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Quiz Bowl wins District, advances to State

The St. Louis U. High Quiz Bowl team traveled to Marquette High School on Saturday, April 8 to compete in the District Two competition. The team, composed of seniors Timo Kim, Kyle Kloster, Ben Anderson, Ben Farley, Seth Clampett, and junior Micah Manary, won the tournament and as a result will participate in the upcoming state tournament.

The Thinkfastbills faced Cor Jesu, Rosati-Kain, and Lafayette in the first round. Despite Kim’s absence, the team defeated Cor Jesu 370-150, Rosati-Kain 455-180, and Lafayette 285-235. The three victories earned the team a No. 1 seed in the championship round. Anderson played especially well, with his quick buzzing and vast knowledge of history, and Farley demonstrated his talent by answering all of the bonus questions on Heisman trophy winners correctly. Manary helped the team on math, buzzing in even before some of the questions were finished.

Coach Jean Elliot said, “I was happy how the team performed in the morning without Timo. They pretty handily defeated all of their opponents without him. Everybody was a little bit more assertive (and) … willing to take risks. They played well together.�

After lunch, Kim miraculously returned from a college visit and rejoined the team for the finals. The Quizbowlbills faced Rosati-Kain again in the semi-finals, and they defeated them 425-85. They then, once again, faced No. 3 seed Lafayette.

Elliot said, “It was a very tight (match). It came down to the third-to-last question. We were ahead by 30 points, and when they hadn’t gotten the second-to-last question, I knew we had won.�

The Jeopardy!bills won the final, 255-215. With the win, they qualify for the state tournament, which takes place in Columbia on Saturday, May 6.

Anderson said, “I think we did pretty well. We were very cohesive as a team, and we had good sportsmanship too.�

Elliot remarked on the team’s chances at State: “I think we’ll do fine. We just don’t have the tournament experience other teams have, but it just depends on the questions asked and the day in general. I think we can hold our own.