Catonsville Students Rally Around Football Team

A group of Catonsville High School students has harnessed its power of social networking and the success of the high school football team as a way to bring a renewed level of school spirit to the student body.

A group of students known as the Comet Crazies have been helping to drum up support for sports team on Facebook, Twitter and at sports games.

Student spirit has also been growing all week in anticipation of Friday's game.

"I think people are starting to feel that it's happening," said Steve Ruppel, a sophomore who started the Comet Crazies Facebook page and Twitter account.

The name was actually coined roughly a decade ago by a section of the student body that formed to cheer at sporting events, football coach Rich Hambor said.

Ruppel and a group of students resurrected the name last year during the basketball season. He started the Facebook page and would create events and send invites for upcoming games as a way to generate interest.

So far this year, students have said anecdotally that attendance has grown at football games, paralleling the team's undefeated football season.

"It's astonishing how a school event brings people together," Ruppel said. "I think that's the coolest thing about high school sports."

Hambor said he has been impressed with the efforts of the student body to attend home games and travel to away games. At a game at Parkville this year, Hambor said he heard more cheers from Catonsville fans than the home team. 

"I’ve been to a lot of other places that have some fan sections or a band or a group of parents or whatever, but I don’t think around here, at least in the Baltimore metro area, that you can really compare with ours," he said.

A large group of students traveled to this week's girls soccer playoff game at Essex where Catonsville played Perry Hall. Even though the girls lost, Ruppel said he was surprised at the large number of students and families who made the trip from Catonsville.

Friday is Spirit Day at the school and many students are expected to be in blue and gold. Students have also gotten creative and linked the date of Nov. 11 with the football game.

The Comet Booster Club is also preparing for the expected 2,000 fans at Friday night's game by handing out free pom-poms at the gate and selling Catonsville-themed items for those in need of some blue and gold. On Friday after school, they will also have spirit wear available to purchase in the school lobby, Booster President Beth Reymann said.

Hambor said he is also reminding his players to be grateful for the support of the community.

"We always talk about playing for our team and the guys on the field, but ultimately you’re representing the whole school and community and I let them know that there are people talking about them all the time and are proud to be associated with you and the school," he said.

Patch sports editor David Snyder contributed to this article.