DOWNEY – The Downey Unified School District will begin classes for all students on Wednesday, August 17. With the beginning of the academic school year, so comes the return of middle school sports. 

Doty won the city champions trophy in 2015-16 with 16 team championships and look to defend that title in 2016-17 school year.

The 2016-17 school year will kick off the first rotation with football and girls’ volleyball. Stauffer was the 8th grade boys’ city champion in football, Doty was the 7th grade boys’ city champion and Stauffer was the 6th grade boys’ city champion in 2015. Griffiths and Stauffer were co-champions in 8th grade girls’ volleyball, Doty was the 7th grade girls’ city champion and Doty was also the 6th grade girls’ city champion in 2015.

The second rotation will feature boys’ volleyball and girls’ soccer. Doty was the 8th grade boys’ city champion in volleyball, Sussman was the 7th grade boys’ city champion and Griffiths was the 6th grade boys’ city champion in 2015. Stauffer was the varsity girls’ city champion in soccer and Doty was the junior varsity city champion in 2015.

The third rotation will feature boys’ and girls’ basketball and boys’ soccer. Stauffer was the 8th grade boys’ city champion in basketball, Sussman was the 7th grade boys’ city champion and Doty was the 6th grade boys’ city champion in 2015. Doty was the city champion in 8th, 7th and 6th grade girls’ basketball in 2015.

The fourth rotation will feature baseball and softball. Stauffer was the varsity city champion in baseball and Sussman was the junior varsity city champion in 2015. Griffiths was the city champion in both varsity and junior varsity softball in 2015.

The fifth and final rotation will feature boys’ and girls’ track and field. Doty was the city champion in 8th, 7th and 6th grade boys’ track and field in 2015. Doty was also the city champion in 8th, 7th and 6th grade girls’ track and field in 2015.

Coaches and players are looking forward to trying out, practicing and competing this year in hopes of bringing home the city champions trophy to their respective school.

■ The Super Cup NI 2016 soccer tournament has come and gone and the Southern California-based Premier Division Strikers FC finished the tournament with a record of 1-4. 

The Strikers FC were defeated by Ponte Preta 4-0 in the Bowl 3rd/4th place playoff game. This older team is also referred to as the 1999 Premier Team due to the players’ birthdates.

The Premier Division Strikers FC had two Paramount High School players representing the San Gabriel Valley League, southern California and the United States. Senior Chris Perez and junior Brian Duarte made the trip to Northern Ireland and competed. Perez and Duarte are widely considered to be among two of the area’s best players. 

The Strikers FC defeated Otago 6-0 in their first game on 7/25, were defeated by Osasco FC 2-0 in their second game on 7/26 and were defeated by eventual tournament runner-up Hibernian 2-0 in their third game on 7/27. The Strikers finished the quaifying round with a record of 1-2 and were placed in the Bowl semifinal bracket with Right to Dream, Real Sociedad and Ponte Preta. 

The Strikers were defeated by Real Sociedad 3-0 in their semifinal game on 7/28 and were then defeated by Ponte Preta 4-0 in their fifth and final game on 7/29. The Premier Division Strikers finished 16th out of 22 teams competing in the Super Cup NI tournament.  

Downey head coach Marvin Mires and Paramount head coach Rafa Villasenor are both proud of these young players and for this excellent opportunity they have had to play in and compete at the international level.

■ The Junior Division Strikers FC finished the same tournament with a record of 2-2-1. 

The Strikers FC were defeated by the Rangers 1-0 in the Globe 3rd/4th place playoff game. This younger team is also referred to as the 2001 Junior Team due to the players’ birthdates.
The Junior Division Strikers FC had three Downey High School players representing the San Gabriel Valley League, southern California and the United States. Sophomores Cesar Ruvalcaba, John Guerra and Oliver Juarez are all widely considered to be among three of the area’s best young players. 

The Strikers FC defeated County Fermanagh 2-0 in their first game on 7/25, defeated Swindon Town 3-1 in their second game on 7/26 and tied Middlesbrough 0-0 in their third game on 7/27. The Strikers finished the qualifying round with a record of 2-0-1 and were placed in the Globe semifinal bracket with County Down, County Armagh and the Rangers. 

The Strikers were defeated by County Armagh 1-0 in their semifinal game on 7/28 and were then defeated by the Rangers 1-0 in their fifth and final game 0n 7/29. The Junior Division Strikers finished 8th out of 26 teams competing in the Super Cup NI tournament.  

Downey head coach Marvin Mires is extremely proud of these young players and for this excellent opportunity they have had to play in and compete at the international level.

■ The Downey Ponytail 14U finished second out of 52 teams at the ASA 14-Under “B” Western National Championships. The tournament was held July 26-31 at La Bonita Park in La Habra.

Downey defeated Elk Grove 13-0 in their first game and then defeated Murrieta 6-2 in their second game to win their pool and advance to the double elimination tournament as the number one seed. Downey then defeated Ontario 11-5 in their third game, defeated Murrieta again, 11-5, in their fourth game and defeated a team from Arizona 14-0 in their fifth game.

After playing five games, Downey 14U was 5-0.

Downey was finally defeated by Fullerton Hills 8-2 in their sixth game on Saturday night and fell into the loser’s bracket. Downey was not eliminated from tournament play with their first loss. On Sunday morning the girls defeated Rialto 7-5 in their seventh game and then defeated a team from Montana 11-0 in their eighth game. 

The Downey girls then defeated the same Fullerton Hills team 16-15 in a rematch of their first game to advance to the championship game where they were defeated by a very talented La Canada team 8-2. Downey played a total of ten games in the tournament and won eight of the 10.

Coach Nate Harris is extremely proud of his players and said that “these girls have worked hard the entire season and finished as District Champions, State Finalists and National Finalists.”