MADISON – The Scholars Bowl team at Bob Jones High School earned third place in the William Rufus King Invitational in Tuscaloosa. These students had to prove their knowledge for categories including math, science, literature, current events, sports, religion and other subjects.

Team members are Thais Arslanbekov, Kiandra Holloway, Rett Krome and Steven Pan.

From a field of 54 competitors, Steven Pan placed fifth in individual rankings for points per game. Rett Krome placed eighth. Twelve teams entered this tournament.

“Scholars Bowl, or quiz bowl, tournaments are set up with a moderator who reads questions and officiates the game. Two teams of four students compete.” A team can have two subs, sponsor Loren Springer said. Springer teaches sociology and economics.

After the ‘toss up’ question, the first person to buzz can answer. If correct, the team can consult on three bonus questions. If incorrect, the other team can buzz to answer. After 20 questions, the team with the most points wins.

“Quiz bowl is a balance of speed and accuracy. Bob Jones teams have often been accurate in their responses, but our increased speed has made us perform better in tournaments this year,” Springer said.

This tournament had an original pool and championship pool. To start, Bob Jones played matches, advanced to the championship pool and played five more matches. They scored 7-3 for the day. “A very good record for us,” Springer said.

“Students get to do what they love – showing their knowledge through academic competition. It’s really about doing your best to win for your school, team and personal pride,” Springer said.

“I love sponsoring them. They’re so passionate about what they do. Students can compete in district, state and national competitions, depending on how committed they and their sponsors are,” she said.

Scholars Bowl members practice weekly. Frequency lists from quiz bowl organizations help with strategy and speed. “But, it comes down to what students have gained in classes and the amount of independent reading and studying that they do,” Springer said. “The depth of their learning in Madison City Schools and on their own really shows in Scholars Bowl. Memorizing from a list is not as helpful as good academic work.”

“Steven Pan went to quiz bowl camp at Jacksonville State University. Rett Krome’s late father, Mark, helped us learn strategy; he competed in school. I really appreciate Mr. Sippel at Discovery Middle School who helped students get excited for Scholars Bowl,” Springer said.

Bob Jones usually competes in a tournament monthly during September-March, along with online contests.