LHS Academic Challenge Team Invited to Nationals

Over the past couple months, the Lakewood High School Academic Challenge Team has competed successfully in two major tournaments. At the Solon Tournament in November, Lakewood finished fifth of 32 schools. At the Olmsted Falls Tournament in December, the team finished second of 38 schools. Because of that success, the team has qualified for the Regional Ohio Academic Challenge Tournament (OAC) in late April and the National Academic Quiz Tournament (HSNAQT) in Atlanta, Georgia.

The HSNCT is NAQT’s premier high school event. The tournament is held at the end of each school year and features the top quiz bowl teams from across the United States and, increasingly, is now attracting teams from other countries. Over 350 schools will be attending the event in May.
Starting in February. the team will be competing weekly in our 10-team Southwest Conference matches and will also be attending several more Saturday tournaments, in preparation for the major end-of year competitions.

The team will not be competing in the Channel 5 Academic Challenge program this year because it won the 78-school competition in the spring of 2017, so the team is excluded from the competition for two years per the rules of the show. The team will return to the program next fall.

Money is always a concern for the team when traveling to tournaments. Adviser Bob Sedlak says the team particularly needs help this year to defray the cost of the Atlanta trip. The team plans to take two teams – 12 students – to the tournament held May 24-26. Any contributions to help defray those costs is appreciated.

Sedlak and fellow teacher Peter Petto have been the co-advisors for the team for the past seven years, has won more than 90% of its matches with a dual meet record of 57 wins and 7 losses. With invitations every year to national tournaments, the champion of the 2016-17 Channel 5 Academic Challenge, and several conference championships, the team has grown from six members in 2012-13 to a current roster of 24 students and one of the more popular clubs at LHS.
With strong leadership from co-captains and seniors Michael Ferrone and Tim Daso, the team is very optimistic going into the conference matches.