I had a fairly decent vantage spot for the two Maiden/CCHS games. The first game was at Myers Park ( home game for us) so it was probably our chain game and therefore that is folklore about getting into it with the chain gang. However, I can confirm the following: there was some polite discussion before the game that amped up the intensity. On the first or second play from scrimmage Pope got lit up in the middle of the field. It sent a signal that it was going to be physical game and it was. I think the incident you are referring to had nothing to do with spitting. The outstanding scholar and gentleman from CCHS will remain nameless, but I can confirm there was not a flag called for a late hit but the play ended up with the CCHS player in the Maiden Bench area. There was definitely some communication that followed which included a double dose of the bird plus a crotch grab and maybe some very pleasant language challenging the whole Maiden sideline, their fans, the cheerleaders and the coaching staff. Bear in mind the player in question was an underclassman and had not yet been to Sister Rosalind's manner school. While I am sure he had to confess his sin and say a bunch of Hail Mary's, I am pretty sure he has never been contrite. BTW. this is all on film and I can confirm it made an impression on Coach Brown.
As we move into game two a year later we arrived at the Maiden's field extra early. Same scenario semifinal game for the state. The Maiden fans were already on both sides when we arrived so there was not much room for our fans and we took a lot of buses to the game. CCHS fans travel well. Lets just say the Maiden crowd was a little juiced up. I can confirm a few incidences during warm ups that were interesting. Again I will not be naming any names but many of the kids at Catholic have last names that may have been difficult for the local's to pronounce correctly. There are no names on the back of a CCHS jersey... however the Maiden fan knew all of the names, screamed them for all of warmups and could pronounce none of them correctly. One of players, another very mannerly and sophisticated gentleman went to retrieve a football that rolled near the fence, where a Maiden fan had reach over and scooped it up. The Maiden fan was not interested in returning the CCHS merchandise. After being asked a few times to just give it back, the Maiden fan open his coat and flashed a gun... the CCHS player said, fine you keep it. All this before the first whistle was blown for the game. The game was even wilder then the crowd.
BTW, we had to play the last series of the game ( maiden scored to win ) without that polite contrite young man from the year before. He had closed out the Maiden great trap play all game long but Maiden was able to move the ball when he was not in the game. We needed our crazy to match their crazy. It was a great environment to play a game.
