Lions Quiz Bowl Team takes third place at state tournament

One senior. One junior. One sophomore. One freshman. One goal.

With a diverse team consisting of players from all four grades of the Upper School, the team entered the Quiz Bowl state tournament knowing their potential. 

However, it didn’t all go as expected.

After a brilliant showcase in the preliminary rounds where the team went 10-2, one of the team’s toughest moments during the tournament occurred after loss in a crucial playoff round to Houston Memorial. 

The loss stung.

But the team bounced back, winning the third-place match against Kinkaid in a thriller, 445-315.

“I personally think the most challenging game was our playoff round against Houston Memorial High School,” senior Surya Dinesh said. “It was a very close match that we lost on some bad time management. The lesson was learned, and we hope to handle the same kind of very close situation better at the more important national tournament.”

For freshman JP Hanks, the youngest member of the team, the experience was formative.

“With last year’s senior class leaving, we had to step up,” Hanks said. “I had to learn new subjects, and we all adjusted. Everyone’s willing to put in the work.”

As the team turns to its upcoming task of defending the national title at the upcoming Small School National Championship Tournament in Chicago, the players know what they’re up against. This time, they’ll be ready for the pressure, pace, and unpredictability of some of the nation’s best.

“I think our performance on the questions we saw, regardless of our actual placement, is very, very promising,” Dinesh said. “We’re in a very strong position heading into nationals.”