The annual Pace ping pong tournament is back this year. After an incomplete tournament bracket last year, seniors Porter Kendall and Jack Janko are looking to bring this tradition back from the dead.
Last year, the ping pong tournament was an unsuccessful endeavor. Due to the lack of matches, players were not finishing their matches on time, and the tournament was unfortunately never finished.
This year, the 54 person tournament is being held over the course of next month. The main difference from last year’s tournament “is this one is bigger, better, and has a much more lucrative prize,” said Kendall. The winner’s prize is a coveted date with the Homecoming king himself, Jack Janko. “It will be magical—everything you’ve ever dreamed of and more. Jack is the most charming, romantic man on the planet,” said Kendall.
There is one issue with the tournament, however. The beloved ping pong table has been worn down over its two years at Pace. One side is more curved on the end than the other, resulting in a disadvantage for that side of the table. To keep the matches fair, Kendall has proposed players switch side every service change. As of now, there does not seem to be any plans of replacing the table in the near future, so Kendall’s solution will have to suffice.
Along with the returning champ, junior David Fu, the favorites of this year’s tournament seem to be senior Jack Janko, junior William McMullan and the sole faculty participant, maintenance staff Regulo Olivares. The esteemed Mr. Olivares is determined to leave his mark on Pace ping pong history.