The last time Nathaniel Franco played musical chairs was likely in kindergarten.

Yet, there he was Friday afternoon, a high school freshman, running with everything he had to take the lone open chair left.

Franco was among dozens of Poughkeepsie High School students Friday who took part in a March Madness pep rally with numerous competitions, some of which pitted students against faculty.

“It was fun,” he said after competing not only in basketball-themed versions of musical chairs and head, shoulders, knees and toes, winning the former. Both proved more competitive than he thought they would be. “I didn’t think I had to do that much running!”

The pep rally capped the winter sports season and, of course, coincides with the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, both of which began last week. The Poughkeepsie High School version of March Madness at the gymnasium began during the final hour of the school day with all winter sports teams and school clubs being announced and welcomed onto the floor, before the AFJROTC presented the flag and Cadet 2nd Lt. Adel Rogers sang the national anthem.

After a slam dunk contest in which several Pioneers – led by contest winner Tazjir Gary – brought the crowd to their feet, musical chairs began. Competitors dribbled in a circle around a group of chairs until the music stopped, then had to make a layup and run back to the ever-shrinking number of seats. Finally, the head, shoulders, knees and toes competition, which included several rounds of one-on-one games – each round began when, instead of naming a body part the announcer called out the word “ball” – until ultimately the top competitors took on faculty members.

Though the final rounds were interrupted when the bell rang ending the school day and students filtered out of the gym, that didn’t end the fun. After school, the grade levels – first freshmen versus sophomores, then juniors against seniors – played a pair of contests, and the winners faced each other. Finally, the student champion – the junior class – took on a team of faculty members and members of the city’s police and fire departments. All the while, attendees enjoyed a jovial atmosphere complete with concessions and bags of popcorn.

The faculty team ultimately won, 42-40. The important part of having such events, though, is the camaraderie built with the students, Math teacher Rick VanScoyk said.

“Playing sports together brings out a different level of the relationship between faculty and students,” the teacher said, noting also the importance of doing the same with firefighters and police officers. “We like to build relationships with the community. We invite them to build relationships with the students on a positive level.”

Franco was happy he took part.

“I love basketball,” he said.