The Bruce Mahoney games are a longstanding tradition between rival schools Sacred Heart Cathedral and St. Ignatius. The first games date back to 1947, and now the series consists of girls’ volleyball, boys’ football, boys’ baseball, and both girls’ and boys’ basketball, amounting to five games in total. Every year, students, alumni, and families show up to support their teams, encouraging them to win the coveted trophy and title. As fans crowd the games, they not only look forward to seeing the athletes, but also enjoy all the key components resulting from the efforts of students and faculty alike.
2025 marks the fourth year in which both basketball teams are able to compete for the trophy. This year, there was an exciting change in the basketball games: they were played back-to-back at the Chase Center, a massive venue that’s home to numerous NBA games and mainstream concerts. Here’s a look at some of the journalism class’s coverage of various components in the event. For more, check out the Emerald’s article on WECCC’s role in the girls’ basketball game by Tess Corvera ‘26 and Isabel Merriman ‘26.
Heroes in Green: Behind the Bruce Mahoney Games
By Ameera Demetri ‘25, Bea Shapiro ‘25, and Solomon Whitlam-Sandler ‘25
For many, the excitement of the Bruce Mahoney basketball games was focused on the epic events that unfolded on the court. But for insiders, the months of tireless planning and coordination were as much a fierce competition of grit as the games themselves. Behind the scenes, a remarkable team of SHC staff, student leaders, and volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the double-header game. Student council (STUCO) has worked to ensure a smooth turn out: encouraging students to dress up at school and cheer during the game, and cleaning everything up afterwards.
Ms. Diaz, the Director of Student Activities, had a lot of positive feedback to share about the behind the scenes effort STUCO made. Ms. Diaz mentioned how it was difficult “because of the rules and processes of the Chase Center. [STUCO] had to learn about and follow all of [the] rules, which was a bit tricky.”
Ms. Beima, the Director of Athletics, who played a crucial role in the planning of the Bruce, reflected on the shift in the process, as the game would be viewed at a much larger scale this year. Ms. Beima emphasized that the decision was rooted in principles of inclusion, collaboration, accessibility, and logistics. Ms. Beima shared how she felt it was “Important that the girls’ sports get their own marquee events, so it wasn’t just kind of a tag on,” highlighting the departments’ commitment to recognizing all athletes. In addition to Ms. Diaz’s description of the collaborative efforts behind the scenes, Ms. Beima also acknowledged the collaboration the double header required: “alumni directors, maintenance people, athletic leadership, and student activity leaders all joined in the meeting rooms” to create and bring to life the different aspects of the Bruce.
Patrick Connolly ‘25, known as Paddy, was up front and ready, dressed as the school mascot Seamus the Leprechaun, encouraging the students to get up on their feet and support the Fightin’ Irish. Paddy’s dedication for taking on that task was so appreciated that students were volunteering to help him out. Senior Owen Digerness dressed as Seamus for the boys’ basketball game while Paddy continued to get the SHC student section psyched.
THE BREAKING POINT: SHC Girls Basketball
By Molly Cannon ’27
Sacred Heart Cathedral’s women’s basketball legacy in the Bruce Mahoney began in 2021 with SHC taking home a victory that year and again in 2023, making the Wildcats and SHC tied with 2 wins a piece in the women’s section of the basketball Bruce Mahoney. This year broke the tie, SI winning 58-48 after coming off of a high from last year’s victory and SHC determined to prove themselves the better team. Currently, SI stands 56th in the state of California while SHC ranks 25th, which made SHC the favorite for the January 14th game. Because of this, SHC was stacked up against SI with the expectation of a victory. From the sheer size difference in their state rankings to SHC currently being 11-2 and SI 8-5, SI’s victory was not expected at all.
The Bruce Mahoney trophy will stay in the Wildcats’ case for the fifth year in a row as the Irish grapple with the loss and upset. Overall, this year’s Bruce Mahoney women’s basketball game decided the fate of the coveted Bruce Mahoney trophy and showcased resilience, grit and determination from both teams.
SHC Boys Basketball
By Cole Cannon ’25
Sacred Heart Cathedral’s (SHC) Boys Basketball team went into the Bruce Mahoney game 8-4 overall and 1-1 in WCAL conference play. They had recorded some narrow, but still impressive wins over both University High School and Saint Francis, although they did lose to Urban in a game they were expected to win. Additionally, they scored just 26 points and gave up 75 in a blowout loss to Riordan.
At the start of the game, St. Ignatius (SI) were 9-3 overall and undefeated in the WCAL, with two solid wins over Valley Christian and Serra. They also beat University by 38 points, whereas SHC had only managed a three-point win.
With all this in mind, it was almost inevitable that SI would breeze to a comfortable win over their city rivals SHC. SHC have not won a Bruce Mahoney basketball game since 2015, and there was no glaring evidence that they would end their losing streak this time around. It is also important to mention that last year’s SHC team featured nine seniors, while SI’s team had just two. This means that SI’s team, which blew out SHC last year, is still relatively the same. Whereas SHC has a completely new team that aren’t used to playing in a high intensity game such as the Bruce. A talented and experienced SI won their ninth straight Bruce Mahoney basketball game in convincing fashion.
SHC Dance Team: Bruce Mahoney Performance
By Siena Larkin ‘27 and Gianna Bankovitch ‘27
The basketball players spend weeks preparing for the game, but so does the SHC Dance Team, who works tirelessly to give an amazing performance. Commenting on the team’s upcoming performance at the game, Piper Ling-Winick ‘27 said, “I am always really excited because I dance too and it’s nice to see how they always have new routines ready. I wish people would cheer for them more.” The dance team, instructed by Ms. Laura Wexler, spends several hours each week rehearsing for the Bruce Mahoney performance, where this January, the team prepared for a spectacle at Chase Center for the girls’ basketball game. Asking her about how the team prepares for the big game, Ms. Wexler revealed how much work happens behind the scenes, expressing, “But, our biggest worry is probably that something will go wrong with music. We actually practice with no music in case that happens so that we can still give our community the best halftime we can!”
Sage Mendiola-Flores ‘25, the Captain and Lead Choreographer, and Laila Muller ‘25, the Co-Captain and choreographer, work hard to prepare their team for big performances, especially at the Basketball Bruce Mahoney. Mendiola-Flores noted, “we always have rehearsals, and when we feel unprepared, we add on rehearsals to help everyone on the team feel comfortable when they perform.” Leading up to the last second before their halftime show, the captains try to shake off any of the teams’ remaining nerves by giving the dancers a pep talk. Muller commented, “We lead a group stretch, and I feel like that helps us get more into our bodies and feel more ready to perform.”
The SHC Dance Team put on a captivating performance at the Bruce Mahoney, encouraging the players to give the game their all and hyping up the crowd. They worked endlessly to put the piece together and perfect it, and their efforts paid off. SHC students, alumni, and supporters are looking forward to what they do next!
