Freshmen Tyler Peltz and Tyler Allen of Marlton, led a team of their classmates to victory in Doane Academy’s 2nd Annual Pumpkin Launch.
Their slingshot obliterated the school record set last year, launching a pumpkin 420 feet. It took four students to help pull the slingshot back and then launch the pumpkin even farther than the length of an official football field.
A dozen teams built a total of nine trebuchets (i.e. catapults) and three cannons. They launched four-inch by six-inch pumpkins across the secondary soccer field at Doane’s Academy. (located off of the main parking lot and parallel to the Burlington-Bristol Bridge). The pumpkin launch was the final daytime activity of homecoming 2011. Earlier in the day there was an alumni soccer game, a cook-out, and the homecoming soccer game with activities and games throughout for students.
Over 60 students and teachers will compete for the longest distance and highest precision prizes. Last year’s top distance was 175 feet.
Both Tylers are excellent students at Doane Academy who have been attending the Pre-K to 12th grade independent school in Burlington, N.J. since they were in elementary school.