She was getting ready for work and thought about nothing but being five minutes behind. Rushing out the door she was pelted with squirt guns and the voice of her peers cheering that they had gotten their target out. 

“Senior assassins is a game where every partner pair gets a set of two targets (other students) and then you basically have to go after them, and squirt them with water… when they aren’t wearing a floatie (their only source of protection in the game),” senior Madison Blankenhorn said.

Senior Assassins is a beloved tradition that all high school students get to look forward to. This year there are over 160 students playing and 17 of them have already gotten out since the games started on September 23 and will end once there is only one team left standing (usually around the end of the school year). 

Every year the game is organized by a group of eager seniors, this year the game administrators are Morgan Mayorga, Noe Aliva, and Maya Grudman. The three of them are responsible for reviewing videos (proof that someone got their target out) and overall making sure the game goes smoothly. 

“I’m one of the coordinators so I post the videos that are sent in along with the other coordinators.  We answer questions and solve issues. On a daily basis, all I have to do is post  videos and sometimes there is controversy with the video so I have to discuss with the other coordinators.” Mayorga said.

Along with everything else in the middle of a pandemic, there are some issues that the game coordinators have faced when putting together an event of over 160 people. 

“The biggest challenge that we have to face is social distancing as well as people wearing masks,” Avila said, another game coordinator. 

Due to COVID-19, there have been substantial changes to the game. When getting a target out,  it is required that the assassin wear a mask and try to maintain six feet of distance. In some of the “kills,” students have not been adhering to the six feet mandate but they commonly reside within the same friend group.

Game coordinators have made the decision that if people are putting themselves in situations without a mask within their friend group, the assassin may get them out without a mask on. 

This event happened to Blankenhorn when she got out at a group gathering she held at her house on October 3. 

“I thought I knew who all the people I was with, had, so it was kind of stupid of me to then take off my floatie and think that none of [my friends] had me,” said Blankenhorn. 

The big unspoken rule for Senior Assassins is to trust no one, especially close friends.

Nassib Abousleiman and Kai Long have already gotten out four targets, making them the team to be scared of.

Although all four of their targets have been extremely close friends who they have manipulated into situations where they can get them out. 

“I feel like it’s a game of opportunity more than luck. So you got to know people and know information about those

people and then act on it,” said Abousleiman. 

The end goal of the game is to be the last one standing and receive prize money of over $1,500. Some people play for the fun, some people play for the money. 

“In the end, I’m playing for the money, but I mean if I get out, then I’m not going to complain because I’d have a lot of fun in the process,” noted Abousleiman. 

This year will definitely be a different game with COVID-19, but the class of 2021 is determined to make this year as memorable as possible.