The school’s Fanatics placed first in the 2021-2022 Los Angeles Top 25 Basketball Student Section Rankings on March 30 following the end of boys basketball’s season. The team lost 72-55 to Sierra Canyon High School in the second round of California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Open Division State Playoffs on March 5, ending its season tied with Notre Dame High School for first in Mission League with a 5-1 league record and a 25-3 overall record. 

The Fanatics are a student-led group that make up the student section at athletic competitions, coming to games to cheer on the school’s various teams. As an athlete, quarterback and Head Fanatic Henry Wendorf ’23 said the Fanatics have great influence on the outcome of each game.

“The Fanatics really help the game from an athletic standpoint,” Wendorf said. “When you see a lot more people cheering you on, you have more people you don’t want to let down. They hype you up while you are thriving and help pick you up when you get knocked down.”

Hundreds of Fanatics attended the basketball team’s Feb. 18 game against Sierra Canyon in the semifinals of CIF Southern Section Open Division Playoffs, with the tickets for the game selling out within minutes Feb. 17. The team went on to win the game 63-60, moving it forward to the championship match in the CIF Regional Tournament. With the student section packed into one area of the bleachers at the gymnasium, Wendorf said being one of the four junior leaders of the group inspires him and makes him feel closer to the student body.

“The [school’s athletic] community is special and people really care about one another,” Wendorf said. “However, what I enjoy the most is the camaraderie at our games.”

Fanatic Stella Glazer ’23 said she sees the crowd’s energizing effect on the players at each match she attends.

“Having a huge crowd persistently cheering you on really is a huge esteem boost and encourages the players to really play their hearts out for all the fans, inspiring me to cheer louder for my classmates,” Glazer said. “It is so much to take part in the cheers and being able to watch some of my closest friends play in really intense games. Even when our team is losing, the Fanatics never lose their spirit and continue to cheer on no matter what.”

Head Fanatic Magnus Ferrell ’22 said he hopes future Fanatics continue to pass down the traditional cheers and bring all their energy to support their classmates at athletic events.

“From the time I was a sophomore to now being in my senior year, I have felt so much more a part of the [school] community because of my role as a Fanatic,” Ferrell said. “Being surrounded by your peers as you are united toward a common goal is an experience that has connected me on a deeper level to my classmates and I hope this tradition will continue on long after I graduate.”