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RECAP: 2020 University Peak NAQT Nevada State Tournament
Saturday's 4th annual Nevada State Tournament offered a buffet of moments that signaled both the end of an era and the swift beginning of a new one. After a long day that featured many surprise results (especially in the preliminary rounds), the Clark Chargers and the Meadows Mustangs took home state championship titles. For Clark, it is their 4th in 4 years. For The Meadows, it is their first in school history. State runners-up were Red Rock (first-ever in school history) and Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas Eastgate (first-ever in school history). All of these schools had previously qualified for NCT appearances this season. Scores for every round can be viewed at the links below:
SCORES BY ROUND (DESKTOP VERSION)
SCORES BY ROUND (MOBILE-FRIENDLY VERSION)
Note: When viewing on mobile device, scroll down to bottom of page and tap "Web". This should make the trackers display correctly.
High School Division
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Make no mistake, the state tournament is the hardest tournament to win in Nevada. Some of it has to do with the introduction of timed rounds and more difficult questions. Some of it also has to do with the increased pressure that comes with higher stakes. Put all of it together along with some early powers from a lower-seeded team and you have the perfect recipe for an upset. That recipe came to fruition a number of times during the preliminary rounds.
In the Frontier Division, Clark cruised to a 5-0 record and Red Rock B turned in their best performance of the season to finish at 4-1 and advance to the afternoon Gold Pool. However, the story was much different in the Pacific Division. Both Red Rock A and Faith Lutheran A found themselves struggling to get into rhythm all morning. Not helping either of their cases was the very strong play from Liberty A, who had their best single-day performance of the season. All three teams defeated each other once, leaving them all 4-1 after the preliminary rounds with only 2 spots to claim in the Gold Pool. Red Rock A advanced to the 1-seed automatically on PPTH, forcing the Crusaders and Patriots to play a 10-cycle match to determine advancement. The Crusaders came out firing early and held off the Patriots over the course of the last 5 tossups. In the afternoon rounds, Clark took advantage of the fatigue that was plaguing the rest of the teams and ran the table to prevent any need for an advantaged final. Seniors Eshaan Vakil and Alex Bean fittingly closed out the rest of the field in the same fashion that we have all witnessed since their freshman year. Their 4th-consecutive state title marked the end of a phenomenal run for both players. Their afternoon matches also featured a number of excellent buzzes from Blu Mehari, who very well may be the heir apparent to the Charger helm moving forward. The final match of the day was essentially a battle for State Runner-Up. Red Rock A defeated Red Rock B, and the schools finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. Faith Lutheran A finished in 4th after some very tightly-matched contests against Red Rock A and B. It is the highest finish for the Crusaders in school history. |
Clark Chargers
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Middle School Division
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Even though it featured fewer upsets in the early rounds, the Middle School Division was filled with the highest amount of close matches it's ever had in a single day. While the teams at the top of the standings remained consistent, it was abundantly clear that the rest of the division is improving and starting to close the gap. Many teams who spent the regular season in 4th through 7th place repeatedly found ways to challenge the top of the ranks and make life difficult all day.
When the round-robin concluded, The Meadows and Eastgate stood alone--ready for a rematch from their Regular Season final that went 3 games. This time, The Meadows were determined not to let it get that far again. Ben Vinocur led the charge as he has become expected to do, and the Mustangs won the title going away. With many of the Mustangs currently in 8th grade, there will be a number of questions about how many of them will continue to play in high school and what kind of effect they will have next year. Eastgate will soon find themselves in a similar situation at their students finish up middle school. It's easy to forget that the Falcons were a young team this year and still put up highly-impressive numbers. Their future is undoubtedly bright as well. With the season concluded for the most part, the Middle School division features 3 teams that have qualified for MSNCT--The Meadows, Eastgate, and Faith Lutheran. It remains to be seen how many will attend; however, these three schools are the first wave of a new vanguard for the current state of quiz bowl in Nevada. |
The Meadows Mustangs
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Preview: Two State Champions To Be Crowned Saturday
The anticipation is already building this week as the LVQBA gets ready to host the 4th annual University Peak NAQT Nevada State Tournament. All of the action starts bright and early at 8am at Red Rock High School (610 Crossbridge Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89138).
This year's tournament features some new, exciting additions to the event as well as one old standard that promises to be a crowd-favorite yet again. Read on for more information about what to expect this year whether you're attending in person or following online.
This year's tournament features some new, exciting additions to the event as well as one old standard that promises to be a crowd-favorite yet again. Read on for more information about what to expect this year whether you're attending in person or following online.
Two Divisions
For the first time, the tournament will feature two divisions--high school and middle school. State Champions will be crowned in both divisions. Nationals bids are up for grabs as well.
Live Scoretrackers
Also debuting at this event will be our very own live scoretrackers. Scoretrackers will update in the competition rooms instantly and approximately every 30 seconds when viewed on our website. If you're not able to join us on Saturday, bookmark both of these links below so that you can still follow all of the action:
Desktop Version Mobile-Friendly Version
Desktop Version Mobile-Friendly Version
Our New Sponsor
Just as they did at the conference tournament, University Peak will be on hand to wish our competing students well and provide more information to parents about college applications and the admissions process.
Time to Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk
IT! IS! BACK! The annual exhibition match for coaches, parents, relatives, alumni, and all other fans will take place before the awards ceremony. Anyone is invited to play and test their skills. Be honest: You've spent all year thinking, "I knew that!" during the kids' matches. Finally, here's your chance to make good on it!
A Familiar Refrain: Chargers and Meadows Cruise to Conference Championships
The 2020 LVQBA Conference Tournament sponsored by University Peak produced some new intrigue as we head in to next weekend's Nevada State Tournament. In the middle tier of the High School league, a couple of key upsets shook up the field early in the morning before order restored itself in the afternoon. Meanwhile, in the Middle School league, a modicum of revenge was exacted by one school in order to reach their first final. Recaps of each division are posted below.
High School Division
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Round 2 provided the first head-turner of the day as Liberty A knocked off Faith Lutheran A in the first upset of the morning by a score of 285-160. Caleb Fears (2-3-0, 60) and Jo Hartl (2-3-1, 55) paced the Patriots. Team Captain Ryan Johns score 2 tossups for 20 points and new call-up Mikayla Hadersbeck chipped in with one additional tossup for 10 points. The Crusaders were led by mainstay Daniel Nicastro, who scored 45 points (0-5-1) in defeat.
Despite the loss, the Crusaders were far from done for the day. They nearly ran the table to get to the final, coming up short in the semis against Red Rock A, 400-165. It was an extremely impressive run by the Crusaders, and they are worthy of a look by the NAQT HSNCT wildcard committee. Another key upset in the morning was Rancho jumping up over Red Rock B, 245-195. In a match that came down to the final tossup, the Rams outlasted the Dragons and took down the higher seed. The Rams got all the way to the quarterfinals before being downed by Faith Lutheran A. The Rams were led all day by Aidan Bauer (2-12-4, 130) and Max Hosafros (4-5-0, 110). Jade Aguilar (3-4-2, 75) and Mackenzie Osborn (0-3-0, 30) kept the Dragons close all match long. As the day came to a close, the only 2 teams left standing were Clark and Red Rock A. For the 2020 season, both teams have the oldest average age and the most playing experience compared to the rest of the league. Today, it definitely showed. Clark played one of its best matches of the season as Eshaan Vakil scored 3 first line powers in the second half to put the game out of reach, 685-75. Vakil went for an insanely good 10-6-1 (205) and teammate Blu Mehari went for 2-1-0 (40). The two-person team secured Clark's fourth consecutive conference tournament championship and are easily the favorites to win their fourth consecutive state championship next weekend. The accolades are likely far from over from this impressive group of students who will set a lofty bar to clear for future generations of Clark quiz bowlers. For the Dragons, it was another fine accomplishment in the journey of its first-ever senior class. The Dragons played one of their best games of the season in the semifinal as they powered 25% of the questions against Faith Lutheran A. In the final, though, there was nothing they could do to stop the Vakil/Mehari tidal wave of first-line buzzes. Josh Cruzado was the third-highest individual scorer of the day with 260 (10-14-6). His longtime teammate, Annie Vong, went for 115 (6-8-11). The team of Cruzado, Vong, David Jelinsky, Alex Hewitt, Soleil Perez, and Sebastian Lopez will try to make their first-ever state final next weekend. |
Clark Chargers
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Middle School Division
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The Middle School division provided its own brand of drama, but theirs came at the end of the day instead of the beginning. In the semifinals, Faith Lutheran held on in a tight match against Eastgate A that featured some extremely difficult questions. The Crusaders edged the Falcons 160-110 in a game that came down to Tossup 24. Akash Abraham had an extraordinary day in addition to his 1-6-2 (65) that helped get the victory. He was the second-highest scorer of the day with 330 points (2-33-6). Also contributing throughout the day were teammates Lauren Beals, Shawn Naqui, Felipe Furtado, Brenden Crowder, and Skyler Tan.
