The brackets are all set for the final rounds of the 35th Annual V.I. Quiz Bowl after the preliminaries took place Sunday at the Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School on St. Thomas.
Four rounds of competition included individual performances and solid teamwork. Six area high school teams made up of five students each were quizzed on a wide variety of topics that included sports, contemporary events and general knowledge.
“While there is no sure way to prepare you for this event, we learn new things with every question asked,” said Ivanna Eudora Kean High School team captain Aisia Crooke. “I read quite a bit while participating in numerous school activities, television viewing has fallen by the wayside for me.”
Crooke is a senior, in her second year as the Devil Rays’ team leader.
Quiz masters Diana Parker and Sam Topp presented the questions in quick succession as the students buzzed in with their answers within a five second time period. Toss-up bonus questions, stump-the-expert categories and 60-second "lightning rounds," had scores see-sawing throughout the afternoon. That kept team coaches and parents attentive and students at times a bit anxious.
“Breath, smile and remember to have fun,” said Antilles School coach Alan Eberhart. “My pre-game advice to my team, named the Brainstormers, is to not compete with each other, and pause before each answer.” Eberhart has taught biology and environmental science at the school for 27 years.
The Antilles’ team has conducted practices leading up to the event by foregoing their lunch period and involving the entire school by holding mock competition with teams made up of the teaching staff.
The six teams will compete for the territorial championship and a trip to the national finals in May. Final, double elimination rounds are scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Monday at the BCM auditorium.
Result from Sundays four matches were:
Game 1 – All Saints Cathedral School 200, St. Croix Central H.S. 15
Game 2 – Antilles’ School 235, Ivan Eudora Kean H.S. 270
Game 3 – Charlotte Amalie H.S.175, All Saints Cathedral 80
Game 4 – Ivana Eudora Kean 165, St. Croix Country Day 295
