HORACE GREELEY
IS THE NO. 1 ACADEMIC TEAM IN THE NATION
capturing the title ten years after their first national championship
Representing the powerful Westchester County (NY) bloc, Horace Greeley won their second national title with decisive playoff wins. It's their first national championship under the leadership of Coach Nicole Diamente. Westchester County has now won three national championships since 2003, including Byram Hills in 2006.

Here they are …
Kate Rosenberg	Max Smiley	Jonathan Richman	Jordan Stein

No teams finished undefeated in the Varsity division, however. Horace Greeley suffered a preliminary-round 270-300 loss to Fossil Ridge from Colorado. Fossil Ridge, in turn, was defeated in the playoffs by Lenape (NJ) – not a first-year participant, but it was their first year in the playoffs. And Lenape enjoyed a nice playoff run, going on to defeat Ardsley (NY) 280-230 before falling to Coronado B (TX), 270-335.

Greeley's triumph in most years would not take us by surprise – after all, they have logged more air miles at our expense than any other school -- but this year it did. They had not joined us in 2012, for the first time in living memory. They did not win our QuizNet tournaments. They did not make the Final Four in Westchester's Omar Q. Beckins tournament in 2013. But on Playoff Sunday in DC and Playoff Monday in Chicago they were invincible, 12-0, setting a new record for number of wins in a single tournament.

Long-Shot Pingry Wins New Orleans
Harrison Repeats as JV Champ
We haven't seen Pingry School (NJ) at Nationals for a decade, but we do remember their zany record: the only school twice to be the sole team to defeat (in the prelims) the team that eventually won the championship. Malla Godfrey, the coach of this year's team, said it hadn't even crossed her mind that the team would emerge as the best in New Orleans and, not without much difficulty, they managed to figure out a way to join us for the Chicago finals.

Fully half of the Varsity playoff games can be described as "very close," including Paschal 295, Jesuit B 280; Gadsden 310, Ben Franklin 300; Pingry 340, Briarcliff 330; Watson Chapel 345, Harrison 340.

The most exciting match in the Varsity playoffs was Pingry-Jesuit in the Round of Four. Jesuit led Pingry as much as 115-45 after gaining 30 points on the WORLD HISTORY bonus. But Pingry trailed by only 10 after sweeping the SHAKESPEAREAN CHARACTERS bonus. In 60 SECONDS, Pingry had a 90-10 advantage over Jesuit on their category of MATH. Jesuit's choice, GREEN, resulted in a 70-20 split. Pingry led 240-235 going into the final period. Going into the last question of the game, the scoreboard showed Pingry in the lead, 320-305. The last question: "Creatures such as trilobites and most major animal phyla appeared in this period of Historical Geology. Name this is the first period of the Paleozoic era, followed by the Ordovician." Jesuit rang in with the correct answer (Cambrian), apparently winning the game, 325-335. But Pingry protested our decision on the translation of Allahu Akbar, which we had as "God is great." Pingry's earlier answer of "God is greater" was ruled correct after a bit of research by the judges. Pingry won the game 335-325.

Watson Chapel last year advanced to the DC finals; this year the Ronette Metcalf-coached team advanced to the New Orleans finals. Pingry won it, 315-240, heading to Chicago with a 9-0 record.

The Pingry team moments after victory

Back from L to R: Andrew Verdesca, Abhiram Karuppur*, Kevin Baquero, Ellis Flannery, Simon Stack*,
Michael O'Reilly*, Greg Cortazzo, Neeraj Shekhar*, Hunter Stires*, Elliot Faust (coach), Carter Allinson
Front: NAC Moderator Ernie Anderson, Malla Godfrey (coach), …
* indicates A-team member

Second in New Orleans: Watson Chapel

(l to r) Jalen Mauldin, Joshua Knight, Jimmy Beggs, Andrew Fleming, Coach Ronette Metcalf

Junior Varsity

North Forsyth, New Orleans JV runner-up

(front, l to r) Isabelle Ainsworth, Lauren Douglas
(back, l to r) Coach Amy Dykes, Briana Brinkman, Aaron Strickland, Justin Ebert, Emma Browning, Ashley Amukamara, Nick Genetempo

In the 4th annual Junior Varsity division play at the National Academic Championship, North Forsyth (GA) defeated Jesuit (LA) in the semifinals, 270-235, then Harrison (IN) overcame Altamont, 380-270. In the final match, Harrison outscored North Forsyth 280-225, to win New Orleans.

Harrison, New Orleans JV champ

(l to r) Coach Lyn Schneider, Andrew Hegewald, Jordan Kipp (with trophy), Becky Everly, Austin White,
Catherine Xu, Coach Katie Schneider

New Orleans MVP


Jesuit's Kevin Yokum

Who Wants to Be a Game Show Host?

Another edition of our "reality show," WHO WANTS TO BE A GAME SHOW HOST? was conducted. Students (graduating seniors) were invited to audition as moderators, and coaches played the game. Students understood the event to be a real audition for a job as one of the moderators at next year's Nationals. This year's co-winners: Surabhi Balachander from Harrison and Alex Kaufman from Hawken.

