The Whitman Quizbowl team placed sixth out of 24 teams at the Montgomery Academic Beltway League (MABL) competition, Feb. 6. Their overall score of 7,853 secured them a spot in the final competition for the first time since Whitman teacher Micheal Negrin became coach.
The team opened the competition with a 435-355 victory over Quince Orchard High School. They defeated Sandy Spring Friends School 505-345 in the second round. However, they fell to Bethesda-Chevy Chase in the third round with a 430-290 loss.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School hosted the final championship competition Feb. 21, where the Whitman Quizbowl team placed sixth out of eight schools.
Quizbowl is a fast-paced, buzzer-based competition that tests players on various academic and non-academic subjects, including history, literature, science, math and pop culture. Each team consists of four players who compete head-to-head against another team.
The game operates on a buzzer system, allowing players to interrupt a question while being read if they know the answer. While players answer these questions individually, correct responses enable teams to earn additional points through a three-part bonus, increasing difficulty and value.
Negrin praised the team for their hard work and credited them for advancing to the finals. He said his primary role is building the most effective team and maintaining morale after tough losses.
“We practice a lot, we are very dedicated — and I think that’s what did it,” Negrin said. “Our team is really good at buzzing in and then trying to figure out what the question is actually asking to come up with an answer.”
Earlier in the season, Whitman lost in the first round of the televised quizbowl competition “It’s Academic” to Sandy Spring Friends School. “It’s Academic” airs on PBS and features local D.C. high school teams competing head-to-head in various quiz bowl rounds.
Senior Team Captain Gavin Evans said his favorite moment of the season was defeating Sandy Spring Friends School at the MABL competition after losing to them in the first round of “It’s Academic.”
“For Sandy Spring, we knew going into it that it was going to be tough,” Evans said. “They were number one in the league and only had one loss during the season to Poolesville. We go into every game thinking that anything can happen if we have a good day, and we did.”
The Whitman team practices twice weekly, reviewing past quiz bowl question packets and using buzzers to sharpen their skills for competitions. Entering the semifinals as the 11th-ranked team in the league, Whitman climbed to the sixth spot by the end of the competition.
Junior Jack Pelmoter is proud of the team’s progress this season, especially its victory over top-seeded Sandy Springs at the MABL tournament.
“It’s a lot of fun. Mr. Negrin is a great coach, and the team has a great community,” Pelmoter said. “The team is super low pressure, and I highly recommend anyone interested to join the team next year.”
