The Fair Grove High School Scholar Bowl program has been growing over the past few seasons and we lost some great senior members last year. We are so excited for this group again as we have been facing some of our toughest competition ever and still performing so well.
The scholar bowl team is competing differently this year as all tournaments are virtual. It has been challenging and we miss the actual tournament camaraderie and competition when we are in the same physical location, but we are making it work. We are getting to cut out the travel time, travel costs and getting to compete with students from all over the state. (And eventually outside the state, too.)
Recent Results & Accolades:
Kickapoo hosted a monster tournament this last weekend with 36 teams from across the state. Our varsity team, consisting of sophomores Braden Booth (captain), Christian Allen, junior Abigail Gilmartin, and freshmen Charlie Harp and Oakland Morrison fought through a 10-round field, going undefeated in prelims and earning a spot in the finals. We were the ONLY small school to make the finals and the ONLY southwest public school team to do so! We finished 7th overall and 1st in the small school division. We qualified again (as we did earlier in the Clever HS tournament) for the 2021 Small Schools National Tournament to be held in.........our library. We don't get to travel to Chicago......again....but we will get to compete.
The field finished like this: (from a field of 36 teams Individual finishers (from a field of 175 students)
1. Ladue Horton Watkins (a national top 5 finisher) 1. Gabe Forrest -College Heights
2. Raymore-Peculiar 2. Joel Miles-Raymore-Peculiar
3. St. Joseph Central 3. Frederick Rivas-Giorgi-St. Josephe Central
4. College Heights Christian 4. Loius Li - Ladue Horton Watkins
5. Ladue B team 5. Yuvan Chali- Ladue Horton Watkins
6. North KC 6. BRADEN BOOTH- Fair Grove A
7. FAIR GROVE 29. Luc Deeds- Fair Grove B (captain of B)
8. Wichita East 31. Christian Allen- Fair Grove A
9. Orchard Farm
10. Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School
Our B team consisted of sophomores Luc Deeds (captain) and Madi Ellis, junior Stephenie Dugan, and freshman Nicole Jennings. They faced varsity squads as well and did good work too! Their highlight was going into overtime with Strafford's varsity team, which had more upperclassmen, and losing by only one question.
On Nov. 21, We competed in the Clever tournament (24 teams) and finished (without Christian Allen) 6th overall and JV finished 14th. Braden took 2nd overall and Luc finished 12th.
Thanks to Michael Van Cleave for moderating at the Kickapoo tournament and junior Devon Miller for keeping score at the Clever tournament.
Please congratulate all of these students. I am so proud of them. Scholar Bowl is not easy and I am always amazed at what the kids can do! We are proud of how these (young) kids represent Fair Grove School.
Michelle Wahlquist
Proud Scholar Bowl Sponsor