Pennridge game has special twist for CB West boys basketball senior Charlie Cashman

These days, the Central Bucks West-Pennridge boys basketball games feature a compelling dynamic.

You see, CB West senior point guard Charlie Cashman's father Stephen is the Pennridge principal, which added some intrigue to last year's two Suburban One League Colonial Division meetings and figures to do the same again Friday night.

While he can openly root for his son and the Bucks when the teams play in Doylestown, that won't be the case Friday in Perkasie because Dr. Cashman tends to place himself close to the Pennridge student section as part of his administrative duties.

"It is interesting sitting amongst the Pennridge people," Dr. Cashman said. "I want to stand up and cheer (when Charlie and West do well), but I don't think it's in the best interests. I do cheer internally."

"Internally, he'd better be," said Charlie with a laugh.

Some Pennridge students tend to good-naturedly chide Dr. Cashman, who became principal when the current seniors were freshmen, in the halls during the lead-up to the CB West game. They'll say things like "Ready for another loss?" Or "Does Charlie know we're coming for him?" They understand that Dr. Cashman deep down wants West to win.

"It's the best," Dr. Cashman said. "And Charlie's a good sport about it."

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Charlie Cashman played well in the Bucks' two victories against Pennridge a year ago, hitting a pair of 3-pointers in West's 58-54 road win and adding five points, including a pair of driving fourth-quarter baskets, in a 64-53 home victory.

Charlie Cashman gets his share of razzing, too.

"Every time I go over there (at Pennridge), the house principals are always talking smack," said the 6-foot Charlie, semi-admiringly.

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But the younger Cashman can remind the Pennridge folks that CB West went 2-0 against the Rams last year and won this season's first meeting 53-51 in Doylestown on December 20, to which there isn't much to say. West has compiled a 6-14 record (4-10 in the SOL Colonial Division) in 2022-23, while Pennridge is 13-7 (8-6 SOL).

Asked if Dr. Cashman is still his dad first and the Pennridge principal second when the schools face each other, Charlie Cashman replied, "Not when I'm playing, When playing, I play to beat (the Rams)."

Charlie Cashman's first varsity basket came on a 3-pointer at Pennridge during his sophomore year. Since it was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that severely limited in-person attendance, Rams assistant principal of athletics Scott Hegen did the announcing via livestream and responded to Cashman's basket by taking a jab at the Pennridge principal.

"Charlie clearly gets his athletic ability from his mother," Hegen remarked.

"It was almost like he had it planned," Dr. Cashman said.

Perhaps Hegen, a CB West graduate who still enjoys joshing Dr. Cashman, did just that.

"The banter is usually about how the athletic genes skipped his father’s generation and were found in Charlie's," Hegen said.

Small stress fractures in Charlie Cashman's back prevented him from playing in a bunch of games as a sophomore and another six times last season. But it's been better this year.

He certainly doesn't plan on missing Friday's date with Pennridge, particularly coming off of Cashman's 25-point performance on 7-for-8 shooting from 3-point range in Tuesday's 64-57 win over Central Bucks South.

"(Playing the Rams) is different in its way," Charlie Cashman said. "It's always a fun, rivalry game. My dad being (Pennridge principal) on top of it helps (make it a bigger deal)."

Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes; @TomMoorePhilly

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Pennridge basketball game is extra special for CB West senior and dad