Last Friday, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), a peer leadership organization, held a fundraising basketball tournament at Wayland High School. A small group of students and faculty members from our school participated in the event, and our team, led by our Principal Patrick Tutwiler, won the tournament, snatching four Celtics tickets.

Twelve different teams participated in this double elimination tournament. Each team had four players, but only three players were on the court at once. To make the play more equitable, only one varsity player was allowed per team.



Principal Patrick Tutwiler, Coach Joe Cincotta, and sophomores Ian Bonner and Jeff Brewington were on the winning team for WHS. Bonner expressed his excitement about their victory:

“It was a great tournament for a good cause. Those four donated Celtics tickets were greatly appreciated, and I am glad we could come out on top.”

Players who took second place were also from Wayland High School. That team was composed of sophomores Zack Miles, Adam Lewin, Matt Crismond, and Taylor Bridgman. Miles described how difficult it was to face the Principal on a basketball court:

“In the end, Mr. Tutwiler was just too much for our team to handle. They had a great team and they played well.”

Tutwiler was a basketball player at College of the Holy Cross, and his 6’4″ height supports his performance on the court.

Students Against Destructive Decisions, formerly Students Against Driving Drunk, provides students with intervention and prevention tools to deal with the issues of underage drinking, drunk driving, drug abuse and other destructive decisions across the nation.

SADD has a special meaning for Wayland High School because Robert Anastas, a former Wayland High School hockey coach, along with WHS students, founded SADD at Wayland High School in 1981 after two Wayland High School hockey players were killed in separate car crashes.

Principal Tutwiler expresses how he enjoyed the meaningful occasion that SADD has provided:

“Any opportunity for this community to get together and have a little fun is an opportunity that we’ll take with enthusiasm. While there weren’t as many teams as we’d hoped, those who signed up and participated were treated to a few hours of entertainment as they watched their peers and a few teachers, including yours truly, play. I witnessed lots of smiles during this event. It was a nice way to end the week.”