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Faculty – Student Basketball Games Raises Hundreds For Scholarship Funds (03/08/13)

The Clarion Area Education Association (CAEA) held their Annual Faculty-Student Basketball games on Thursday March, 6th, in the High School’s Main Gym.

Men's Faculty - Varsity Boys Game

Men’s Faculty – Varsity Boys Game tipoff

The event, which is a fundraiser for the CAEA’S Scholarship Fund, raised (by unofficial accounts) over $400.00. There is much involvement from the students, faculty, administration, parents, fans and community which helps to make the event a success.

There were two games. The opener saw the Sixth-Grade Girls’ take on the Women’s Faculty and then the Varsity Boys’ Team played the Men’s Faculty.

The ‘National Anthem’ was sung by the ‘Clarion Singers’ prior to the opening game, while Mrs. Shoemaker provided the ‘Star Spangled Banner,’ for the finale, both excellent renditions.

The Clarion Pep Band also performed during the evening.

The opening game saw the Women’s Faculty move out to a 6-2 lead after one period. The 6th graders came back in the second and were only down by two, 10-8, at the half. And after a 17-13 faculty lead, after three, the 6th graders came back to win 19-17, holding the faculty without a point, in the decisive, fourth period, with a great smothering defense.

There were times when it seemed as though the whole 6th grade team was on the court at the same time, and they probably were.  The deciding points were scored at the line, by Kyara Girvan.

Kyara Girvan

Kyara Girvan

The second game (played by halves, not periods) was also very exciting. The Men’s Faculty jumped out to a big lead, but the Varsity Boys closed the gap and trailed by only two-points, 27-25 at the half.

When it was all over and the dust cleared the Faculty came away with a hard fought, 49-42 win.

A couple of highlights of the game were: wrestling coaches Lee Weber and Rob Sintobin actually contributing (Who says wrestlers can’t play basketball?) and a “rowdy” fan from the student section being escorted out by the mustachioed officials (all in good fun, of course). But could anyone argue that neither of those highlights competed with Boys Varsity Coach (CHS Senior), dressed to the nines, courtside, looking like was either coming from set of The Godfather IV or just stepping off the cover of GQ?

Coach Babington, was very complimentary of his team and the coaches, “It was a fantastic time. We came out with a good game plan, solid work from every player that we had. The coaches, they definitely played very well. Sometimes it’s hit or miss with the coaches but this year they definitely outplayed us. They played very well. And players like (Levi) Barger put in his two-cents. He played a good game.  All our players had solid games, had solid performances. I’m proud of my boys.”

Ben Babington (standing) and Levi Barger

Ben Babington (standing) and Levi Barger

Levi said, “Well, we played pretty good. Some of the time we needed to think about shots we needed to take. But in the end, everyone just hit a three, so, I like that.”

When asked if he was the faculty coach,  Mr. Constantino, who had a fine game, informed me that no, he wasn’t, that the faculty was “uncoachable.”

As one of the event’s originators, Mr. Constantino gave some history of the game, “We started this about eleven years ago. I remember, (former player) Justin Arner came to me and (asked), ‘Is there something we could do as far as a Faculty-Student Basketball Game?’. Then a couple years later I thought, ‘How can we incorporate the Elementary School into it?’. And then the Women’s Faculty, and it’s kind of grown from a simple Faculty-Student Boys’ Game to kind of a school wide event.”

He also mentioned, “We’re even looking to make it a little bigger next year. The crowd was awesome tonight! I Think for the Scholarship Fund we made over $400.00 tonight. And the neat thing about it is the money all goes back to our kids. It goes to graduating seniors. So the money all stays here.

Officials: Paige Weaver, Olivia Bartley, Laken Ganoe and Grace Kroh

Officials: Paige Weaver, Olivia Bartley, Laken Ganoe and Grace Kroh

I think the kids have a good time. The parents have a good time. We have a good time, as long as we can get up the next day, get up for work, it’s a good time.

“It’s really not that much to organize and put together. We get a lot of help from both schools. And then we get a lot of help from the faculty and student council. It’s just a good night.

About the huge crowd, Constantino said, “I think that was the biggest crowd we’ve had, that I could remember. ‘Cause when I looked at the earlier game today, I was like, ‘Wow! This is pretty crowded, tonight!’

“There was even an Art History trip out today and another event is out as well. So we’ve been pretty fortunate. We’ve had good participation from both schools and faculty. It’s just a fun event.”

Women's Faculty - 6th Grade Girls action

Women’s Faculty – 6th Grade Girls action

(Great job to all involved putting this fun event together!!!! And to the wonderful turnout from the community to support a great cause!!!!)