By Allan Tompkins
The faculty pose for a group photo after the dodgeball game (Photo Credit: Christopher Columbus High School social media)
Last year, the seniors and faculty faced off in what seemed like a dynastic rivalry in basketball, ending with the seniors barely clinching a 51-50 win. This year was no different as the faculty faced off against the seniors once again, But this time, with revenge on their minds. It all came down to an intense game of dodgeball in which students could get away with throwing something at their teachers and not get sent to the dean for it.
Round 1 (Elimination):
The first two rounds were elimination rounds between 3 teams of seniors to find out who would be worthy to face the faculty. Referees Mr. Ortega and Mr. Pino would keep track of every single ball thrown, making sure no player who got hit would remain in the game. Round 1 began and right off the bat, the seniors did not take it easy on each other. Jose Gomez led the left side of the gym while Andres Gotera led the right. As the multicolored dodgeballs zipped across the basketball court, the teams began losing more and more players in what looked like an exchange of gunfire across a battlefield. The teams began adopting a pattern of moving up, throwing the balls, and then returning to the end of the court to dodge the opposing team's throws.
As the battle continued, one player stood out who sealed the win for his team: Jayden Leon. With less than one minute left in the game, Leon rushed to the center of the court and launched a ball over to a player in front of him letting his guard down to an opposing senior on his left who threw a ball directly to his chest. As the ball bounced off of his body, what seemed like an out, Leon caught the ball, leading to a sudden roar in the crowd. With only three players left on one team, and seven on the other, Gotera's team ended up winning the first round, taking them to face off the final senior team, led by Mario Magana, in Round 2.
Round 2 (Elimination):
In the second round, both teams definitely played more conservatively, staying toward the back of the court to avoid getting hit. While not as close, nor as exciting as the first round, the atmosphere was still tense and the teams fought with all they had.
As Magana's team began losing more and more players without getting many of Gotera's team out, victory was near. Dylan Gill on Magana's team earned the MVP of Round 2 as he got numerous outs while also being the last standing member of the team before getting hit in the head to end the game and make Gotera's team undefeated.
Round 3 (Faculty):
As Gotera's team remained on the court for a third time, the highly anticipated faculty took their positions on the left side of the gym. Mr. Diaz and Mr. Ulloa wore matching red, white and blue headbands and took their marks on the line as if they were about to run a 40-yard dash. The second Ms. Alonso yelled, "Go!" both teams rushed to grab as many balls as they could and the battle began. Within a minute, half of the faculty was eliminated by the dominating seniors, yet hope was far from gone.
"I zigged, zagged and dodged but unfortunately, my legs didn't work the way I wanted them to," said math teacher Mr. Sanchez.
Without a doubt, the clear MVP of the faculty was Mr. Pino. He not only had a cannon for an arm, but he also strategized against vulnerable players on the opposing team who had just thrown the ball, which dealt a considerable number against Gotera's team. Not far behind him was Mr. Garrigo who showed bravery by staying most of the game toward the front line, intimidating the seniors with his fast throws.
For over two minutes, the four remaining faculty members: Mr. Diaz, Mr. Garrigo, Mr. Pino, and Mr. Hernandez tried their best to survive against the ten remaining seniors and after a hard-fought battle, the faculty fell short to the likes of Gotera's undefeated team. While the seniors rejoiced in their victory, they weren't finished as they confidently requested one more game which the faculty happily accepted; this was their final chance at revenge for last year's disappointing loss.
Mr. Moro reflected on his performance with optimism, "I did not do as well as I anticipated but I had a lot of fun. The energy was high, everyone was laughing and in the end, that matters more than winning or losing."
Round 4 (Faculty):
For the last time, both teams lined up on their sides and once again rushed for the balls. This time, the faculty took a less offensive strategy and played it safe to preserve as many players as possible. Pino and Garrigo continued to dominate, yet the seniors focused their attacks on them, knowing they were the faculty's stronger players and eventually getting both of them out. The entire crowd was on the edge of their seats as three players remained for the faculty while only 1 was left for the seniors.
Mr. Cooper, who lasted until the end played an impressive game as he seemed to be getting more and more seniors out without getting hit once.
When asked how he felt about being the last faculty member standing, Mr. Cooper replied with, "It was amazing; it really reminded me of my time playing dodgeball in elementary school."
With less than a minute left in the game, a lowball was thrown to the last senior, yet was said to have been deflected by a ball. Play resumed for about 15 more seconds before Mr. Ortgea abruptly stopped the game and claimed the ball actually hit the senior's foot, making the faculty the winners. The students flooded the gym with a wave of boos as the faculty happily accepted their long-deserved victory.
Overall, the competitive yet fun atmosphere of the games captivated the audience and really had everyone guessing who would be the winner.
"Doing activites with the teachers outside of school makes senior year more special," said captain, Andres Gotera. "It was even more fun when we dominated every team with our teamwork."
Every year, both faculty and seniors challenge each other to new and different games to determine who can come out on top. Last year, the faculty lost, while this year, the faculty tied. With this trend, the only thing left is a long-awaited win from the faculty which just might be seen next year. The only question is, will the seniors be ready?
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