For nearly a decade, Spirit Day at Cresskill High School had a script: the seniors would win. This year, someone finally rewrote it.

In a dramatic finish that came down to volleyball, the sophomore class pulled off a shocking upset, defeating the seniors by just 10 points and leaving the school asking the same question: how did this happen? The answer starts with consistency.

The seniors still had a strong day, winning major events like Tug of War, Dodgeball, and several spirit competitions. But they also had key third and fourth-place finishes that cost them valuable points throughout the day.

The sophomores, meanwhile, stayed consistent across nearly every event: earning points in volleyball, obstacle course, handball, and hallway decorating while rarely slipping to the bottom.

Sophomore Richard Martin, who competed in six events, said consistency made the difference. “I just tried to do my best in everything,” Richard said. “I didn’t think it would matter this much, but every point really added up.”

Even small moments shifted the outcome. A freshman win in Home Run Derby, won by Drew Chung and Katie Kim, became one of the turning points of the day. It was the only one of the final 10 events not won by either the seniors or freshmen, helping tighten the standings heading into the final stretch.

“I didn’t realize how important it was at the time,” Drew said. “But it definitely made everything closer at the end.”

The final outcome came down to volleyball. After losing to the 9th graders earlier in the day, the seniors faced the juniors in a high-pressure consolation match for third and fourth place. If the seniors lost this game, all would come down to the sophomore-freshman match. 

“This was the deciding game,” said junior Jun Nakai. “If we beat the seniors, it basically decides Spirit Day.”  Jun admitted the pressure affected parts of his play. “A lot of people were joking about letting the seniors win,” he said. “But on the last serve, I just decided to go for it.”

That result opened the door for the sophomores.

The sophomore volleyball team then stepped in against the freshmen and secured the final points needed to clinch Spirit Day.

“It was honestly unreal,” said sophomore Hannah Barrs. “Everyone was screaming, and it took a second to even realize we actually won.”

Part of what made the outcome so surprising is the way Spirit Day is structured.

Dean of Students Mr. Quin said the system is generally built in a way that tends to favor seniors, making a sophomore victory especially rare. In many events, seniors are matched up against freshmen in the first round, while sophomores face the juniors. On paper, that setup gives seniors a clear advantage early on, as they are more likely to advance past the first round. From there, the winners move on to compete for first and second place, while the losing teams play a consolation round for third and fourth, meaning early matchups can have a major impact on final standings. 

Sophomore Hannah Barrs said the advantage is noticeable throughout the day.

“It inherently favors the seniors,” she said. “They just have more experience, and it shows in how things are set up.”

Senior Gil Paryente added that close events often lean toward upperclassmen. “If it’s close, the seniors usually get the benefit,” he said.

Spanish teacher Señora Cabo said she couldn’t believe the result, repeatedly asking whether the sophomores had actually won. “I kept thinking, there’s no way,” she said. “I had to double-check because it didn’t feel real.”

In the end, Spirit Day wasn’t decided by one moment, but by consistency, small turning points, and a final volleyball game that made the difference.

And for the first time in years, the script didn’t hold. The sophomores didn’t just win Spirit Day. They took it.