Last Basketball Game of the Year

Amanda Davila, Staff Writer
March 8, 2016

The quarterfinals of the CIF basketball game took place at Downey High School on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 7 PM. After four quarters of the game, Downey came out short with a 36-51 defeat against John W. North High School in the quarterfinals.

As the time was quickly coming to an end, basketball players from both teams rushed down the court trying to change the momentum of the game in hopes of ending with strong energy.

Seniors started running up to the basket trying to make this last game memorable.

As the 2016-2017 season approaches, number 22, junior, Justin Reyes, is looking forward to being a senior on the varsity team. He appreciates the team’s support and the family bond he has gained from basketball.

“The whole team brings a lot of support and makes you want to play better as an individual,” Reyes said. “We had a great season and I am excited to see what happens next year.”

As the basketball players from Downey High huddled up one last time, they reflected on the successful season of 2015-2016 and are ready for what the future awaits, whether it is college basketball or playing another year on Downey’s team.

Playing his last high school basketball game, number 3, senior, Matthew Ingersoll, believes basketball changed his life.

“Basketball has created a huge impact in my life; it made me who I am today,” Ingersoll said. “I hope and pray that we all continue to be successful in what we choose to do in life.”

The season officially came to an end, but the support from, not only the team, but also, Downey High School’s student body remains evident.

Surrounding himself with motivation and support from the team, number 12, junior, Aaron Garcia, shares words of encouragement for his team.

“The whole season this team has done nothing but work hard and motivate each other step by step,” Garcia said. “I want the seniors to work hard in college and the juniors to focus on next season.”

Although the Vikings were confident they would gain this victory, the quarterfinals did not go as anticipated, but they remain strong with the support from Viking Nation. The boys will stay motivated and train harder as they continue to focus on their basketball careers and future goals.

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Amanda Davila, Staff Writer

During the summer of 2015 at Huntington Beach’s U.S. Open, Amanda Davila could win an Oscar because she created a chaotic scene due to her fear of sharks.

“I had gone to the U.S. Open with my best friend Leslie, but this was a different experience,” Davila said. “I’m not one to create a scene.”

Davila talked about sighting what she thought were two sharks while being inside the ocean. She had seen two fins in the ocean; her first instinct was to start yelling about the so-called sharks. She immediately went to let the lifeguard to let them know what she had seen, but the lifeguards couldn’t make out what Davila was telling them because of how bad she was crying.

“It was a mistake; I swear I would have never done that,” Davila says. “Anyone would have freaked out if they saw sharks in the water, even if they weren’t exactly sharks.”

Throughout the chaos she created, she found out those two sharks in the water were actually two dolphins. She received some unfriendly stares and created enemies because of how she disturbed the beach, especially from a mother with three small crying children.

“This mom probably hated me for making her three small children cry,” Davila said. “I felt terrible.”

Leslie Murillo, who had gone with Davila, also provided more details about what had happened that day. Murillo being terrified of ocean water was more than happy to not have been involved with Davila’s chaos.

“I’m terrified of the ocean because you have no idea what is around you” Murillo said, “so I wasn’t in the water with Amanda when she yelled and I am so happy I wasn’t.”

Davila could have had a nice normal day at the beach. Instead she created a mess believing she had seen two sharks while swimming in the ocean. Lifeguards quickly began to evacuate people from the water; in the end to find out those two sharks were instead two dolphins.

Beatrice Peña, Staff Photographer

From shows like Cherry Glazerr to sold out arenas, junior, Beatrice Pena has made concerts a hobby, but out of the many she has been to she will never forget the performances put on by Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar on December 13, 2013 at the Honda Center in Anaheim where she also had an encounter with a ticket scalper.

“I went from seats all the way at the top of the stadium to being right in front of Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar,” Pena said, “It was an amazing experience to be so close to some of my favorite artists.”

As people settled into their seats at the Honda Center the atmosphere became wild with anxious people screaming and dancing to the opening act: Kendrick Lamar.

Serenity Reynoso, junior at Downey High School, agreed with Pena about the Kanye West concert being an amazing experience.

“I loved the Kanye concert definitely one of my favorites, “ Reynoso said, “The vibes from the concert were great; everyone was just so alive.”

A close friend of Pena, Junior, Leslie Murillo was able to enjoy the atmosphere of the Kanye West concert because she also attended, sharing a familiar experience with a ticket scalper.

“I got tickets the day of the actual concert from a ticket scalper at the door,” Murillo said, “I was in shock because we basically got into the sold out Kanye West concert for free.”

The Kanye West concert became a night to remember for multiple people, especially Beatrice Pena because she was able to celebrate her birthday only a few rows away from Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar.

The Downey Legend

The Downey Legend

Last Basketball Game of the Year

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