Video: Big Knight sees big turnout

By Miranda Holloway
Executive Online Editor
Arguably the most intense moment in the Jean Walker Field House since the end of the basketball season occurred late March 16. It was the final dodgeball game of the Big Knight tournament between a junior team, Howdy, and a senior team. Team Davis. The game was in overtime with one player from each team facing off. After a few minutes, senior Charlie Davis of Team Davis caught junior Gus Dean’s attempt and the game was over.

This was not the only dramatic moment, however. The team had a similar situation in one of the first rounds, with their game coming down to a one on one in overtime.

“I would rather win it like that than a blow out,” senior team member Bill Cooney said.

The night was the first of its kind. Organized by J. Kyle Braid Scholars, the Big Knight was a tournament open to all students as an alternative to using drugs and alcohol.

The competition let them participate in three sports: badminton, basketball and dodgeball. In the end 38 badminton teams, 20 basketball teams and 20 dodgeball teams signed up, a large turnout for a first year event.

“[The administration] dropped JKB this year and they didn’t tell us they dropped it before we had planned it, but we, especially the seniors, wanted to go out with a splash,” senior JKB member Brad Reibel said.
The high attendance brought on cutthroat competition, allowing kids of all levels and ability to show what they were made of.

“There were definitely a variety of kids, freshmen through seniors it was cool to see all the talent,” senior D’Reese Black said. He and the rest of the CCK basketball team beat the staff in the championship game.

After the game Black said that he was excited to beat the staff and was disappointed that it was the only year that he was able to participate.

The sophomore duo of Kiley Walsh and Noreen Caparusso, team name Hungry Hippos, won the badminton were suprised by the amount of “good people” they saw out on the court.

“We would do it again, it was fun and there were a lot of people that were really into it so it was cool,” the two said.

The two play varsity badminton, but rarely play together so the Big Knight allowed them to do just that.

While friends had this opportunity to spend this time together, the competition was still a major factor in the tournament.

The girls’ dodgeball champions, The Abusment Park, made up of seniors Kelli Iovino, Kelly Ziegenfuss, Stephanie Meyer, Lexi Phillips , Jessica Petrovski, Taylor Smith and pride themselves in going undefeated against the three other girls dodgeball teams. The girls participated in another dodgeball tournament their sophomore year and are happy they had another chance to play together.

Reibel said that all the work that JKB put into the event, such as making the brackets and collecting supplies, was worth giving the students a good time.

“We wanted something that was drug and alcohol free that was a good time for everybody. Hopefully it will become a tradition,” Reibel said. “In future years, hopefully, everyone will be here and still playing.”

ProspectorNow

ProspectorNow

ProspectorNow

Video: Big Knight sees big turnout

ProspectorNow

Comments (0)