Warren High School boys and girl’s soccer teams won CIF championships on the same day. From left, Girl’s Head Coach Lily Dussan, Helen Soriano, Rin Soto, Diego Montes, Daniel Jimenez and Boy’s Head Coach Carlos Soto. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

DOWNEY – There were many sports highlight stories in 2025. Three CIF Southern Section team championships, one CIF SS individual championship and three CIF SS finalists.

Two sports highlights happened on the same day, at the same location, in back-to-back games. One school.

Christmas came early on March 1 for the Warren High School boys and girls soccer teams.

This year’s top sports story was a storybook finish on the same day in back-to-back games, as the Warren High School soccer teams each won CIF titles. (See March 20 Issue). The boys D3 win was immediately followed by the girls D2 victory.

It was the second title for the boys and first for the girls. The boys won their initial championship in 2013.

“It was big, unheard of and never happened before, and for it to happen at the same time for both programs is something special,” said Warren High boys soccer head coach Karlo Soto, of the dual championships. “It’s a great honor and love to represent the city to be a high school that can show the quality of soccer that we have and win championships and to be honored for that (In the Downey Patriot) is special.”

Warren High girls soccer coach Lily Dussan also said, “It was so neat to share (the championships) with the boys soccer and for soccer itself and for our city and the community.

“It lets people know that in Downey it put (us) on the map and we got ourselves out there. Our soccer program at Warren just says a lot.”

Warren Girls 2, Thousand Oaks 1

Leading up to the final, Warren defeated Vista Murrieta, 2-1, to open the playoffs, followed by shutouts in the second round (1-0 over Oak Hills) and the quarterfinals, 2-0, over El Rancho. The semifinal, which is where the 2024 season ended, went into overtime, with the Bears eventually winning, 5-3, on penalty kicks over Mira Costa to advance to the title game.

In the 2-1 championship win over Thousand Oaks, senior midfielder Mayilen Salazar scored in the first half and junior midfielder Allison Bravo scored the game-clinching goal in the second half.

Leading the way in the eight playoff games was senior forward Alexis Delgado with four goals, while Bravo had three.

Highlighting the championship, was a trip to the CIF So Cal Regional championships, as they won their first-round game, 1-0, over La Costa Canyon, a 3-2 win in the Regional semifinals and losing in the title game, 5-0, to Patrick Henry.

The girls recorded a very impressive record of 21 wins, four losses and three ties and scored 49 goals in the season. Even more impressive was the 11 shutouts, led by sophomore goalkeeper Rin Soto, who recorded 86 saves. Three of those shutouts came in the playoffs. Soto is the daughter of the boys team coach, Karlo Soto.

“This championship winning squad has been building toward greatness for four years,” said Dussan, who has been in the program for 11 years as head coach and 15 overall. “From the moment they stepped onto the field as freshmen, their coaches saw something special.”

Assisting Dussan on varsity are Jazlyn Arevalo and Jessika Perez and new JV coaches this year are Valery Cruz and Andrea Reyes.

What the players said:

Rin Soto, junior goal keeper: “It’s very exciting just knowing that both teams won on the same day and the same field with the same amount of parents. It was very nice and exciting. I feel really blessed to be part of this team. Last year we just stepped it up”

Helen Soriano, senior defender: “It’s super exciting and just grateful to be part of the program that could take it all the way. And the outcome was really good and making it to the state finals. We all push each other.

“I was super shocked that it would be something this big and I’m really appreciative of everything. It happened in March, but it’s still continuing now.”

**Warren High School boys and girl’s soccer teams won CIF championships on the same day. From left, Helen Soriano, Rin Soto, Diego Montes and Daniel Jimenez. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)**

Warren Boys 3, Anaheim 0

The boys offensive showing in the four games amounted to 17 goals and two shutouts.

They opened the playoffs with a first-round, 4-3 double overtime PK (4-2) win over Fountain Valley, a 5-0 shutout over Banning in the second round and a 2-1 win over Beaumont in the quarterfinals.

They concluded the playoffs with six goals in the final two playoff games, with a 3-1 win in the semifinals over Torrance and their second shutout, a 3-0 win over Anaheim in the championship.

In the playoffs, they were led by six goals from senior forward Ezequiel Santana and four PKs by sophomore defender Diego Montes.

“It’s amazing to get a shutout in the championship,” Montes said. “It just shows the type of focus we had on the other team.”

Santana opened the title game with a goal midway through the first half on a header.

Montes then added his fourth PK of the playoffs later in the half to lead, 2-0, and Santana finished it off in the second half with his second of the game.

“I was overjoyed by this 2025 CIF championship, which was very similar to the 2013 championship,” said Soto, comparing the two titles.

In the CIF So Cal Championships, the Bears were tied, 2-2, in the first-round game against Point Loma at the end of regulation and won on PKs to advance to the Regional semifinals, where they lost, 4-0, to eventual Champion Harvard Westlake, 4-0.

They finished the season with a 20-9-3 overall record.

Assisting coach Soto is Victor Silva and Omar Lopez.

What the players said:

Diego Montes, junior defender: “It’s amazing to share the moment with the girls. To be part of history for this school. Hearing that both the girls and boys won on the same day and in the same place, you never hear of it. It’s extraordinary.

“It’s amazing because we get to represent the program, not only the team, but the program.”

Daniel Jimenez, senior goal keeper: “It’s exciting that both teams won. It’s a great accomplishment for the school and it’s really rare to see boys and girls win it together.”

St. John Bosco wins CIF SS and So Cal titles

After falling short in the CIF championship game the year before, Bosco came back to win its first CIF Championship for the school with a 3-2 walk-off victory over Santa Margarita in nine innings at Goodwin Field at Cal State Fullerton last June. (See June 6 issue).

