Fans in WMS colors cheered from the stands. The students were out of their seats everyone grew silent as the referee threw the ball into the air.

On Friday, Jan. 29, Watertown Middle School had its Student/Faculty basketball game in the gym. Throughout the entire game both teams went neck and neck. Every time the students made a basket, the teachers came right back. As the game was nearing to a close no one knew who was going to take the victory.

There were 10 seconds left in the game, everyone was out of their seats, the score was 59-59.

“10, 9, 8, 7″ … The countdown was on. Matt Coffey brought the ball up, shot from the 3-point line … swish!

The teachers won, 62-59. The students should have won — and they will Wednesday, March 10. The rematch will be played at Watertown High School at 6:30 p.m.

The Student/Faculty basketball game is a fixed part of the Watertown Middle School.

“This game has been happening since before I was at school,” said Brian Donato, a WMS teacher and the one who organizes this event.

Mr. Donato also played in the game, along with many other teachers, including Deborah Kelly, Whitney McKnight, Virginia Walsh, Heather Smith, Sharon Cardarelli, Stacy Stern, Owen Conneely, Ann Palermo, Kathleen Dias, Kathleen Kiernan, Matt Coffey, Phillip Oates, Kimo Carter, Aram Manoukian, Brent Rademacher, Daniel Skop, and Phillip Martin.

Another famous part of the game is the school mascot, the eagle, and every year different students take turns throughout the game wearing the costume. At this past game, four students wore the eagle suit. The eagle is always present at the middle school game, and it will be there at the rematch at the high school, too.

For the rematch game, the teams and the coaches — Danielle Keuchkarian and James Garbier for the students; Tom Johnson for the teachers — will be the same.

The rematch game is going to be a fund-raiser for Pennies for Patients, which supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and children, and there will be pizza, snacks, and drinks available.

Also, at the game there will be paper pennies for sale, and each one costs a dollar. A blue penny is in honor of someone and a pink penny is in memory of someone.

Also, you can make a $5 donation and get a yellow penny that says “donation by” with your name on it. So, come and support the students when they beat the teachers Wednesday night, and help raise money for Pennies for Patients!

–March 9, 2010–