Now in its 11th year of existence, the high school’s Dark Falcons pumpkin chucking team finished its latest season with a demonstration for younger students at the district’s May Moore Primary School. The Dark Falcons have competed annually in different events from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire, testing the limits to see how far their machine can hurl a pumpkin using the catapult the students constructed.

“This group of students worked hard all summer and on Saturdays to re-engineer this machine to what it is today,” said technology teacher Bruce Sander, the team’s coach. “We decided to repower this machine using 600 feet of latex tubing and the results have been amazing, doubling our throwing distance from last year and now reaching over 1,800 feet. The engineering design and the hands-on construction while working as a team is what the Dark Falcons are all about. The involvement of the parents, with their dedication and time spent traveling to events, is also a big factor in this team’s success. We look forward to competing again next year.”