Chattahoochee Students Sweep History Bowl, Bee Georgia State Championship

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The Chattahoochee High School Quiz Bowl team sent most of its history players to compete in the History Bowl and Bee Georgia State Championship in Newnan March 18, where they swept the tournament with five straight blowout victories.

“No win was even remotely close,” said Coach Mike Mathis, “with the margin of victory being around 550-150.”

The Hooch History Bowl team included Tej Guttikonda, Soham Kulkarni, Kevin Huang, Mihir Paramesh and Foster Michaelis. Guttikonda, Huang and Kulkarni competed in the Varsity History Bee; Paramesh and Michaelis competed in the Junior Varsity division.

The JV History Bee was a battle of rising Hooch superstars, with both Michaelis and Paramesh tied with 4 points in a sudden death situation. The first player to get 5 points in the finals would win the JV state title. Michaelis was able to edge out Paramesh to take first place.

“It was an incredibly close battle between two amazing players who will only get better,” Mathis said.

Huang had a quick start, jumping out to a quick 4 points. Guttikonda closed the gap and claimed his first state History Bee championship. Huang finished in third place, and Kulkarni finished in fourth place.

Since all Hooch players had first- through fourth-place finishes, they qualify to compete at Nationals in Arlington, Virginia, in April.

Pictured, from left, are Coach Mike Mathis, sophomore Mihir Paramesh, juniors Soham Kulkarni and Kevin Huang, senior team captain Tej Guttikonda and freshman Foster Michaelis.