrenaline to push ourselves.”

The boys swim team has a 6 year winning streak against Warren and girls swim beat the Bears for the first time last year.

CIF Swim Champion, Nektoria Anagnostou, 10, helped girls varsity swim achieve success last year at CIF as a freshman and is back on varsity for another season. Anagnostou is a club swimmer and describes the difference in swimming against Warren from other meets.

“It’s not much of a difference swimming wise, but the crowd and amount of support when we swim against Warren helps me strive better,” Anagnostou said. “This year I have gone to morning practices at club and worked hard at school practice as well so  I believe I am prepared to take on Warren.”

Swim won Warren, are undefeated in League, and will head into CIF rounds on Wednesday May 9.

Varsity volleyball player, Malik Makhlouf, 12, is  one of the team’s setters. He explains his perspective on going against Warren.

“It doesn’t make a difference whether it’s Warren or not, because a competition is a competition and at the end we all want a win,” Makhlouf said. “I have been more comfortable on the team specifically in my position.”

Boys volleyball beat Warren with a score of 3-1, and will begin CIF rounds on May 8.

Boys tennis also went against Warren on April 26 and won against the Bears.The swim, boys volleyball, softball, track and field, baseball have all beat Warren. The baseball team beat Warren on May 1 with a score of 1-0, and  the team won Warren once again on May 4 for the final round.

Spring sports will come to an end after they finish CIF rounds in the coming up weeks.