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2025 MSNCT: MUSTANGS SCORE TWO TOP-25 FINISHES, FALCONS SPORT TOURNAMENT ALL-STAR
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The Meadows and Coral Academy Sandy Ridge combined forces to represent the state of Nevada at this past weekend's NAQT Middle School National Championship Tournament. The Mustangs had two teams finish in a tie for 21st and a third finish in 132nd. The Falcons, making their second appearance, equaled their previous record of 4-4. This time, though, they brought home a tournament all-star in Dhruv Soundarapandian.
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PRELIMS
With 4 teams from Nevada playing 8 games on Saturday, there were plenty of bright spots to go around. MEADOWS A Facing the highest expectations of any squad, Meadows A entered prelims hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened last year--a substandard first victory followed by a tailspin. For a short while, it looked like history was repeating itself. The Mustangs won their first game over St. Francis de Sales (660-70) but struggled against Middlesex C (CT) in their second game. Trailing almost the entire time, Meadows A took the lead on T19 with a rebound by Elliot Lefebvre and 20 on the bonus. From there, the Mustangs stalled the clock to come away with a 300-260 victory. Crisis averted. After that scare, everything went back to business as usual. Two convincing wins over Edgewood A (MN) and Liberty (AL) gave Meadows A a 4-0 record at the break and the potential for a high-powered afternoon. Their first match out of the break was against one of the teams that defeated them in playoffs last year--Middlesex A (CT). In a sign of how far they've come since last year, the Mustangs rode extremely balanced scoring from William Russman, Georgia Lowry, Sophia Gallardo, and Lefebvre to take a surprising 540-235 victory. Their reward was an immediate matchup against the other team that defeated them in playoffs last year--Challenger-Strawberry Park A (CA). Riding a wave of confidence, the Mustangs rolled to a 505-325 victory, setting up a tilt with the #1 ranked team in the country--Churchill A (CA). After matching Churchill A shot-for-shot, the Mustangs fell behind by 120 points with 7 cycles remaining. If they wanted to hold the #1 card, they'd have to pull off a furious comeback. It began with a Gallardo 10 followed by a Lowry 10. Two tossups later, Lowry took another 10. Two after that, Russman powered to bring Meadow A within 30 points for the final cycle. On T24, the literature tossup went right into Gallardo's wheelhouse, who powered it to give the Mustangs a shot at the win. Needing 2 bonus parts, they got all 3 for good measure in a miraculous 465-450 win. In their final game of the day, the Mustangs finally took their first loss to eventual national champion Smith A (NC). They nearly pulled off a second straight comeback and forced the game to go to the final tossup but fell just shy on a buzzer race. By the end of the weekend, the Mustangs would be the only team to push Smith to the final tossup in any of their games. Ending the day at 7-1, Meadows A earned the #3 seed for Sunday. CORAL ACADEMY SANDY RIDGE Coral's top squad had a rocky start to the day but followed it up with a phenomenal afternoon slate. After starting 1-3, the Falcons needed to go a perfect 4-0 to make the playoffs, and they nearly did. Their first game of the afternoon was a 225-190 win over Challenger-Strawberry Park B (CA). Leading by 5 points with 1 tossup to go, tournament all-star Dhruv Soundarapandian got the Falcons over the finish line with a critical 10 followed by 20 on the bonus from teammates Brielle Obstgarten, Joseph Doyle, and Swara Deshpande. Now at 2-3, Coral took on Seoul Foreign A. Thanks to a Soundarapandian hot streak, the Falcons raced out to a 175-50 lead after 9 tossups. They would withstand a mini-run to enter halftime up by 60. After a Strawberry Park power to kick off the second half, the Falcons answered with two 10s of their own to stretch the lead back to 85. Two more 10s on T17 and T18 put the lead at 150 with only 6 cycles remaining. What happened next sent many for the blood pressure meds. |
MEADOWS MUSTANGS (A)
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Five straight 10s from Seoul Foreign A brought them all the way back for a tie at 285 with only one tossup remaining. On T24 with the clock ticking down, Soundarapandian pulled off the victory again with a buzzer race 10 that gave the Falcons the critical win. Now at 3-3, Coral had gotten halfway to the afternoon goal of 4 in a row.
They next took on Creekland Cherokee (GA). And once again, the Falcons got the hot start they needed. Leading 125-0 after 5 tossups, the tide suddenly took a swift turn for the unfortunate. Creekland Cherokee took 6 of the next 7 cycles to pull ahead by 5 points at 130-125. Coral responded with 2 straight 10s to go back up by 50. The teams mostly traded over the next 4 cycles before Creekland Cherokee took the lead by 15 points after T19. Facing a deficit for the first time, Coral tried one last attempt at a comeback. They got 10 on T21 to pull within 35--and time for one final tossup. On T22, Creekland Cherokee won the buzzer race to close out the match. With their 4th loss, the Falcons' valiant playoff bid ended.
