The DeMatha Student Section

DeMatha SGA

Shane Bonnani is pictured in the ski mask on the left and Mikey Griffiths is pictured on the far front right.

Offering their support during the recent homecoming football game victory over Riverdale Baptist, the Stags in the student section really showed out. It has been a long-running tradition at DeMatha to take great pride in our student section. This year has been no exception with many large and passionate crowds for our football team. In fact, the leadership of the student section praised the students’ effort in showing out for our football team during the homecoming game.

Seniors Shane Bonanni and Mikey Griffiths are two of the co-leaders of the student section this year. Bonnani is a student government representative and varsity lacrosse player; Griffiths is a 4-year member of the Prep Ice Hockey team and also plays on the varsity lacrosse team. Both have shown up to multiple home football games this year and have orchestrated the student section in said games.

Behind the scenes, a lot of effort and coordination is put into prepping the student section for each event. The blackout theme for the homecoming game was coordinated alongside the black shirts handed out during the pep rally earlier in the day. Bonanni emphasizes how important coordination is. “I think [coordinating a theme] is the perfect way to encapsulate the brotherhood that DeMatha is,” he says. Coordinating the student section is a great way to welcome the new freshman into the DeMatha brotherhood, too, Bonnani points out.

Traditionally, the DeMatha student section has been student run. After every class graduates, the accounts associated with the student section, and the honor of leading it, are passed down to members of the next class who show great passion and leadership during DeMatha events. Griffiths recalls how he became a student section leader. “I’ve been going to the games every Friday, you know, hanging out with my friends, getting loud, and [the previous student section leaders] just pass it down from year to year.”

The student section plans to keep going to the home football games for the rest of the season, especially with conference play beginning. The football schedule is highlighted by a Halloween night rivalry game against Gonzaga. When asked what to expect from the student section in the future, Bonanni stated that they were going to increase their coordinating efforts, start posting earlier, and ask for input from athletes on themes and ideas to give everyone involved a better experience.

The Stags have many more games in all respective sports ahead of them this year and it can be expected that the student section will be active. Follow the student run account on Instagram (@dmstudentsection) for game day updates. To end on a quote from Griffiths, “I really think we feel part of the team when we’re out there supporting our guys because of the brotherhood.”