They say that every dog has its day. This day belonged, without a doubt, to Stanford Residential College.
With an overall score of 13,035 points, Stanford edged out Hecht’s 12,790 points for the SportsFest championship, snapping Hecht’s nine-year winning streak.
“We went in with the right mentality,” said Jacob Sperber, a first-year Stanford resident assistant (RA). “We thought ‘we will.’ And we did.”
The win holds special meaning for senior RAs, who now believe they can graduate in peace.
“I really wanted to win before graduating,” said Meghan Gunning, a four-year Stanford veteran and third year RA. “This is a good accomplishment!”
The Stanford RAs had their winning mentality from day one of their training in August. Seth Reder and Phil Duventre, the new area director and assistant area director, came in expecting a lot.
“I think we won because of the RAs’ effort,” she said. “But the spirit of the residents made it go all the way.”
Sperber noted that many members of his floor competed in four or five events.
“They really took it upon themselves to make it a priority,” he said. “That’s what made it so special.”
Camaraderie was a huge part of the event. Despite Stanford’s elation at their victory, many won’t be rubbing it in Hecht’s face any time soon.
“It was a lot of time, but it was time spent well,” Tom Terrill, a Stanford resident said. “I went to most events to cheer on my floor. It’s hard to forget Hecht’s legacy.”
Bhumi Patel, a Hecht resident, was optimistic about the loss.
“It’s sad to see the streak end, but everyone in Hecht worked their hardest and had an amazing amount of spirit,” she said.
The question remains: Is this the beginning of a new streak for Stanford?
“I hope so!” said Sperber with a grin. “Now that this staff has tasted victory, we want to continue it.”
Darci Miller can be contacted at dmiller@themiamihurricane.com.