Utah State’s annual Pumpkin Toss

From pumpkins being launched at targets and being dropped to crush a car to trebuchets breaking down mid-competition and teams making last-minute modifications, the annual Pumpkin Toss had plenty for its viewers to enjoy. 

On Oct. 24, Utah State University’s American Society of Mechanical Engineers held its annual Pumpkin Toss at the Green Canyon High School field. Spectators were greeted by painted targets featuring characters ranging from Pac-Man ghosts to a working car in the middle of the field with a Little Tikes car on top of it. 

Kelsey Lurae, a partner of a trebuchet team member from Brigham Young University-Idaho, loved the environment.  

“This is my first year here, but I love what they set up here for the challenges. It’s a fun environment and I love the community coming to support and see what all these teams made,” Lurae said. 

On the field, 20 participating teams lined up with their trebuchets. There were trebuchets of all sizes and designs. The challenges for everyone were accuracy and distance. 

The Pumpkin Toss included many teams, from high schools to other college teams and even nontraditional teams from around the area.

During the tournament, teams were fixing and modifying their trebuchets in the middle of the line of fire. Spectators were able to hear the sounds of power tools and hammers during the shooting challenges. 

Zac Hirschi, a team adviser and teacher at Sky View High School, said he was proud of his students’ progress in the tournament.  

“Our kids put in a lot of work these last few weeks. Sometimes they got discouraged, but we always worked together to overcome the challenges that came in this year’s design,” Hirschi said. 

Elise Bliss

The Blue Valley Accounting team prepares to launch their trebuchet at the Green Canyon High School Field on Oct. 24.

Zach McClerian, a participant, said he was not happy with the recent weather. “For next year, I hope we don’t have any rain because my team wasn’t able to test out our design in time, and there was also a deadline. Now we’re just stuck with our untested machine and hoping for the best this year,” said McClerian. 

Hirschi and his students highlighted their work through their design this year.  

“These kids do this for the love of the team. Many of these kids put their own money and time into building and improving our model. The funny part is we got some seatbelts for free to improve our sling. I know my boys could do it on their own, but they outsourced it and got some girls to sew them together and get it on our design during a sewing class,” said Hirschi. 

During the accuracy challenge, one team saw its machine meet its end. During a live firing, Team Nine’s design came undone and fell apart as it was fired. No one got hurt, but for Team Nine, that was the end of its day, as the team could not save its trebuchet. 

Aylisa Hall, a spectator close to the scene, said she was shocked by what happened.  

“I was enjoying the scene, and then I saw people running. I was able to see their designs come apart everywhere. Luckily, no one got hurt. The last thing I ever expected, that made us all laugh, was how that team was more worried about their donuts and chocolate milk,” said Hall. 

When the distance challenge began, all teams started making their modifications for the new challenge, such as adding more gym weights or adding more wood, showing the crowd their ingenuity. 

Looking toward the future, Hirschi said student safety was his top priority when it came to their design. 

“I’m thinking of retiring this design. It’s pretty dangerous to rearm each shot. We will see if we keep it for next year or if we create a whole new design. My kids’ safety is my first priority,” said Hirschi. 

The event ended with the long-awaited pumpkin drop. The crowd was allowed to move closer to the drop zone while the working car and the Little Tikes car on the roof were placed in the middle. 

A truck crane lifted three large pumpkins about 50 feet into the air. The crowd counted down, and the pumpkins were released and destroyed the roof of the car, sending pumpkin bits everywhere, marking the end of another annual pumpkin drop. 

Team 10 launches a pumpkin with their trebuchet at Green Canyon High School Field on Oct. 24.