The pie-eating competition has long been a staple of Pine Crest Homecoming  (PC HOCO) week events. As of 2024, this beloved event has disappeared from the menu. 

A test of one’s mental and physical determination in the name of earning spirit points for their grade, the pie-eating contest was to many seen as the pinnacle of PC HOCO pride. As an event that could not be rigged or influenced by the corrupt senior class, pie eating was seen as the ultimate test of grit, and the winner as the true Homecoming victor. In the wake of this sudden and jarring loss, Pine Crest Homecoming spirit has reached epic lows. 

Beloved pie-eater, Yash Gupta ’25, has struggled to accept the loss of an event he spent all year training for. Yash has competed as the representative for the senior class since his freshman year, pulling out a miraculous win in 2023 alongside his classmate and “Donut on a String” winner Joby Sodi ’25.  

“I was really disappointed Pine Crest got rid of the contest,” Gupta said. “I spent my whole high school career on it. For that one day a year I was a voracious pie-eating monster.”

In the wake of such a devastating disappearance, Yash has struggled to find purpose with his role in the senior tug-of-war victory failing to fill the pie-shaped hole in his heart.

Paw Print assistant editor-in-chief Zach Port ’25 blames a corrupt administration for the unprecedented change. When asked about the polarizing removal of pie-eating, Port said, “I know it’s no coincidence that when Mr. Hannigan arrived, pie-eating mysteriously left.” In his investigative pursuits, Port reported stacks of empty pie boxes in Mr. Hannigan’s office, though he has refused to speak further on the ongoing investigation.

In response to the Paw Print’s request for comment, Mr. Hannigan said he “simply could never participate in or endorse a contest that allows for contestants to consume pie in anything less than all of its intended a-la-mode glory.” 

However, he maintains “full support and endorse[ment of] ANY introduction to pie for the younger generation.” 

While some are convinced that his clear enthusiasm for pie disproves any foul play, Paw Print Editor-in-Chief Kaelin Braverman ’25 remains skeptical. A semi-devoted vegan, Kaelin can speak on pie-eating from an unbiased viewpoint, arguing that “the evidence speaks for itself.” 

It is impossible to know the long-term effects of such a monumental staple leaving the Pine Crest HOCO agenda, but the credibility of 2024 Homecoming points and school spirit will certainly be forever tarnished. How the students of Upper School choose to respond to such a tragedy will define their legacy for decades to come and whether they will fight for justice is yet to be seen.