Theo Perez was his usual dominant self throughout the day, finishing fourth overall with 270 (3-23-1). It was clear that the Falcons were starting to tire a bit at the end, but they will still be squarely in the hunt next weekend for a state title. This is hardly the last time we will hear from Perez and his teammates, Kashmala Hallman, Beda Herman, and Raagavie Mohan-Kumar. In the final, The Meadows took advantage of a bye round and sprinted out to a lead they would not relinquish. A well-rested Ben Vinocur led all scorers with 90 points on an 0-9-0 line. He barely edged out Abraham to become the highest scoring individual of the day with 385 points (9-28-6). The Mustangs were also led by Sam Vinocur, Brandon Yeager, Cole Verdirame, and Raunaq Malhotra. For the Mustangs, it is their first-ever conference tournament championship. They are the early favorites to win a state title next weekend. Given their performances both in the regular season and today, it's patently clear that they will be a hard out for anyone who stands in their way at State. Look for more information on our homepage throughout the week as we get you ready for the 2020 University Peak NAQT Nevada State Tournament--the most exciting day of quiz bowl all season long! |
The Meadows Mustangs
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University Peak Becomes Official Sponsor of LVQBA
The LVQBA is proud to announce a new partnership. University Peak has agreed to become the official sponsor of the Conference and State Tournaments for the 2020 postseason.
As of today, the tournaments will now be known as the:
Led by co-founders Nancy and Nick Meier, University Peak provides one-on-one application coaching, online courses and resources, and workshops/seminars for prospective college students looking to bolster their admissions profiles. Their mission is to make the college application process "more approachable and customized for high school students and their families." Thanks to their efforts, students have been accepted into the most selective colleges around the country.
The LVQBA truly looks forward to this new partnership for the 2020 season and beyond.
As of today, the tournaments will now be known as the:
- 2020 LVQBA Conference Tournament sponsored by University Peak
- 2020 University Peak NAQT Nevada State Tournament
Led by co-founders Nancy and Nick Meier, University Peak provides one-on-one application coaching, online courses and resources, and workshops/seminars for prospective college students looking to bolster their admissions profiles. Their mission is to make the college application process "more approachable and customized for high school students and their families." Thanks to their efforts, students have been accepted into the most selective colleges around the country.
The LVQBA truly looks forward to this new partnership for the 2020 season and beyond.
Week 6 Recap: FOUR for the Win and Three to Make One, Chargers and Mustangs Win LVQBA Finals
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The LVQBA regular season wrapped up with a familiar refrain in the High School Division and a dramatic new chapter in the Middle School Division. Recaps of both finals are below.
The LVQBA thanks all of the volunteer staff members, students, coaches, and supportive parents for making our 4th regular seasons a memorable one. We look forward to seeing everyone in the postseason in January 2020! |
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HS Finals--Clark Coronation Complete
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Crown the Chargers. They are exactly who you thought they were. For the fourth time in four seasons, the Clark Chargers unleashed a streak of dominance that ended in an LVQBA Championship. They defeated first-time finalist Red Rock A in 2 matches, 850-0 and 805-0.
Clark came into the Finals an almost-assuredly guaranteed winner as the Dragons were only able to field 1 player. Still, in the biggest matches of the season, the Chargers played the games as if they were the usual 4 vs. 4. The result was 2 of the best matches the Chargers have ever played per league stats. Seniors Eshaan Vakil and Alex Bean, the two mainstays of the Clark program for the last four years, set a bar that will be exceedingly difficult to clear for future teams. Vakil went for 8-10-1 in Game 1 and 9-5-2 in Game 2--a combined total of 390 points. Bean went for 1-0-0 in Game 1 and 2-0-1 in Game 2 for a combined total of 80 points. His many contributions on bonuses won't show up in the individual stats but definitely explain the final margin of victory. Clark also received tossup points from their other 2 players--Blu Mehari (2-0-1, 3-0-2) and Charlie Birt (0-1-0, 0-0-0). In a way, the 2 matches were a display of one generation metaphorically passing the torch to the next one. From here, the Chargers will look to win a 4th consecutive conference tournament and 4th consecutive Nevada state title. For the Dragons, they were determined not to let the absence of their teammates sully a well-earned moment for their program. Sebastian Lopez was adamant earlier in the week about playing the matches regardless of how many players were going to be absent due to another academic competition being held that same day. Today's result aside, the Dragons are proud to have made their first final after working towards that goal for the last four years. Both teams will now represent Nevada on the national stage later in the Spring. Clark will be scheduled to appear at the 2020 NAQT High School National Championship in Atlanta. Red Rock will participate in the 2020 NAQT Small School National Championship Tournament in Chicago. For both teams, it is their fourth-straight appearance at an NCT. They are the two most winningest teams from Nevada at national championship tournaments. |
Clark Chargers
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MS Finals--Mustangs Win First Title on Final Tossup of Game 3
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Back and forth, back and forth. That's the basic plot of the first Middle School LVQBA Finals. But oh what swings they were. The Meadows and Eastgate A fought to a decisive 3rd match that came down to the final tossup. As he has done all season, Ben Vinocur was just a bit faster than the rest of the field and helped clinch the victory on tossup 24, 185-145.
In Game 1, Eastgate A led the whole way and finished with a 410-270. In Game 2, The Meadows did the exact same thing, 305-220. It was perfectly appropriate, then, that each team dominated one half of play in Game 3. In the first half, the Mustangs overcame an early neg and jumped out to a 140-30 lead by halftime. With fatigue setting in for both teams, it was the Falcons who would find their groove shortly out of halftime. Theo Perez secured back to back 10s on TU16 and TU17 to close the gap to 140-70. After the Mustangs capitalized on a Falcon neg on T19, Perez took 10s on T20 and T21 to make it 155-115 with 3 to go. T22 went dead. T23 went to Perez and the Falcons, who took 20 on the bonus to make it 155-145 with only T24 left. In the most intense moment of the entire season, it was Ben Vinocur who came through yet again, just missing the power mark to secure the dramatic championship. The Mustangs took 20 on the bonus to make the final margin of 40 points. Despite coming up just short, the Falcons had an incredible season as well. They won the Apertura to start the season and proved to be an excellent league finalist in the 3-game series. All season, they were clearly in the top echelon of the middle school league and have many more bright days ahead of them. Both teams will now participate in their first conference tournament and Nevada state tournament. In addition, both teams have qualified for the 2020 NAQT Middle School National Championship Tournament. |
The Meadows Mustangs
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Week 5 Recap: Several Clinching Scenarios In Play With 3 Rounds Remaining
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The penultimate weekend of the LVQBA regular season was filled with a number of pivotal matches in both the MS and HS Divisions this weekend.
In the High School Division, 3 teams entered the weekend battling for one spot should Clark win the Clausura round robin--Red Rock A, Faith Lutheran A, and Rancho. Meanwhile, in the Middle School Division, 2 teams started the day in contention for the last Finals spot--The Meadows and Faith Lutheran. Check out our recaps below to see the results of the most notable matches of the day, including 4 high-leverage matches that significantly affected the HS division. You can also read up on our clinching scenarios for next week. |
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HS Game of the Week #1--Crusaders Slip Past Patriots on Final Tossup
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The first critical match of the day was between Faith Lutheran A and Liberty A. The Crusaders got a timely power from Ben Huey on the final tossup of the game plus 1 bonus part to hold off Liberty A 280-245.
