It’s faculty vs. seniors in traditional Copenhagen face-off

COPENHAGEN, New York (WWNY) - It’s not your typical basketball game out on the Golden Knight’s court.

Two teams. Copenhagen Central School faculty and seniors were going at it again in a long-standing community tradition: donkey ball.

The faculty has had an edge over the years, winning more than they lose.

Senior Jesse Jones says he thinks he’s figured out the secret behind the winning streak.

“No, it’s definitely all in the donkey,” he said. Faculty, they’ve probably been playing together with the donkeys, they know which donkeys they like, which ones are for them, and which ones don’t like to be ridden.”

However, Jones says the seniors don’t mind a bit of a challenge. He says with time they get the hang of it.

“I think it’s them getting back at us for all the hard times we give them.”

Playing on the faculty’s side was Michelle Castor. She says Jones is right.

“John does a nice job of favoring the faculty a little bit, knowing that we all have to work in the morning, so he gives us donkeys that usually may be a little harder to get on,” Castor said. “They’re a little larger, we don’t get the spunky ones as much.”

Castor says she also has some tricks up her sleeve.

“I’ll tuck the ball under my shirt to help me hold on, so my hands are free for the game,” she said. “I have carrots in my pocket — other than that there’s not much of a strategy — and pray that you don’t hit the ground too hard because it’s going to happen.”

As for the ending score, chalk another one up for the faculty. But the seniors fought until the end.

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