The Super Bowl, the World Series, the World Cup. All are sporting events unparalleled in terms of the competition and excitement  brought by a tournament style event, one of the reasons why March Madness is so popular. In the world of college sports, nothing can compare. This year has been specifically exciting thanks to the early round exits, major upsets, and “Cinderella” stories.

“This is the most exciting time of the year,” health teacher, Gabe Romano said.

The only thing possibly more exciting than the actual tournament seems to be the competitions that it brings to the halls of AHS.

“I picked my brackets based on teams I’ve seen lay. I’m really biased towards the ACC,” Romano said.

While all of the sports marketing classes require a bracket to be made, many students and teachers have become all consumed by their brackets and  televisions after tip-off.

“I’m watching almost every game that is on. I am an addict,” Romano said.

March Madness began the year with mixed reviews after the NCAA made changes to the rulebook, now allowing 68 teams to compete in the tournament. But with the changes brings a greater challenge to those making brackets and participating in betting pools.

“The new rule makes the whole tournament more fun because it helps me to keep track of more teams that participate in the tournament. It builds more competition,” senior Alay Tedla said.

Tedla, along with senior Ben Wolfenstein, organized a 11-person pool through the ESPN tournament challenge. Each participant bet $5 in order to compete.
Teachers have also taken to their brackets. English teacher, Bill Maglisceau, organized a group of 50 teachers to participate in this year’s bracket competition.

This year has been especially unpredictable for those in the middle of competition, with many of the top teams knocked out early in the competition and others who were seeded low still in the competition.  Southeast favorite, University of Pittsburgh, was knocked out in the third round by Butler.

“I had Pittsburgh to win it all, but now I’m rooting for Butler,” Tedla said.

Additionally, Ohio State, a favorite to win the championship failed to make it to the Final Four and Duke, the 2010 Champions lost to no name, Arizona.
Things have become so upredictable that of the 5.9 million to enter into the ESPN bracket competition, only two participants remain with an accurate guess of the Final Four.

Following in the footsteps of George Mason’s 2006 appearance in the tournament, VCU has become “the little team that could,” after beating  Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State, and first seeded, Kansas to win the southwest division. The team, lead by head coach, Shaka Smart, has given hope to a team that was seeded eleventh and had low expectations coming into the season.

Unlike many years in the past, there in no clear winner in this year’s tournament, much to the enjoyment of it’s fans.

“ I picked my brackets by the teams that were are the top in their division, then my favorites. It is all different this year,” Tedla said.

With only four days until the Final Four match up in Houston, it is anyone’s guess as to who will take the championship title.

“It is all up in the air at this point. I think Butler will beat VCU, and Kentucky will take the whole thing,” Drivers Education and girls varsity basketball head coach Patrick Hughes said.

Brenna O’Neill

Sports X-tra Editor