Liberty A played the entire day without their captain, Ryan Johns (who was playing in the NIAA Football State Championship). Even without Johns, the Crusaders and Patriots proved to be evenly-matched all day long. Jo Hartl (0-7-1, 65) and Caleb Fears (1-3-1, 40) were able to get the Patriots out to an early 70-25 lead after 7 tossups. After that, the Crusaders showed the poise that's gotten them to the top of the standings. Daniel Nicastro (4-1-1, 65) scored 4 of the next 6 tossups, including 3 straight powers to push Faith Lutheran ahead 205-70 after tossup 13. Then, it was Liberty A's turn to make a run as Fears and Hartl combined to score on 5 of the next 6 tossups, closing the gap to 235-190 after tossup 19. The teams traded points for the next 3 cycles. After 23 tossups, the Crusaders led 255-245, setting the stage for Huey's (2-1-0, 40) heroics. |
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HS Game of the Week #2--Dragons Nip Crusaders on Final Tossup Again
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The last time Red Rock B played Faith Lutheran A, the match was ultimately decided on the final tossup as the Dragons needed all 30 on the bonus and got all 30 to win. This time around, the Dragons only needed 1 bonus part after getting a last-second buzz from Dillon Mims on Tossup 24 to tie the game at 215. They secured part 2 of the bonus to earn the dramatic 225-215 victory.
This match was notable mainly for the strategy employed by both teams in the 2nd half. At halftime, the Crusaders led by the slimmest of margins, 145-140. Ben Huey (1-3-0, 45) scored T13 right away and Faith added 20 on the bonus to go up by 35. T14 went dead. Red Rock B neg-5'd T15, Faith neg-5'd T16, and Red Rock neg-5'd T17. The score stood at 190-130 for the Crusaders. Sensing the match was starting to slip away, Mims (0-5-0, 50) called timeout to settle down the team. It proved to be a smart move as Faith neg-5'd T18. Jade Aguilar (1-3-2, 35) responded for the Dragons by getting 10 on T19 and powering T20. The Dragons and Crusaders were deadlocked at 185 with 4 tossups to go. The teams traded tossups on 21 and 22 with the Crusaders scoring one extra bonus part. Then, it was the Crusaders' turn to use a little strategy. They called timeout up 215-205 and subbed in Braden Erwin, playing the odds that either of the last 2 tossups would be in his wheelhouse. T23 went dead, and Mims won a buzzer race on T24 to set up the Dragons for the winning bonus. |
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HS Game of the Week #3--Patriots Win Rematch Against Hard-Charging Rams
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When Liberty A and Rancho met last month, the teams ended only 60 points apart with the Rams winning 210-150. This time, the Patriots returned the favor thanks to their bonus conversion down the stretch.
It looked to be business as usual early on as Aidan Bauer (0-5-1, 45) got the Rams off to a good start. He scored 3 of the first 4 tossups and put Rancho up 70-0. Liberty neg-5'd T5 but then went on a run as Andy Wilson (1-0-1, 10) powered T6. Caleb Fears (1-4-0, 55) scored 10 on T7 and powered T8. Jo Hartl completed the run by getting 10 on T10 and T12. At halftime, the Patriots led a tight contest, 115-75. In the 2nd half, it was bonus conversion and negs that decided the match. The Patriots 10 and 30'd T13. Rancho had an unfortunate neg on the next tossup but rebounded nicely by getting 20 points on the bonus for T16. With the score at 155-100 in favor of Liberty, Jo Hartl powered T17. Rancho neg 5'd T18 and Fears mopped it up for Liberty. The Patriots held a 200-95 advantage with 6 tossups to go. What followed was a furious comeback from Rancho. The Rams took 4 of the next 5 tossups and 30'd one of their bonuses to close the gap to 200-170 with 1 tossup to go. It almost ended up being enough, but on T24, Fears came through and sealed the victory. |
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HS Game of the Week #4--Dragons Get Revenge on Rancho, Take Step Toward First Finals Berth
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Despite dealing with the emotional swings from a close match, Rancho was still in good position to get an LVQBA Finals berth if they could beat Red Rock A. They found a way to do it last month when they stifled the balanced Dragons and came away with a 275-245 victory.
On the other side, the Dragons knew that this match was a must-win if they wanted their first-ever Finals berth. Playing shorthanded in the biggest game of the season, Red Rock A turned in one of their best performances of the season in a 435-65 victory. The Dragons began the match by remembering some of the lessons they learned in last month's loss to the Rams. Annie Vong (2-8-0, 110) and Josh Cruzado (1-6-0, 75) took the first 3 tossups. Sebastian Lopez contributed on all of the bonuses, and the Dragons led 95-0 after T3. That scene played itself out repeatedly for the rest of the half. By the end of 12 tossups, it was Red Rock ahead 185-20. Rancho tried everything they could to jump-start their team in the second half. Team captain Aidan Bauer (0-2-3, 5) opted for earlier buzzes in the hope of getting some extra power marks. In the end, the Dragons simply had too much going for them. Vong took the first 4 tossups right out of halftime to put the Dragons up 290-20. Bauer got T17 for Rancho to make it 290-50. Cruzado then went on a run of his own by getting the next 3 tossups to make it 355-50 with 4 tossups remaining. From there, the Dragons salted the game away and reduced their magic number to 1 for an LVQBA Finals berth. |
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MS Game of the Week--Mustangs Ground Falcons, Set Up Enormous Rematch Against Crusaders
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Even though the vast majority of the drama in today's action was on the High School side of things, there was still a huge rematch that went down in the middle school division.
The second meeting of The Meadows and Eastgate A carried significant ramifications for the MS Finals because The Meadows and Faith Lutheran entered the day tied atop the Clausura leaderboard. A Mustang victory against Eastgate A would essentially set up a winner-take-all match against Faith Lutheran next weekend for a Finals berth. Eastgate A came into match hoping for a win, but they also knew they could rest easier with their own Finals berth already in hand. With much at stake, team captain Ben Vinocur (4-5-1, 105) came up big yet again. He powered the first two tossups to put the Mustangs up 70-0. The Falcons responded quickly as Theo Perez (2-3-0, 60), Grant Brunscheen (0-1-0, 10) and team captain Cevan Louie (0-1-0, 10) each took one of the 3 ensuing tossups. After T5, it was the Mustangs slightly ahead at 70-55. From there, The Meadows took the next 5 tossups and went into halftime up 210-75. The second half ended up being a curtain call for the Mustangs as they found a much more balanced attack. 6 different players cracked the scoresheet and cemented the most important victory of the season for The Meadows. All eyes turn to next week to see if it will be The Meadows or Faith Lutheran to face off against Eastgate A in the LVQBA Finals. |
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Buzzworthy Clinching Scenarios
With just one week left in the regular season, here are the clinching scenarios for Finals berths:
High School Division
Clark High School has already clinched a spot by winning the Apertura round robin.
Red Rock A can reach the LVQBA Finals by winning all 3 matches next weekend (including a defeat of Clark) to win the Clausura round robin.
If Clark wins the Clausura, then any of the following will put Red Rock A in the Finals:
--1 victory
--1 loss from Faith Lutheran A
--Lose all 3 matches but have a higher PPTH than Faith Lutheran A if both teams finished tied at 17-5.
Faith Lutheran A can only reach the Finals by having Clark win the Clausura and then having a higher PPTH than Red Rock A if both teams finish tied at 17-5.
Middle School Division
Eastgate A has already clinched a spot by winning the Apertura round robin.
The Meadows can reach the LVQBA Finals by winning both of their matches next weekend. They currently hold the PPTH tiebreaker over Faith Lutheran as well.
Faith Lutheran can reach the LVQBA Finals by winning all 3 of their matches next weekend. If they finish tied with The Meadows, they will need to overcome the PPTH tiebreaker.
Sandy Ridge has an outside chance at making the LVQBA Finals if they win all 3 of their matches next weekend and then have The Meadows, Eastgate A, and Faith Lutheran all finish at 2 losses. They would then need to score enough points to win the PPTH tiebreaker.
High School Division
Clark High School has already clinched a spot by winning the Apertura round robin.
Red Rock A can reach the LVQBA Finals by winning all 3 matches next weekend (including a defeat of Clark) to win the Clausura round robin.
If Clark wins the Clausura, then any of the following will put Red Rock A in the Finals:
--1 victory
--1 loss from Faith Lutheran A
--Lose all 3 matches but have a higher PPTH than Faith Lutheran A if both teams finished tied at 17-5.
Faith Lutheran A can only reach the Finals by having Clark win the Clausura and then having a higher PPTH than Red Rock A if both teams finish tied at 17-5.
Middle School Division
Eastgate A has already clinched a spot by winning the Apertura round robin.
The Meadows can reach the LVQBA Finals by winning both of their matches next weekend. They currently hold the PPTH tiebreaker over Faith Lutheran as well.
