The underdogs came out on top at Renaissance’s first annual dodgeball tournament on Saturday, March 8. Big Cat and Friends, a group of sophomore boys, beat out an all junior boy team, We R Kreh Z in the championship game of the bracket tournament.

The sophomore team included Captain Colin Blaise, Jacob Hoffman, Grant Devlin, Nick Cibulka, Colin Huguelet, Matt Nichols, Drew Hartmann, Aaron Germeroth, and Turner Cooks.

Blaise said their biggest competition was Cullen Shaver’s team because the team had a lot of good baseball players that can throw hard.

“We did nothing to prepare, Blaise said.” We showed up with speakers to play music and we were ready. We are coming back next year with vengeance.”

Germeroth said he thought they were going to lose and they didn’t know what to expect. But with strength, integrity, bravery, strategy and heart, Germeroth said they were able to win the tournament.

“We are number one,” Germeroth said.”

First, second and third place teams each won medals, a pizza and a variety of coupons and discounts at local restaurants and stores.

Ashley Hobbs, social studies teacher, said the first dodgeball tournament was a success, which included the participation of 16 teams.

“The kids really had a good time,” Hobbs said. “We for sure made a profit, now we are just waiting on the final calculations.”

Next year, Hobbs said Renaissance is going to make the event even bigger including more teams and maybe more officials.

Hobbs said the final game where the sophomores took first place was really exciting.

“There were a lot of teams, but they weren’t necessarily one of the teams people were watching for and that made it extra exciting,” Hobbs said.