AC/DC’s “Back in Black” blared in the background as the first pair of pickleball finalists, juniors Arlo Rising and Nathan Tureck, marched into the gym. Soon after, the other finalists, juniors William Cromer and Lawson Massey, followed them in as “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor rang out. Science teacher Greg Dallinger dramatically announced both teams’ entrances.
What started as a 108-team pool had been narrowed down to just two teams—and after a hard-fought battle, Cromer and Massey emerged as the second-ever GDS pickleball tournament champions.
The finals took place during lunch on Monday, May 18, drawing over 100 students and faculty to the match. The atmosphere in the gym felt like an official sporting event: Sophomores Ben Samuel and Felix Vogl commentated during the game, while sophomore Paul Sussmann played songs like “Charge!” on the electric piano—a baseball-game classic. Director of Student Community Programming Bobby Asher, who organized the tournament, also offered hotdogs to students who attended the match.
In accordance with last year’s customs, both teams sported matching outfits. Cromer and Massey wore all black outfits, while Rising and Tureck wore Arsenal Football Club jerseys and shorts. (Cromer is a sports reporter for the Bit).
Going into the game, Massey wanted to surprise people. “I think that William [Cromer] and I came in as the underdogs,” he said. “It was William and I against the world, and people love the underdogs until the underdogs win.”
The game was played to 15 points. After a few minutes of warm-up, the teams rallied to determine who would serve. Cromer and Massey won the point and served first. (In pickleball, a team can only score points if they are the ones who serve the ball.)
Cromer and Massey quickly set the tone, jumping out to a 6–1 lead. Their dominance at the net, combined with multiple missed shots from Rising and Tureck, helped them dominate early.
But Rising and Tureck quickly adjusted to Cromer and Massey’s aggressive play style and won three points in a row to keep the game in reach. The game slowly evened out, as both teams hit powerful slams at the net. Soon, the game was tied 8–8.
Cromer and Massey kept up the pressure. They scored four points, including one on a diving hit from Cromer to give him and Massey a 12–8 lead. Yet Rising and Tureck continued to fight. A diving play from Rising helped his team win back the serve, and they quickly cut their opponents’ lead down to two.
But after the teams traded points, Cromer and Massey broke through, making the score 14–11 and putting themselves just one point away from the championship. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered in anticipation for the finale. The teams rallied, desperately battling with the game on the line. But eventually, Tureck hit a shot that went just out of bounds, sealing the win for Cromer and Massey.
“I had a great time playing,” Rising said. “Overall, the vibes were good, and I enjoyed it.”
Throughout April and May, the tournament delivered many close games and exciting points. However, Asher thought the tournament’s success lay beyond the games themselves.
“I really hope it’s all about joy,” Asher said. “I think we need to take time to ensure that we’re making memories.
“You can’t really be thinking about your chemistry quiz when you’re trying to figure out where you’re going to serve a ball,” Asher continued. “I like trying to create those not-just-community moments, but moments where we can disengage from all the hard work we’re doing—where we can be present rather than future-oriented.”
“It’s just a great chance to show support for one another and come together as a community in a competitive way,” Massey said.
In the future, Asher wants to expand the tournament. “It feels like it’s growing into an annual event,” he said. “We’re going to shoot even higher next year.”
Although Asher didn’t specify his plans for next year—for fear of spoiling them—it seems like one thing is for certain; pickleball has found its place in the GDS community.