The tartar sauce game is more than just one special game to the boys lacrosse team; it’s a tradition that unites the lacrosse family.

Many people, including myself, have no clue what the tartar sauce game is. At first, I thought the name was funny as it made no sense to me. All I knew was that the lacrosse team is similar to a family, and I wanted to know if they had any unique traditions to strengthen that family bond. The tartar sauce game is the most difficult away game of the lacrosse season. The team discusses the season schedule and then decides which team brings the most competition. The game is then circled on the calendar. To commemorate this chosen game, customized T-shirts with the colors of the opposing team are ordered to make a statement that FHC is not here to play games but rather here to win.

The question is, why do they choose an away game if it has so much importance? Senior goalkeeper and University of Michigan commit explained the thought process behind this choice and why it is called the tartar sauce game.

“We [the team] are the little fish going into the big fish’s fish bowl [opposing team’s home field],” Crandall said.

Upon hearing this and partaking in laughing with Crandall, junior Quinlen Sutherland added,”We will fry [win] and eat [celebrate the victory] them with tartar sauce.” The team does not celebrate by eating fish; however, this year, Crandall wants to add a fish feast, complete with loads of tartar sauce, after the game.

This tradition started many years ago by Crandall Quinn’s dad, coach Tony Quinn. “My father, one of the coaches when the lacrosse program started, had a brilliant idea: to put the spotlight on the biggest competition FHC lacrosse faces. In order to do so, he created the little and big fish analogy and the concept of eating fish with tartar sauce. These two elements and the figurative meaning behind it make the game a big deal and it emphasizes the importance of winning the tartar sauce game.

Senior Jack Benner focused on the team aspect of this game by saying, “Coaches obviously want their team to play 100% every game; however, this game is different. It has so much tradition and meaning behind it and because of that, every player on the team gives 100% no matter what.” Senior Reese Lee continues to add to this conversation by stating, “This game and the tradition behind it has the ability to bring the boys together on a different level.”

So, you may be wondering which opposing team will receive this season’s esteemed designation? Nothing has been decided just yet, but Crandall, Quinlen, Reese, and Jack all came to the consensus believing that this season’s tartar sauce game will either be against Hartland, Brother Rice, or some other talented D1 academy. No one knows for sure but it will be a huge game and no one will want to miss it!