SoCal Student Section of the Week (02/19/2020): Oxnard Swarm

Off Student Section Buzz,

Photo Credits/Lance Pascasio, Nevaeh Mireles

 

Oxnard has been one of the hottest basketball teams this season.

The Oxnard Swarm is no different. 

The Swarm has flown in to the stands with the Yellowjackets only losing one game this season.

Oxnard is one win away from heading to their first CIF-SS Finals in three years.

The Swarm wants to see their Yellowjackets on the main stage and they did their part last week with big wins over Highland of Palmdale and Crean Lutheran of Irvine.

Their school spirit and love for their basketball team was more than enough to be a finalist for the final Basketball SoCal Student Section of the Week.

The Swarm battled with the Bonita Den of La Verne, Fairmont Prep of Anaheim and Mt. Carmel Red Sea of San Diego.

The Swarm battled for a few hours, but the Swarm social media game was too strong as they took the SoCal Student Section of the Week title in a landslide.

We spoke to basketball player and Swarm leader Emery Barajas, volleyball player and Swarm leader Tess Holbert and ASB President Janessa Garcia, all seniors, on what it took to take the title!

 

You guys are the So Cal Student Section of the Week,  beating out the Bonita Den, Fairmont Prep Loud Crowd and Mt. Carmel Red Sea. What did it take to stand out as one of the best in Southern California?

Holbert: It took us being a family, there is a difference between being a school and a family. Families are there for each other through thick and thin.

Garcia: Continuously being there for our basketball team, cheering them on at every game no matter their opponent definitely helped us stand out. We’ve stepped up our game a lot with our basketball student section like giving out glow batons, the basketball team throwing t-shirts, and having more spirited themes so that we could make sure that the other schools not only hear how spirited we are, but also see it.

Oxnard and Pacifica of Oxnard has one of the best rivalries during football season. Talk about that rivalry?

Barajas: Having two schools in the same city can get intense, but imagine having two schools on the same street! The battle for Gonzales Road is always super fun and exciting. It feels like the whole city stops to watch that game.

Holbert: Our rivalry with Pacifica during football season is super exciting to witness, sadly I’ve missed the last two because of volleyball tournaments. But, from the pictures I see, our posters are out of this world.

Garcia: It’s absolutely incredible to be a part of something so amazing like this rivalry. Being in Student Government, this year we decided to start making our posters a month in advance which eventually led us to fill our entire home side which has never happened before. When I walked onto the field holding the “Gonzales Road”’ sign I think it definitely reminds both schools that as much as this is a game to see who wins, both our schools truly win because we get to be a part of what I would say, the best rivalry in SoCal.

What is your most memorable game you have ever attended as a member of the student section?

Barajas: Freshman year when Tanner Grey made a half court shot to win the game. Everyone rushed the court and it was the coolest thing ever.

Holbert: It’s hard to say because personally our volleyball games had the best crowds but of course I was playing. I am a little biased and love basketball so I am gonna have to say this years home game against Ventura for the basketball game because they won the Pacific View League title last year and because of the Ventura transfer. It was fun to watch!

Garcia: Definitely this past rivalry game. There’s already so much spirit surrounding that game but as a senior my best friend and I went all out and bought around eight confetti cannons and many packets of colored powder.

Favorite theme?

Barajas: My favorite theme is when everyone dresses in something wacky like Halloween costumes.

Holbert: They did a halloween costume theme for volleyball’s CIF round 2 game against Norco, it was awesome!

Garcia: The Hawaiian theme we had at the beginning of our football season was my favorite because many more people participated than I expected. The game was so spirited and the fact that we were all in Hawaiian gear made our school much more united.

Favorite chant?

Barajas: O-town!

Holbert: O-town without a doubt.

Garcia: The “O-Town” chant is my favorite just because it not only is a chant that we as the student body created, but it’s so much fun to chant to other schools to show them who we are.

What’s your least favorite chant that you hear from the other side of the stadium/gym?

Barajas: ‘We can’t hear you!’ They know they can hear us!

Holbert: I would say if they yell scoreboard, but we never hear that because we usually are winning!!

Garcia: If I’m being honest I don’t hear other schools chant a chant that I don’t like to hear. However, when other schools try and do the “party chant”, it always gets our school so excited because then we do it and are much louder.

Outside of you guys, is there one student section that you have seen or heard about where you think, “Man, that is a good student section?”

Garcia: Definitely have to say South Hills! They’re spirit is insane and I love it! I am always so in awe when I see videos of their schools sections.