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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
- The many benefits we offer for our member schools
- How you can get involved as a trained game official