Brain Power is the Key to Success for HHS Academic Bowl Team

Article Courtesy of THE WARCRY             

Written by: Gracie Rowe

Heard County High School’s 2012 academic bowl team has been representing the school with top finishes and victories over tough competition.

Members of the varsity team include Brandon Witcher, Paul Noles, Gracie Rowe, Jeffrey Smith, Summer Goode, and Joey Hyatt.

The junior varsity team consists of Tucker Barr, Lily Scott, Natalie Moncus, Bradley Barber, Sydney Reeves, and Cody Norris. The team sponsor is math teacher Molly McKee.

At an academic bowl meet, schools compete in teams of four in a series of a three matches. In each match, twenty toss up questions are asked. After each toss up question, the team who buzzes in and answers correctly within the time limit first is given points and then given two bonus questions for a chance to attain more points.

If the team does not answer correctly, the bonus question automatically goes to the opposing team, who must answer immediately. The team with the most points after the last question wins the match.

To win the entire meet, a school must have the highest number of points combined from their three matches.

So far, Heard County High School’s academic bowl team has competed in meets at Northgate High School, Greenville High School, and Harris County High School.

At the Harris County High School meet, Heard County placed third overall and at the Greenville High School meet, Heard County placed fourth. Overall, the varsity team has only lost one match out of nine.

Upcoming meets will take place at Troup County High School and East Coweta High School, which will be the final meet. Once the final scores are calculated, the top teams will be announced and will receive a bid to the finals.

Spectators are allowed at academic bowl competitions and the team would like to encourage any Heard County High School supporters to come out and join them.

“We’re like Julius Caesar, we go, we see, and we conquer,” stated senior Paul Noles. Senior Brandon Witcher added “Come watch us be smart.”