This year, 99 seniors at Lafayette are participating in Senior Water Wars. Courtney Kemp and Penelope Proffitt are hosting the game this year. To get into the game, players had to pay $12 via Venmo. 

Kemp and Proffitt struggled to make the rules at first. “We tried to think of scenarios that would be common to happen. For example, people wearing their floaties incorrectly. We also knew we wanted to incorporate some new rules like bounty boards to make the game more fun and different than past years,” Kemp said. 

The girls thought it would be fun to be behind the scenes, “We thought it would be fun to be able to manipulate the game in a sense. Not to make certain people win, but more so to pair people up to see reactions,” Kemp said. However, the two might have underestimated the amount of work it would take to run the game. “We did not realize how much organization had to be done in order to host,” Kemp said. She also said they constantly have to make up rules on the spot when people DM them with questions. 

Some of the rules that they decided on are, that everyone has to have a neon water gun, no eliminating people in safe zones (inside Lafayette, the parking lot during school hours, during games/practices), and no wearing floaties or goggles while eliminating someone else. 

Bounty Boards are posted once a week, at the end of each round. They last for one day. “If someone did not get their target for the week out, then they’re on the bounty board,” Kemp said. Later adding, “Bounties are free range for anyone who isn’t on the bounty board. To get off the bounty board, you can pay 10 dollars to the pot.”

Kemp states that one player in particular stands out. “I think Evan Halter got the MVP award by like round two. We love to see it as hosts, knowing that someone is so into the game and having so much fun,” Kemp said. She also shared that Halter isn’t afraid to get out his own friends, and he makes the game move faster. 

Kemp said her favorite memory from the game so far was when she was getting Silkies with Kaden Stotler and a bunch of their friends. “Out of nowhere, he goes, ‘Courtney, pull your phone out,’ Come to find out he was trying to get out Kyle Schwallie who was on the bounty board,” she continued, “I felt horrible, but it was hilarious because no one saw it coming,” Kemp said. 

As of May 3, Katherine Archambeault is one of the 19 players left in the game. “At first, my strategy was to lay low and play defense. Now, my strategy is to get as many people out as possible,” Archambeault said. Archambeault’s motivation is that the money would help her pay for her college tuition. 

My favorite thing about the game so far is purge nights with Maddex [Rosen-McGinnis] and Hadley [Hendrickson] and getting people out,” Archambeault said. 

Halter and Archambeault agree that they’re each other’s biggest competition. “My strategy has been to team up with a lot of people, make friends, and just not get out,” Halter said. 

“Water wars are fun. Everyone should definitely do it their senior year,” Kemp said.

The pot was around $1,500 as of May 3. To find out who wins, follow the Lafayette Water Wars Instagram page, @lafwaterwars24.