December 14 was surely one to remember when West Milford High School held its first ever Protect the Pins tournament to raise money for Varsity Club. Nine teams participated: field hockey, volleyball, football, wrestling, baseball, basketball, coaches, soccer, and a team of friends. Although it was a fun after school activity, these teams fought with everything they had. 

The rules were simple:  If you get hit with the ball you’re out. If you catch a ball someone throws, they’re out and a teammate can come back in. If you make a basket in the basketball hoop on the opponent’s side your teammates are allowed back in. The objective is to get the opposing team out or knock down all the pins.

The coaches and the football teams came out strong. Coaches, dressed as their players, seized every possible opportunity to taunt the student football team. Maz,  team captain, brought the coaches to victory by knocking out all the football players. The second half of round one consisted of field hockey vs. basketball. Basketball would defeat the field hockey team, but field hockey would put up a good fight.  

The next rounds consisted of baseball vs. soccer. A consistent theme was soccer dominating the floor, which was an unexpected turn of events since half the team was taken out. Captain Bryce Zampese knew exactly how to direct the players’ every move. After this, volleyball took on wrestling. Unfortunately Volleyball would fall short to the boys, who knocked all the pins down,  but the girls had a 2:1 hit ratio against the opposing team. 

In the next round. volleyball played baseball which led them to their demise. Baseball would win by knocking out all of the volleyball players. Football would then face off against the wrestling team, this match would show the true dedication of the wrestlers. Even without a mat, the boys were sprawling on the floor in order to dodge every ball. This led the wrestling team to a hard fought win. 

Round 6 sent it back to the winners bracket where basketball takes on soccer. With only one soccer player and one basketball player left, Colton Hardison knocked out Daniel Sullivan for a basketball win. 

In the next round, coaches took on wrestling in an intense match going back and forth with people on both sides getting out left and right. Jack Novak was the only wrestler who remained, taking out Maz in the end. With only one pin remaining, Jack attempted to avoid all of the balls while also protecting the only pin, when all the coaches decided to throw at once. Jack accidentally fell and knocked over his pin, causing the wrestling team to fall short to the coaches. After this match the coaches and soccer teams took the floor in one of the most exciting games of the night. Soccer did not show much weakness throughout the tournament; the team played hard and smart with some of the best communication we saw throughout the tournament. Soccer dominated the coaches, winning by a landslide. Students beating coaches isn’t something you see everyday!

The final round was between soccer and basketball. They played best two out of three. Basketball’s strategy was to let soccer get all the balls and stay in defense. Soccer didn’t mind; they gladly scooped and whipped those balls as hard as they could. It was left to Thomas Trapasso and Brandon Scrimenti to bring victory to their team. Soccer would overpower the basketball team, winning back to back matches and securing the first ever Protect the Pins Tournament win. Who would’ve thought soccer would win a game where you had to throw the ball instead of kick it!