It was standing room only on February 12 as crowds packed into the gym at the main campus of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School for the AHSAA boys basketball sub-regional match up against the Headland Rams, as it would be the last game that would ever be played in it. The Father Pat Delahunty Memorial Gym has hosted countless athletic events, practices, pep rallies, and graduations since it opened in 1968. Students, coaches, athletes, alumni, and families from far and wide came to watch the final game. Before tip off, President Anne Ceasar and High School Principal Justin Castanza recognized the past, present, and future of MCPS athletics: Former athletic directors, coaches, and players joined the current lineup on the court and paid this 51-year old athletic complex a fond farewell.
While the game did not go in the Knights’ favor, it truly was a nail-biter and the Catholic varsity boys basketball team fought down to the very last second. The Knights ended their season with 51 points on the board, perhaps a fitting farewell to this 51-year old facility.
Many members of the Knights family came together for this historic occasion and said “hats off” to Fr. Pat Delahunty and his legacy. ADs, coaches, players, students, and families stayed after to sign their names on the gym floor, forever leaving their marks.
Montgomery Catholic applauds all athletic teams, but a special thanks goes out to Coach Curry and his varsity boys basketball team for giving us this one last opportunity in our gym. We look forward to the next chapter in Montgomery Catholic Knights athletics when we open our new, 35,000 square foot athletic complex in the coming months. Following the completion of the new gym, the Fr. Pat Delahunty gym will be converted to a fine and performing arts building with band and choir classrooms, individual practice areas, and a student center.
