Slaw Dogs defeat reigning champions in boys annual volleyball tournament

TKA Student Leadership Council hosted its annual boy's volleyball tournament in the gym on April 23. Eight teams competed to win the coveted $125 prize. Teams of five gathered together, some in themed outfits, to play in a single elimination tournament.

Sophomore Bo Beavers serves the volleyball to the opposing team. The bright scoreboard shows 21. The crowd's cheer echoed: “Game point, don’t choke! Game point!” If the Los Cabrones allowed their opponent to score, their winning streak would be over. Sophomore Jimmy Anderson, returning member of Los Cabrones, remembers his team's winning streak ending with an 18-21 loss over the Slaw Dogs. “My team changed a lot compared to last year,” said Anderson. “Last year [we] had two seniors who graduated and were good. We kicked many players off the team and got new ones which was a bad idea considering we lost.”

“Me and my brother stuck together to form what we thought was the dream team,” said Anderson. One of those new members was junior Carter Payne.

One addition to the tournament this year was a team of boys bible teachers. Mr. Faulk participated on the team and was interviewed mid-tournament. Students were curious about his thoughts on the game, the teams, and all aspects of the tournament. He said he enjoyed the tournament both when his team played and when they cheered for his students. Another member of the team, Mr. Fox, was a tournament favorite.

The Beach Boys, consisting of juniors and seniors sporting beach themed attire, rose victorious in last weekend’s volleyball tournament. “My favorite part of the team was being with everybody between the games,” junior Gavin Smathers said. “Having fun, talking trash to the other teams and winning were my favorite parts of the tournament.” Smathers was a member of the championship team.

Seniors Logan Slotkin and Matthew Iredale also played for the Beach Boys. Both boys used their height to their team's advantage, blocking and spiking often. This team consisted of five varsity basketball players. Because of this, the boys were already connected and working well together.