Boys basketball start the league with a loss

Monique Munoz

At the Downey vs. Warren basketball game, Dakari Archer, 12, blocks Michael Onyebalu, 12, from making a two point shot in, at the DHS gymnasium.

Marilyn Ramirez, Copy Editor/Co-Editor-in-Chief
January 12, 2013

As the first league game of the season, varsity basketball took a loss against Warren High School, 49-45, on Jan. 9, at 7:00 p.m. Their next game versus Schurr will take place at home on Jan. 11, at 7:00 p.m.

“I knew it’d be a tough game,” senior Dakari Archer said. “The Press Telegram and other newspapers kind of predicted Warren would win; we we went in as the underdogs of the game.”

The Vikings held the lead in the first quarter, 14-9, with some resistance from their opponent. The jump ball ended in Downey’s court by senior Carlos Quinonez who made a pass to senior Aaron Wallace. Although neither of the two given foul shots were made, Wallace, with an assist by sophomore Jeraun Richards, made the first shot for Downey six minutes into the quarter.

“It gave me a lot of confidence to score more,” Wallace said. “This is my first year on varsity and that feels pretty good.”

Warren took a steal in the second quarter and was able to make a shot of their own. The three-pointer didn’t count, however, due to a push by a Bear.

“I thought that call was pretty fair even though a lot of people didn’t agree with it,” junior Sergio Castillo said. “Of course, maybe it’s just because I’m from Downey.”

Warren, determined to overcome the fouls called against them, kept their plays tight behind the three-point line. Downey’s foul shots were completed, and they ended up tying with the Bears at 6:17, both at 14 points. Wallace, although a forward, proved to maintain a strong aid as a center. Standing at 6’4”, his height and skill allowed to reach for many of the rebounds from both his team and Warren. A Bear blocked a pass by Archer that was quickly saved by Wallace who scored and broke the tie.

“I was in foul trouble, so with three fouls already on me I couldn’t play after the first half,” Wallace said. “It was intense; I thought it’s be a low scoring game.

At the 4:00 mark, both teams returned from a time-out and a heightened defense. By the end, the constant ups and downs of their scores ended at a tie, 24-24.

“As their first game of the season, it’s crazy to see them tie so soon,” alumni Eric Castillo said. “The team that played my year had the same issue.”

Throughout the second half, the Vikings and Bears continued to inch their way to what could have been anyone’s victory. Some of the team members could not make it quickly enough to score simple shots; Archer felt it was fatigue that stopped them from winning.

“We got a little tired,” Archer said. “It was our defense. If we played a little harder, we could have pulled it off.

Ending the close game 49-45, the Viking team now has an idea of what to expect of their cross-town rival for their game later in the year. The team has played with each other at various locations and grows more and more comfortable as they make their way toward their goal of San Gabriel Valley League champions.

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.

Monique Munoz, Co-Photo Editor

Soon to graduate from Downey High School, 17-year-old senior Monique Munoz is a photographer and the Co-Photo Editor for The Downey Legend. Although this is her first year shooting for The Legend, she has had a passion for photography since her sophomore year. “I always have a camera with me whether it is my Canon Rebel or my little carry around camera,” Munoz said. “I take pictures all of the time in random places, looking to capture unforgettable moments.” Her goal is to be the best photographer on The Downey Legend staff. Munoz is also a photographer for Downey’s High’s yearbook. Aside from taking pictures, she enjoys cooking, dancing, and watching basketball and football. One of her dreams for high school is to participate in the powder puff game.

Munoz wants to obtain a minor in photography attending Cal State Long Beach, and she plans to finish her schooling at UCLA. Because of her love for children, her main desire is to major in the medical field and become a pediatrician. She decided this as her dream career because of how well she is with children due to constantly having to take care of her younger siblings. “I wouldn’t mind working as a photographer on my breaks and vacations from my career, because photographing is more of a passion then a job to me,” Munoz said. She also mentioned she wishes to travel the world to photograph portraits, candid and landscape photos. “No matter what it takes, I am determined to achieve all my goals and believe I am capable of accomplishing anything I want to,” Munoz said.