Monday, May 1 marked the kick off of the senior water wars at West Milford High School. For this game, two pairs of partners make up a team and are assigned a target they need to eliminate. One person in the group needs to get at least one person out for the team to be safe and to proceed to the next round. You need a water gun and floatie to keep you safe. Each week, organizers will add a day where floaties will not keep you safe. You can’t use any kind of water bottle, hose, or battery powered gun. Only water guns will count toward getting your target out or having your target stun you for 24 hours. 

This is a test of survival of the fittest. You not only have to outsmart the person targeting you, but your group has to get at least one of their targets out as well. Each Monday you will receive your target, and each Sunday you have until 10pm to get your target out and have your video uploaded. Each week, up until the fourth week, you will be able to buy back into the game, however, the price of the buy back goes up ten dollars. All the money from the buying in to play and the money from the buying back into the game goes to the “pot”, where you win all that money if you are the last one standing. Right now it is estimated to be $1000.

In the first round only Wednesday was a no floatie day. By the end of the week, 24 people were shot and eliminated, and 8 teams were eliminated by default due to not getting anyone out week one. The buy back this week was $20. There were drive-by kills, getting into your friend’s home kills, sneak attack kills, and walking out of school kills. Shortly after you were no longer allowed to shoot on school grounds until after 3:30pm. 

Week two started off that Wednesday and Friday were now no floatie days. To buy back in this week cost $30. By the end of the week, 18 people were eliminated and 5 teams lost by default. 

Week three started off with 49 people left in the game. The buy back was $40.  The first day people went strong, and three people were eliminated. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday were all no floatie days. Later in the week, last minute decisions based on polls on Instagram meant that Thursday and Sunday were voted no floatie days. By the end of the week, 12 people were out, along with 4 teams ending the week, with a total of 22 people eliminated. 

Now starting the fourth week with only 27 people left, you no longer can buy back in. Every single day is a no floatie day. This week is the most intense and the most hard. 12 people total got out this week and we were getting down to the nitty gritty. 

Coming up on the end of the game with about 15 people left. Wednesday, Ava secured her team by getting Mateo out, and we’ll keep you in suspense while the rest of the game plays out! It’s still going strong, so keep a lookout for the winner to be announced!