Faith Lutheran can reach the LVQBA Finals by winning all 3 of their matches next weekend. If they finish tied with The Meadows, they will need to overcome the PPTH tiebreaker.
Sandy Ridge has an outside chance at making the LVQBA Finals if they win all 3 of their matches next weekend and then have The Meadows, Eastgate A, and Faith Lutheran all finish at 2 losses. They would then need to score enough points to win the PPTH tiebreaker.
Chargers and Dragons Hit the Road to Represent Nevada
Two LVQBA schools took advantage of the league's bye week to take mid-season roadtrips in order to get some extra playing time. Both teams represented the state of Nevada brilliantly. The Clark Chargers took 2nd place in the Wayzata Academic Invitational Tournament at Wayzata High School in Minnesota, and the Red Rock Dragons took 1st place in the Cougar Cup Invitational at BYU in Utah.
Charger Duo Storms to Runner-Up Finish in Minnesota
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Making the trip for the Chargers this weekend were Eshaan Vakil and Blu Mehari. The two-person team went 10-1 during the preliminary rounds, with their only loss coming to Mounds View A. Vakil and Mehari pushed Clark to the highest PPG in the field for the morning rounds at 528.2.
In the playoff rounds, they played an advantaged final against Mounds View A. Needing to win 2 games to win the tournament, the Chargers took Game 1 435-310. Vakil posted a 9-1-1 (140) and Mehari also earned 1 power as Clark doubled up Mounds View on powers (10-5). Riding the momentum into the second match, the Chargers gave Mounds View everything they could handle but came up just short 385-375. Both teams scored 240 points on bonuses with the difference coming on 1 tossup. The Chargers finished the afternoon with an 11-2 record. Vakil took home top honors for individuals with an 88-57-15 line for 1815 points. Mehari had an excellent day, too, finishing 9th overall with a 19-16-0 line for 445 points. |
Clark Chargers
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Dragons Fly Away to Victory in Utah
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Meanwhile, the Red Rock Dragons sent four sophomores to the Cougar Cup Invitational. The tournament was jointly-run by Idaho Quiz and Academic Teams and the BYU Quiz Bowl team. Making a notable appearance as a moderator/scorekeeper this weekend, too, was Jeopardy champion Anneke Garcia. Aaron Aguilar, Robert Allison, Paige Bowler, and Aurabella Haskin eagerly represented Red Rock HS in their quest to win their 2nd invite of the year.
The Dragons got off to a hot start against Carbon B as Aguilar powered the first tossup of the match leading to a 20 on the bonus. By halftime the Dragons led 145-75 and wound up winning 280-90. Second-half performances were the theme of the day. In their next match against an evenly-matched Carbon A team, the Dragons led 145-105 at halftime. They outscored Carbon 210-20 in 2nd half and won going away 355-125. Similar performances followed throughout the day as the Dragons used their 2nd half stamina to pull away in every match. They finished the day 6-0 and finished 2 games ahead of 2nd place Carbon A. The all-sophomore squad averaged 290 PPG and 14.17 PPB. Aguilar finished as the top overall individual scorer with a 6-51-4 line for 580 points. Bowler, Allison, and Haskin made crucial contributions all day long on bonuses as the Dragons scored 20 or more points on nearly half of their bonuses heard. |
Red Rock Dragons
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Week 4 Recap: Nailbiters Return as Clausura Begins, Vinocur Puts Up Eye-Popping Single Day Numbers
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The second half of the LVQBA regular season kicked off on Saturday with several teams continuing the trend of playing close matches down to the final tossup. The usual names appear at the top of the standings in both divisions, but it wasn't without drama.
Our recaps are posted below, including a note about a highly impressive performance from one particular player from The Meadows. |
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HS Game of the Week--Dragons Get Breathing Room From Crusaders
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Red Rock A began the day with an inside track to the LVQBA Finals if Clark can win the Clausura. Part of their path to finals includes near-mandatory wins over the teams closest to them in the standings. The Dragons secured one of those wins today by defeating Faith Lutheran A 305-150. The two teams were within one cycle at halftime as the Dragons clung to a 110-80 lead. Daniel Nicastro single-handedly kept the Crusaders close with 2 powers and 3 10s in the first 12 tossups. In the second half, Josh Cruzado nearly equaled the feat on his own by scoring 5 10s.
The real story of the match, though, was the bonus conversion. The Dragons converted on 21 bonus parts (14 in the second half) to the Crusaders' 9. With the win, Red Rock A sits squarely in 2nd place overall at 13-2 and tied for 1st in the Clausura with both Clark and Rancho at 4-0. Faith Lutheran A currently sits at 11-4, tied for fourth place in the Clausura with Faith Lutheran B at 3-1. |
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MS Game of the Week--Faith Lutheran Becomes First Team to Defeat Eastgate A This Season
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Faith Lutheran has very quietly maintained its positioning near the top of the standings with a balanced attack that doesn't often make the headlines. This time, their balance really shone on bonus conversion as they nipped Eastgate A 305-270.
The Crusaders jumped out to an early lead and held a 195-110 advantage at halftime. In the 2nd half, Theo Perez (2-7-0, 100) nearly brought the Falcons all the way back, but the Crusaders consistently averaged 2 parts on every single one of their bonuses to get the victory. It is the first time a team has beaten the Falcons this season. The Crusaders will now try to hold their new spot at the top of the leaderboard as they await a much-anticipated rematch with The Meadows. |
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Buzzworthy Notes and News
Star Performance From Vinocur
Ben Vinocur from The Meadows is good at quizbowl. His line for today:
Game 1: 6-7-1
Game 2: 10-4-1
Game 3: 3-5-2
That's 19 powers, 16 tens, and only 4 negs. It gives him a one-day total of 425 points.
We repeat, Ben Vinocur is good at quizbowl.
Mountain Lions Fend Off Crusaders
Sierra Vista has been rejuvenated after doing some midseason recruiting, and it's paying off very quickly for them. The Mountain Lions held on for a 210-170 victory against a tough Faith Lutheran B squad. Emma Moore led Vista with 45 points (0-5-1).
Crusaders and Patriots Take It All the Way to T24
The closest match of the day in the HS division was the final round meeting between Faith Lutheran B and Liberty A. The Crusaders prevailed in the final 3 tossups, 125-115. Bonus conversion was a struggle for both teams with Liberty A leading 60-45 at halftime. In the 2nd half, Jordyn Stark and the recently-subbed Michala DuPair paced the Crusaders on their comeback as they took the lead 115-105 after tossup 21. Ryan Johns scored T22 for Liberty, but the Patriots could only get 10 on the bonus. With the score now tied at 115 on T23, Jordyn Stark came up big with 10 for the Crusaders. However, Faith Lutheran couldn't manage any parts on the bonus and led by a slim 10-point margin on the final tossup, which both teams dropped. Faith Lutheran B finished the day 3-1, tied with their counterparts from Faith Lutheran A.
Ben Vinocur from The Meadows is good at quizbowl. His line for today:
Game 1: 6-7-1
Game 2: 10-4-1
Game 3: 3-5-2
That's 19 powers, 16 tens, and only 4 negs. It gives him a one-day total of 425 points.
We repeat, Ben Vinocur is good at quizbowl.
Mountain Lions Fend Off Crusaders
Sierra Vista has been rejuvenated after doing some midseason recruiting, and it's paying off very quickly for them. The Mountain Lions held on for a 210-170 victory against a tough Faith Lutheran B squad. Emma Moore led Vista with 45 points (0-5-1).
Crusaders and Patriots Take It All the Way to T24
The closest match of the day in the HS division was the final round meeting between Faith Lutheran B and Liberty A. The Crusaders prevailed in the final 3 tossups, 125-115. Bonus conversion was a struggle for both teams with Liberty A leading 60-45 at halftime. In the 2nd half, Jordyn Stark and the recently-subbed Michala DuPair paced the Crusaders on their comeback as they took the lead 115-105 after tossup 21. Ryan Johns scored T22 for Liberty, but the Patriots could only get 10 on the bonus. With the score now tied at 115 on T23, Jordyn Stark came up big with 10 for the Crusaders. However, Faith Lutheran couldn't manage any parts on the bonus and led by a slim 10-point margin on the final tossup, which both teams dropped. Faith Lutheran B finished the day 3-1, tied with their counterparts from Faith Lutheran A.
