The Scholars Bowl team is headed back to state next weekend, hoping to take home the hardware and repeat last year.
The team placed second at regionals this week, and senior Nate van Foeken said it feels good to go back to state to defend their title.
He knows they have stiff competition ahead, he said.
During Scholars Bowl, teams of four to six players compete against another team. Students answer questions about history, literature, science, math, fine arts, current events, social studies and pop culture. Teams compete in 15-minute rounds, answering questions to earn points.
Van Foeken praised the team’s cohesion and performance this season.
“This year’s Scholars Bowl team has been consistently solid,” van Foeken said. “When you have one or two really good players and bring all six players together, it’s really cool to see how well you can do as a team.”
Over the last two years, the team has done better with getting more people with different interests involved, he said. Not everyone has to be good at every topic and having different knowledge is a major asset in this environment, he said.
Helping better publicize the team has helped make them stronger, he said.
Ultimately, the team has found itself a group that works well together, van Foeken said. Coaching by Jim Barnard has also helped the team get significant experience competing in different meets to make the team comfortable when it’s time, he said.
Van Foeken said they sometimes practice against teachers for a change of pace to challenge themselves.
With an event like Scholars Bowl, you never know what could happen, Barnard said. It just depends if you get questions that your team is good at, he said.
“I truly believe, and I believed this last year, too, when we won, that when you make the state Scholars Bowl tournament, it’s almost like any team can win,” he said.
This year, he’s seen the team come together to get everyone involved, rather than just a couple answering all the questions, he said. They’re also stronger in the math category this year, he said.
Senior Addy Barnard has been on the team for four years and has enjoyed her time with Scholars Bowl.
“I’ve learned so many new things throughout the years,” she said. “Even though sometimes getting a question wrong may make you not feel smart, getting a question right makes those hard times so much more worth it. It feels like I’m playing ‘Jeopardy.’”
She also said the Scholars Bowl team this year feels more well-rounded with a lot of leaders contributing.
“Being a part of a Scholar Bowl is a good way to contribute to the school,” she said. “I feel like I can represent the school of Eudora in my own unique way.”
Additionally, the team benefits from having a coach who researches past regional questions, giving them an advantage in high-pressure situations, she said.
Van Foeken is hopeful for what’s to come for the team. He feels good about the teams they were able to beat like Paola and Baldwin.
“I hope we can win state,” he said.
