Basil Bowl Strengthens Bond of Brotherhood between Basilian High Schools

On Friday, April 27, the Blue Gaels of St. Michael’s College School travelled to Novi, Michigan to play lacrosse with their brothers the Shamrocks of Detroit Catholic Central High School. This annual and alternating face-off of the crozier sticks (la crosse) dates back to 2009. All lacrosse players and their coaches, along with some parents, celebrated the Eucharist in the Catholic Central chapel with Fathers Jim O’Neill, CSB, Bill Riegel, CSB, and Jeff Thompson, CSB concelebrating at the altar. Mass was followed by a copious lunch and spirited conversation. After a student-led prayer in the CC grotto, the Junior Varsity teams took to the field, followed by a very exciting and nail-biting match that was worthily contested by the Varsity teams. At the end of it all, Catholic Central hoisted the vintage Basilian GDK lacrosse stick in triumph. It was after the team photos when it became even clearer how excellent an experience of Basilian school brotherhood this gathering had been. The boys from both schools, who had played against each other at St. Michael’s last year, were happy and chatty as they embraced each other and were overheard to be looking forward to playing with each other again at St. Michael’s next year. Lacrosse was the first sport to initiate the Basil Bowl experience among our high schools. It continues to be an integral component of teaching and learning goodness, discipline, and knowledge.