Thomas Jefferson’s Academic Bowl team wins state honors

May 05, 2008 09:30 pm

— By Joe Hadsall
jhadsall@joplinglobe.com
For the sixth time in seven years, the Academic Bowl team from Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School in Joplin has won the state championship for Class 1 schools.
The team competed in the championship Friday in Columbia against seven other teams.
Coach Holly Lacey said the final two rounds were close. The team came from behind in the semifinal against Pilot Grove and won by 20 points.
“It was a tough competition,” Lacey said.
The bowl resembles an advanced trivia contest. Four team members armed with buzzers answer questions on a variety of subjects, including statistics, math, history, sports and pop culture.
Senior Will Humphreys said each individual’s strengths contribute to the team’s success.
“I watch a lot of ‘SportsCenter’ on ESPN,” Humphreys said. “My strengths are math and sports. We all have areas of knowledge that help the team.”
“I got a question about the materials used in diapers, and another about Buddy Holly,” senior Michael Madden said. “The event is like a mind sport. It can incorporate any kind of miscellaneous, useless knowledge.”
During a round of competition, team members buzz in as if they were on a high-pressure game show. The team members prepared by reviewing questions from past competitions.
Senior Stephanie Smith said the pressure is increased when the answer is on the tip of the tongue.
“If it’s not a question I know, I don’t feel that much pressure,” Smith said. “It’s when I think I know the answer that the pressure is on.”
The team’s junior and two sophomores look to continue Thomas Jefferson’s success next year.
“We’re losing three seniors,” said sophomore Michael Reinsvold. “We’ll have to step up to fill some pretty big shoes.”

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