Looking to raise money for the Beanbag Food Program, the cornhole club hosted the Students vs. Teachers Tournament in the auxiliary gym on February 26, competing for a good cause.
The tournament, hosted annually, costs $5 for students and $10 for teachers.
Many students and teachers alike look forward to the tournament all year.
“I love coming out and seeing everybody and having a good time,” guidance department coordinator Tom Overberger said. “It’s a lot of fun and it stirs some great banter back and forth.”
All funds raised go towards the Bean Bag Food Program, a nonprofit based in Souderton that distributes food to children in need.
“The heart of the tournament is to raise money for the beanbag food program, which provides food for kids in the district who have food insecurities,” Cornhole Club advisor Allison Todd said.
According to business teacher Perry Engard, the program serves as a great way for Souderton to give back to their community.
“It’s all very local, and I think that’s especially important because we forget how fortunate we are to be in Souderton,” Engard said. “While it is a competition, it’s most important that the program is the true winner every year.”
For Cornhole Club president Jake Allen, the tournament is one of his most anticipated events of the year. “I love the tournament. I’ve been [a part of the Cornhole Club] since I entered high school, so being able to be a part of starting this fundraiser is very important to me,” Allen said.
Many participants are eager to take down defending champions Engard and Overberger.
“Mr. Overberger is one of the greatest cornhole players I’ve ever seen,” Cornhole Club vice president Carson Kolunber said. “He and Mr. Engard are one dynamic duo, and they’re going to be hard to take down.”
After the tournament concluded, Allen said that in a “valiantly fought” match, Overberger and Engard took home the championship for the second year in a row.
“It was such a fun tournament despite Mr. Overberger and Mr. Engard going back-to-back. A lot of fun memories were made,” Allen said.
For next year, Todd said that students do not need any experience in cornholing if they are interested in playing.
“Students can meet us in the auxiliary gym every Wednesday during Red Zone, where they can get their practice,” Todd said. “Although the tournament can get competitive, it’s still supposed to be a fun event where anybody can play.”
The club, formed five years ago, also hosts other tournaments at Peter Becker Community.
“We hosted a tournament earlier in February with some of the residents of Peter Becker,” Todd said. “We try to play with them once a month or so, and it’s a nice way to socialize and spend time with them.”
For many people just starting to learn how to play cornhole, there are rules that people may not know about.
“There are eight bags total, four for each team. If the beanbag goes in the hole, that is three points; if it goes on the board, then that’s three,” said Allen.
According to Allen, if you go over 21 points, then your team has to start back from 14. “Those will be the rules for students versus teachers, but at Peter Becker, we play differently,” Allen said. “At Peter Becker, we play at a shorter distance of 27 feet.”