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vol . 5 , no. 20 : january 14-20, 2026 : losgatan.com
o'connor trial p6 : homebuilding in mexico p10 : mayor's message p11 : bettina's of lg to close p12 Faizi Samadani /Los Gatan
THE WILDCATS CONTINUE TO TAKE OPPONENTS TO THE MAT LGHS wrestling team is as solid as ever
LOCAL PERSIAN COMMUNITY REACTS TO THE PROTESTS IN IRAN New owner of boutique Manaz plans to change shop’s name to Melodie
Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor Faizi Samadani, Contributor
When the the talented trio of Luke Schoch, Michael Terrell and Wesley Hayden burst onto the scene last year as freshmen, they provided a clear glimpse into the future of the Los Gatos High School wrestling program. True to form, the trio have done nothing to suggest a sophomore slump is anywhere near the horizon. All three wrestlers entered the week ranked in the top 15 in the state in their respective weight classes—Terrell is No. 9 in the 144-pound weight class, Schoch is No. 12 at 126 pounds and Hayden is No. 13 at 150. “They train so hard at perfecting wrestling,” Varela said. “I commend them on how hard they train. They’re all in, they do everything the right way, they listen to me, but most importantly, they’re good people. I’m proud to have them on the team.” T he Wildcats have won the SCVAL De Anza Division championship in every season since Varela became the LGHS coach starting in the 2018-2019 school year. Although Varela values victories on the scoreboard, it’s the process of daily improvement that really resonates with him. “My highlights aren’t really the wins and losses,” he said. “It’s watching the kids come together, compete well, rooting for each other, training together and sacrificing for each other—those are my highlights. I’m loving where we are as a team; we’re doing ➝ Wrestling, 8
In February 1979, the Shah of Iran was overthrown by the Iranian Revolution, which installed Islamic leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leading many Persians to migrate outside of their homeland. The largest subculture of Persians outside of Iran is in Los Angeles, but the Bay Area has a high concentration, too. With the latest protests and the potential for another revolution happening in Iran now, the Los Gatan reached out to local Persian business owners to get their take on the situation. In 2008, Melody Derakshandeh moved to America from the Netherlands, after her family migrated there from Iran. With a rich love for fashion, Derakshandeh long had an affinity for opening her own store. And last month, that dream became a reality. She’s now the owner of clothing boutique Manaz on Main Street. ➝ Iran, 7
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CHANGES Melody Derakshandeh, the new owner of Manaz, plans to rebrand the store as “Melodie,” shortly.
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