Chatham Academic Team Achieves First Ever Playoff Spot, Finishes 17th in National Tournament

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Chatham Academic Team finished 17th out of 55 teams at the National Academic Championships at Marymount University, and in doing so, achieved something it never had before.

The team had never advanced to Sunday's playoff round, but this year, it did, defeating Manheim Township (Pa.) on Saturday to go 4-2 in preliminary action and advance. It was the team's first playoff birth in the three years it has participated.

The team faced Elizabethtown (Pa.) in the first round of the playoffs and came up short, 410-260, after Elizabethtown pulled away at the end. Head Coach Stephen Fineman said in an email the team made it close by sweeping a 60 second Cold War category but wasn't able to completely break through.

Still, Fineman said, the team has a lot to be proud of. It is only graduating one senior this year, and has a bright future ahead.

"Next year could be a great one," Fineman said.