Leaving for school, the driveway must be checked. 

No one in sight.

The journey to the car requires a sprint. 

Behind senior Paige Ripberger, the sound of feet hitting the ground gets louder. 

She gets in the car and locks the doors. 

She is safe. 

From the rearview mirror, Ripberger sees an attacker ready to splash their next target.

It is her. 

This has become the new reality for Water Wars players.

In this non Frisco ISD-sponsored game, starting on Thursday, groups of four compete against each other for a jackpot prize of $480. 

Similar to tag, students eliminate their opponents by spraying them with water, and the team with the last person remaining wins. 

“The Liberty class of 2019 had the first water wars that I am aware of in the area,” current Water Wars coordinator and senior parent Julee Williams said. “Then we had heard that FHS was doing it this year and I was asked to host the event.”

After four years together, the class of 2021 is ready to take each other down one splash at a time. 

“I think that the game is going to be really competitive because it’s senior year so this is sort of like one of the last big things that we get to do together,” Ripberger said. “The winning team also gets to take home the jackpot at the end which is a big pile of money so that will make it more competitive.”

Though only the beginning, senior Grace Duong is ready to dominate the competition. 

“I’m just ready to take my opponents down and win,” Duong said. “My team has a few strategies in mind, and let’s just say our targets will have to be really careful.”

With high stakes on the line, Williams established clear rules and expectations to keep the students safe. 

“I looked at what FHS was doing, used that as guidance, and added some rules of my own,” Williams said. “I can’t stop stupidity, but have made it clear that the entire team will be eliminated if just one person is reckless, which means no cash for them. Hopefully that will keep the team accountable.”

Though the game is designed for the players to eliminate each other, Williams expects it to create a memorable experience for the seniors. 

“I think having something like Water Wars for this class will bring the class closer,” Williams said. “Players will have targets that they may not know very well. They will have to do some research to get to know them. Also, 2020 has been pretty crappy, and I wanted the seniors to have a little fun.”