BERLIN TWP. – Baltic firefighter Wayne Troyer held the fire hose in his right hand and placed his left on his co-worker's shoulder. 

The referee started the countdown. "Three!"

Troyer looked up at the barrel. It was attached on a line that ran above him. Opposite his team were their opponents: three firefighters from the Winesburg Fire Department. 

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To his left, hundreds of spectators from communities in and around Holmes County watched from a nearby hill Saturday night as part of the East Holmes Firemen's Festival, adding more pressure to his first water barrel competition. 

A whistle sounded and Troyer placed both hands on the fire hose, supporting it for his team's point man who held the nozzle over his shoulder aiming it at the barrel. 

The two teams pushed the barrel on a line with water shooting from their hoses.

The barrel spun and flipped as they parried it back and forth like fencers searching for an opening.

After an initial stalemate, the Winesburg Fire Department found that opening and exploited it. 

As the barrel was pushed further back into the Baltic corner, they rushed backward to salvage the round but lost when one well-aimed stream of water sent it flying. 

Down by one, Baltic switched sides on the field with Winesburg. One more defeat and Baltic would be on the losers bracket. 

This time the stalemate was brief as the Winesburg Fire Department pushed the barrel forward, forcing Baltic back. 

In a matter of seconds, the barrel was behind Troyer and the whistle blew. 

While the second round was shorter than the first, Troyer and his team walked off the field in high spirits. 

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"It was great," he said, still out of breath and dripping with water. "It's difficult because you have the spray from the other team in your eyes and the sun doesn't help much, but it was so much fun."

Troyer's team was one of the two Baltic Fire Department teams. 

"We are the new guys," he said. "Baltic One has the veterans and they're feared for how good they are."

Baltic One taught Troyer and his team some tricks, but only enough to hold their own, just in case the two teams faced each other, he said. 

Fire Chief John Schlabach and event Coordinator Nate Miller aim to run the festival like a well-oiled machine. 

With a volunteer force of around 45 people split into teams for each section of the event, the process is "streamlined," Schlabach said. 

Anticipating a similar-sized crowd as last year, his crew cooked up nearly 4,500 chicken quarters for boxed meals starting at 5 a.m. Saturday, he said. 

"The festival started in the '80s as Pioneer Day but transformed into this," Schlabach said. "We went from around 1,200 quarters and now to 4,500." 

Over his 32 years at the East Holmes Fire Department, he has seen the event grow with new food trucks, vendors and activities.

"This is our largest fundraiser and it supports our 2-mill levy so people don't have to pay more in taxes," he said. 

The event funds the department's day-to-day operations, Schlabach said. 

In addition to food, an auction featuring a quilt made by locals is used to raise money.

This year, the quilt sold for $3,500 while a unique gun, model semitrailer and bedroom set all sold for around $3,300. 

"We've received a ton of support from local businesses and the community," Schlabach said. 

Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com