The last ring of the third period bell declared the beginning of the annual seniors vs. teachers kickball game. As lunch began, students flooded the field, commencing Spirit Week with a game of kickball. After the teachers started the game with an eight-point lead, the seniors came back strong for a final score of 12-12.

“[Kickball] was really fun to play with some of my favorite teachers and all of my friends,” visual senior and kickball player Kelsea Bielecky said. “It was a great way to start off Spirit Week.”

At first, there was a bit of confusion with the amount of participants; the senior team had too many players while the teacher team fell short. As a result, many seniors volunteered to play for the teachers’ team.

“To get a good group [of teachers], you have to follow up 10 times,” foreign language teacher and kickball player Thomas Ruth said. “It is hard to [get teachers together] when they have other responsibilities.”

The field, usually covered with student athletes, was scattered with a mixture of teachers and students as the first ball launched into the air. At the start of the game, the odds did not look good for the seniors. Already ahead with eight points, the teachers’ team showed a promising future. But after a couple strategically-placed kicks, the senior team was back on the rise. After the teachers only gained a few more points, the seniors gained 11, tying the score at 12-12.

“My favorite part of the game was the progression of teamwork with my fellow seniors,” communications senior and kickball player Michael Raffoul said. “We started the game 1-9, so when we made the comeback to tie the game, it just felt so rewarding.”

The game gave both teachers and students the opportunity to interact beyond the classroom and show their school spirit.

Communications freshman Katie Davis, who was watching from the bleachers, said, “I liked watching all the seniors and being able to watch the teachers play with them. It was really cool to see teachers out of their job settings, and not just sitting behind a desk.”

Students watching the game felt the anticipation grow in the crowd for next week’s events. One student, band senior Mark Silver said,“this game got me pumped for pep rally [and] brought out the competitive spirit in me.”