Few Students, Many Supporters at Catholic Memorial Tournament Game

Image: What would have been the Catholic Memorial student section just before tipoff.

BOSTON, MA - They were told not to go, and for the most part, they were neither seen or heard.

With a ban from school administrators, few students from Catholic Memorial High School could be seen in the TD Garden stands during the school’s state semifinal 77-73 loss to Cambridge Rindge and Latin. While there was a still a large crowd for both teams, those wearing the CM colors of red and white looked liked they got their high school degrees decades ago or were still a few years away from applying to the private catholic school.

It was only four days earlier that the CM student section set off a blaze of controversy with one chant and three words. As the MIAA Division 1 South final at Newton South High School between CM and Newton North started, fans instantly made the game memorable, but not in the way either school would hope.

“Sausagefest,” the Newton North fans chanted at the fan section for the all-boys school.

“You killed Jesus,” the Catholic Memorial fans replied to the school from a city with a large Jewish population.

CM officials were quick to react, making the student section individually apologize to the Newton North Interim Principal Mark Aronson and releasing a statement the next day that read in part

“Catholic Memorial School is deeply disturbed by the behavior of a group of student spectators who made an unacceptable chant Friday night while playing Newton North High School.

We have been the subject of hurtful chants as well and we will work diligently within our own community and with other schools to end this abhorrent behavior. Catholic Memorial School believes deeply that intolerance, of any kind, is unacceptable. We apologize for the actions of our students and we will continue to strenuously address this issue within our community.”

On Monday, it was reported that CM asked their student body to not attend the game, an order that was largely followed and it showed. While Rindge and Latin student section cheered and started the game with a “we can’t hear you chant” no response came from the area that would have been the CM student section.

Polite claps and cheers replaced chants, as parents and adults occasionally rose to contest ref’s call.

There were still some in CM colors that looked like they belonged in high school. When a Patch reporter went to speak with a group of students dressed in the red on the CM side, the students said that nothing would stop them from missing the game, but as the section attracted more media attention, the students refused to talk, with two girls admitting that they really went to Braintree High School. Prior to the game, a Braintree High School fan Twitter page directed students to go to the game wearing CM colors.

Another section of about a half-dozen students in CM clothing stood quietly near the team’s tunnel, occasionally cheering. When asked about their attendance, the group said they could not talk and had no comment

To Rindge and Latin’s credit, the controversy was never mentioned by their fans beyond the opening chant, with fans mainly sticking to shouting their city’s name.

As CM pulled to within 1 with 6:17 to play, the quiet side all of sudden broke into a CM chant on par with their opponent's side. CM tied the game at 73-73 with 1:38 left on the clock, but two quick baskets with under a minute to play from Rindge and Latin meant a 77-73 defeat for CM and the end of the team's tournament run.

After the game, CM coach Denis Tobin brushed off any suggestions that Friday’s incident had an effect on Monday’s loss.

“It didn’t bother our team at all. We practiced last night and we played today, it didn’t bother us at all,” he said.

When asked if they were hurt by the lack of a student section, Tobin replied, “Not at all. We lost because Cambridge beat us.”