In fact, after that CIF title loss in 2024, the Braves came back and won their first ever CIF So Cal Regional Championship and ran the table this past season, winning four games in the southern section playoffs and for the second consecutive year came away with another So Cal Regional Championship. They currently have won seven straight postseason games, 11 out of the last 12 over the last two seasons and are currently on a 19-game win streak heading into the 2026 season.

The dramatic finish in this years CIF D1 title game came in extra innings after the bases were loaded and junior centerfielder Miles Clark hit a solid single up the middle scoring freshman second baseman Aaron Garcia.

“It was indescribable,” said Bosco second-year coach, Andy Rojo, of the win. “You hate to see a loser in a game like this. This is the first CIF Baseball Championship in school history, and these guys just fought all year long.”

John Glenn’s Aaliah Enriquez wins CIF Wrestling title

Enriquez, who won her first CIF Individual title in her sophomore year, became the fifth Enriquez to win individual titles and the first to win two. (See March 7 issue).

Her father Monico, a 1995 winner, spoke of his champion daughter.

“I’m so proud of Aaliah,” he said. “She has worked so hard these last three years. I am a little sad that her high school career is now over, but I am so excited to see her compete in the future.”

Also winning individual titles were her uncles (Juan and Adrian) and cousin Juan.

Aaliah finished her senior year with a 38-11 record and qualified for CIF State competition for the first time as she finished second at the Masters.

“Wrestling was something that I always wanted to do my whole life, but as a girl it was harder to do and it’s definitely something I put a lot of hard work into.”

Downey Girls Water Polo D2 Finalist

The girls team, which advanced to its second championship game in the last eight years, has raised the program to new heights with its consistent deep playoff runs.

In this years final, the Vikings lost to Murrieta Valley, 8-6. (See Feb. 28 issue)

Leading the way for the Vikings was senior 2 Meter player Aleaha Gonzalez and sophomore utility Marissa Fierro with two goals each, while senior utility Alyson Rouse and junior attacker Alia De La Mora had a goal each.

Downey finished the year with a program best 22-4 record under the leadership of coach Uriel Villa.

In addition to the championship appearance, the Vikings also qualified for the CIF So Cal playoffs.

Downey senior attacker Berlynn Mani said after the game, “I think we were a good reflection of our coaches and their hard work that they put in the program.

“I always go by the motto, ‘leave everything in the pool’ and I think that’s what I did. I think the program is really good right now and not everybody gets to CIF and not everybody plays for a division 2 championship and I’m really proud of playing with my teammates. I think they are amazing people.”

Calvary Chapel falls short in boys CIF VB Championship

The Calvary Chapel Downey boys volleyball team made a historic run through the CIF D9 playoffs, culminating with the championship match.

Unfortunately, the Grizzlies fell in straight sets, 3-0, to CAMS. It was their first ever CIF final. (See May 23 Issue).

The Grizzlies advanced to the title match after a monumental come-from-behind semifinal victory over Beverly Hills.

“I’m proud for my boys and proud of everything that we were able to accomplish,” Calvary coach Jeremiah Mitte said. “It (the loss) stings, because of how everything played out and they gave everything that they had, and they are just so much stronger. It was just not our day.”

Senior outside hitter Jonah Heinz led the Grizzlies with five kills in the match, while sophomore opposite Andrew Rubio had four kills.

PMA Football finishes as runners-up in D6 Championship

After the second year in a row advancing to the CIF Championship game, St. Pius-St. Matthias Academy has established itself as a contender each and every year.

The Warriors fell to Ventura in the title game before an overflow crowd at the campus stadium. (See Dec. 1 online story)

It’s been a great five-year run for the PMA football team.

With one CIF-Southern Section championship, three finals appearances, two CIF runner-up’s, one semifinal appearance and a CIF State runner-up, PMA coach Devah Thomas has put the Warriors on the map.

“It’s been a great run with some great senior leadership,” said Thomas, of the last couple of years.

Last year they won their first title in school history with a 38-19 win over Serrano.

“It’s been a wonderful ride my two years here, almost picture-perfect,” said PMA athletic director James Covell, since he came to the Downey-area school. “Credit to these seniors. They worked hard.

“They really set the foundation for this program. (PMA) is definitely an option for youth and coach Thomas is a wonderful leader and leader of men. I’m excited for where this program is going.”

PMA baseball qualifies for first CIF playoff in 30 years

For the first time in 30 years, the St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy Warriors Baseball team qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

“100 percent, I knew it was a CIF moment,” said PMA first-year coach Scott Sovern, of the playoff-clinching 11-6 win over St. Genevieve.

Pitching a strong seven innings for the Warriors was senior Joshua Rios. Three players – right fielder Angel Garcia (2 for 3), catcher Christian Maldonado (2-3) and third baseman Joshua Gomez (2-4) all had two hits each in the game.

It was a big turn around for the baseball program, as they previously had only three wins in the last three years.

“It’s been unbelievable of what these kids have accomplished this year,” added Sovern.

First league boys soccer title for Calvary in 15 years

For the first time in 15 years, the Calvary Chapel Downey High School Boys Soccer team claimed the Express League Championship with a 5-1 win over host Southlands Christian, Wednesday January 29.

Calvary last won a Delphic League title in 2009 with a 9-1 record.

Leading the way for Calvary was junior striker Gerry Carrillo with three goals.

“Our guys are resilient and want to win just as much as I do,” said Calvary first-year coach Neftali Carrera, of the monumental win. “I told them no excuses and play your game and go 100 percent and give it everything you can.

“I’m proud of these guys. I’ve seen these guys grow up these past four years and develop.”

Christmas came early for the 2025 Top Sports story: Warren girls, boys soccer teams win CIF championships