JERRY CITY — Elmwood has ended its quiz bowl season undefeated.
The team won the Northwest Ohio 5th/6th Grade Quiz Bowl Tournament Tuesday by beating Bowling Green
Christian Academy, 100-66.
Molly Barringer, in sixth grade at Elmwood, said she felt going into the finals that they would again
beat BGCA.
“It’s all a team effort,” she said. “We all have to pitch in, not argue, make sure we’re all on task and
we know what we’re doing. As long as we know what we’re doing, I think that we can win.”
BGCA coach Happy Brooks said she was hoping for a better outcome in the tournament. The academy tried to
avenge its only loss of the season, which was to Elmwood, but fell short.
Graham Malanga, a sixth-grader at BGCA, said he was really hoping to beat Elmwood.
“I think we did OK and we tried our best. I was really hoping for (a win). I could feel it in my heart,
my heart was thumping,” Malanga said. “I’m really sad.”
“Elmwood is a good competitor. We tried our best and that’s all we can do,” said classmate Nemo Barnes.
The teams answered questions on math, anatomy, geography, history and music.
Elmwood fifth-grader Chadryk Hiser said he prepared for the tournament by watching a bunch of history
videos on YouTube.
When it came to sports, Elmwood’s Braxton Benner led the way, correctly answering questions on Kobe
Bryant and the Portland Trail Blazers.
The fifth-grader plays basketball, which he said gave him the advantage.
“I was really nervous,” Benner said about going into the final match.
Elmwood entered the tournament 4-0 and Coach Sandy Laborie said her players knew BGCA was the toughest
team they would face Tuesday.
“I told them from the beginning to win with confidence, but any day, any questions, it just depends,” she
said.
The team used old questions during each 45-minute practice, “just like we were in a match,” said Laborie,
who has been coaching the team for 10 years.
“Our kids this year were awesome. Win or lose, they were awesome,” she said.
Neither team knew it was Sam Walton who founded Walmart and Sam’s Club, or that it was the 13th Amendment
which abolished slavery.
Elmwood’s Danyel Tussing knew that when gas changes to vapor it causes condensation, while Addy Brooks,
with BGCA, knew that the method of using water on large areas of crops was called irrigation.
Gibsonburg’s Hilfiker Elementary defeated North Baltimore’s Powell Elementary, 62-58, in the only
quarterfinals match. These two teams were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
Elmwood, ranked first among five teams, defeated Hilfiker, 126-28.
Second-ranked BGCA beat third-rank Fostoria, 96-52, to advance.
Other members of the Elmwood team included Brody Minich, Kale Smith, Karlie Salyers, Ethan Johnson, Allie
Hoffman and Jake Sander.
BGCA’s team included Chase Armentano, Bella Armentano, Michael Bruhl, Kenzie Kane, Isaac Muirara, Lily
Rader and Brooklyn Donnell.
