Godfrey steps down as Vikings soccer coach

DOWNEY – Brandon Hitchcock has been hired as the new head coach of Downey High School’s girls’ soccer team after serving the last six seasons as an assistant coach under Rachel Godfrey. Coach Hitchcock played at Long Beach City College and Marymount University, and is currently an assistant coach at LBCC.

Godfrey has stepped down after leading the Lady Vikings for the past eight seasons. Under Godfrey, the Lady Vikings were perennial S.G.V.L. champions, won two C.I.F. titles in 2012 and 2013, and made it to the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Division I state regionals.

The Lady Vikings finished last season with an overall record of 16-5-2 and were 10-0 in S.G.V.L. play. The Lady Vikings have amassed a 38-0-2 league record over the past four seasons.

•••

The Downey High School baseball team defeated cross-town rival Warren 7-2 on Tuesday to improve to 13-7 overall and 3-0 in S.G.V.L. play.

With the win, Downey is now on a 10-game win streak, while Warren fell to 13-2 overall and are now 1-2 in league play.

Downey senior pitcher Tyler Tungate was outstanding on the mound for Downey. With his effort Tuesday, Tungate improved to 6-1 on the season.

Downey will start Gabriel Llanes at Warren later today to conclude the home and away series.

Downey currently is on top of the S.G.V.L. standings with Gahr, Paramount and Warren looking to close the gap. Head coach Jess Gonzalez likes what he sees from his team and maintains that “any win is a big win in this league.”

•••

The Long Beach Press-Telegram released its annual Dream Team selections for wrestling last Saturday. Nine Downey Vikings and four Warren Bears received recognition.

Downey head coach Miguel Soto received Coach of the Year honors as well.

Downey had eight individual league champions, finished second at the C.I.F. Division 4 Dual Meet and finished fourth at this year’s C.I.F. Southern Section Inland Individuals. Downey had five wrestlers qualify for the Master’s Meet and one wrestler qualified for the State Meet.

Downey junior Mark Lopez (106), junior Dylan Moreno (152), senior Juan Soto (170) and senior Anthony Florido (285) were all selected to the first team. Freshman Armando Padilla (126), senior Johnny Robles (132), and senior Stephen Chavez (182) all earned second team honors. Senior Jorge Guerrero (195) and senior Benjamin Cuellar (220) earned honorable mention recognition.

Warren’s Zac Brito (138) was the only Bear wrestler selected to the second team. Bear junior Ricky Medina (106), junior Adrian Duarte (113) and senior Juaquin Durazo (285) all received honorable mention recognition.

Other San Gabriel Valley League wrestlers who received Dream Team recognition were Paramount junior Noe Sandoval (220) to the first team, Paramount junior Steven DeLeon to the second team, and Gahr junior Troy Orozco (182) and senior Francisco Noyola (113) honorable mention recognition.

Paramount senior Marjoree Fargas (106), Paramount sophomore Chazel Becerra (235), Gahr sophomore Ophelia Lara (150) and Dominguez senior Rhina Lopez (150) earned Girls Dream Team Honors.

•••

The Long Beach Press-Telegram continues to announce its annual Dream Team selections for winter sports. Warren High School’s Lady Bear water polo team had three first team Dream Team selections and head coach Josie Cordero was named Dream Team Coach of the Year.

Warren’s senior utility Kayla Casas, senior two meter Jocelyn Castro and senior utility Destiny Hernandez were all named to the first team. Casas was a four year starter for the Lady Bears and scored over 100 goals this past season. Casas was the S.G.V.L. MVP for the past two seasons and earned all C.I.F. honors the past two seasons as well.

Jocelyn Castro scored over 50 goals this past season and was an All-CIF selection for the second straight year. Destiny Hernandez earned All-CIF first team honors this past season by also scoring more than 50 goals. Hernandez was selected to the All-CIF second team after her sophomore and junior seasons.

Head coach Josie Cordero earned Dream Team Coach of the Year honors for the third time in 12 seasons. Cordero is quick to credit her coaching staff of Gabriel Martinez, Stephanie Rosero and Janine Boutte as a big reason for her team and program’s success. This coaching staff has guided the Lady Bears to three C.I.F. championship games in four years and two titles in 2011 and 2012.

Other S.G.V.L. players being selected to the Dream Team include Cerritos’ junior utility Julia Reyes to the first team, Cerritos’ junior Somer Piper to the second team and Cerritos’ junior Destiny Nguyen honorable mention recognition. Warren and Cerritos were the only San Gabriel Valley League teams who had players receiving Dream Team honors.

•••

St. John Bosco standout junior wrestlers Zahid (132) and Anthony (170) Valencia were selected as the Long Beach Press-Telegram’s co-wrestlers of the year. The Valencia brothers won their respective weight classes at the state championships in Bakersfield. Zahid Valencia finished his season with a record of 36-0 and Anthony Valencia finished his season at 33-0. The Valencia brothers have now won two state titles each.

Bosco’s Julian Gendreau (113) was selected to the first team as were junior Joseph Dominguez (138) and freshman Matt Williams (160). Bosco freshmen Danny Salas (160) and Josh Solomon (120) received honorable mention recognition for their efforts as well. St. John Bosco had five wrestlers qualify for the Master’s Meet at the Citizen’s Bank Arena in Ontario.

•••

Warren High School girls’ basketball senior guard Jacinda Reyes received Press-Telegram’s  Dream Team honorable mention recognition as did Downey senior forward Bukky Adefeso. Paramount senior guard Janel Jackson and Gahr freshman post Miranda Ta’Amu also received honorable mention recognition.

San Gabriel Valley League players receiving first team recognition were Gahr senior guard Ra’vyn Bowser, Lynwood senior guard Priscilla Lopez and Lynwood senior guard Jazmine Johnson. Lynwood senior post Ally Painter received second team recognition.

Long Beach Poly senior post Lajahna Drummer received Dream Team Player of the Year honors. Head coaches Carl Buggs of Long Beach Poly and Lorene Morgan of Millikan received Co-coaches of the Year honors, respectively.

**********

Published: April 24, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 02