Four teams compete for elementary quiz bowl title
On Monday, four elementary quiz bowl teams will compete to be named league champion.
The tournament will start at 4 p.m. at the Wood County Educational Service Center.
According to Jan Fries, quiz bowl coordinator, this year has been a challenge between teams dropping out
and the weather.
This year the league has four schools participating: Bowling Green Christian Academy (BGCA), Eastwood,
Elmwood and Hilfiker in Gibsonburg.
Last year there were seven teams.
Fries thinks the uncertainty of the league – most notably the WCESC eliminating the county quiz bowl
coordinator position three years ago – has caused several schools to drop out.
"Quiz bowl is important to me," said Fries, who retired from Eastwood Schools and quiz bowl
coach last year. "I valued it and felt the students deserved to have the opportunity to
participate."
She stepped up when last year’s league coordinator stepped down as elementary coach.
On Monday, Eastwood will enter the tournament with a 5-1 record as will BGCA.
Both Elmwood and Hilfiker are 1-5 for the year.
The tournament is single elimination.
In the semi-final match, Eastwood will play Hilfiker and BGCA will play Elmwood.
Team members and coaches include:
• BGCA: Tyler Barnhardt, Laurel Bruhl, Matthew Fyfe, Jack Hise, Luke Kobylski and Tyler Mason. Sue
Larimer is the coach.
• Eastwood: Lewis Rowan, Luke Coffman, Josh Hahn, Dylan Brogan, Nathan Payne, Holden Browning, Brooklyn
Fortress and David Russell. Holly Chappuies is the coach.
• Elmwood: Madison Hoiles, Grace Armbruster, Natalie Beaverson, Cassie Bechstein, Kaylie Kingery, Anna
Gudakunst, Daniel Duval, Mackenzie Murray, Jenna Tanner and Savanna Walters. Sandra Laborie is the
coach.
• Hilfiker: Jonah Vann, Ethan Druckenmiller, Eric Schlea, Jak Kohler, Megan Widmer, Sydney Leyerie,
Nicholas Kohler, Madison Jors, Bryce Maynard, Alicia Negrin, Nicholas Woleab and manager Makenna Jones.
Erika Montgomery is the coach.
Fries encourages other teams in the county to rejoin the league next year.
The league cannot continue next year with only four teams due to financial obligations as well as team
scheduling, she stated.
"This league is one of the elementary level’s finest academic extracurricular offered in the county.
It has been available for 20 years," said Fries.
Seven teams vie for middle school title
Seven middle school teams will compete Tuesday to be named quiz bowl league champion.
The tournament starts at 4 p.m. at the Wood County Educational Service Center
The teams are Bowling Green Christian Academy (BGCA), Eastwood Middle School, Lake Middle School, North
Baltimore Middle School, Elmwood Middle School, and Woodmore Middle School.
Elmwood, ranked first in the league, will sit out the first round and will play the winner of the match
between Lake (4th place) against Woodmore (5th place).
Also in the quarter finals are Gibsonburg (3rd place) against North Baltimore (6th place, and Eastwood
(2nd place) against BGCA (7th place).
The team members plus coaches include:
• BGCA: Joe Allen, Hannah Bowlus, Olivia Columber, Luke Cundiff, Kathryn Fyfe, Maddy Palmer, Aaron Zongo.
Coach Sue Larimer.
• Lake: Nicholas Chiappetta, Emily Greene, Nathan Smith, Grace Blandin, Timmy Walker, Justin Cole, Skyler
Burda, Dan Conklin. Coach Anita Price.
• Eastwood: David Deniston, Alissa Ray, Jack Chappuies, Tabitha Escalante, Catherine Wasylyshyn,
Elizabeth Arntson, Tatam Houtz, Erik Fertig. Coach Diane Swartz
• Gibsonburg Middle School: Ben Brasic, Nathan Young, Lucas Rupke, Haley Randolph, Telia Boice, Austin
Dix, Emma Widmer, Jenna Vann, Nicole Schlea, Haley Shafer, Kevin Lacer. Coach Tom Stewart
• North Baltimore: Valerie Buchanan, Garrett Byrd, Noah Cotterman, Damon Dotson, Kyle Gerdeman, Olivia
Hyatt, David Patterson, Hailey Powell, Billy Trout, Hailey Watson. Coach Ryan Lamb.
Information on Woodmore and Elmwood was not submitted.