Week 3 Recap: Chargers and Falcons Take Apertura Crowns
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The first half of the LVQBA regular season came to a close on Saturday with the final rounds of the Apertura Round Robin. The LVQBA congratulates the Clark Chargers (11-0) for winning the High School Apertura and the CASLV Eastgate A Falcons (8-0) for winning the Middle School Apertura.
Both teams receive a berth into the LVQBA Finals on December 14th at Liberty High School. In addition, the two teams will qualify for the HSNCT and MSNCT, respectively. The Chargers and Falcons both played in our LVQBA Matches of the Day. Recaps are below. |
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HS Game of the Week--Chargers Clinch Finals Berth After Defeating Crusaders
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Coming into their Round 10 matchup, the Clark Chargers only needed 1 win to claim a Finals berth. They got it after a 525-170 victory over Faith Lutheran A. The Chargers were able to feature 7 different players throughout the match, garnering tossup points from Eshaan Vakil (8-1-0, 100), Alex Bean, (1-1-0, 25), Blu Mehari (0-3-0, 30), and Shadman Kabir (0-1-0, 10). The Chargers led 415-40 at halftime.
The Crusaders played a much stronger 2nd half with Braden Erwin and Daniel Nicastro each denting the scoreboard twice. In what was no surprise to anyone familiar with them, Faith Lutheran continued to convert well on bonuses by getting 20 or more points on half of their opportunities. |
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MS Game of the Week--Eastgate A Wins For 2nd-Straight Week on Final Tossup
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Two weeks ago, Eastgate A needed some final tossup magic to defeat The Meadows. This week, they needed it against Lone Mountain A. Just like last time, the Falcons got what they needed from Theo Perez who correctly nailed Tossup 24 to seal the victory for CASLV. The Falcons led 210-200 going into Tossup 24. They 20'd the final bonus to end the match. Perez finished with a 2-7-0 line for 100. He also sits squarely in 1st place in the league's individual standings. Team Captain Cevan Louie managed to score 1 power and made a series of critical deferrals at the right time on bonus questions.
The Wildcats played an excellent match, too. They employed a more balanced attack in getting points from Drew Stephens (0-2-1, 15), Mackenzie Meiers (0-1-0, 10), and Bradley DeLeon (1-3-0, 45). Charlotte DeFrancesco contributed on nearly every bonus to help Lone Mountain keep the match close all the way through. |
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Buzzworthy Notes and News
Clausura Begins Next Week
The Clausura round robin begins next week at Red Rock High School. The team that wins the Clausura round robin will become the 2nd competitor in the LVQBA Finals on December 14th. If the Apertura winner also wins the Clausura, then the 2nd Finalist will be determined by the best overall record from the entire regular season (22 games for HS, 16 games for MS).
Dragons Crowding the Top
A shorthanded Red Rock B came in to today's matches without their ailing team captain, Soleil Perez. They were still able to get 3 victories and now sit in 4th place in the HS league standings. The Dragons are the only school to have 2 teams in top half of the standings.
"Power"-ful Chargers
Both Eshaan Vakil and Alex Bean set high standards during the first half of the regular season. Vakil and Bean are the only two players with double-digit powers in the individual standings. Vakil currently sits at 30, while Bean has scored 16.
Crusaders and Mustangs With Eyes on 2nd Half
Both Faith Lutheran and The Meadows finished the MS Apertura at 6-2. Both teams will be eager to get another chance at Eastgate A, but their rematch against each other on 12/14 could end up deciding a finals berth should Eastgate A win the Clausura. Faith Lutheran won the first matchup today, 245-190.
The Clausura round robin begins next week at Red Rock High School. The team that wins the Clausura round robin will become the 2nd competitor in the LVQBA Finals on December 14th. If the Apertura winner also wins the Clausura, then the 2nd Finalist will be determined by the best overall record from the entire regular season (22 games for HS, 16 games for MS).
Dragons Crowding the Top
A shorthanded Red Rock B came in to today's matches without their ailing team captain, Soleil Perez. They were still able to get 3 victories and now sit in 4th place in the HS league standings. The Dragons are the only school to have 2 teams in top half of the standings.
"Power"-ful Chargers
Both Eshaan Vakil and Alex Bean set high standards during the first half of the regular season. Vakil and Bean are the only two players with double-digit powers in the individual standings. Vakil currently sits at 30, while Bean has scored 16.
Crusaders and Mustangs With Eyes on 2nd Half
Both Faith Lutheran and The Meadows finished the MS Apertura at 6-2. Both teams will be eager to get another chance at Eastgate A, but their rematch against each other on 12/14 could end up deciding a finals berth should Eastgate A win the Clausura. Faith Lutheran won the first matchup today, 245-190.
Week 2 Recap: Exciting Finishes Dominate Day
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The only question about the competitive balance of the league after Week 1 was if the close matches were a fluke or the start of a trend. After this week, it's starting to look more like a trend.
13 matches came down to 2 or fewer cycles with a handful of matches being decided on the final bonus. We bring you the recaps of all 13 below. |
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HS Game of the Week--Rams Slay Dragons In Back and Forth Duel
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This game held intrigue for the standings mostly because whoever finishes in 2nd place has the inside track to reach the LVQBA Finals on overall record unless Clark gets upset along the way. Red Rock A had a chance to solidify their positioning, but Rancho staged a methodical 2nd-half comeback to come away with the 275-245 victory. Aidan Bauer led the Rams with 80 points. Josh Cruzado led the Dragons with 55. Red Rock A finished the day still in 2nd place at 7-1, but Rancho now sits only 2 games behind them at 5-3. The teams will face off again in Week 5.
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MS Game of the Week--Eastgate A Takes First Meeting Against The Meadows on Final Bonus
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In a match between 1st and 2nd place teams, Eastgate A and The Meadows did not disappoint in the slightest. The Falcons nipped the Mustangs on the final bonus to earn a dramatic 260-235 victory. The Meadows led 240-220 going into Tossup 24. Theo Perez was able to 10 it for the Falcons, and they swept the ensuing bonus to finish off the match. Ben Vinocur led a balanced Mustang attack with 40 points. The much-anticipated rematch between these two excellent teams will happen in Week 5.
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Buzzworthy Finishes of the Day
Red Rock B 190, Faith Lutheran B 120
Fifteen points separated the teams at halftime. Jade Aguilar scored 40 points in the 2nd half to help the Dragons pull away from the Crusaders. Dillon Mims also scored 40 points, with the bulk coming in the first half. Christiana Vancura was the top scorer for the Crusaders with 30 points.
Rancho 210, Liberty A 150
Rancho held a 190-100 lead with three tossups to go. The Patriots, playing without Jo Hartl and Ryan Johns, took 2 of the final 3 tossups but couldn't close the gap by the end of 24. Aidan Bauer led the Rams with 75 points. Caleb Fears led the shorthanded Patriots with 60 points.
Red Rock B 165, Faith Lutheran A 155
The Crusaders led 160-110 with 3 tossups to go. Dillon Mims scored a critical power on T23, but the Dragons bageled the ensuing bonus. On T24, Soleil Perez converted after a Crusader neg to give the Dragons a chance to tie or win. Needing 2 parts to tie and 3 parts to win, the Dragons converted all three parts to claim the dramatic victory. Jade Aguilar powered the first 2 tossups of the game en route to a game-high 65 points. Daniel Nicastro continued his meteoric rise up the individual standings with 60 points.
Liberty B 190, Red Rock C 140
The Patriots trailed 125-120 with 5 tossups remaining. Red Rock then got 10s from David Jelinsky and Robert Allison but couldn't convert on bonuses. Liberty responded with a 10 from Mikayla Hadersbeck and a subsequent 10 on the bonus. At that point, the Dragons called timeout, holding on to the 145-140 lead. Cris Angel proceeded to nail the final 2 tossups of the game and secure the victory for the Patriots. Hadersbeck had an overall phenomenal day, scoring 60 points in this match. Paige Bowler and David Jelinsky chalked up 35 points apiece for Red Rock.
Sierra Vista 80, Red Rock D 75
A furious comeback from the Dragons fell just short as the Mountain Lions earned critical tossups from Emma Jurvelin and Seyon Williams on T19 and T20. Sierra Vista led 80-35 with 3 tossups to go and held on for the victory. Zoe Moreno and Sofia Zisman each scored one tossup in the final 3 cycles, but the Dragons couldn't convert enough on bonuses to win. Moreno scored 50 points for Red Rock.
