GJHS Academic Team recognized for their recent victories
The academic team takes not one but two wins at two state competitions
The GJHS academic team after winning the March 13-14 State Knowledge Bowl Championship. The team consisted Sam Guddat, Cailan McKim, Alexander Chang, Jamison Whiteford, Logan Jochim, Maddie Kawasaki, Stewart Collins, Megan TerLouw, Athena Quesenberry, Anna Stone-Ewing, and Macy McComb.
The Grand Junction High School Academic team has had a great year. More than that, they have had a great 20 years.
On March 4, the GJHS Academic team won 1st and 2nd place at the Quiz Bowl State Championships, which marked the third time that GJHS has won the Quiz Bowl State Championship and its first time sweeping first and second. The quiz bowl title was shortly after the team won the State Knowledge Bowl Tournament, March 13-14, which was the 20th time they have won that championship.
To an outside view, the competitions sound very similar but are actually very different.
Knowledge bowl is about accumulating points and winning by having the most points. While quiz bowl is about winning the most rounds, with the points resetting after each round, said GJHS teacher and academic team coach Coady Shawcroft.
“For Quiz Bowl state it was a lot less because it’s a more obscure version, at least in this state. The Knowledge Bowl state was a lot more competition and I personally like it better,” said GJHS junior Sam Guddat, captain of the varsity A team.
“[Quiz Bowl State] was challenging but I had a lot of faith in my team,” said GJHS senior Magaly Luna, captain of the varsity B team.
The next step after winning state is to go to nationals for both games. Nationals for Knowledge Bowl will be online this year on April 22nd. Last year, the team got third place, but this year they are hoping to take first.
Quiz Bowl nationals are set in Atlanta, Georgia, over Memorial Day weekend.
This win marks 20 state wins for the academic team, which is why they were recognized at the Denver State Capitol building.
“I don’t know if there’s any other team, sports or otherwise, in the history of Colorado that has that kind of standing,” said Shawcroft.
The GJHS team consists of: Guddat, Luna, Cailan McKim, Alexander Chang, Jamison Whiteford, Logan Jochim, Maddie Kawasaki, Stewart Collins, Megan TerLouw, Athena Quesenberry, Anna Stone-Ewing, Macy McComb, Logan Jochim, Maddie Kawasaki, Andrew Agredano, Erik TerLouw, and Carter Reynolds. Shawcroft is the varsity coach and the JV coach is Noah Schmidt.
Izzy Cornelison is a senior at GJHS, and the Editor in Chief for the Orange and Black Newspaper. Some of her hobbies include: theater, choir, orchestra,...
