The Academic Team has done it again. On Tuesday night the Falcons showed out at Lakewood Ranch High School, with the first team winning first place as seasonal champions in the Commisioners Academic Challenge competition. Even more impressively, Saint Stephen’s second team earned the second place trophy as well.
Throughout the fall, all Manatee County high schools have sent two teams each to represent their schools at competitions, and out of those 16 teams, Saint Stephen’s squads finished in the top two spots.
Although the Falcon’s success was impressive, it wasn’t an anomaly. The Falcons have won the trophy in seven of the last eight years, showing dominance year in and year out.
Academic Team Coach Mrs. Christina Pommer elaborated.
“We have traditionally been a really good team. I think the students have a lot of energy this year and a wide range of knowledge, so we can cover questions in all different academic categories.”
A major event for the A-Team is coming in the near future, senior night. On January 6th, the Falcons are not only having their senior night but hosting their first-ever home Quiz Bowl competition. A few alumni are attending as well, helping the staff in the tournaments. Mrs. Pommer is also advocating for students to attend.
She stressed the question difficulty and the fast-paced nature of the competition.
The Falcons also qualified three out of the six students selected to represent Manatee County in the state competition. The individuals representing Manatee County are led by Theo Frano, who was the top individual scorer on the season. He will be joined by junior Dylan Dam and sophomore Pearson Walters, who placed second and sixth respectively.
The Academic Team is also now transitioning into more weekend NAQT Quiz bowl tournaments. These tournaments allow the team to travel across the state for faster-paced competitions.
So next time you pass the library during lunch, make sure to see them in action during one of their practices and congratulate them for their massive win.
