Airplane Banner At Westchester HS Baseball Game Calls For Coaches' Firings

While all eyes should have been on the field during a Section 1 baseball playoff game in Westchester, many took to the sky on Monday, where someone commissioned a plane to fly a banner that made the rounds over the field calling for the firing of Briarcliff’s coaches.

A person commissioned a plane to fly over the Briarcliff High School varsity baseball playoff game calling for the firing of the coaches.
Photo Credit: *Twitter via @erapay5*

Briarcliff easily won, via the mercy rule, in their playoff quarterfinal, despite the plane overhead.
Photo Credit: *Briarcliff Schools Superintendent Jim Kaishian*

A woman commissioned a plane to fly over the Briarcliff playoff game calling for the firing of the baseball coach.
Photo Credit: *Briarcliff Schools Superintendent Jim Kaishian*

Zak Failla

05/22/2018 2:03 p.m.

During Briarcliff High School’s quarterfinal playoff win over Irvington on Monday afternoon, a small plane was spotted overhead - which was captured on social media - with a banner that said “Fire Coaches Schrader & Kowalczyk,” referring to head coach John Schrader and his assistant Walter Kowalczyk.

Despite the distraction, the top-seeded Bears went on to easily defeat the visiting Irvington squad, 13-0, with a mercy rule being called after five innings. The Bears are scheduled to host fifth-seeded Putnam Valley on Wednesday afternoon, where they will square off for a spot in the Section 1 finals.

Schrader has been a head coach for four seasons and has been with the program for decades.

The identity of the person, reportedly a woman who paid for the banner, has not been made public.

The flyover comes after an upstate New York coach successfully sued and ultimately settled for $50,000 after parents forced him out of his position on claims he has vehemently denied.

On Twitter, Briarcliff Schools Superintendent Jim Kaishian sarcastically mocked the flyover tactic.

“Unidentified Objects Flying Above Briarcliff! Most determined to be home runs as Varsity Baseball Team launches multiple dingers in 13-0 rout over visiting Bulldogs to open Section I playoffs. #thanksforthewellwishes"

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