After yesterday’s weather interruption, it was nice to get back on track with another spectacular Maine day, the norm for this 2026 camp season.  Red had surged ahead and was poised to add to their lead.  This time, it was Gray’s turn to set the record straight.

Captains TI and Joaquin called their troops together for the pre-game meetings before heading out for Day 3.  Based on this morning’s response by Gray, they might want to bottle up their meeting content and offer it to a few professional sports teams in dire need of some inspiration.  Needless to say, Gray came out smokin’ hot!     

Two wins in Freshmen Football on both the Bunkline and Rec Hall fields, a nip and tuck win in Juniors Tennis and the first of two Seniors Hockey games not only went Gray’s way, but they now had the lead.  Owen B and Leo P were gridiron stars, and the Tennis was settled when Gray won the last two matches in tiebreaker comebacks to steal the point.  In the Rink, Brayden scored twice and Dillon F hit the net from the defensive end in Gray’s shutout win.

A bit smitten, Red’s Seniors then came back from a 1-0 deficit with a pair of last period goals by Jonah B to stem the tide, avoid the Hockey sweep , and win 2-1.  It looked as though Red had flipped the momentum when they followed with a big win on the lower court in Tigers Hoops behind the strong play of William DM.  But just when you thought they’d retaken command, Gray withstood a late rally to win 21-20  in the Upper Court game.

And then Gray poured in on with wins in Stars Lacrosse over at the Hejduk behind Archie’s stellar play in the cage  – and a dominant performance at the Waterfront by the Gray Sophs who won all 3 elements (more on  that one later) for the victory.

Finally, our littlest guys gave us the biggest charge of the morning.  After Gray chipped their way around the SkyLinks course to win Golf, the rest of the Cubs/Lions were entrenched in the most dramatic Bocce match in years.  Each team had won a game as the venue shifted up near the infirmary area for the deciding 3^rd game.  Red desperately needed another win as each team’s supporters rallied around their own 7/8-year olds.  The focus both on and from these youngest competitors intensified as the crowd hushed on every throw until each team had won 4 points with the Bocce point hanging in the balance of the last throw. Red’s ball was only an inch or so from the target, with Gray’s Simon left as the last to go.  The crowd quieted even more … waiting for the final throw – a win or lose proposition. 

For a bit of history, Bocce play began at Skylemar 78 years ago, when Founder Herb Blumenfeld brought the simple game to Naples.  Herb often played with the boys just outside his Skylemar residence as a super way to get to know them up close.  They loved him ….and the game of Bocce, too! It’s a game everyone can play and is lots of fun.  Well, Herb must be smiling from above as all watched Simon’s epic toss.  The ball rolled up under the big SkyChair, knocked the Red ball aside and nestled less than an inch from the target to win Bocce.   Gray supporters went off, mobbing Simon, chanting his name, and hugging everyone in sight.  

As we broke for lunch, Gray had stormed from behind, taken the lead, and seized control as we hit the midpoint of this Color War.

Lunch and another Songs & Cheers practice, and the boys once again gathered before hitting the fields, courts and Pond for the afternoon session.  The tone of the meetings for both teams flip-flopped  from earlier this morning, and so too did their messages.  Red was now looking up at Gray for the first time….and their resolve would be tested.  Gray was hoping to keep it going, and seemed confident, if not cautiously optimistic.

And for good reasons – several in fact, namely the full points won this afternoon in Cubs/Lions Tennis, Stars Waterfront, Seniors Lacrosse, Freshmen Golf and Bocce, and Juniors Basketball – all by Red.  Gray Juniors did win the first of a Hockey double-header 1-0, only to drop the second one 2-0. 

Red also  dominated Sophomores Basketball winning all 3 games of a triple-header played on the Upper and Lower courts of Sky I and the Gym over at Sky II.  Pablo, Spencer O, Hunter and Liam D starred for the winners.  Gray salvaged the afternoon by coming back with a late goal to tie Tigers Soccer and split the point, 2-2. 

There are too many amazing  plays, outstanding performances and thrilling finishes to cover them all. The best part of the week for these eyes is watching the boys’ wonderful competitive spirit blend with the constant display of our trademark Skylemar sportsmanship. The story of one such example spread all over camp today.  

In this morning’s Waterfront activity down at Trickey, there were a few boys competing who spent most of the summer learning to swim (in shallow water only) and had never traversed the 25-yard lap in the swim lanes without a life jacket on, not even once.  Not only did each decide to give it a try in the pressurized challenge of Color War racing, but all also made it successfully across.  But here’s the rub – one of the boys was placed as the anchor in the last relay race of the meet.  His team was way behind already when it was his turn to dive in (a skill he learned in a very quick practice session just before the event). Swimming alone for the first time ever, and with the race’s winner already determined before his entry, all the Division’s participants (the entire Red AND Gray teams) joined together on all 4 sides of the swim dock, wildly cheering him on with every stroke until he made it across. No one felt more like a winner.  In fact, they all won today.

After a topsy-turvy day where both teams held sizable leads, Color War couldn’t be closer.  Unbelievably, only one point separates the teams with tomorrow night’s critical Songs and Cheers competition looming.  Don’t go anywhere  — this could be one for the ages!

And ….

This evening, we put Color War “on pause” for an amazing performance directed by Suzie and her assistants Roxy and Jayden.  “The Jungle Book” was absolutely incredible.  The acting, set design, costumes, choreography, singing…all was the best.  Don’t know how they found time to learn so many lines during Color War!

Congrats to performers Elton, Declan O, KJ, Zeke, Knox, Theo Q, Luke M, Jonah P, Drew F, Billy, Michael L, Dylan S, Jamie, Alfie, Shay, Owen B, Noah W, Seth R, Seth F, Alex B, Everett K, Paul M, Max W, Sebastian, Leo S, Jack G, Garrett, Alexander D, Ethan P, Quinn C, Troy, Micah, Beckett, Max H, Leo P, Skyr and the counselors who were the bottom half of elephants.