Cathedral football is rich in tradition and this season the Irish will face off against
longtime Southside Catholic rival, Roncalli High School. The teams have not met on the gridiron
for a regular season game since 2010, but the rivalry dates back to 1969 when Cathedral first
matched up against Roncalli. In addition to bragging rights, the victorious team will gain
possession of the Victory Bell Trophy that is tied to this rivalry. Cathedral hopes to retain the
Victory Bell that they have possessed since their victory in 2010.
The Cathedral football team has faced some adversity this season with tough losses to a strong Brownsburg High School team and then a heartbreaker to archrival Bishop Chatard High School. However, these setbacks were not enough to ruin the season. The team bounced back to win the rest of their games so far this season.
With a record of 5 and 2, a win against Roncalli is really important for not only morale and to establish confidence as Irish prepare for their last regular season game against powerhouse, Center Grove High School, who is not only the top ranked team in the state of Indiana but the 61st ranked team in the nation.
Patrick Crisp, a wide receiver on the team, explained how traditions, faith and team unity are critical to the success of the team. “We go to mass before every game. We pray that we use our God given abilities to the best of our ability and that we are all safe. We have put in the work at every practice, and we know we are prepared. We believe in each other and ourselves and that team unity is critical to our success. And there is nothing better than winning in front of our fans. Singing the school fight song at the end of a game is always a highlight.”
While most of the players were not yet even in kindergarten when these teams last met
up, the team is excited about this rivalry game. The coaches have gotten the players hyped up for
the big game. After two games out of state, the team is looking forward to playing in town, in
front of bleachers filled with fans, against a longtime rival. So head down to the south side on
Friday and support the team as they take on long time Catholic rival Roncalli High School. The
team looks forward to celebrating a victory by singing the school fight song in front of
classmates and fans.
