Although outsiders might see spikeball as a casual, friendly game, ASB’s lunchtime tournament was riddled with competitors throwing themselves on the ground to save the ball or flicking unlikely backhand shots that land perfectly on the net.
In Friday’s final game, “Erica Loves Bacon,” the team of juniors Tyler Norris and Cameron Sauter, prevailed over “Super Super Gremlins,” sophomore Liam Barrett and junior Brent Bennion, to win the tournament.
The finalists pose after the game. From left, sophomore Liam Barrett, junior Tyler Norris, junior Cameron Sauter, and junior Brent Bennion. Norris said they are all great friends outside of spikeball and it was fun to play each other in the final. 
ASB event coordinators made signs for the games with team names displayed. 
Senior Amit Hod spikes the ball down during a semi-final versus “Erica loves bacon” on Friday. In a neck-and-neck match up, Hod and his partner, senior Brian Sussman, lost 19-21. 
Junior Jason Zhang dives to rescue the ball in a semi-final game versus “Super super gremlins” on Friday. The gremlins won the match 21-18.
“I feel like every match has been a challenge since the quarter rounds,” Norris said. “Like we’re best friends with these guys so it’s more of an honor to play against them.”
“It’s always fun playing against people who you know and are also very competitive,” Sauter added.
The two agreed that the challenge of playing spikeball was the athleticism and hand-eye coordination required to succeed.
Their name was inspired by one of their friend’s Snapchat usernames with the explanation from Norris: “We love it, so she’s representing us.”
Starting the week with 32 teams, the tournament created a community around spikeball, one of the coordinators, junior Billy Peir, said.
“[I love] seeing everyone from the school community coming together from all grades,” Pier said.
Spectators gather to watch the final match on Friday, which ended with “Erica loves bacon” victorious. 
Juniors Tyler Norris and Cameron Sauter pose with their team’s namesake “Erica” whose snapchat username inspired them to enter the tournament as “Erica loves bacon.” 
Junior Brent Bennion after a futile dive onto the ground, one of the many dramatic showings of the unlikely athleticism required to succeed at spikeball.
The event’s lead coordinator, senior Brian Sussman, said that senior Landon Gaviria started the spikeball tournament during their freshman year, and ASB brought it back post-lockdown. It follows the dodgeball tournament ASB put on earlier this year.
“I like how it just brings a ton of different people out playing friendly competition,” Sussman said. “Everyone seems to have fun.”
Sussman himself participated in the tournament with his partner, senior Amit Hod, and made it to the semi-finals before being beaten by “Erica Loves Bacon.” The other semi-final was between “Super Super Gremlins” and “Milk Men,” the team of juniors Guy Robbins and Jason Zhang.
Lacking any formal training (not that it exists in spikeball), Norris said he and Sauter played spikeball over the summer which helped them secure the win. Sauter said they enjoy playing the game just as much outside of a tournament setting.
“Anyone watching this, go play Spikeball,” Norris said. “It’s a really fun sport.”