Surabhi Balachander and Alex Kaufman

HORACE GREELEY IS BACK!

Westchester County NY School Wins DC Varsity
Fossil Ridge from Colorado takes JV

Among the winningest schools in tournament history, Horace Greeley did not join us last year (2012), the first time they haven't participated in 15 years. The Nicole Diamente-coached team returned this year and conquered the 52-team Varsity field in DC. Ranked fourth entering the playoffs with a 5-1 record, they won four games on Playoff Sunday, and nobody came close to defeating them. Their playoff wins: 395-200 over Wilson (PA), 420-235 over Booker T. Washington (OK), 360-200 over Deer Creek (OK), 400-260 over Coronado B (TX).

Here's the 2013 Horace Greeley brain trust.

Jordan Stein    Jon Richman   Max Smiley     Kate Rosenberg

Both Coronado teams, coached by Matthew Ballway, made the playoffs, but the B team survived to the final DC contest, setting a new record for the farthest advance ever for a B team.

Coronado

l to r: Coach Matthew Ballway, Ryan Sharma, Michael Pannell, Luke Minton, Andrew Paton

Deer Creek and Lenape

Deer Creek (OK) not only made the playoffs in this, their second trip to Nationals, but they also won two playoff games. Lenape (NJ) joined us after a 10-year hiatus. They made the playoffs for the first time, and they also won two games on Sunday before falling to Coronado.

Junior Varsity

For the first time in the 31-year history of the tournament, two teams from one school faced each other in the playoffs. Fossil Ridge (CO) achieved the rare feat of seeing all three of their teams (2 JV and 1 Varsity) make the playoffs. Their A & B teams met in the JV playoffs, with A edging B 200-195. Fossil Ridge A then defeated defending DC JV champs, High Tech (NJ), 245-230

Fossil Ridge JV

Back row from left to right:
Eddie Kendall, Holden Ross, Victor Bader, Jason Petty, Rohan Peddi
Middle Row from left yo right:
Elysia Lucas, Clifton Sutherland, Steven Hsu, Jian Dong
Kneeling: Michael Suinn

Auditions

Lenape's Hassan Haider won the DC version of WHO WANTS TO BE A GAME SHOW HOST.

Hassan Haider

DC MVP

Horace Greeley's Max Smiley was named MVP of the DC phase of the tournament.

Max Smiley

The Circle of Death
Jason Russell, Chief Editor of Questions Unlimited, came up with a better way to determine the national champion.  He calls it the Circle of Death: a three-team double-elimination event.  It took four games:

In that last game, it appeared that Pingry was heading for a win, which would have forced yet another Pingry-Horace Greeley game.  Pingry got the first six questions in a row, for a 50-0 lead.  Horace Greeley got untracked, and it was 70-40 in favor of Pingry at the end of the first period.  Horace Greeley promptly took the lead in the Bonus Round after sweeping the MANIFEST DESTINY bonus, naming the years of the Louisiana Purchase, Mexican Cession, Florida Cession, and Gadsden Purchase.  Greeley’s lead widened to 170-110 at the half.  The game was basically won in the 60 Seconds Round, as Horace Greeley added an all-time record 160 points after picking up 40 points on Pingry’s choice of the Mystery Category (GENERAL KNOWLEDGE) and then sweeping their own category, FAMOUS LAST LINES FROM LITERATURE.  Horace Greeley’s 335-135 lead at that point was just insurmountable.  But they didn’t rest on their laurels; among their Fourth Quarter exploits was their identification of “alderman” as the elected official over all 50 Chicago wards; naming Gauguin as the painter and Van Gogh as the subject after looking at the work Painting Flowers; Charles II as the last of Spain’s Habsburg rulers; and then the tour de force of naming, in correct chronological order, based on when they ruled, the seven kings of England who are title characters in Shakespeare's plays (John, Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, Richard III, Henry VIII). The final margin: 475-195.

Horace Greeley High School, Moments after They Won the Title

Madison Central
Madison Central (MS) holds the all-time record for most trips to Nationals.  They’ve been with us for 29 of our 31 years.  This year they won their first national title, besting the field of 28 JV teams.  Congratulations to Coach Brett Mayfield.

Coach of the Year
For ten years, Sue Korosa from Copley (OH) has been bringing teams to Nationals.  In most years she leads multiple teams to the playoffs.  Her teams swept the competition at our Ohio Academic Challenge last March.  All three of her teams made the playoffs at Nationals this year at Chicago, with the Varsity team advancing to the Final Four and her middle school B team advancing to the finals.  And she was the high-point scorer in our annual coach’s game!

Rookie of the Year
Pinewood Prep (SC) was named “Rookie of the Year.”  In their first time at Nationals, they defeated in the playoffs York Suburban (PA), 310-200 and then denied Hastings (NY) a fourth-consecutive “Small School” championship.  First-timers University School (IN) and Montrose (PA) both made the playoffs as well.

