On Friday December 13 the Parker Colonels beat the Latin Romans in an intense back and forth battle to become the Clark Street champions. As the scoreboard went back and forth “we were all yelling and cheering together and everyone was having fun. It was super cool,” sophomore Alayna Mack said. The final score was 71 – 69 for the Colonels after being down at the end of the first quarter, up at halftime, down at the third quarter, and tied midway through the fourth.
The game featured many “exciting plays and fun chants,” freshman Vada Mescudi said. Some of the chants included: “He’s a freshman” after ninth grader Christopher Chiles scored, “You can’t do that” after a foul was made, and “Let’s go Parker” during time outs.
“The Clark Street games were both so much fun. The whole school was actually like one body like we talk about at the beginning of the year,” Mack said. The action packed game was filled with many emotions and high tensions. “The reactions were crazy, especially with the fight over the ball and all of the three pointers,” Mescudi said, “but the end was definitely the best part. It was so great to watch such an engaging game but win at the end.”
The girls basketball team also played their Clark Street Classic game however, “I do wish we had a more packed section for us,” senior and captain Spencer Dunbar said. The girls team ended up winning in a blowout with the final score being 63 – 6. ““The game went so well, and everyone on the team scored! I’m so immensely proud of the team and how well we played together,” Dunbar said. “ I just wish more people saw it.”
Each year the Clark Street Classic games bring much of the student body out to watch, each section cheers as loud as possible, however the game is not just about basketball. “ I really enjoyed hanging out with my friends before and during the game, it was probably my favorite part other than Parker winning,” Mescudi said. Each student section watched as the scoreboard went back and forth and cheered for their team accordingly. “It really was unclear who was going to win until the last four minutes when Parker had the advantage, but even then, Latin almost beat us,” Mack said.
The games were held at the DePaul University Sullivan Athletic Center “which was different and a lot better than the venue last year. I think it was just more accessible for people,” Mescudi said. “It is kind of a tradition to hold it at DePaul, and I liked that they switched it back even if it was a different room.” The traditions associated with the basketball games go back decades and are a trademark rivalry game between Latin and Parker. This year however, only the boys basketball team played Latin.he girls basketball team played Josephinum Academy. For Dunbar it did not matter as “it feels bittersweet that this is one of my last traditions on the basketball team as a senior, and I’m just trying to soak up the memories and have fun for the rest of the season. Basketball has been such an important part of my life, and I have been watching the seniors play their Clark Street Classic game since I was a freshman, and to have done it myself is such a big nostalgic moment.”
Each part of the game holds a specific part of fans’ hearts, and Mescudi described what made the games memorable. “The popcorn snacks, the yelling and chanting, everything. I think that at the game we really act like a Parker community and “to win just made it even better.” .