Sierra Vista 110, Faith Lutheran C 90
The Mountain Lions decided that one close match wasn't enough, so they went back for seconds. This time, the teams were tied at 90 with 2 tossups to go. Emma Jurvelin correctly answered T23. The Mountain Lions score 10 on the bonus, and T24 went dead to end the match. No matter what happens, the Mountain Lions always seem to find the close matches (see previous results from 2018).
Liberty A 280, Red Rock C 230
Team Captain Ryan Johns returned just in time with 30 points and Caleb Fears scored 90 points to get the win. The Patriots led 230-90 after tossup 16. The Dragons scored 5 of the final 8 tossups but couldn't get enough bonus parts to pull even. Liberty ended up winning the bonus battle 160-130. David Jelinsky led Red Rock with 50 points.
Lone Mountain A 290, Red Rock 200
The Wildcats held 220-200 lead against a 2-person Dragon team with 5 tossups left. Mackenzie Meiers 10'd tossup 20 and earned a clutch power on tossup 23. Drew Stephens also scored an important power on tossup 22 to help Lone Mountain pull away. Logan Timmons led the way for Red Rock with 70 points. Stephens and Timmons both sit 4th and 5th, respectively, in the Individual Standings.
Eastgate B 145, Aliante 80
With 3 tossups left, the Falcons took 115-55 lead. The team traded tossups down the stretch with Eastgate scoring an extra bonus part to earn the victory. Both Kashmala Hallman and Beda Herman led the Falcons with 30 points apiece. The Bears made their debut today and look to be a promising team as their young season continues.
Sandy Ridge 165, Red Rock 120
Playing without Matt Falker, the Falcons jumped out to a 165-70 lead after 21 tossups. The Dragons scored 2 of the final 3 tossups but only converted half of the bonus points. Aashrith Chatter led Sandy Ridge with 40 points. Logan Timmons scored 50 for Red Rock.
Lone Mountain A 200, Faith Lutheran 155
The teams were separated by only 15 points at half time. What followed was a tale of two runs. The Wildcats scored 4 of the next 5 tossups and scored 5 bonus parts. The Crusaders responded with 3 of the next 6 tossups and 4 parts on the bonuses. Heading into the final tossup, Lone Mountain led 160-155. Drew Stephens came through on the final tossup and the Wildcats 30'd the ensuing bonus to finish off the win.
Fifteen points separated the teams at halftime. Jade Aguilar scored 40 points in the 2nd half to help the Dragons pull away from the Crusaders. Dillon Mims also scored 40 points, with the bulk coming in the first half. Christiana Vancura was the top scorer for the Crusaders with 30 points.
Rancho 210, Liberty A 150
Rancho held a 190-100 lead with three tossups to go. The Patriots, playing without Jo Hartl and Ryan Johns, took 2 of the final 3 tossups but couldn't close the gap by the end of 24. Aidan Bauer led the Rams with 75 points. Caleb Fears led the shorthanded Patriots with 60 points.
Red Rock B 165, Faith Lutheran A 155
The Crusaders led 160-110 with 3 tossups to go. Dillon Mims scored a critical power on T23, but the Dragons bageled the ensuing bonus. On T24, Soleil Perez converted after a Crusader neg to give the Dragons a chance to tie or win. Needing 2 parts to tie and 3 parts to win, the Dragons converted all three parts to claim the dramatic victory. Jade Aguilar powered the first 2 tossups of the game en route to a game-high 65 points. Daniel Nicastro continued his meteoric rise up the individual standings with 60 points.
Liberty B 190, Red Rock C 140
The Patriots trailed 125-120 with 5 tossups remaining. Red Rock then got 10s from David Jelinsky and Robert Allison but couldn't convert on bonuses. Liberty responded with a 10 from Mikayla Hadersbeck and a subsequent 10 on the bonus. At that point, the Dragons called timeout, holding on to the 145-140 lead. Cris Angel proceeded to nail the final 2 tossups of the game and secure the victory for the Patriots. Hadersbeck had an overall phenomenal day, scoring 60 points in this match. Paige Bowler and David Jelinsky chalked up 35 points apiece for Red Rock.
Sierra Vista 80, Red Rock D 75
A furious comeback from the Dragons fell just short as the Mountain Lions earned critical tossups from Emma Jurvelin and Seyon Williams on T19 and T20. Sierra Vista led 80-35 with 3 tossups to go and held on for the victory. Zoe Moreno and Sofia Zisman each scored one tossup in the final 3 cycles, but the Dragons couldn't convert enough on bonuses to win. Moreno scored 50 points for Red Rock.
Sierra Vista 110, Faith Lutheran C 90
The Mountain Lions decided that one close match wasn't enough, so they went back for seconds. This time, the teams were tied at 90 with 2 tossups to go. Emma Jurvelin correctly answered T23. The Mountain Lions score 10 on the bonus, and T24 went dead to end the match. No matter what happens, the Mountain Lions always seem to find the close matches (see previous results from 2018).
Liberty A 280, Red Rock C 230
Team Captain Ryan Johns returned just in time with 30 points and Caleb Fears scored 90 points to get the win. The Patriots led 230-90 after tossup 16. The Dragons scored 5 of the final 8 tossups but couldn't get enough bonus parts to pull even. Liberty ended up winning the bonus battle 160-130. David Jelinsky led Red Rock with 50 points.
Lone Mountain A 290, Red Rock 200
The Wildcats held 220-200 lead against a 2-person Dragon team with 5 tossups left. Mackenzie Meiers 10'd tossup 20 and earned a clutch power on tossup 23. Drew Stephens also scored an important power on tossup 22 to help Lone Mountain pull away. Logan Timmons led the way for Red Rock with 70 points. Stephens and Timmons both sit 4th and 5th, respectively, in the Individual Standings.
Eastgate B 145, Aliante 80
With 3 tossups left, the Falcons took 115-55 lead. The team traded tossups down the stretch with Eastgate scoring an extra bonus part to earn the victory. Both Kashmala Hallman and Beda Herman led the Falcons with 30 points apiece. The Bears made their debut today and look to be a promising team as their young season continues.
Sandy Ridge 165, Red Rock 120
Playing without Matt Falker, the Falcons jumped out to a 165-70 lead after 21 tossups. The Dragons scored 2 of the final 3 tossups but only converted half of the bonus points. Aashrith Chatter led Sandy Ridge with 40 points. Logan Timmons scored 50 for Red Rock.
Lone Mountain A 200, Faith Lutheran 155
The teams were separated by only 15 points at half time. What followed was a tale of two runs. The Wildcats scored 4 of the next 5 tossups and scored 5 bonus parts. The Crusaders responded with 3 of the next 6 tossups and 4 parts on the bonuses. Heading into the final tossup, Lone Mountain led 160-155. Drew Stephens came through on the final tossup and the Wildcats 30'd the ensuing bonus to finish off the win.
Week 1 Recap: Both Familiar Faces and New Names Atop Standings
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The general consensus among the LVQBA staff members after the first week of play is that these games just feel different this time around. Looking at the final scores across the league, it's easy to see why. Through one week of play in the 2019 season, the league has already seen more close games than the last two seasons combined. Parity has arrived (especially in the middle of the standings), and it promises to produce some exciting matches throughout the year.
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HS Game of the Week--Chargers Top Patriots in Battle of Last Year's Finalists
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One team returned all of its starters from last year, the other team began its season with the torch passed to a new generation. The result, a Clark 790-30 victory, was not much of a surprise because the Chargers have done that to pretty much everyone in their path for the last three years. Instead, this match acted as a perfect microcosm for the current narrative of the league. This year, there are teams with players putting the cap on spectacular careers and there are teams with new players standing on the shoulders of those that came before them. For Clark, it was business as usual with an especially impressive 540 points scored on bonuses. For Liberty A, small victories came in the form of new players like Jo Hartl giving glimpses of the future by finding ways to get on the scoreboard against an excellent team. The Chargers finished the day in first place at 4-0, 340 points per game ahead of second place. The Patriots finished at 2-2.
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MS Game of the Week--Eastgate A Jumps Out Early and Stays Ahead of Red Rock
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They may be new to pyramidal quiz bowl this year, but the Coral Academy of Science Eastgate Falcons looked like they had been playing for years as they defeated an experienced Red Rock squad, 340-160. Theo Perez established himself as one of the promising talents in the league with an 0-8-0 line for 80 points. Red Rock was led in defeat with a balanced effort from Jed Paley (0-4-0) and Logan Timmons (0-4-0). The Falcons finished at 3-0 on the day, currently in 2nd place on statistical tiebreakers. The Dragons finished at 1-2.
