By Ari Howorth
Staff Writer
After years of abysmal student support, the Mira Costa boys basketball team has recently gained an unusual cheer section. Known as the “Rage Cage,” their loud trash-talk and banter during the games identifies them, raises school spirit, and even gets itself into trouble.
The Rage Cage was started by a group of seniors including Josh Huttinger and Travis Taylor during the girls volleyball season. Since then, it has grown into a much larger group with members from various grades. They occupy up to six full rows during the games and even travel to the away games.
“It’s grown really big now,” Huttinger said. “There’s a Facebook group where people can talk trash and kids are making T-shirts. Some of the moms are helping us out too by giving us stuff like pom poms and foam fingers which is really cool to have the parents on our side.”
Though the Rage Cage receives criticism for getting out of hand, it remains clear that the primary motive of the group is to raise school spirit and get more people to attend school events. So far, it has successfully done this as many students attend games just to see the Rage Cage in action.
“Sometimes we do stupid stuff, and we will get punished for that, but it’s all for fun,” Taylor said. “All I really care about now is getting more people to the games, because the more people that are at the games the more fun they are. I want people to come to more away games.”
The Rage Cage got in trouble recently when member Ryan Walker rushed the court at a home game. He took part in an altercation and was dragged off the court by security guards.
After another instance where Walker got involved in the post-game handshake, he received a multiple game suspension until Jan. 10.
“My friend Cole got in somewhat of a fight with the other team,” Walker said. “No one on the Costa side was helping him, so I rushed the court. Unfortunately, I still had my foam finger on, but I basically shoved NBA player Jrue Holliday’s younger brother off of my friend.”
After the game, Walker got in a small conflict with Costa basketball coach Jeff Amaral. After being yelled at by the faculty, he was called in to the office the next day and given his suspension.
“I would say this is the first time that I’ve felt senior unity,” Walker said. “We’ve all known each other and hung out outside of school, but this is the first time where I feel close to everyone present.”
Though they are all supporting the same players, many members of the Rage Cage were not friends prior to the formation of the group. Sitting and cheering together at the games has created something similar to a tradition that will carry on throughout the coming years.
“There are active younger guys in the group,” Huttinger said. “So hopefully they will carry it on when we leave. It’s really a bonding experience to go hang out with friends and watch your friends do well and succeed. It really brings people together.”
The Rage Cage is not disapproved of by the faculty, although it does need to be quelled at times. The Rage Cage hopes to continue through the rest of basketballs season and then through boys volleyball season. It hopes to pick up next year come volleyball season.
“Rage Cage gets rowdy,” Walker said. “That’s all there is to it.”
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