Everybody knows that one game in gym class where the athletes rule, girls run around and scream, and the sore losers complain: dodge ball. However, none of this was seen at the dodge ball tournament at ACHS on Sept. 23. The National Honors Society’s Annual Dodge Ball Tournament hosted seven teams, each in hopes of winning the ultimate prize.

Hearing the thuds of the balls against the wall and the screech of someone sliding across the gym floor was just a little to what was witnessed inside the gym during the homecoming week tradition.

As teams were eliminated, the finals consisted of the best of the best. The championship round included the The Funky Bunch, made up of mostly juniors, and The Slumdodge Millionaires, mainly seniors. On the Funky Bunch, there were contestants Jake Cloe, Nick Dorosan, Matt Adams, TJ Pilarczyk, and Brandon Lind. On the Slumdodge Millionaires, there were Collin Prather, Alan Taylor, Jake Lanahan, Grant Hackeloer, and Travis Slywka. The competition was intense and long until junior Jake Cloe of the Funky Bunch caught Grant Hackeloer’s throw which secured the win for the The Funky Bunch.

At the contest, The Funky Bunch took all just edging out the Slumdodge Millionaires.

Cloe said, “It is the greatest feeling on earth. Out of the 16 years on this planet, nothing has felt better than winning my junior year dodge ball tournament.”

Senior Collin Prather, of the Slumdodge Millionaires, said, “This was my first time doing the tournament. I had a lot of fun doing it. We started out in the losing bracket and ended up in the championship so that was pretty cool.”

Although the finals consisted of all boys, the girls who were brave and entered the tournament held their own. The One Hit Wonders received “Best Dressed” and got candy for their creative accomplishment. Their team was based off the movie, Dodgeball, and their outfits portrayed it from head-to-toe.  From the sweatbands to the similar names, the One Hit Wonders were spot on with the way they looked playing in the tournament.

Senior, Brianna Jimenez, said, “Even though we didn’t win it was still fun and we came to win best dressed, and that’s what we did. I would definitely recommend anyone to do it next year.”

There were many creative team looks that added another element of fun to the competition. A couple teams took the black-on-black approach to scare opponents even when they were not playing. Two other teams took a different route by just dressing up in random costume, and added a funny aspect to the competition.

A serious competitor to the winning team, the Slumdodge Millionaires, were the second best dressed at the dodgeball tournament. The team wore money all over their shirts and had a manager with a spunky shirt to match the craziness of the team. The Golden Gophers took an approach off an elite college, The Minnesota Gophers. The team was dressed in gold and related very much to the homecoming week’s theme colors (green, purple and gold).

It is clearly shown that it is not only about the team wins, but how much fun is had while playing.

With the tournament now going on for many years, it is only growing more and more popular. If you missed it, make sure to make the trip next year to find out who will take the 2015 championship.