Garrettsville – The James A. Garfield High School Quiz Masters made history last weekend. The academic quiz bowl team from JAG was crowned Very Small School National Champions and finished 3rd overall in the Traditional Public Schools Division at the National Academic Quiz Tournaments (NAQT) Small School National Championship Tournament (SSNCT). This competition was held at the Hyatt Regency in Rosemont, Illinois, near Chicago O’Hare International Airport. 55 teams in the public school division and 55 teams from private/charter schools across the country competed in the event. Saturday of the tournament consisted of 14 rounds with 10 seeding games and four byes. To advance to Sunday, the Quiz Masters needed to go at least 6-4 over the 10 games. They shocked the world by winning every single seeding game and finishing the day 10-0 with the second overall seed.
Quiz Bowl is set up with two teams of four going head-to-head. Each player on either team has a buzzer in hand. The first tossup is read and any player can buzz-in at any time, but players cannot deliberate with their teammates. The question starts off vague, but gets more specific later on. A buzz and correct answer early on in the question can result in 15 points, or “power” for that team, but an early buzz and incorrect response means a 5 point subtraction. A correct answer later on in the question is a normal 10 points. An incorrect answer after the question is over or after the other team has gotten a penalty results in no penalty for the second team. The team who gets the tossup correct gets a set of three bonus questions related to each other, worth 10 points each. The team can deliberate with each other and the other team cannot answer those questions. Topics of the questions include anything from American literature to sports, and world history to life science. It is a game centered around knowledge and speed and promises for fierce competition, especially at the national level. It is anyone’s guess what the next question will be about, so it requires focus at all times. The games at the national level were timed with two 9-minute halves, so they were fast-paced and exciting.
The tournament part of SSNCT followed a double elimination format. The Quiz Masters won their first couple games and were on a roll until they met their match in the form of Herscher High School from Illinois. The Quiz Masters were within striking distance for most of the match, but Herscher struck when the Quiz Masters needed it the most. They fell to Herscher in the game and into the loser’s bracket they went. The Quiz Masters bounced back in the loser’s bracket, knowing they still had a small chance to win the whole tournament. The deciding moment for the team was when they played defending champs Westmont. The Quiz Masters dug themselves into a deep hole by halftime and were on the verge of an early exit from the tournament. Late heroics from all four players with clutch teamwork led the Quiz Masters back into the game. Regulation ended in a tie, and to overtime it went. Overtime consisted of three untimed tossups with no bonuses. The Quiz Masters got the first two questions, so victory was inevitable at that point. Westmont powered the last question, but to their dismay, they were knocked out and the Quiz Masters snatched a victory out of the dying embers.
Their reward for an exciting victory over the defending champs? A rematch with Herscher in the semifinals, a game that went much like the first matchup. The Quiz Masters were still alive for the third place game, which wound up also being the Very Small School National Championship against Fair Grove. A dominating final game for the tournament gave the Quiz Masters the huge victory, along with the Very Small School Championship and third place for all Small Schools. Overall, they went 15-2 over the weekend, with both losses against Herscher.
Junior Jack Rado received an All Star award as he was the top scorer for all small public schools. Junior Cameron Edwards, Senior Cass Swenson, and 8th grader Lillian Kercher also gave contributions to the team. 8th grader Elise Edwards chipped in and was the team agent during the tournament. Seniors Katey Cisney and Emma Huter, Junior René Fenshaw, and Sophomore Ellie Shay are also on the team, but could not attend the competition. The Quiz Masters are coached by Iva Walker. They have finished top-three in the Portage Quiz Bowl league for a few years, but that changed this year with their league championship. They also captured the Ohio Very Small School State Championship in March. The future is bright for them as they will return 75% of their Varsity Team next season.
Congrats to the Quiz Masters on a great season.