Scoring Leaders
At the NAA, we judge teams not only on tournament progress (how far they advanced in the competition), but also on average points, and seldom does a team lead the league in both. In 2012, Harrison (IN) ranked No. 3 in tournament progress, but No. 1 in points, 408, finished 2nd in scoring, 399; National Champions Detroit Jesuit finished 12th in points.  In 2013, Horace Greeley won the title and also finished first in points, with 408, exactly the same average as 2012 Harrison.  Of note are these other marks: Irvington 374, Daviess County 371, Harrison 364, Chicago winners Fishers 350, New Orleans winners Pingry 308.
New York Rules
The most impressive state at this year's tournament was New York. It was New York’s 13th consecutive year of sending more teams to Nationals than any other state.  Not only did Horace Greeley win it all, but these Westchester County schools also made the playoffs: White Plains, Briarcliff, Hastings, Irvington, and Ardsley.  Two New-York-but-non-Westchester teams also made the playoffs: Fillmore Central and Saratoga Springs.  Seven Pennsylvania teams made the playoffs: Montrose, York Suburban, DuBois, Wilson, Gettysburg, Coatesville, Delaware Valley.
Small-School Champs
We crown a champion from among the “small schools” that come to Nationals (defined as any school with 500 or fewer students in grades 10-12 and a non-selective admissions policy). This year 51 such schools competed (Varsity Div.). The only “Small School” to win a playoff game was St. Martin’s Episcopal (Metairie, LA), so they are crowned “Small School Champ.”
No. 1 Jinx?
The jockeying for playoff position which happens every year is, as NAC History would suggest, futile.  All three teams entering the playoffs at No. 1 this year were eliminated early in the playoffs in very close matches: Harrison was upset by Watson Chapel, 345-340; Hastings by the aforementioned Pinewood Prep, 340-310; and Daviess County by Saratoga Springs, 280-270.
Try, Try Again
The aforementioned Lenape made the playoffs for the first time in this, their sixth trip to Nationals and then won two playoff games to boot.
Next Year’s Champs?
Yikes!  Tournament MVP Max Smiley is expected to return next year, so don’t be surprised if Horace Greeley should repeat as champs.
Qualifying for 2014 Nationals
Keep in mind that all 2013 playoff teams have automatically qualified for NAC XXXII. Return to our web site in September, when our free “Twenty Questions” quiz returns and information on our next QuizNet will be posted. We will also provide details on next year's National Academic Championship.

Hall of Fame
Mike Keller (Irmo, SC, ‘85-87)
Eric Evans (Granville, OH, ‘88-89)
Jim Paluszak (Dorman, SC, ‘89-91)
Matt Bruce (Booker T. Washington, OK, ‘89-92)
Mark Staloff (East Brunswick, NJ, ’94)
Brad Rutter (Manheim Township, PA, ‘92-95)
Brad Harris (James Island, SC, ‘92-95)
Amanda Goad (Governor’s School, VA, ‘93-96)
Scott Petty (Houston Eisenhower ’95 and Houston Memorial ’96)
Justin Powell (James Island, SC ‘95-98)
Ryan Cooper (James Island, SC ‘95-99)
David Madden (Ridgewood, NJ ‘98-99)
Jonathan Hess (Irmo, SC, 1998-2002)
Sara Sheer (Horace Greeley, 2001-2004)
Matt Pargeter (Holland Hall, OK, 2002-2005)
Nate Mattison (Byram Hills, NY, 2004-2006
Fuhe Xu (Harrison, IN, 2004-2007)
Ariel Schneider (Harrison, IN, 2004-2007)
Dylan Hames (Booker T. Washington, OK, 2006-2008)
Alex Pijanowski (Harrison, IN, 2011-2013)

WINNERS OF OUR 30 TOURNAMENTS
1983 -- Walt Whitman (Bethesda, MD)
1984 -- Wheelersburg (Wheelersburg, OH)
1985 -- Skyline (Dallas, TX)
1986 -- Irmo (Columbia, SC)
1987 -- Walnut Ridge (Columbus, OH)
1988 -- Eleanor Roosevelt (Greenbelt, MD)
1989 -- Dorman (Spartanburg, SC)
1990 -- Collegiate (Richmond, VA)
1991 -- Dorman (Spartanburg, SC)
1992 -- Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, OK)
1993 -- Torrey Pines (San Diego, CA)
1994 -- East Brunswick (NJ)
1995 -- Governor's School (Richmond, VA)
1996 -- Houston Memorial (TX)
1997 -- Edison (Huntington Beach, CA)
1998 -- State College Area (PA)
1999 -- James Island (SC)
2000 -- Manheim Township (PA)
2001 -- Irmo (Columbia, SC)
2002 -- Irmo (Columbia, SC)
2003 -- Horace Greeley (Chappaqua, NY)
2004 -- St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN)
2005 -- Holland Hall (Tulsa, OK)
2006 -- Byram Hills (Armonk, NY)
2007 – Harrison (West Lafayette, IN)
2008 – Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, OK)
2009 – John Cooper (The Woodlands, TX)
2010 – Zionsville (Zionsville, IN)
2011 – Harrison (West Lafayette, IN)
2012 – University of Detroit Jesuit (MI)
2013 – Horace Greeley (Chappaqua, NY)