After Chayton Katterman’s lacrosse game officially ends, he knows that in just five minutes Jaydon Obymachow and Christian Harris, his very own teammates, can get him out, freeze him or vice versa in the annual senior game of Assassins. This new rule, that you can get out at away games, is not only a worry for Katterman but the entirety of Morgan senior spring athletes. 

One of the biggest rule changes, added just this week, was the rule where you can get your targets out at their away sports game. “There’s a lot of rule changes to be honest,” said senior Christian Harris, “Some rules are beneficial while some are not, but it’s a part of the game nonetheless.”

 Some athletes, who now have to rely on the trust of their teammates, have called out the fairness of the rule. 

“I think taking away the ability to get your targets out at away games [would] truly benefit the game because Jaydon (Christian’s partner) and I can literally get our target out at our next game, or he can get us out, so it’s just unfair,” said Harris. 

Camryn Mazzarella, who has been running the entire game through Instagram and the Splashin app, believes the issues have to do with the competitiveness of the game and everyone wanting to make it easier for themselves to win. She also expected the complaints coming into the job knowing the fact people complain every year. 

“I think everyone is just mad because they know they can’t all win, which is an issue every year, which is why people complain about every rule,” said Mazzarella.

Additional rules were also added to this year’s game, Mazzarella added several rules that included disqualification for breaking the law, for example, traffic violations, speeding, being on private property, etc. These new rules have led to multiple disqualifications in the first week of the game. For example, Lyla Striby and Amber Maikowski were eliminated from the game for causing a disruption on their target neighbors’ lawn late one night, which they admitted to.

However, Striby didn’t agree with the ruling. “I think we should still be in and have our goggles taken away. It wasn’t a clear set rule that we weren’t allowed on her neighbors property and we didn’t even get anyone out,” said Striby.

Although Maikowski and Striby argued the rules weren’t clear, they were posted on Instagram February 28th.

After the neighbor event, Mazzarella put a poll on Instagram for the players to decide the fate of Maikowski and Striby, where they were ultimately voted out. The poll has been a method used in past years to make big decisions because it gives all the players a say rather than just one person.

Not everyone agrees.  “The poll wasn’t fair because obviously everyone’s gonna vote us out, it’s easier for the game and makes it go quicker,” said Maikowski.

Another concern, not unique to this year, is the games inability to come to a true end with multiple teams winning. Many people believe this is due to the fact that there are so many rules to the game and so many places like the outlets, for example, that are off limits as of this year.

However, many of the rules are based on requests from the citizens and business owners of town. Mazzarella said the owner contacted Mazzarella to let her know they wanted the location off limits, and that is why the rule was set. At the end of the day, though, Mazzarella has the rules in place for safety and are essential because we don’t want local businesses or laws being broken so this can’t be played in the future.

Not everyone agrees. “The game would be better if there were honestly no rules because there’d actually be a winner,” said Jake Lichak. “Make everywhere available to get someone out because there’s basically no way to get your target out.”

Harris, on the other hand, thinks it’s extremely easy to get your target out, as he has already eliminated his target from the game.

“There’s a lot of people complaining that it’s hard to get your target out and that’s just wrong, it’s so easy if you actually know how to play,” said Harris.

Mazzarella has also faced criticism from people saying that she is playing favoritism towards her friends and doing favors for them. An example of this not being the case when a senior was eliminated for hitting another competitor with his car. Many people came out in defense of the senior, including the student who was hit.  

Mazzarella disagrees with what everyone else is saying and believes she is staying consistent with her rules being fair to everyone.

“It’s just annoying when people say I do because I haven’t done any favors for anyone,” said Mazzarella “I literally eliminated my best friend from the game for cheating on the first day, so it just isn’t logical.”

 “People are always gonna complain. That’s just the way it works, but I think there’s more problems this year because my grade always has to have a problem with something,” said Harris.

Despite many of the eliminations coming elsewhere, sports still seem to be the biggest issue when it comes to the amount of complaints, specifically the away sport game rule where you can get your target out at their away sporting event when it ends. 

But despite the complaints, Mazzarella has stayed strong to her rules and says she will stay consistent. The away game rule is set in place in order to make it easier to get your target out considering the amount of locations off limits according to Mazzarella.

“I don’t plan on changing the away game rule,” said Mazzarella, “I’m just trying to stay consistent with my rules and make it easier to get your target.”

Fun things like assassins often cause problems, but it is the way that they are handled is what’s most important. While people will continue to complain, the game will continue to go on and leave them behind. The rules are the rules, and it is important to listen to them, or things like assassins will get taken away.

“I”m just trying to make it as fair as possible so everyone can have fun and so this doesn’t get taken away in the future,” said Mazzarella.