CYO Basketball

CYO teams bring rivalries, begin competitions

BY WILL BASKA

Staff Writer

The echoes of a bouncing basketball permeate through the halls of North Campus. Inside the otherwise empty building, a competitive, yet light-spirited contest resumes – CYO basketball.

This is not a congregation of elementary school ballers in an auxiliary high school gym, but instead the childhood dreams of teenagers across the metro manifesting into reality. Here, skill is not the factor. Enjoyment is.

The program has been around for years, and the hype seems to be increasing each winter. For many, CYO basketball is more than just an enjoyable workout, but an escape.

“After playing basketball freshman year, me and my friends decided it would be more fun to do CYO,” said junior Norah Fitzgerald, who plays on the reigning champion GerBALLS. “I feel like I’m a high school basketball player, only it’s more fun and less competitive.”

Not only does the program give students the opportunity to live out their fantasies, but according to senior Harrison Roth it serves as a conducive outlet for teen health.

“I feel like it’s a really good thing for teenagers because we have fun staying active,” Roth said. “Kids could be out making bad decisions, but instead we’re here having a blast.” As the season proceeds under way, the deepseeded lore of team relations infiltrates the league. Rivalries have historically

had an air of comical importance for students participating. Roth, a proud member of the Gerbers, says it’s what truly makes the season. “Gerbs vs. Heifs is always the big one,” Roth said in reference to the two Miege teams in the senior boys league. “We’ll get a crowd and have a rager of a game.” Though many rivalries are born from We’ll get a crowd “ interschool play, some originate from the same old high school matchups students are accustomed to. and have a rager of a game. “My team has a really big rivalry with an Aquinas team,” Fitzgerald said. “It started last year and we got to beat

SENIOR HARRISON ROTH “them in the championship.” While the program exists as a channel for easy-spirited fun, sophomore Abby Cleveland says her team is enjoying the heat of competition. “We are taking it pretty seriously,” Cleveland said. “We are definitely in it to win the championship.” As rivalries develop and friendly banter fills the halls, students are sure to relish in the Saturday afternoons that will place them in big moments with little stakes. “I’m probably just looking forward to winning it all,” Fitzgerald said. “I know we are here to play.”

GAME UNFOLDS Hand on the ball, Caroline Findley retrieves the ball on Dec. 10. The sophomore team, Uncrustaballaz, defeated the team Hey Mamas with a score of 32-17. | NATALIE MARTINEZ

SENIOR PLAYS On Dec. 3, the senior team, the Gerbers lost to the Tropics with a score of 56-53. The game was played at North Campus. | ANA GAJEWSKI

TEAMS:

Senior Boys: Jr Heifers Gerbers Senior Girls: BBB McDoubles Basket Hounds Junior Boys: BBB Junior Girls: GerBALLS Triple M Sophomore Boys: New Testament Sophomore Girls: Motherdunkers Uncrustaballaz

ON MY MIND Brush in hand freshmen MaryCate Dunn and Mia Coniglio work on their art projects during Drawing and Painting I on Dec. 6. “I was working on this painting yesterday, and it’s supposed to be a interpetation of feeling controlled,” Dunn said. “I’m doing that through using bright colors against the dark background to make it feel more vivid.”

WALLS DOWN

With an exacto knife, freshman Emilio Duran smoothes down the cardboard edges of his house. “It’s not lining up to make the walls even,” Duran said.

ECHO-HOME

In Survey of Art, freshman Hailey Hodge makes an environmetnally sustainable home on Dec. 6. “I like my friends and painting,” Hodge said. “I needed to get my art credit, so I took it.”

RULES TO BUILD

Measuring cardboard, freshman Susi Garcia Pacheco and sophomore Julian Bustamante work on their houses during Survey of Art.

SUPPORT THE SEA

Holding tape, sophomore

Greyson DeKeyser tapes down the canvas to keep the canvas stretched.

“I’m painting a sea cape, not based on a photo or anything,” DeKeyser said. “I started painting last year and this year, and I took these classes because I thought it would be fun. “