And, would it be an issue if I wrote the response from a third-person perspective? I have a hilarious idea that wouldn't work to as good of an effect in 1st person.
Well, considering the consistency, I would say no, but in the matter of good story telling,
go ahead. It's not like it won't fit in, people have been writing 3rd person from the beginning.
OR, how about first person from someone else's perspective, beside Manta's?
If you can pull it off believable, I doubt it would hurt (if you are going to use one of the contestants, you should probably ask permission first). I would like to see how the result would be.
On another note, I am still amused by the people who use "victestants" in their entries. Not that you should stop, or anything, I am just amused that a made up word describing exactly what they are would be used by the people going through it.