New Philadelphia's Academic Challenge wins seven straight matches to take home ECOL championship trophy
Students from Cambridge, Claymont, Dover, Garaway, Indian Valley, Marietta, New Philadelphia, Ridgewood, Riverview, Rosecrans, Strasburg, Tuscarawas Central Catholic, and Zanesville high schools, along with their coaches, began their day with an early morning breakfast before facing off for numerous battles of wit, knowledge, and overall trivia. Each match, between two teams of four students each, lasts for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
“Academic Challenge is pretty much like a team Jeopardy. It’s pretty fun. We answer questions from different categories, American literature, American history, all over the place. It’s fun to hang out with friends, answer some questions, and try to win some trophies for the ECOL championship,” explained Walter Blackburn, a New Philadelphia senior and captain of the varsity team, as he waited for the day's matches to begin. “This year we finished with a 5 and 5 record, but we were placed fifth in the TACL - Tri County Academic Challenge League. We didn’t get into the final round of that, but we still had a pretty good year. There should be some pretty good matches here today. Really, what gets us motivated, is just wanting to win the round. We don’t go for it hardcore all the way, because what really motivates us is our teammates, and actually answering the questions right, getting that high five afterwards.”
Blackburn’s team may not have ‘gone for it hardcore’, but at the end of the day, the New Philadelphia varsity team, consisting of Blackburn, Corwin Harts-Coutts, Isaac Kneuss, Derek Spinell, Zach Troyer, Alex Wortman, and Joe Zalesky were undefeated, and took home the ECOL first place trophy.
“This is very educational, and a good opportunity,” stated Dalton Sprowl, an Indian Valley freshman who participated. “It is going to help with colleges and stuff. It’s the kind of thing they are going to look for. It’s also fun to get out here and see so many people from so many different schools.”
“Academic Challenge is really fun. I have been a part of this thing for four years. I feel like it has made me grow as a person, and made me smarter. At least I like to think so,” commented Bill Pruener, a Garaway High School senior who is also his team’s captain. “When I entered this club, there were about six people, and now as I am leaving as a senior, there are about 30, so I am pretty happy about that. It is definitely a growing club, and we have had our successes and our losses. But I am happy to have had this as a part of my life for the last few years.”
Indian Valley freshman Elisabeth Stark noted that her mother is her team’s coach, and her dad is the Ridgeway team’s coach, but she is involved in Academic Challenge for her own reasons.
“I like the format. I learn something new every time we practice,” said Stark.
Other results of the tournament included Zanesville’s Rosecrans placing second with six wins and one loss, and Zanesville finishing third with a five and three record. Top honors for the day for First Team ECOL awards went to Chris Dowell and Bryan Rickets of Zanesville Rosecrans, and Blackburn and Hartz-Coutts of New Philadelphia. ECOL MVP was Bryan Rickets of Zanesville Rosecrans, and Coach of the Year honors were given to Mr. Tom Bitticker and Mr. Scott Houmard of the New Philadelphia team.
In the New Philadelphia Invitational portion of the tournament, results were similar, as New Philadelphia took first, Rosecrans took second, and Zanesville third in Bracket A, and in Bracket B, first went to Central Catholic, 2nd to Garaway, and 3rd to Indian Valley.
Both New Philadelphia and Tuscarawas Central Catholic teams will now advance to the regional Academic Challenge competition in April 2011.