The Cage of All Cages

Tradition. That’s what this Friday night marks. This is a cage unlike any other cage and it only comes out once a year. The sight of 800 plus students unified as one fills up half of the gym. The Cage does not joke around on this annual day and always comes prepared to win. Four years ago from this week marks how the Cage became known as one of the best student sections in the valley.

2012- Crespi. Chaminade’s rival. Earlier that season, Chaminade lost to Crespi 71-54 and wanted to avenge its loss. An hour before tip-off, some 800-plus students rushed into the gym only to be packed like sardines, all donning the same white Cage t-shirt. To the Celts’ surprise, Chaminade had quite the home-court advantage to say the least. Chaminade eventually won 66-57, beginning a tradition in the process. This was the birth of Chaminade’s Winter Informal Dance—immediately following the game, the student body flooded into the cafeteria and celebrated the upset win.

2013-The Silent Knight. Though the blowout win might not have shown it in the scorebook, this was certainly the loudest the Cage has been in recent memory. Not only was the student section larger than the previous year but it was also much more organized. Roughly 900 kids packed together to fit into one space that was made for around half of that, leading to an unforgettable night for all. The leaders called it the Silent Knight because the 900-person Cage was completely silent for the first 10 points for Chaminade. It wasn’t until former Chaminade player, Trevor Stanback, who was then a freshman, dunked during the first 10 points, that the Cage almost lost that silence, but thankfully it powered through. The game ended 71-51 Chaminade, going into the third year of this tradition 2-0.

2014-War Zone vs. Cage.  The pressure was on to win the third year in a row. The Eagles entered the game at 15-2 while their counterparts from Mission Hills were 14-5, leading to what was surely the most competitive of all three Cage of All Cages. Coach Todd Wolfson’s face could be found all over the gym, on the shirts of the hundreds of students who had purchased them beforehand. This game was a classic rivalry game, close and aggressive. Finally, Chaminade pulled out a 63-60 win that was unquestionably aided by The Cage.

 2015- Going 3-0 into what is known as the Cage of All Cages. The Eagles are hoping to take away another win for the books against Harvard-Westlake. Not only is this Giant Cage amazing for the students but also it’s electrifying for the players. Having the support of the majorly of Chaminade students gives the players confidence to bring home the W for Chaminade.  

—Emma Nairin ‘15