By Marc Raimondi
Christ the King and Bishop Ford will not have to forfeit unplayed girls’ basketball games against Nazareth, the principals committee ruled last week in a meeting, despite a recommendation to do so by the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Eligibility and Infractions Committee.
Christ the King Principal Peter Mannarino said after a discussion that the principals came to the conclusion that it would be in everyone’s best interest to reschedule the games.
“It was a very amicable meeting,” Mannarino said. “When everyone left, I think everyone was comfortable.”
In the days following the death of Nazareth Coach Apache Paschall Jan. 3, both schools’ administrations declined to play games against the Lady Kingsmen. Both presidents said it was too soon and Christ the King was under the assumption Paschall would be buried the day of its game with Nazareth.
Bishop Ford was scheduled to play Naz Jan. 5 and Christ the King’s game was to be Jan. 7, which was slated to be part of Nazareth’s homecoming.
Players, coaches and administrators at Nazareth all wanted the games to go on, because they felt like it would have been what Paschall wanted. Grief counselors at the school said it would even be good therapy for the girls to get back on the court. The two teams have met Nazareth since and the nationally ranked Lady Kingsmen won both in blowout fashion, saying they were motivated by a show of disrespect.
On Feb. 3, the Eligibility and Infractions Committee recommended to the principals that Christ the King and Ford should both forfeit. The initial principals meeting was postponed Feb. 8 by Nazareth Principal Providencia Quiles, because she announced that day that the Brooklyn school would be closing for good in June.
Nazareth co-Coach Lauren Best said she was disappointed by the principals’ decision.
“They definitely should have been punished, but the girls want to play, so I back my girls,” Best said after her team beat Molloy 55-46 Feb. 13 in Briarwood. “But they definitely should have faced some type of consequences.”
Bishop Ford Coach Mike Toro declined to comment. There are no dates yet for the rescheduled games.
The news comes three days after Nazareth learned the Eligibility and Infractions Committee said the team did not use an ineligible player in three recent league games and would not have to forfeit its season.
Everyone seems to be happy to get back to basketball, at least for the time being.
“Playing them again doesn’t bother me,” Nazareth junior guard Sadie Edwards said of Bishop Ford and Christ the King. “It’s games. I love to play. We all love to play. Games are what’s most important. With all the things this year that have gone on, basketball is like our getaway.”