They still had one more match for pride, though. And it was definitely a fine showing against Barton Academy (AL). The Falcons turned a 10-point halftime lead into a 230-point victory (350-120), closing the day at 4-4.
MEADOWS B
Like their peers on Meadows A, Meadows B also faced very high expectations. While not expected to make a deep run on Sunday, this crew definitely felt a playoff bid was a realistic goal. They started off the day with a 390-265 win over Middlesex D (CT). Following that was a brutal draw against Riverwatch A (GA), which ended in a 400-245 defeat.
The next 2 games were not for the faint of heart. For their third game of the day, Meadows B faced Hunter B (NY). The Mustangs took their first lead right after halftime as Sahil Wadhwa took consecutive 10s on T12 and T13. Kayleb Hague followed it up with a power on T15. Two tossups later, Winston Luh took 10 on T16 and again on T17. Leading 260-180 and only 5 cycles left, Wadhwa and Luh took the next two cycles to clinch the win. A late run from Hunter B closed the gap, but there weren't enough points left on the board to steal the win. The Mustangs took their 2nd victory of the day, 315-280.
Their reward for that win was last year's runner-up--Sycamore A. Completely undaunted, the Mustangs shockingly jumped way ahead by the end of T8, leading 220-25. While waiting for the Sycamore run that never materialized, the Mustangs maintained the lead long enough to carry a 180-point lead into the last 4 tossups. During the timeout, Winston Luh instructed his teammates to avoid negs at all costs. He had already done the math and knew that there were exactly 180 points remaining in the match. Heeding his strategy, Luh's teammates avoided the negs by simply not buzzing early on the last 4 tossups. After Hunter B failed to power on T21, the win was already clinched. Meadows B moved to 3-1 with a 365-310 win.
Their next game was an expected loss to Heritage A (NJ), but they only lost by 85 points. Thrilled with the result, Meadows B proceeded to rattle off three straight wins to end their prelims. The first victory was a comfortable 475-180 win over Boulan Park (MI). The second was a tight 370-295 win over Spring Branch Institute (TX), which saw Luh take a late power on T23 to seal the win. With playoffs already clinched, the Mustangs scored a very impressive 400-355 win over Cistercian (TX). In their final game of the day, the Mustang saw scoring come from all 5 players on the roster--Luh, Wadhwa, Hague, Clara Tsang, and Cadence Luh. Meadows B earned the #22 seed with a 6-2 record.
MEADOWS C
Meadows C faced a difficult task mostly because the four players in their lineup were playing together for the first time. Additionally, since Kayleb Hague was moved to the B team, it left them looking for some more scoring. What ended up happening, though, was an extremely balanced attack that shone through in 3 victories on the day. Facing Emerson B (MI) in their second game of the day, Luca Thompson notched a huge tossup on T20 to put the Mustangs ahead by 25 points with one tossup remaining. Emerson B took T21 but only 10 on the bonus to fall 5 points shy. Thompson's 3 tossups coupled with one power and four 10s from Evan Kuperstock resulted in a 220-215 win.
Their next game brought them to 2-1 with another close win, this time over Challenger-Berryessa (CA). In this one, all 4 Mustangs scored--Kuperstock, Thompson, Chase Park, and Jackson Sandoval. Just like the previous game, the Mustangs led late and scored a critical tossup on T20 to clinch the win. This time, it was Kuperstock who came through with the big buzz in his MSNCT debut. His tally led to 10 on the bonus and a 195-150 win.
The third win of the day came later in the afternoon against Yongsan International (Seoul, South Korea). This one was the most dominant victory for Meadows C all day long. It was also their most balanced effort. Park went 1-2-1 for 30. Kuperstock tallied 1-2-0 for 35. Thompson notched 1-2-1 for 30. And Sandoval landed 0-4-1 for 35. The program philosophy perfectly encapsulated in a single game.
Even though they had already been eliminated from playoffs by the end of the day, the Mustangs still had a shot at going 4-4. Trailing Wayzata East (MN) 175-130 with one tossup remaining, Park scored a huge power to close the gap to 25. Needing all 3 parts on the bonus, the Mustangs took the first and second before sadly dropping the third. One bonus part was all that separated them from 4-4. In the end, they were still happy to settle for a competitive 3-5.
