×
×
homepage logo

Tonganoxie High scholars bowl team takes 4th at regionals

By Shawn Linenberger - | Feb 9, 2016

The Tonganoxie High School scholars bowl team just missed out on a state berth last week at Spring Hill.

THS, competing in a 15-team regional Thursday, got off to a rough start. Tonganoxie lost to Spring Hill, 100-35, but bounced back with a 60-50 victory against De Soto. The Chieftains then lost to Hayden, 70-45, but defeated Wamego (70-45), Sumner Academy (60-30) and Bishop Miege (80-45) in advancing to the finals as the No. 2 team in their pool. Hayden was the No. 1 team coming out of pool play with a 6-1 record and De Soto was the No. 3 team. DHS and THS had identical 5-2 records, but THS was granted the higher seed because it won the head-to-head contests.

Basehor-Linwood went 5-1 to advance out of the other pool, as did Baldwin and Jeff West, which both went 4-2 in pool play.

In the finals, Tonganoxie squeaked by Jeff West, 50-40, and then barely lost to De Soto, 55-50. Hayden then defeated Tonganoxie, 60-50, before Basehor-Linwood defeated THS, 65-40. Tonganoxie then defeated Baldwin, 70-25.

THS finished finals with a 2-3 record, just behind statebound Hayden, which went 3-2.

De Soto actually won the regional with a 5-0 record, in the finals and Basehor-Linwood placed second with a 4-1 record. Other regional sites were Girard, Nickerson and Winfield.

This year’s scholars bowl varsity team had captain Spencer Finkbiner, Natalie Wolf, Josh Lingo, Blake Williams, Sierra Staatz and alternate Alan Hinds.

The Class 4A state tournament will start at noon Saturday at Fort Scott High School. Rose Hill is the defending 4A state champion. Other state sites are Manhattan High School (6A), Lansing High School (5A), Russell High School (3A), Moundridge High School (2A), Goessel High School (1A Division I) and Wilson High School (1A D-II).

Tonganoxie also placed fourth the previous week at the Kaw Valley League tournament.

At regionals, teams answered questions in seven categories: world language, social studies, language arts, mathematics, science/health, fine arts and year in review. As a prerequisite, each team had to submit five questions in each of the categories.

Basehor-Linwood won the state title in 2004.

Other local schools to win state titles are Lansing (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997), Immaculata (1991, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2013), De Soto (2011, 2012, 2013), Baldwin (1999) and Mill Valley (2009).