Whether it was a powerful dunk by Latin senior Israel Hernandez or a deep three-pointer by a fellow teammate, the Latin Romans delivered on almost every play of their senior night against the Colonels. The result for Parker was a 67-34 loss on Friday, January 25th at the Sullivan Athletic Center.

After high school students finished their finals and got the day off of school that Friday, many came to support the Varsity Boys Basketball team for their “Blue-Out” game at the DePaul Sullivan Athletic Center. Parker and Latin play biannually, and students from both schools show up to games to cheer on their school with posters and their school merch. The Colonels did their best to spoil the Romans senior night but simply came up short.

“We only get two games like this a year,” junior Guard Gabe Rothschild said. “Coming out of finals week with basically no practice was tough, especially against an opponent like Latin. The challenge was: how are we going to respond to the setback.”

Unfortunately, the boys team wasn’t able to gain the momentum they needed. Through the duration of the game, they were trying to compensate for a large deficit.

Head Coach of the boys’ team, Kevin Snider, knew at half time things needed to change. “I told the guys that we needed to regroup and calm down,” Snider said. Snider knew it’s not easy coming back from a 20-point deficit, but he had a plan in mind.

He told the team, “The way you eat an elephant is one bite at a time. We don’t have a twenty point play. We need two pointers and to step up on defense.” Unfortunately, the Colonels weren’t successful in those goals that their coach sent out for them. “We never made our run,” Snider said.

The team walked back into the locker the room after the game with their heads down, shoulders slumped, and their faces completely shook. “The entire team felt terrible after the game,”  junior Guard Oliver Manilow said. “It’s hard continuously losing every year. We really wanted to win one. Next year will be different though.”

Many on the team knew that coming out of finals week was a challenge but Snider won’t blame the lack of practice on the outcome of the game. “I won’t say we were unprepared because this whole season is preparation,” Snider said.

Although, he did admit that more practice time would have benefitted the team. “Could we have done better with more time?” Snider said. “Absolutely.”

Although Parker lost once again, many students still find these games really fun to go to. “I enjoy being with everyone because I feel like when rooting on our school, we are unified and together,” sophomore Grace Conrad said. Conrad added an insightful opinion on why this game isn’t all about winning, “It’s not really about winning or losing because even when we lose, I still feel like we are together.”

The Latin and Parker rivalry is exciting for many. “A more competitive game is always better to watch, but the rivalry is so special that it creates a fun competitive environment for fans watching,” Athletic Director Bobby Starks said. “The outcome is one thing, but the Latin fans and the Parker fans make the event fun regardless.”

Additionally, Conrad noted the fact that there are many Parker families that come to support the team. “A lot of younger Parker families are involved in the experience and really enjoy going to these games,” Conrad said. “It goes to show how as a school we can come to together and appreciate something.”

Although Parker lost, there are still some things others appreciate. “It’s great to see that we got a chance to get some younger players some playing time,” Starks said. “Hopefully this can transition into next year so they can feel more comfortable playing in those games.”

The team is optimistic moving forward and doesn’t plan on losing to Latin next year. “If we put the work into the offseason, we can come back stronger next year,” Manilow said. “Next year I think we can beat Latin if we rise to the occasion.”

The coaching staff has also been a key role in the growth of the team. “I am very hopeful for the future of this team,” Starks said. “Consistency is key and with the same coaching staff, players know what to expect.”