PLAYOFFS
Two Meadows teams advanced to playoffs on Sunday. For one of those teams, the playoff rounds were an emotional reminder of how hard it is to win on Sunday. For the other team, it was a reason to celebrate the end of run that surpassed all expectations.
First, the bad news. Meadows A took their first round bye into Round 2 and came up against Horace Mann A (NY). Despite a great warmup, the Mustangs dug an early hole and ended up playing their worst game of the season. No matter how high a seed you are, 8 negs will not get you a win. After the 300-135 loss, the Mustangs struggled to get their emotions under control but still rebounded nicely to defeat Greenhill A (TX) 410-135. That game got some excellent balance from Lefebvre (0-6-0, 60), Gallardo (0-3-0, 30), Lowry (3-1-0, 55), and Russman (1-1-0, 25). Unfortunately, the Mustangs couldn't sustain into the next match as they were eliminated by Finan Homeschool (WA). At some point, most teams get "packeted" at Nationals. This round was finally where it happened.
While disappointment set in for Meadows A, Meadows B balanced it out with an excellent run of their own. They opened the playoffs with a stellar 380-145 win over Next Generation A (IL). Hague and Wadhwa led all scorers in the match, gaining 65 and 55, respectively. The next round was a 230-170 loss to the same Finan Homeschool team that would eventually eliminate Meadows A. Facing elimination, the Mustangs pulled off another heartstopping finish against Smith B (NC). With time just about to expire, Winston Luh powered T21, sending half of the room into a silent frenzy as well as the NAQT Liveblog that was chronicling the match. After that victory, the Mustangs met up for a rematch with Sycamore A. This time around, they couldn't repeat the feat from yesterday and bowed out with a 305-205 loss.
For all of their success this weekend, it's fitting that the two teams who pushed each other all year long in practice and during official matches finished with identical placements--21st in the nation. While the Mustangs felt the season would end with a better result, there aren't many schools in the country who can claim 2 spots in the national top 25 right now.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The majority of the players from Meadows and Coral will move to high school next year. Given their collective showing this past weekend, the high school division promises to feature some very high-level play for the next 4 years. Look for lots of continued success from both of these programs.
They next took on Creekland Cherokee (GA). And once again, the Falcons got the hot start they needed. Leading 125-0 after 5 tossups, the tide suddenly took a swift turn for the unfortunate. Creekland Cherokee took 6 of the next 7 cycles to pull ahead by 5 points at 130-125. Coral responded with 2 straight 10s to go back up by 50. The teams mostly traded over the next 4 cycles before Creekland Cherokee took the lead by 15 points after T19. Facing a deficit for the first time, Coral tried one last attempt at a comeback. They got 10 on T21 to pull within 35--and time for one final tossup. On T22, Creekland Cherokee won the buzzer race to close out the match. With their 4th loss, the Falcons' valiant playoff bid ended.
They still had one more match for pride, though. And it was definitely a fine showing against Barton Academy (AL). The Falcons turned a 10-point halftime lead into a 230-point victory (350-120), closing the day at 4-4.
MEADOWS B
Like their peers on Meadows A, Meadows B also faced very high expectations. While not expected to make a deep run on Sunday, this crew definitely felt a playoff bid was a realistic goal. They started off the day with a 390-265 win over Middlesex D (CT). Following that was a brutal draw against Riverwatch A (GA), which ended in a 400-245 defeat.
The next 2 games were not for the faint of heart. For their third game of the day, Meadows B faced Hunter B (NY). The Mustangs took their first lead right after halftime as Sahil Wadhwa took consecutive 10s on T12 and T13. Kayleb Hague followed it up with a power on T15. Two tossups later, Winston Luh took 10 on T16 and again on T17. Leading 260-180 and only 5 cycles left, Wadhwa and Luh took the next two cycles to clinch the win. A late run from Hunter B closed the gap, but there weren't enough points left on the board to steal the win. The Mustangs took their 2nd victory of the day, 315-280.
Their reward for that win was last year's runner-up--Sycamore A. Completely undaunted, the Mustangs shockingly jumped way ahead by the end of T8, leading 220-25. While waiting for the Sycamore run that never materialized, the Mustangs maintained the lead long enough to carry a 180-point lead into the last 4 tossups. During the timeout, Winston Luh instructed his teammates to avoid negs at all costs. He had already done the math and knew that there were exactly 180 points remaining in the match. Heeding his strategy, Luh's teammates avoided the negs by simply not buzzing early on the last 4 tossups. After Hunter B failed to power on T21, the win was already clinched. Meadows B moved to 3-1 with a 365-310 win.
