HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PROVE ANYTHING GOES WHEN END OF SCHOOL APPROACHES; PLUCKED CHICKENS WIN WEIRD GAMES AT CENTRAL HIGH

The "Plucked Chickens," a team of 10 Cape Girardeau Central High School students, won the annual "Anything Goes Games" at the high school Wednesday afternoon.

The games are sponsored at the end of each school year by the Central High School Student Council. The contest started as soon as school dismissed and lasted a little over an hour.

Don Ryan, a member of the Student Council, described the "Anything Goes Games." He said: "It's like an Olympics but with different types of games."

The games, in fact, are outlandish. Students blew up rubber gloves with their noses.

Blindfolded competitors steered wheelbarrows bearing passengers through an obstacle course while each passenger shouted directions with an egg in his or her mouth.

Two blindfolded students held either end of a string with a chocolate-covered doughnut suspended from the middle. A third student attempted to eat the doughnut, with chocolate dripping everywhere.

Points were awarded for winning teams in each competition.

"We had eight teams of 10 students each competing this year," said Ryan.

Some teams are made up of particular club members. Other teams, like the winning "Plucked Chickens," are simply 10 friends.

Ryan explained that before the games began, each team completed a survey listing members who had the most hot air, were the hungriest and clumsiest. Those designations helped decide who would compete in the different events.

The "Plucked Chickens" ran away with the games, Ryan said. Their lead was sealed during the final event, a tug-of-war. "They pretty well dominated the games," Ryan said. "They really pulled the other teams away in the final event."

The top team got a trophy and the honor of winning the "Anything Goes" games.

"This has been very popular with students every year," Ryan said. "It's a lot of fun for students and the Student Council enjoys putting it on."

Members of the Student Council were responsible for coordinating the games.