Students roared with team spirit, whether Grace Watson was sinking a 3 or Jayce Catchings was slamming one down in the dunk contest at the first ever Midnight Madness on Nov 20.

“The competition was great,” Mr. Wheeler said, who was the announcer of the big event.

After Wheeler introduced the varsity players, they jumped right into the 3-point contest. The Jr. Eagles boys basketball players were assisting the athletes participating in the competition by rebounding and passing to the shooter so the players could get as many shots in as possible.

After several rounds of close competition, the finalists were sophomore Toni Patterson for the girls and senior Chase Hoeber for the boys. After a tough battle, Hoeber came out on top and took the title.

Knockout quickly started up after the 3-point competition ended. Players from both teams lined up one after another on the free throw line, ready to knock the people in front of them out.

With five or so players left in the game, junior Megan Kruse knocked one down a split second before senior Jarrin McKeithen scored a layup. The crowd went wild and they couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

“I am very impressed with the energy,” Wheeler said. After a tough battle between junior Jayce Catchings and sophomore Kaden Jacobi, Jacobi brought out the win over Catchings.

Wheeler then came over the speakers announcing the raffle winner. An eighth grader from Frontier Middle School came down from the stands to claim her winnings. She had won the chance to make a layup, free throw, 3-pointer, and a half court shot in a minute to earn more prizes.

Taryn, the winner, made the layup without a problem. She struggled with the free throw at first, but soon made it. Taryn knocked down the 3 on her first try like it was a layup. Twenty seconds left to make a half court. She tried her hardest, and was close several times, but she couldn’t sink it. She put up a good fight and went on her way to collect her prizes with a smile on her face.

On to the dunk contest. Although Catchings just lost in knockout, he was ready for the dunk contest. The dunk contest had three contestants: Chase Hoeber, Jayce Catchings and Corye Keller.

The competition was fierce. Between Hoeber throwing the ball against the wall only to slam it down into the hoop and Catchings giving the fans a chance to interact by tossing the ball to someone in the crowd to throw it back to him so he could smash the ball in the basket. But, there can only be one winner.

“Corye Keller is your winner!” Wheeler shouted. The crowd exploded with excitement and adrenaline from watching what had happened.

“I just use my teammates,” Keller said humbly of his achievement.

“With the end of the dunk contest, that concludes our first ever Midnight Madness,” Wheeler announced. The crowd let out one final roar, cheering for all they’d seen that night.

From now on, every year the students will be ready and welcomed to basketball season by this new tradition.