Their next game was an expected loss to Heritage A (NJ), but they only lost by 85 points. Thrilled with the result, Meadows B proceeded to rattle off three straight wins to end their prelims. The first victory was a comfortable 475-180 win over Boulan Park (MI). The second was a tight 370-295 win over Spring Branch Institute (TX), which saw Luh take a late power on T23 to seal the win. With playoffs already clinched, the Mustangs scored a very impressive 400-355 win over Cistercian (TX). In their final game of the day, the Mustang saw scoring come from all 5 players on the roster--Luh, Wadhwa, Hague, Clara Tsang, and Cadence Luh. Meadows B earned the #22 seed with a 6-2 record.
MEADOWS C
Meadows C faced a difficult task mostly because the four players in their lineup were playing together for the first time. Additionally, since Kayleb Hague was moved to the B team, it left them looking for some more scoring. What ended up happening, though, was an extremely balanced attack that shone through in 3 victories on the day. Facing Emerson B (MI) in their second game of the day, Luca Thompson notched a huge tossup on T20 to put the Mustangs ahead by 25 points with one tossup remaining. Emerson B took T21 but only 10 on the bonus to fall 5 points shy. Thompson's 3 tossups coupled with one power and four 10s from Evan Kuperstock resulted in a 220-215 win.
Their next game brought them to 2-1 with another close win, this time over Challenger-Berryessa (CA). In this one, all 4 Mustangs scored--Kuperstock, Thompson, Chase Park, and Jackson Sandoval. Just like the previous game, the Mustangs led late and scored a critical tossup on T20 to clinch the win. This time, it was Kuperstock who came through with the big buzz in his MSNCT debut. His tally led to 10 on the bonus and a 195-150 win.
The third win of the day came later in the afternoon against Yongsan International (Seoul, South Korea). This one was the most dominant victory for Meadows C all day long. It was also their most balanced effort. Park went 1-2-1 for 30. Kuperstock tallied 1-2-0 for 35. Thompson notched 1-2-1 for 30. And Sandoval landed 0-4-1 for 35. The program philosophy perfectly encapsulated in a single game.
Even though they had already been eliminated from playoffs by the end of the day, the Mustangs still had a shot at going 4-4. Trailing Wayzata East (MN) 175-130 with one tossup remaining, Park scored a huge power to close the gap to 25. Needing all 3 parts on the bonus, the Mustangs took the first and second before sadly dropping the third. One bonus part was all that separated them from 4-4. In the end, they were still happy to settle for a competitive 3-5.
PLAYOFFS
Two Meadows teams advanced to playoffs on Sunday. For one of those teams, the playoff rounds were an emotional reminder of how hard it is to win on Sunday. For the other team, it was a reason to celebrate the end of run that surpassed all expectations.
First, the bad news. Meadows A took their first round bye into Round 2 and came up against Horace Mann A (NY). Despite a great warmup, the Mustangs dug an early hole and ended up playing their worst game of the season. No matter how high a seed you are, 8 negs will not get you a win. After the 300-135 loss, the Mustangs struggled to get their emotions under control but still rebounded nicely to defeat Greenhill A (TX) 410-135. That game got some excellent balance from Lefebvre (0-6-0, 60), Gallardo (0-3-0, 30), Lowry (3-1-0, 55), and Russman (1-1-0, 25). Unfortunately, the Mustangs couldn't sustain into the next match as they were eliminated by Finan Homeschool (WA). At some point, most teams get "packeted" at Nationals. This round was finally where it happened.
While disappointment set in for Meadows A, Meadows B balanced it out with an excellent run of their own. They opened the playoffs with a stellar 380-145 win over Next Generation A (IL). Hague and Wadhwa led all scorers in the match, gaining 65 and 55, respectively. The next round was a 230-170 loss to the same Finan Homeschool team that would eventually eliminate Meadows A. Facing elimination, the Mustangs pulled off another heartstopping finish against Smith B (NC). With time just about to expire, Winston Luh powered T21, sending half of the room into a silent frenzy as well as the NAQT Liveblog that was chronicling the match. After that victory, the Mustangs met up for a rematch with Sycamore A. This time around, they couldn't repeat the feat from yesterday and bowed out with a 305-205 loss.
For all of their success this weekend, it's fitting that the two teams who pushed each other all year long in practice and during official matches finished with identical placements--21st in the nation. While the Mustangs felt the season would end with a better result, there aren't many schools in the country who can claim 2 spots in the national top 25 right now.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The majority of the players from Meadows and Coral will move to high school next year. Given their collective showing this past weekend, the high school division promises to feature some very high-level play for the next 4 years. Look for lots of continued success from both of these programs.
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