Honor. That’s what was on the line in the most high-energy event of the spring semester: Macho Man.

This men’s volleyball competition, held every year at Fluvanna County High School for as long as anyone can remember, was the centerpiece of this year’s Flucofest on March 28.  It pit the various grade levels against one another in an elimination-style tournament. The first match involved the eighth graders vs. the ninth graders, with the ninth graders barely squeezing by to the next round. Next were the 10^th graders facing the 11^th graders, and the sophomores dominated. Then the 9^th graders went back up against the 12^th graders, with the 12^th graders taking the win. Finally came the match everyone was waiting for, and it got competitive. Very competitive. “You could feel the competition between all the grades once each team stepped onto the court. But when the sophomores stepped up against the seniors, we knew in the end we would be victorious,” said sophomore Matt Rafaly. A bit biased perhaps, but the statement held true, because this year, the sophomores stole the Macho Man title, beating the seniors by a large margin.

Speaking of embarrassing, one of the largest attractions in this annual event is the outrageous uniforms the students typically design for the event. And as the years go by, the boy’s shorts seem to get shorter and the themes more flagrant. “We chose pink [for the uniforms this year] because we thought it’d be funny. But really, sophomore Tiffany Hoyt put together the whole uniform,” said sophomore Craig Russo.

But the competitiveness and the crazy uniforms aside, Macho Man at its core is still a Fluco tradition that students enjoy just as much today as they did the first year it was created. “It’s the most fun thing I’ve done all year,” said senior Markyll Bland. And with support like that for Macho Man, it’s not going anywhere.