The Ping Pong March Madness tournament will take place during lunches and after school throughout March, as students from every grade level and gender compete to become the ping pong champion of Bishop Blanchet.

“I’m excited to get the chance to compete this year,” said Senior Will Fleming. “I’m hoping to pull a Cinderella story.”

There are a couple players to watch for throughout the tourney. Last year’s winner and one-time Tradition Week ping pong champion, Sophomore Eddie Shelton, has high hopes for himself in the competition this year. With a win in last year’s finals against Mr. Bilanko, Shelton believes he is going to be able to go back-to-back this year.

“I like my chances this year,” said Shelton. “I’ve been training a little bit for it, and I’m in good form.”

Although Shelton has proven his strength in the past, he is coming off of a defeat to Junior David Ochsner in Tradition Week 2018. Ochsner came back at the very end of the finals game to earn the points for his class. He has his sights on the title this year, and thinks he’s going to be the one to take down last year’s champ.

“I won the Tradition Week game, so I’m already pretty much the best in the school,” said Ochsner. “I’m confident that I’ll win.”

Between all of the smack talk, there is guaranteed to be some great competition this year. The only thing guaranteed is that there will be some madness happening during this tourney. The sign-ups will begin on March 7th, and the Ping Pong Club will be running the event. The event costs $5 to enter, and the students will compete against their own grade levels before the winners face the others in the Final Four.