On the night of Friday, December 7, hundreds of fans were heard screaming and cheering at Depaul University’s Sullivan Athletic Center for Francis W. Parker’s annual White-Out game. The crowd went wild as Parker’s very own Gabe Rothschild drained a three-pointer against The Latin School of Chicago, taking an 11-4 lead. “Winter has that component of the White-out and Blue-out games serving as a second homecoming.” Athletic Director Bobby Starks said. “It helps create an exciting environment when we play our rival, Latin.”

As the Parker community anticipated an eventful night, so did the boys and girls basketball teams. In preparation for the game, the coaches put a lot of emphasis on the things the team needed to fix. “The most glaring aspect we needed to fix going into the game was our rebounding and discipline,” Assistant Head Coach Paul Samano said.

Going into the match, the boys team had some momentum, winning two out of three of their last games, including a win against Legal Prep, a team ranked high in the 2A division. “We played very well against Legal Prep and our loss against Northridge was close,” Samano said. “Most teams are taller than us, but when we box out and are able to get rebounds, we win.”

Junior Estelle Heltzer said the girls were also headed in the right direction going into the game, “I think this team is on the right track to success,” Heltzer said. “Everyday we come into practice ready to learn new material. The bond between our teammates is what makes the team so special to me. “

The stage was set as the Parker Varsity Girls team played Elmwood Park. The team only lost by one point. It was a heartbreaking loss for the girls team but one students really enjoyed watching. “I love watching all my classmates that I see in the hallways everyday play in such an exciting game,” sophomore Grace Conrad said, “I really wish we would’ve won because we were so close!”

During the boys’ warm up, the players were shooting ball through the net, while Drake blasted through the speakers. The Varsity Boys wore a new shooting shirt that read, “Never Give Up” in support their Head Coach, Kevin Snider who grew up with a speech impediment. Snider delivered an impactful pre-game speech, mentioning the fact his whole life he grew up with a stutter. He explained how he showed his resilience when he joined a speech contest, knowing he  was terribly embarrassed of his stutter. had a bad stutter. He never gave up. “Coach Snider’s speech was the best orally delivered presentation I’ve ever heard in my life,” junior point guard Oliver Manilow said. “It was truly inspiring when he told his story to us and it really stuck with me.” Trying to maintain the energy in the locker room, the boys team played Latin very close the whole game. Although the result of the game was a 50-40 loss, most of the game was a tennis match, with a lot of score changes throughout the 2nd and 3rd quarter.

The night of the game, fans were supporting their fellow classmates and peers on the team, holding up signs and wearing Parker gear. “I liked watching my fellow teammates play well,” Manilow said. “Watching Gabe Rothschild hit some threes was exciting, especially with how energized the crowd was.”

This is the game varsity players have marked on their calendars. They get to play in front of the all their friends and teachers they see in and out of the classroom everyday. “It’s really heart-warming to see all of your friends in the crowd supporting you and cheering you on,” Manilow said. “Hopefully we can get the dub next time”

Although both Parker teams lost, they have high expectations going into the rest of the season. “In the White-Out Game we had more than flashes of potential,” Samano said. “We had flashes of playing great basketball. At this point, it is consistency of playing at a higher level throughout all four quarters. We can shock some people, and beating Latin and the ISL championship is well within reach.”