UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- By winning the WEDIG Quiz Bowl for the fourth time in five years, Burrell High School staked its claim as an academic dynasty in the Alle-Kiski Valley.
The Bucs fended off late runs by Ford City and Valley high schools March 10 at Penn State New Kensington to successfully defend their title and win the 2015 championship.
Burrell went 6-1 with 55 points or correct answers over the past four months. Its only blemish came at the hands of Freeport in the last match of the final round when the overall outcome had been determined. The winning team, under the direction of coach Bob Campbell, included Nathan Walker, Emma Hough, Drew Murphy, Chris Phillips and Alex Romano. Walker was selected as Burrell’s Most Valuable Player.
Ford City and Valley both finished at 5-2. Ford City took the silver by virtue of accumulating 41 points. Valley settled for bronze with 23 points.
The Quiz Bowl was founded in 1997 as an academic competition among seven area high schools: Apollo-Ridge, Burrell, Ford City, Freeport, Kiski Area, Leechburg and Valley. In the round-robin, match-play format, teams of five students are asked a series of 20 questions. The first player to buzz in with the correct answer earns a point for the team. Most points or correct answers in the head-to-head competition win the match. Match record determines the champion. Points are accumulated during each match, and the total is used as a tiebreaker.
The history of the Quiz Bowl is peppered with mini-dynasties. Freeport won four of five titles from 2006-10, and Kiski Area accomplished the same feat from 2001-05. Kiski Area is still the standard by which the other schools are measured. The Cavaliers have won the tournament a record nine times.
The event is sponsored by Westmoreland Economic Development Initiative for Growth, better known as WEDIG, and the New Kensington campus. WEDIG is an organization of more than 100 business and government officials who work together to achieve economic growth and global competitiveness through private-public partnerships. Kevin Snider, chancellor of the New Kensington campus, spearheaded the establishment of the group in 2009 to foster quality development in communities throughout the county. Members come from five Alle-Kiski municipalities: Allegheny Township, Arnold, Lower Burrell, New Kensington and Upper Burrell. Snider organized WEDIG into committees that deal with five issues: infrastructure; education and training; quality of life; business and investment; and health, wellness and spirituality. Penn State New Kensington students serve as interns to help each committee.
For more information, contact Kathy Starr at 724-845-8789 or kathrich15656@yahoo.com.