On January 22, the 7th and 8th grade boys’ basketball teams from Jefferson and Jackson Middle Schools competed in another Crosstown Classic. Willowbrook High School hosted the games in its gymnasium.
D45 basketball fans from both schools came out in support of their student-athletes and were treated to a halftime performance by the Jackson and Jefferson Cheer Teams.
Jefferson’s Fiamma Ramundo, an 8th-grade cheerleader, said the experience was a lot of fun. “We brought all we had, and our stunts were pretty good.”
For Ramundo, it was a little nerve-racking at first, but then she was able to relax.
“That was one of the biggest crowds we ever performed in front of,” said Ramundo. “At first, I was a little nervous, but after we finished our stunt at the end of the first quarter, I wasn’t nervous anymore.”
Ramundo said the most fun part of the experience was hearing the crowd cheer after they finished a stunt.
The first game was between the 7th-grade teams, with the Jackson Jaguars coming out on top by a score of 42-25.
Jackson Coach Jerry Weir was pleased with the Jaguars’ effort. “I thought our team looked good today. We had great ball distribution with eight different players scoring a basket,” said Weir. “It was a full team effort.”
Coach Weir noted that having the game take place at the sending high school helps support camaraderie within the community, students and staff. Plus, it’s entertaining for everyone.
“I hope the tradition continues,” said Weir.
Next up was the 8th-grade basketball game, with the Jackson Jaguars winning by a score of 35-27.
One of the Jefferson Wildcat players, Austyn Taylor, enjoyed playing against the Jaguar team. “We know a lot of their players because we play on the feeder team for Willowbrook, the Willowbrook Junior Warriors.”
Although they came up short, Taylor thought his Wildcats continued to battle and worked to cut the lead. “Whenever we got down by a decent amount, we fought back and didn’t give up.”
Taylor thought his team could have played better, saying they needed to make more shots, play better defense, and get back on defense. But he loved the atmosphere of the big stage.
“It felt good. The energy was nice. The fans, cheerleaders — it was just loud.”
Jefferson Coach Matt Kulovits said his team was looking forward to this game.
“Our student-athletes had a high level of excitement going into the contest,” said Kulovits. “This was an important conference game, and many student-athletes have friends on both teams. To be able to compete against your friends takes the game and competition to another level.”
Kulovits was thankful to everyone involved in making the event successful, especially Mr. Ed Sullivan, Willowbrook High School’s Athletic Director. “And thank you to the staff who operated the concessions for our spectators and athletes,” he said.
Kulovits also expressed gratitude on behalf of the Wildcats and Jaguars to Willowbrook High School for opening its doors and allowing the students to compete in their building.
“Willowbrook was a gracious host, and they contributed to the positive experience of everyone involved,” said Kulovits. “We look forward to future events and continued collaboration between our schools.”
