Students clashed in a real-life game of Battleship in the East Gym Rec Center pool Friday night during Binghamton University’s first Canoe Wars.
The objective of the game was to use buckets of water to sink the other teams’ canoes without being sunk. Players couldn’t touch the other teams’ canoes or take water out of their own canoe. Four teams would compete in each round, and the last two teams afloat would move on to the next round.
The teams, each composed of four students, arrived in costume. The members of S.S. Harvey Stenger’s Revenge dressed as pirates with wooden swords, pirate hats and bandannas.
“Argh! We’ve been adventuring on the high seas now for years,” said the team’s captain, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering who asked to be called Matt Beard. “I remember when I was but a cabin boy so many years ago. Now I am a captain, and I will lead my team to victory!”
During the course of the competition, several teams formed alliances to try and secure a spot in the next round.
“We tried making an alliance with the other team to get the third boat down so that us two could advance to the next round, but then they backfired and came around and got us,” said Jessica Phillips, a graduate student in the early childhood education program. “It was really messed up!”
Rodney Rebello, a member of the team Red October, shared specific sinking techniques.
“We want to attack the other boat at a perpendicular angle so we want to go straight at them so they only have one line of fire against us,” said Rebello, a senior majoring in finance.
S.S. Harvey Stenger’s Revenge won the competition, surviving eight rounds of naval battle.
“Argh, it feels great,” Beard said. “We killed all of our opponents and sunk them down into the depths! Davey Jones’ Locker!”
Team Slaughter, who wore matching American flag bandanas and face paint, quickly became a crowd favorite. As their canoe sank, the crowd chanted “USA!” while team members mimed a violin quartet.
Teresa High, assistant director of campus recreation and outdoor pursuits, said student interest led to Campus Recreation hosting the tournament.
“This is just for fun,” High said. “We interviewed for a new intramural position and a number of folks we interviewed mentioned that their schools did canoe wars. Some of us on staff went online and looked to see what its all about. The professional staff and the students really wanted to do this event at Binghamton.”
According to High, Campus Recreation plans on holding another Canoe Wars next semester.