Brandon Marinkovich ‘22, Sports Editor
With spring just on the horizon, seniors at SLHS eagerly and impatiently await to fight for glory; or, more likely, a monetary prize in the infamous SLHS Water Wars tournament. What might seem like a friendly water gun fight, is actually far more serious than some may believe. After three years of spectating, the class of 2022 will be waking up early, staying up late, and staking out their classmates’ homes for the opportunity to soak them. Do all of this, and they get their team one step closer to victory.
Many SLHS alumni recall some of their most fond memories of high school coming from Water Wars. Jack Voight, who played in Water Wars in 2021, said, “Water Wars was by far the most fun I had when it came to all of the senior events. I remember being trapped in my friend’s house on a school night until 10:30, and we ended up sneaking out and getting their whole team out.” Water Wars has brought a lot of fun and enjoyment to the senior class of SLHS for the past few years, and it is something that many students look forward to when they are nearing graduation.
Despite how exciting Water Wars may be, it is not just a lighthearted competition with nothing on the line. This year, the prize fund is a whopping $2,400. Shane Marinkovich, who also competed in Water Wars in 2021, said, “A major motivation for me was the cash prize. Although I didn’t win, I was always careful driving home from school, and I even made my mom park in the street so that I could safely park in the garage. I think a major reason why people get so competitive is because everyone is getting ready for college, so an extra couple hundred dollars can make a big difference.” The massive cash prize is definitely at the top of each of the contestants’ minds this spring.
With the first round starting on April 11, many students have been planning and putting together strategies in order to ensure that they make a deep run into the tournament. Once a week, teams will face off, with each person having one life. At the end of the week, the team with the most people standing wins, with the tie going to the team that got the first elimination. Some teams may choose to go all out and attack in order to steal an early lead, whereas others may try to get a lucky elimination early on and then hold onto the one-elimination lead for the duration of the week.
The varying tactics and strategies provide for a unique opportunity for teams to sneak by when time runs out at 12 P.M. on Saturday. With so many different techniques and ways to go about competing, this year’s edition of the tournament will be nothing short of exciting to witness, and, of course, compete in.
Lyon Life 