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Buzzworthy Players of the Day
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--The Meadows are currently the team to beat in the Middle School Division. Breakout star and captain Ben Vinocur leads all scorers at 4.2 PPTH and 100.91 PPG. The Mustangs face off in a highly-anticipated Week 2 matchup against Eastgate A.
--Matt Falker is on a mission to make sure that Coral Academy's other campus, Sandy Ridge, doesn't stay in the shadows. He sits at 86 PPG and a league-high 6 powers after three rounds of play. --Eshaan Vakil began his senior season for Clark with 13 powers on 84 tossups heard. He leads the league in scoring after three rounds of play. --Josh Cruzado, also beginning his senior season, has started off 2019 with a bang for Red Rock. His highlight of the day was a 1-11-0 line for 125 points against Faith Lutheran A. It is Cruzado's career-best for a single game. --Newcomer Aidan Bauer from Rancho is one to watch this season. He helped lead the expansion Rams to a 3-1 record on the back of his 1-28-4 line for the day. He sits at 3rd overall in the individual standings. |
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League Notes for the Day
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White-Knucklers All Around
10 matches ended with margins of either 1 or 2 cycles. 3 HS matches went down to the last tossup. Lone Mountain A and Sandy Ridge outdid everyone, though, as they finished in a tie at 225. It is the third tie in LVQBA history, the second time that the tie has occurred in Week 1. (Hey, if the NFL can do it, why not us?) Balance, Balance, Balance A new trend of balance is the theme of the young season so far. In the High School division, 5 teams have at least 2 players in the top-20 of the individual standings. In the Middle School division, 6 teams have at least 2 players in the top-20. Early results indicates an apparent shift in strategy this year with more teams becoming less reliant on one player to score tossups and more reliant on specialization. Big-Time MS Matchup in Week 2 Keep an eye on the game between Eastgate A and The Meadows in Round 6 on 10/26. Both teams sit at 3-0 atop the Middle School division. Building for the Future Faith Lutheran became the second school in league history to field both a high school and middle school squad at the same time. The Crusaders had a strong day in both leagues with their A team and B team both finishing at 3-1, and their middle school team finishing at 1-1. Their scoring is currently the most balanced of any school in the league. Building for the Future, Part 2 Sierra Vista finds themselves in a spot this season to build talent for the future. The Mountain Lions sport their largest roster since joining the league and will rely on captain Emma Jurvelin to provide leadership for their new players. It will likely not be long before the Lions return to the top of the league standings. |
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Next Scheduled Games: 10/26 at Liberty High School
Welcome to the 2019-20 LVQBA Season!
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Greetings, Quiz Bowl fans, from wherever you call home! All of us at the LVQBA are very excited to get the season going as we begin our 2-week countdown to the first matches of the year. Today marks the full unveiling of our High School and Middle School Leagues for the 2019-2020 season.
Take a moment to check out all of the teams and read some of the comments submitted by our coaches about their hopes and expectations for their teams. We have many new schools joining us this year (especially at the middle school level). Please give them a warm welcome to the Quiz Bowl community by showing them the same love you've given us since we started three years ago! (And give them a follow on social media if they're out there, too!) We'll keep updating the website as coaches continue to submit more information about their schools and teams. This season truly promises to be our best yet. As always, thanks for taking the time to look around our site. Welcome to the LVQBA! Follow the LVQBA all year long on our website and on our Twitter feed (@lvquizbowl) to stay updated on all of the excitement and action. |
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2019-2020 LVQBA Season Begins with Annual Coaches Meeting
School has been in session in Las Vegas for almost three weeks, and the Vegas quiz bowl scene followed suit Monday night by officially beginning its season with the annual LVQBA coaches meeting at Red Rock High School.
The meeting covered its usual logistics, but this particular edition stood out because of the exciting expansion of the middle school league for the 2019-2020 season. Veteran coaches and LVQBA representatives were on hand to welcome a slew of new members to the quiz bowl family. The LVQBA and its member schools are proud to welcome Somerset Lone Mountain, Somerset Aliante, The Meadows, and Coral Academy of Science Eastgate to the league. All four schools are fielding completely new programs this year. Some schools have already generated so much enthusiasm on their campuses that they will be entering multiple teams as well.
Four spots in the Middle School division remain. All interested teams should register as soon as possible to avoid being wait-listed.
This year's high school league sees the return of nearly all of its mainstays--Clark, Liberty, Faith Lutheran, Sierra Vista, and Red Rock. Five of the six programs have National Championship Tournament experience. All six programs are duly capable of qualifying this year, too. This year also marks the first time that the league will see 4-year members graduate. The LVQBA will be honoring these players later in the season.
New Features This Season
This season, the LVQBA will be doing more to promote the teams that place their trust in us to provide a quality quiz bowl experience. Look for more interviews and featured pieces on our schools and some of their players throughout the season. The LVQBA is also exploring the possibility of adding additional individual honors (some serious, some with a more positive tongue-in-cheek feel) at the end of the season.
Middle School Exhibition Day
The LVQBA and the Red Rock Dragons are especially looking forward to the league's first annual New Middle School Exhibition Day on September 14th, when all new middle school programs are invited to come to RRHS and play pickup exhibition matches for free. Many of the veteran HS players from Red Rock will be on hand to staff the matches and learn some valuable behind-the-scenes experience on running tournaments. It promises to be a fun-filled day as a new generation of Nevada students and coaches get introduced to a style of quiz bowl that continues to bring in more interest within Nevada each year.
Follow the LVQBA all year long on our website and on our Twitter feed (@lvquizbowl) to stay updated on all of the excitement and action.
The meeting covered its usual logistics, but this particular edition stood out because of the exciting expansion of the middle school league for the 2019-2020 season. Veteran coaches and LVQBA representatives were on hand to welcome a slew of new members to the quiz bowl family. The LVQBA and its member schools are proud to welcome Somerset Lone Mountain, Somerset Aliante, The Meadows, and Coral Academy of Science Eastgate to the league. All four schools are fielding completely new programs this year. Some schools have already generated so much enthusiasm on their campuses that they will be entering multiple teams as well.
Four spots in the Middle School division remain. All interested teams should register as soon as possible to avoid being wait-listed.
This year's high school league sees the return of nearly all of its mainstays--Clark, Liberty, Faith Lutheran, Sierra Vista, and Red Rock. Five of the six programs have National Championship Tournament experience. All six programs are duly capable of qualifying this year, too. This year also marks the first time that the league will see 4-year members graduate. The LVQBA will be honoring these players later in the season.
New Features This Season
This season, the LVQBA will be doing more to promote the teams that place their trust in us to provide a quality quiz bowl experience. Look for more interviews and featured pieces on our schools and some of their players throughout the season. The LVQBA is also exploring the possibility of adding additional individual honors (some serious, some with a more positive tongue-in-cheek feel) at the end of the season.
Middle School Exhibition Day
The LVQBA and the Red Rock Dragons are especially looking forward to the league's first annual New Middle School Exhibition Day on September 14th, when all new middle school programs are invited to come to RRHS and play pickup exhibition matches for free. Many of the veteran HS players from Red Rock will be on hand to staff the matches and learn some valuable behind-the-scenes experience on running tournaments. It promises to be a fun-filled day as a new generation of Nevada students and coaches get introduced to a style of quiz bowl that continues to bring in more interest within Nevada each year.
Follow the LVQBA all year long on our website and on our Twitter feed (@lvquizbowl) to stay updated on all of the excitement and action.
Red Rock HS Stages 3rd-Annual Quiz Bowl Camp
It’s no secret that some of the best quiz bowl programs in the country have students who are willing to put in extensive preparation during the summer months when classes aren’t in session. In Nevada, the number of students willing to take on that challenge has now increased for a third consecutive year with the conclusion of the most recent Red Rock Quiz Bowl Camp.
During the week of July 22nd, 13 students from Red Rock High School and Liberty High School collaborated for a week filled with advanced study on common topics in quiz bowl, analysis of packet answers, and advanced in-games strategies for more experienced players. The results were evident by the end of the week, said RRHS head coach Matt Albert.
