Marshfield High School’s academic Science Bowl team successfully defended their regional title Jan. 12 at the Department of Energy competition at Milwaukee School of Engineering.
The team placed second in their pool play and advanced to the double-elimination championship bracket, where they went undefeated to claim the title. Team members were Suhaas Bhat (12), Carter Chojnacki (12), Hugh Steiner (12), Tara Bhat (10) and Davis Rens (9).
Next, the team will travel to the national competition in Washington DC from April 25-29 along with about eighty other teams.
Marshfield’s second team of Sary Bseiso (10), Jasen Kracht (12), Josh Grissman (9), Allie Bacholl (12), and Kenna Chojnacki (12) went 2-2 in their pool play and did not advance to the championship bracket.
During the competition, four members on a team compete against other schools. The team that buzzes first with the correct answer for toss-up questions earns a bonus questions. Each match lasts 16 minutes and can have as many as 25 sets of questions in categories like Chemistry, Physics, Math, Earth & Space, Biology & Energy.
The Science Bowl team has long been coached by retired science teacher Paul Herder, assisted by science teacher Dean McFarlane, who help their students prepare.
“Our team practices at least two nights a week for at least two hours. We do not stop with asking questions, but pause for debates and the occasional pizza break,” said Herder.
This was the 17th year the school has competed in the regional competition and has done well on the national level. “We have had winning records at the national event four of the five trips, but have yet to advance to the sixteen team championship bracket,” he said.
The Lake Sturgeon Bowl Regional of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl will take place February 2 at the University of Milwaukee. Marshfield High School’s Ocean Bowl team is the defending state champs and took third place at the national competition last year.
