TRADITION

Senior Schedule Poster
This poster is printed every August (thanks to sponsor Hotsy Pacific). The poster contains our schedule, & features all of our four-year Seniors, & our new uniforms for the upcoming season.

Four-Year Football Knight Patch
All Knights that participate on the football team, for four complete seasons, will get a patch to honor their commitment to Downey Football.

The Block “D”
In 2010, the Downey & Davis High principals agreed to start this tradition. The inspiration behind this is rooted in the “Big Stick game” tradition between La Loma & Roosevelt Junior High Schools. The winner of the annual contest between each team gets to retain the Block D, and paint it in their school’s colors. The D was created by Downey Alum Travis Gonsavles (’11) & by Downey High teacher, & Davis High alum Mike Schilperoot. It is a metal 18” high sculpture, welded & mounted on a oak block. The D is currently owned by Downey.

Straight A’s “Fathead”
Get straight A’s during football season, get a 5’ action wall-decall of yourself. Started in 2008, this tradition as grown each year. Thank you to our Booster Club, who now pays for the oversized wall-decals each year.

Knight Readers
This is another community event in which the Downey footballers serve our local youth. The varsity football team and cheerleaders visit the local elementary schools. While there, they read their favorite short stories, have fun at recess, and answer questions that the elementary students have.

Wall of Fame

Knights that achieve 1st Team All-League have their picture hung in the Team Room.

Downey Fight Song

After every game, at every level, the Downey football team and cheerleaders come together to sing the Fight Song. Win or lose, the fight song is sung loud and proud.

Knight of the Round Table Award
One of the oldest traditions at Downey High School, this award is given to one Four-Year Knight each year. The award honors a young man who best demonstrates excellence on and off the field, and is chosen by a committee of past recipients.

Senior Knight
The last home game of each year is a tribute to all of the parents & guardians of our Seniors'. It is a thank you to all of the support they have given their son over the course of their Downey football playing days.

Giant Helmet & Tunnel
A tradition for each home game, for each Downey team, is to run out of the 50’ long Downey giant helmet & tunnel. This is one of the fun extras used by our Knights to get pumped for the game.

TD Battle Flag
The biggest and baddest flag in all of Modesto, this 12’ monster flag leads the team out for every home game. It has also become tradition for the flag to race down the sideline after every touchdown.

Knight Under the Lights
This is a community event that brings out local youth for a fun activity-centered event in the stadium. It is hosted by our Varsity football team, and includes autographs from the players. Thank you to Hotsy Pacific for supplying free t-shirts to participants.

Head Coaches

Bob Ijams 1952 - 1954

Chuck Hughes 1955 - 1973

Dave Romano 1974 - 1978

Chuck Hughes 1979 - 1982

Nick Chipponeri 1983 - 1991

Russ Garcia 1992 - 1996

Frank Bispo 1997 - 2006

Jeremy Plaa 2007 -

Knight of the Round Table
1991    Jason Maggard
1992    Jacob D. Cinco
1993    Garett Stapp
1994    Matt W.Loretelli
1995    Andrew Powne
1996    Scott Sacuskie
1997    Scott Monday
1998    James Baker
1999    Brandon Bear/Gregory Hawn
2000    Christopher Layne
2001    (No recipient)
2002    Derek Cole/Daniel Hyde
2003    Bryant Kendall
2004    Royal Addis/Brad Bispo
2005    John Vega
2006    Brandon Lewis
2007    Cody Ball
2008    Brian Lee
2009    Daniel Barksdale/Jason Lee
2010    Michael Miller
2011 Caleb Lowe
2012    Aaron Zwahlen
2013    Michael Dean Barron

2014 Kimo Barron

2015 Dwayne heller jr

2016 aaric holt

2017 XAVIER LEWIS

2018 JACKSON BETZ

2019 DAVID GORMAN

2020 Isaiah Garcia

2021 Hayden Grant

Senior Schedule PosterThis poster is printed every August (thanks to sponsor Hotsy Pacific). The poster contains our schedule, & features all of our four-year Seniors, & our new uniforms for the upcoming season.

​Four-Year Football Knight PatchAll Knights that participate on the football team, for four complete seasons, will get a patch to honor their commitment to Downey Football.

Straight A’s “Fathead”Get straight A’s during football season, get a 5’ action wall-decall of yourself. Started in 2008, this tradition as grown each year. Thank you to our Booster Club, who now pays for the oversized wall-decals each year.

Wall of Fame

Knights that achieve 1st Team All-League have their picture hung in the Team Room.

Downey Fight Song

After every game, at every level, the Downey football team and cheerleaders come together to sing the Fight Song. Win or lose, the fight song is sung loud and proud.

Knight of the Round Table AwardOne of the oldest traditions at Downey High School, this award is given to one Four-Year Knight each year. The award honors a young man who best demonstrates excellence on and off the field, and is chosen by a committee of past recipients.

Senior KnightThe last home game of each year is a tribute to all of the parents & guardians of our Seniors'. It is a thank you to all of the support they have given their son over the course of their Downey football playing days.

Giant Helmet & TunnelA tradition for each home game, for each Downey team, is to run out of the 50’ long Downey giant helmet & tunnel. This is one of the fun extras used by our Knights to get pumped for the game.

TD Battle FlagThe biggest and baddest flag in all of Modesto, this 12’ monster flag leads the team out for every home game. It has also become tradition for the flag to race down the sideline after every touchdown.

Knight Under the LightsThis is a community event that brings out local youth for a fun activity-centered event in the stadium. It is hosted by our Varsity football team, and includes autographs from the players. Thank you to Hotsy Pacific for supplying free t-shirts to participants.

Head Coaches

Bob Ijams 1952 - 1954

Chuck Hughes 1955 - 1973

Dave Romano 1974 - 1978

Chuck Hughes 1979 - 1982

Nick Chipponeri 1983 - 1991

Russ Garcia 1992 - 1996

Frank Bispo 1997 - 2006

Jeremy Plaa 2007 -

Senior Schedule Poster
This poster is printed every August (thanks to sponsor Hotsy Pacific). The poster contains our schedule, & features all of our four-year Seniors, & our new uniforms for the upcoming season.

Four-Year Football Knight Patch
All Knights that participate on the football team, for four complete seasons, will get a patch to honor their commitment to Downey Football.

Straight A’s “Fathead”
Get straight A’s during football season, get a 5’ action wall-decall of yourself. Started in 2008, this tradition as grown each year. Thank you to our Booster Club, who now pays for the oversized wall-decals each year.

Knight of the Round Table Award
One of the oldest traditions at Downey High School, this award is given to one Four-Year Knight each year. The award honors a young man who best demonstrates excellence on and off the field, and is chosen by a committee of past recipients.

Senior Knight
The last home game of each year is a tribute to all of the parents & guardians of our Seniors'. It is a thank you to all of the support they have given their son over the course of their Downey football playing days.

Giant Helmet & Tunnel
A tradition for each home game, for each Downey team, is to run out of the 50’ long Downey giant helmet & tunnel. This is one of the fun extras used by our Knights to get pumped for the game.

TD Battle Flag
The biggest and baddest flag in all of Modesto, this 12’ monster flag leads the team out for every home game. It has also become tradition for the flag to race down the sideline after every touchdown.

Knight Under the Lights
This is a community event that brings out local youth for a fun activity-centered event in the stadium. It is hosted by our Varsity football team, and includes autographs from the players. Thank you to Hotsy Pacific for supplying free t-shirts to participants.