“If you were to take the best players just from Red Rock and Liberty, we’d have a nice little all-star team to represent the Vegas area. It was an excellent week for the growth of quiz bowl out here. The kids worked hard, and their teachers and administrators should be very proud of these students and their willingness to put in all of this time on their break,” Albert said.
This was the first year that Red Rock opened up their annual camp to students from outside their own building. The willingness to let in other students from training was met with some raised eyebrows initially, but that’s a way of thinking Red Rock doesn’t subscribe to according to their coach.
“It wasn’t that we were trying to hide secrets and info from our competitors. We simply wanted to make sure we had a good product before we offered it to the rest of our community. I get that some coaches around the country are skeptical of coaching up students from their closest rivals, and that’s a choice they’re absolutely allowed to make. We’re just not that kind of league, though. Yes, we all want to beat each other in competition, but our collective focus has always been on how we represent the state on the national level. Our rivalries are as friendly as they get.”
With school in Las Vegas scheduled to begin August 12th, it’s only a matter of time before those rivalries get played out again. Thanks in part to the camp, the matches should continue to showcase the fruits of the rapid growth of the game in Nevada.
During the week of July 22nd, 13 students from Red Rock High School and Liberty High School collaborated for a week filled with advanced study on common topics in quiz bowl, analysis of packet answers, and advanced in-games strategies for more experienced players. The results were evident by the end of the week, said RRHS head coach Matt Albert.
“If you were to take the best players just from Red Rock and Liberty, we’d have a nice little all-star team to represent the Vegas area. It was an excellent week for the growth of quiz bowl out here. The kids worked hard, and their teachers and administrators should be very proud of these students and their willingness to put in all of this time on their break,” Albert said.
This was the first year that Red Rock opened up their annual camp to students from outside their own building. The willingness to let in other students from training was met with some raised eyebrows initially, but that’s a way of thinking Red Rock doesn’t subscribe to according to their coach.
“It wasn’t that we were trying to hide secrets and info from our competitors. We simply wanted to make sure we had a good product before we offered it to the rest of our community. I get that some coaches around the country are skeptical of coaching up students from their closest rivals, and that’s a choice they’re absolutely allowed to make. We’re just not that kind of league, though. Yes, we all want to beat each other in competition, but our collective focus has always been on how we represent the state on the national level. Our rivalries are as friendly as they get.”
With school in Las Vegas scheduled to begin August 12th, it’s only a matter of time before those rivalries get played out again. Thanks in part to the camp, the matches should continue to showcase the fruits of the rapid growth of the game in Nevada.
2018-2019 Year In Review: Big Steps Forward For Nevada Quiz Bowl
As preparations for the expansion of the LVQBA get underway, it's time to get one last look at the past season and celebrate the accomplishments of the students who represented Nevada on a national level this past spring and summer.
Clark High School
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The Chargers performed excellently at two different national-level tournaments this year. In their first appearance of the year, they finished tied for 49th at the NAQT High School National Championship Tournament in Atlanta, Georgia. The team went 7-5, averaging nearly 20 points per bonus (19.06) for the entire weekend. The four-student team consisted of Eshaan Vakil, Blu Mehari, Alex Bean, and Shadman Kabir. Also of note was the individual performance of Eshaan Vakil. He finished 7th in the overall standings and was named a Tournament All-Star.
A few weeks later, the Chargers competed in the PACE National Scholastic Championship in Reston, Virginia, and finished in 35th with a 9-6 record. What made this outing especially impressive was that Clark's roster only had 2 players all weekend--Vakil and Mehari. Both players did exceptionally well against a powerful field. In a trend that began at HSNCT, Vakil finished near the top of the individual standings, placing third overall. Speaking of Vakil, he also participated in the NAQT Individual Player National Championship Tournament back in April in Rosemont, Illinois. He finished in a tie for 21st overall, powering nearly a third of his questions. Finally of note for Clark, the Chargers played an instrumental role in being community ambassadors for the game. Both Vakil and Mehari were camp counselors at the Alliance for Academic Quiz Bowl's annual Coding and Quiz Bowl Camp. Founded by Vakil's nonprofit organization, the camp works with high numbers of elementary female students to get them involved in both coding and quiz bowl--two areas around the country where girls tend to be underrepresented. Vakil and Mehari's efforts were highlighted in this feature from the Las Vegas Review-Journal: "Quiz Tourney Winner Fights Las Vegas Stereotypes" |
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Liberty High School
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The always-consistent Liberty High Patriots completed yet another successful season in 2019. They made their third consecutive appearance at the NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. With a somewhat shortened roster, the team still managed to win 3 games in Atlanta, tying their mark from the previous year. The weekend also marked the end for Liberty's exceptionally strong senior class of Roy Margallo, Janavi Sathappan, Ryan Chappell, Jennalyn Tamio, and Conner Thornhill. All of us at the LVQBA send our sincerest congratulations to them on their graduations. We also thank every single one of them for helping build the league since Day 1 in 2016.
Margallo also competed for the second-straight year in the NAQT Individual Player National Championship Tournament, placing in a tie for 71st overall. As the Patriots now look forward to 2020, they will rely on the leadership of Ryan Johns and Caleb Fears to help grow the next generation of Liberty Quiz Bowl. |
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Sierra Vista High School
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One of the feel-good stories of this year no doubt was the growth of the Sierra Vista Mountain Lions. When they began the year, their biggest concern was whether or not they'd be able to field a consistent roster. Enter sophomore Moses Damena, the breakout star of the 2019 season. With Damena adding to the strong performances from sisters Emma and Julianna Jurvelin, the Mountain Lions continued the growth of their program all season long.
Damena finished the year in style, representing Sierra Vista for the first time at the Individual National Player Championship Tournament. Damena's efforts this season were later chronicled by the Las Vegas Review-Journal: "Sophomore Represents Sierra Vista at Chicago-Area Quiz Bowl" |
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Red Rock High School
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Struggling to find their rhythm for most of the season, the Dragons finally put the pieces together at the end of the year as they played their best quiz bowl to finish the season. Motivated by their disappointment of not earning a wild card berth for HSNCT, Red Rock competed for the second time in three years at the NAQT Small School National Championship Tournament in Rosemont, Illinois. The team chose to make a full weekend out of it--traveling to the Art Institute of Chicago, checking out the Adler Planetarium, visiting DePaul University, and getting for some of them their first experience with deep dish pizza. After a full day's worth of sightseeing, the team came through with 4 wins on competition day, easily eclipsing their best mark in school history. Representing the Dragons were Josh Cruzado, Annie Vong, David Jelinsky, Alex Hewitt, Soleil Perez, and Sebastian Lopez.
The Dragons return everyone in 2020 and will have a senior class for the first time in school history. |
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Las Vegas Quiz Bowl Alliance
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The year in review would not be complete without the LVQBA offering its most humble and grateful thanks to the Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence as we received the Benjamin Cooper Academic Ambassador Award at the NSC in June. We feel that this award gives significant validation to everything we're trying to do in providing high-quality quiz bowl experiences for students in the state of Nevada. All of us at the LVQBA wish to recognize the Vakil family for nominating us and Greg Bossick (informal guru of Ohio Quiz Bowl) for his tireless support and guidance to our league.
We also wish to thank our highly-devoted volunteer staff of community members who make our tournaments a success each week: Tim Woodward, Eric Bell, Lynda Burns, Rei Vital, Rush Wickes, Edgar Urena, and Ron Barth. Also deserving of high praise are the coaches in our league who work with their students each week to help them improve not just as quiz bowl players but also become better scholars in the classroom: David Fisher, Chuck Bean, Dave Jurvelin, Charlcie Holguin, Vaughnika Briggs, Jason Crowder, Mason Kitchens, and Matt Albert. Last but not least, the LVQBA thanks everyone around the country who have been so supportive since our inception in 2016. The national quiz bowl community is one of the finest in the nation, and it's a big reason why our coaches and players have fostered a collaborative atmosphere even during competition. Many of our coaches work together and share secrets to improve their teams, and a large number of the students in our league have formed many friendships across schools. All of this league-wide cooperation is a tribute to what the quiz bowl community prioritizes in deciding what they want the game to be and what they want it to do for students. |
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2019-20 League Information
For more more information on our fourth year of competition, please visit our Why Join? page. Also, please feel free to contact us at lvquizbowl@gmail.com for any additional questions about the league and how to join.
And while you're here, go ahead and take a moment to check out:
And while you're here, go ahead and take a moment to check out:
- How the game is played
- Our league format
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