By Dylan Field ’27
RAMSEY, NJ – The Wild West took the DBP community by storm on Day 3 of Spirit Week, with the Ironmen breaking out their cowboy hats, spurs, and western-themed gear. As the week reached its midway point, the race for the trophy remained closely contested. The Seniors were leading the pack, fresh off their victories in 2-ball and Pickleball. After a disappointing Spirit Week debut where they fell short against the Juniors in Dodgeball and 3v3 Bubble Sumo, the Seniors regained their confidence and control of the leaderboard.
Going into Wednesday, the Freshmen trailed the Sophomores by a razor-thin margin for last place. At the same time, the Juniors stayed right on the Seniors’ tail, hoping to spoil their much-anticipated final Spirit Week. Day 3 featured some of the most competitive and electric games that Spirit Week has to offer, with both Floor Hockey and 5v5 Basketball being staples of the DBP community. After a brief false alarm fire drill, students from all grades flooded into the gym, with an undeniable sense of pride, passion, and excitement in the air.
As he does at the beginning of each afternoon of Spirit Week activities, Fr. Abe began the competition with a prayer, reminding students, faculty and staff that Spirit Week is a celebration of St. John Bosco’s love for the young.
First up were the Freshmen and Juniors battling it out with sticks. After a back-and-forth game, a sub-one-minute goal from the Juniors sent them past the Freshmen and into the Championship game. Next, the Sophomores faced off against the Seniors, who were leading the standings. After a physical game ending in a 0-0 tie, a sudden-death penalty shootout would decide who would play the Juniors in the championship. Standout goalie Anthony Zolnier made two miraculous saves on penalties, but the Sophomores failed to find the back of the net. The Seniors finally broke through with a crushing blow to send them to the Championship. A tired Sophomore squad drew 0-0 with the Freshman, awarding both teams 20 points.
For the final Floor Hockey match of the day, the Juniors faced the Seniors for control of the standings heading into the last event. Thanks to brilliant play by both goalkeepers and fierce, aggressive play by both teams, goals were hard to come by. After a break in transition, the Seniors squeaked one by Junior goalkeeper Aiden Kang to win the event! The Senior section erupted in jubilation, and the energy in the gym carried over to Basketball.
The Freshmen came out hot with two quick threes from Phoenix Evans, shocking the reeling Juniors and securing an 8-3 win that sent them to the Finals. It also gave the Freshmen newfound hope that their window for an upset had not closed.
The next and final game of the day had the crowd buzzing with excitement, creating an electric atmosphere that sent chills down the spine of everyone in the gym. For the Sophomores, the stakes could not have been higher. A first-place finish would keep them in contention with the Juniors and Seniors for the title. However, a loss could see them fall to the Freshmen in the overall standings, depending on the results of the Coin Challenge and Thursday’s events.
For the Seniors, maintaining the momentum from the past few events would set the stage for their victory. But a loss could put an end to their hot streak and leave a sour taste in their mouths heading into the final day. After six minutes of play, the only thing missing was points! Both teams displayed physical play and all-out effort, with the Sophomores in particular showing their heart, unfazed by the bigger and stronger Seniors. Mikai Allen was a menace on the boards, and Isaiah Alvarez commanded the offense.
With just over a minute to go, a broken play found Sophomore Dean Chiusano wide open on the wing, where he splashed down a three-pointer to give the Sophomores a late lead. Sophomore fans in the upper deck were as loud as they’d been all week, chanting and urging their team to finish the job. With under a minute remaining, the Seniors grew increasingly anxious to equalize with a three-pointer of their own. After a long, drawn-out possession filled with ball movement and off-ball action, the Sophomores let their guard down for just a second, allowing the Seniors to hit a corner three, completely flipping the script.
Isaiah Alvarez took the ball on the ensuing possession, with under 30 seconds on the clock. After moving the ball around, trying to find a lane to drive or shoot through the teeth of the Senior defense, Isaiah took his chance at the basket. Driving right, he was knocked off his feet by multiple defenders, resulting in a foul call with just five seconds left. The entire crowd, including the Freshmen and Juniors, rose to their feet to witness the final seconds of the game.
As the clock ticked down, the Sophomores found an open three-pointer… but the ball rimmed out, sending the game into sudden-death overtime. The overtime period tipped off, and the Seniors pounced on the Sophomore defensive disarray. A perfectly executed finish around the rim capped off Day 3 of Spirit Week. As the Seniors rushed the court, the Sophomores trudged out of the gym, utterly heartbroken for the second time that day.
The final for 5v5 Basketball will be played on Day 4, along with Tug of War and Handball, to conclude what has been a riveting Spirit Week at Don Bosco Prep. Heading into the final day, the Freshmen are in last with 120 points, the Sophomores are in 3rd with 160 points, and the Juniors and Seniors are tied for 1st with 250 points. With the Coin Challenge points still yet to be tallied, it’s truly anyone’s game.