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In New Haven County, the girl's basketball team at the Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden made headlines this week after wiping the floor with Wallingford’s Lyman High School in a resounding 92-4 beatdown.
The 88-point victory was the latest overwhelming victory for Sacred Heart, which is undefeated and previously won at least two other games by upwards of 50 points.
During the blowout, Sacred Heart ramped up the pressure on defense, consistently pressing its opponents, while launching a bevy of three-point shots and running fast breaks at will, despite the score being out of reach for much of the game.
The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) weighed in on the matter, noting that it has no jurisdiction over the issue, but that they’ve been in contact with officials at both schools.
“The CIAC promotes safety and sportsmanship above all else for our member schools," CIAC Associate Executive Director Gregg Simon said.
"We have been in communication with both schools as well as the Southern Connecticut Conference and we will continue to offer support to our member schools as they work through this difficult situation."
In response, the school suspended head coach Jason Kirck for one game - which was served on Thursday, Jan. 6 when his team held on to beat Hamden High School 42-39.
“Sacred Heart Academy values the lessons taught and cultivated through athletic participation including ethical and responsible behavior, leadership and strength of character and respect for one’s opponents,” Sister Sheila O’Neill, Sacred Heart’s president, wrote in a message to the community.
The school released a statement the day after Monday’s blowout, expressing remorse for the way the game was played, stating that “last night’s girls basketball game (versus) Lyman Hall High School does not align with our values or philosophies.”
Sacred Heart is now 4-0 atop the Southern Connecticut Conference, with games scheduled against Amity on Friday, Jan. 7, and on Monday, Jan. 10 against Daniel Hand High School. A rematch against Lyman Hall is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 28.
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