Quiz Bowl finishes sixth while DECA and Science Olympiad members await upcoming events
Quiz Bowl
After becoming the number one ranked team of the West District, Quiz Bowl finished sixth overall at the State competition.
The team went 2-2 at State, losing to Roseville in its first match before being eliminated by Moundsview two games later. Coach Bruce McLean said he was proud of the way his team performed at State.
“The Roseville match came down to a question that (Roseville) got and we didn’t,” McLean said. “Overall we had a good season and that was shown at State.”
Junior Simon Fruchtman said the team members enjoyed success in the tournaments in the beginning of the year.
“Early in the year we experienced a lot of victories that might have got to our heads. When we got deeper into the season and into State we were put in our place by some of the really good teams,” he said.
Fruchtman added the team will be looking to use this experience to return to State next year.
“We now know what it takes to be great,” Fruchtman said. “This experience will make us better and help us toward winning State.”
Science Olympiad
In its eighth year of existence, Science Olympiad will make its first ever appearance at the State competition.
The team placed eighth in its regional competition Feb. 11. Its finish was high enough to send the team to the State Tournament for the first time.
According to junior captain Declan Fruchtman, Park had to overcome some adversity to reach this goal.
“They decided to move districts up a week from the date we were preparing to compete,” Fruchtman said.
“Because of that, we didn’t have all of our members at the meet so other people had to step up and perform in areas they weren’t used to. But we still managed a way to qualify for State,” Fruchtman.
Coach and science teacher Jenny Magdal said she is excited to see how the students will perform at the State competition.
“I will probably be more nervous than the students,” Magdal said. “It will be a great way to reward (the students) on all the work they put in throughout the season.”
The State tournament will take place March 9 at the University of St. Thomas.
DECA
Anaheim, Calif., is the destination 17 DECA members will be trying to reach as they compete in the State DECA Meet March 3-5 at the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Minneapolis.
DECA president senior Anders Conroy will make his fourth appearance at the State competition and said he is particularly excited for this year.
“It is a little sad that this will be my last State meet, but I’m excited to compete. I believe all of my experience will help me move on to nationals,” he said.
Conroy also added this year has an unusual percent of members who have qualified for State.
“We are a little down on numbers this year, but we have really dedicated people working hard which is why we have such a high percentage of members who qualified for State,” Conroy said.
DECA adviser Sophia Ross said the highly competitive district Park competes in makes students work hard.
“Compared to the other districts, we have a very good and competitive district, which forces the students to work hard if they want to move on,” Ross said.
