For many seniors, ping pong is a lighthearted game to be enjoyed at lunch, but for some in the class of 2024–ping pong is life. Ever since the first day of school, there have been fierce competitions in the bout to 11. With long lines forming at lunch, students can’t wait for their opportunity to play. Avid ping pong player senior Maxwell “Donnie” Carr stated, “Ping pong has been the best thing since sliced bread,” and he isn’t alone in this opinion.
This widespread popularity has sparked serious arguments about the best players at SHS–so we set out to get to the bottom of this debate. When asked about the most developed player, there was a common refrain–senior Benjamin DiPesa. Carr credited DiPesa’s success to his history in tennis, stating, “His tennis skills directly translate, and it really puts the rest of us at a disadvantage.”
Sharing his perspective on success, DiPesa said he “dabbled” in ping pong in the past but credits much of his ability to his tennis training. (DiPesa was the 2023 Patriot League MVP.) Admitting he “doesn’t eat lunch” because he dominates the table, DiPesa stated, “I don’t have challengers–I just have losers.”
Another hot topic among SHS ping pong players is gender inclusion: During lunch, girls rarely get their turn to challenge the winner. Senior Maeve Smith said, “I have played one game, but I wish it could be more.” Senior Katerina Guyette, who expressed an interest in playing, said, “I think there should be more girls playing–it is a great game, and I know plenty of girls who would love to play.” DiPesa openly stated he accepts “any and all challengers” to take a shot at his near-perfect record.
Although DiPesa is considered the best player in the senior class, he is not always calm, cool, and collected. In fact, Carr is on the short list of DiPesa’s losses. When asked how he achieved the win, he said, “I caught him on an off game, and in this sport, an off game can be the deciding factor.” Overall, DiPesa has beaten Carr 26 times to 01 (26-01).
When asked to provide a rebuttal to Carr’s claims, DiPesa stated, “There was an attempt at a legitimate victory–a nice try, and although it appears I have lost, I’ll be a gentleman about it.” After 20+ games of ping pong during lunch, DiPesa said he “can only be at his best for so long.” Reverting to his President Kennedy impression, DiPesa commented, “We choose to go to the ping pong table and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”