We’re at that point in the boys basketball season – between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs – where OC Varsity attempts to answer what might be the most hotly debated question in the county:
Which schools have the best student sections?
Back in 2013, having seen the spectacular displays of spirit and support across the county, OC Varsity put together the first Orange County student section rankings.
A great tradition was started, and OC Varsity enjoyed seeing the school spirit grow bigger and stronger each year.
This year, we’ve asked our reporters to pick out their most memorable student sections and moments from this season.
They saw and heard a lot ….
Here is what they had to say:
STEVE FRYER
On any given night once league play begins in basketball, there are three or four or five games I would like to attend.
I can’t be in three or four or five places at once. So I haven’t been in every gym and experienced every student section.
There are many outstanding student sections in Orange County. I wish I could have witnessed all of them. There are some great ones I know I missed.
Here are some that made an impression this season …
Los Alamitos: The Grif-fans have the largest student-section group. Well organized. They do it the right way: loud, proud and positive.
Santa Margarita: The Eagles Nest might be the funniest group in Orange County. They might have some running inside jokes, if I understood them correctly. Bonus points: I’ve got a white Eagles Nest shirt from a year or so ago. It’s one of my favorite beach tees.
Servite: The Asylum did some Star Wars production that only The Asylum could do. Sometimes, The Asylum is better than the game. Sometimes, though, they are little too mean to opposing people.
Trabuco Hills: The Stable gets points for standing not only through the entire home game against San Clemente, but standing through the longest and strangest halftime show in O.C. basketball history.
Esperanza: The 6th man might be Orange County’s decibels champion. And this is a very happy group, too.
Garden Grove: The Garden Grove League has some terrific competition in its gyms – on the court and in the stands. The Garden Grove High group for a home game against Bolsa Grande was energetic. And the Bolsa kids showed up for the away game and had some fun, too, especially because their team won.
Sonora: Sonora’s gym temperature goes up about 10 degrees from first quarter to fourth. The energy created by The Jungle is the culprit.
St. Margaret’s: When I went to cover the St. Margaret’s at Crean Lutheran game this season, the Crean folks set me up next to the St. Margaret’s bench. The St. Margaret’s kids, about 25 strong, were there too. (Generally, student sections are guided toward an area away from the opposing school’s bench for obvious reasons.) The Crean kids started chiding the St. Margaret’s kids about being quiet – Crean was winning – and not so numerous. The St. Margaret’s group responded with a chant of “We have Steve on our side.” Physically, yes, I was on St. Margaret’s. However, a news journalism career that spans five decades has taught me to be neutral and objective. I root for nobody. But I was honored that somebody enjoyed having me on their “side.”
• • •
KENNY CONNOLLY
When it comes to creativity, wit, knowledge of the game and just plain having the most fun – which is what it’s really all about – Servite’s Asylum stays winning in my book.
I wasn’t fortunate enough to attend a Friars game this winter, but my Twitter feed was always filled with Asylum-related updates on game nights, none better than the Star Wars-esque production the crew put on for their rivalry game against Mater Dei. It was fitting they gave the villain of the skit a red, or shall we call it a scarlet, lightsaber where he was met by several members of the Asylum in a choreographed duel.
From my perspective, Servite’s student body is the only cast of characters that continues to take the creativity bar to the next level year after year with what has to be a fair amount of organization from the entire section.
The school’s WWE-themed night gets the silver medal, if for nothing else than the Lucha Libre inspired wrestling match during in-game timeouts.
In terms of honorable mentions: “The Tribe” from Canyon showed out in the masses for a road game at Villa Park and did their homework. As soon as Spartans football star John Stamos entered the building, the Tribe began chanting his name until he showed some acknowledgment.
“The Jungle” at Sonora also traveled well for a road game at Troy in nothing but Hawaiian gear. Hosting the Warriors this past week, the idea was to part the Red Sea. Amongst the section flooded with red shirts, hoodies and hats was a student in a full-on Santa Clause costume.
Bonus point for that dedication. Respect.
• • •
DAMIAN CALHOUN
The athletes all know each other, the coaches respect each other and student sections do battle every night.
I covered the Freeway League three consecutive weeks and each game, I had to move my location because of a huge turnout, no matter the school or opponent.
The most memorable roller-coaster ride of a game was the triple-overtime game between Buena Park and Sonora. The Coyotes student section never sat down, anticipating at some point the buzzer would sound and they could finally rush the court in celebration.
Sonora eventually won the game, but it was as taxing on the student sections as the players.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and the scene shifted to Sunny Hills. It became evident quickly that the Lancer students need their own section. They filled two-thirds of the bleachers and even lined the court, standing two-deep.
At halftime, came the ultimate highlight of the game. On one side of the court, a Sonora student kicked off 10 straight backflips. Not to be outdone, a Sunny Hills student responded with his several forward barrel rolls. The crowd erupted. … just another night in the wild, yet fun night in the Freeway League.
• • •
ZACH CAVANAGH
Easily the most fun student section experience for me this season was the intracity South Coast League rivalry of Capistrano Valley at Mission Viejo.
Just three short exits apart on the 5, Capo Valley filled up its side of the gym and the Diablos filled up theirs diagonally across. The gym was packed and warm and both sides were into it.
After dispensing with the pleasantries of “Let’s Go Mission” and “Let’s Go Capo” chants at tip-off and the been-there-done-that after the first basket of “He’s a Freshman” followed by “We Don’t Care,” things got viciously fun.
Mission Viejo fired off with “Let’s Play Football” as they figure in most years the Diablos could take the Cougars there. Capo snapped back with a “Cucamonga” chant, as in Rancho Cucamonga which beat the Diablos in the CIF-SS football playoffs.
Mission Viejo figured two could play at that game and shot back with “Calabasas,” the team which beat Capo Valley in the Division 5 championship. Remembering it at least got to the title game, the Cougars yelled back “Quarterfinals,” where Mission Viejo fell to Rancho Cucamonga.
That’s when Mission Viejo went hard into the putdowns with “D-5 Football” and “Where’s Your Rings?” chants, basically trying to claim superiority over Capo Valley in the way SEC football fans or New England Patriot fans would, respectively.
Then this is where I applaud Capo Valley because they didn’t shrink and came back with deep cuts. The Cougars busted out “You’re Not Farmers” and “You’re All Transfers” playing into the long-held thoughts by many of its South County rivals that Mission Viejo gets its best football talent via transfer and that those transfers hold up the Diablos’ farming program as a reason to transfer from out of the district.
Mind you, all of this action in the stands overshadowed the fact that on the basketball court, Capistrano Valley was up 23 points at halftime and won by 26.
Despite that, the fervor never dimmed.
None of it felt deliberately nasty either. It was all clean and in good fun.
By the end, Capo started to chant “Let’s Play Tennis” and Mission responded with “Let’s Play Baseball” with both sides laughing about it. Those are arguments for the spring.
