An era is ending: Catholic Central School makes more changes

 Declining enrollment has been the bane of the Roman Catholic Diocese the last few years. It wasn't so long ago that Bishop Maginn in Albany closed its doors, for example.

Now, Catholic Central is moving their high school program out of the Latham campus they've shared with St. Ambrose since 2021-22.

With just 22 students in grades 8-11, meaning no seniors, and no commencement this season, the diocese is moving Catholic Central's high school program to Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons in Schenectady, starting in September.

In terms of sports, Catholic Central has been diminishing as a brand the last few years. Women's soccer & softball have been functioning under the Holy Trinity banner the last few years, with Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons the other half of Holy Trinity. ND-BG plays most of its sports in the Western Athletic Conference, which is where Bishop Maginn was a member until their closure. Catholic Central had been a member of the Colonial Council since 2015, following the dissolution of the Big 10. A year removed from a sectional title in women's basketball, Catholic Central sank near the bottom of the standings this season, due largely to transfers and graduation the previous summer.

This season, Catholic Central did not field teams in men's basketball or men's bowling due to the lack of available players.

What's likely to happen next? The Crusaders will become part of Holy Trinity, probably in all sports, save for football, which was discontinued a few years back, meaning a shift from the Colonial Council to the WAC. With the shift to Latham (classes started there in 2022), Catholic Central moved their home basketball games to the Riverside Center in Mechanicville prior to the 2024-5 season, likely taking the court floor dedicated to living legend Don Bassett a few years earlier, with them. Now, they'll move home games to Schenectady, starting in the 2026-7 season.

One chapter is ending. The next one will soon begin. Stay tuned.