As the clock hit 5 PM on Thursday, November 9th, participants and spectators of Enloe’s sixth annual Charity Kickball Tournament were in disbelief at the finish that had taken place on the practice field. The championship matchup, an opportunity multiple years in the making for both teams, was taken to a tiebreaker after a wild ending in regulation. Overtime rules ordered each captain to choose one player to make a single kick, the furthest distance determining the winner. “The first kick went further in the air. The second rolled most of the way,” announced Mr. Bowen, administrator of the event. “We have decided that team number one’s kick was the better one.” Following this ruling, controversy arose in the interpretation of the rules. Regardless, the result was final, and all participants were promptly kicked off the field by administrators. 

The funds raised from participants and spectators of the event benefited this year’s Charity Ball beneficiary, Neighbor 2 Neighbor. This year’s goal is to raise 165k to help Neighbor 2 Neighbor expand their outreach in the Raleigh community. Their mission is to use one-on-one mentoring to build strong, trusting relationships that aid students, grades 2 through 12, in subjects like Language Arts and Math. Additionally, they create accessible, living-wage job opportunities through Neighbor Enterprises. This includes a lawn care, cleaning, and moving company. 

Not unlike the ending, the chaos started off the day of kickball matchups. Scheduled practices for Enloe’s Track and Field team resulted in multiple discuses flying onto the kickball diamonds during live games, forcing Charity Ball organizers to relocate field boundaries. Once a few technical issues were shored up by Student Council representatives, the battle for charity started churning on all cylinders. Returning teams such as the Kareem Hunters and fresh faces like those of John ft. Badminton Club filled the bracket with intriguing matchups. In a matter of hours, after plenty of early exits and surprising upsets, the field was cut down to four. 

Going into the semifinals, the remaining squads were amped about the prospect of taking home the championship. Coming off of a multi-round Cinderella run led by seniors Matthew Brainard and Will Brown, the hopes of the Ball Kickers were soundly squelched after a 3-0 shutout by Rubber Lovers pitcher, Seth Cox. On the other side of the bracket, the favorite to win it all, Womble’s Warriors, consisting of mostly Enloe soccer players, were defeated by Ball Too Hard in a 2-1 defensive battle. Going into the high-stakes final, it was clear that both teams didn’t come to settle. Ball Too Hard, formerly known as the ‘Winloe Weasles,’ were defending champions. The Rubber Lovers, meanwhile, were composed of all seniors returning for a third year of kickball competition. 

As the sky began to darken on a post-daylight savings afternoon, the championship kicked off. The Rubber Lovers drew first blood after a Ball Too Hard player was struck in the head by his own teammate’s pass, leading to a Jaden Miller run home from third. Terrific defensive performances from both teams kept the score at 1-0 until the final seconds of regulation. As time was expiring and Rubber Lover fans and players were starting to taste victory, Ball Too Hard’s [name] drove Asaf Hyson home from third. The Rubber Lovers had made the throw to tag him out before he reached home, but Hyson, known for his speed, dodged the infielder to knot the score at 1-1 just as referee Kaitlyn Allen called time on the game. 

In overtime, captains of Ball Too Hard and Rubber Lovers selected Clark Brewer and Jaden Miller, respectively, to have one shot at bringing home the metaphorical ‘trophy’. Brewer went first, knocking a decent kick into shallow center field. Miller followed, skimming the ball along the ground in the same direction. To the dismay of the Rubber Lovers, tournament officials, after a lengthy discussion, determined that Brewer had the ‘better’ kick even though Miller’s went further. “[Ball Too Hard] played their hearts out, as did we. It was a thrilling tie. I do believe the rules robbed us a little bit, however, the Rubber Lovers will be back next year,” remarked Rubber Lovers member and Enloe senior Conor Kruger. “We’re failing out of English to come back and compete next year,” added fellow teammates Ryan Gregory and Juan Elizondo. While thrilled to have won for the second year in a row, members of Ball Too Hard shared a grounded perspective on the controversial fallout that stemmed from their victory. “People will be angry, but in a couple of weeks, months time, they’re going to forget,” said senior Shiego Briggs, “It’s just a fun thing for charity.”

Tired and proud, participants and fans dispersed from the field to enjoy the long weekend. Student Council, on the other hand, had plans early the next morning to participate in a service day, helping Neighbor 2 Neighbor with landscaping, repairing scooters, and general cleaning. Even with a morning full of volunteering looming, representatives still appreciated the energy the kickball tournament created. “We’re very happy with the turnout,” said Student Council VP of Service, Abby Ramsey, “You could tell the air was full of spirit.” The kickball tournament is an Enloe favorite and has cemented itself as a cornerstone among the string of events leading up to Charity Ball. “[The kickball tournament] and HoCho ($2 hot chocolate), are really great for raising money and getting students hyped for Charity Ball,” adds Ramsey. A 7th year of kickball will continue the event’s run next year, so start rounding up your team today.