When the State Quiz Bowl team was eliminated by Chanhassen, senior Daniel Hunegs said he was disappointed because the team had previously beaten Chanhassen.

“I’m glad that we qualified, but I think we are all a bit bummed that we won our first game but lost our next two. We felt that the team we got eliminated by, Chanhassen, was a good team, but we had beaten them before. We just didn’t play our best game against them,” Hunegs said.

According to Quiz Bowl adviser Peter Dangerfield, the Quiz Bowl team was more successful at State than in past years.

“(The State tournament) actually went better than our previous times there. We won our first match, and then lost against Wayzata, and then lost a close game against Chanhassen, so we ended 1 and 2,” Dangerfield said.

Hunegs said this year’s team was better prepared for State because of more individual preparation.

“This year our team was stronger than in past years because Quinn, Will and Jack have really been putting in the work,” Hunegs said. “My freshman and sophomore year we had one really good player and decent supporting players, but this year I felt that we were very well-rounded.”

Dangerfield said he was impressed with the amount of preparation students put into the State tournament.

“I’m really impressed with the way that guys like Quinn Whitlow and Will Staib have really dedicated themselves to becoming better, but I really think our whole team is made up of bright kids, and I think we have the ability to do something pretty special,” Dangerfield said.

According to Hunegs, he feels he could improve at fast response times.

“I felt that I got the questions that I knew, but I felt that I was a little slow with just understanding the question. I wish I was little faster with my response time,” Hunegs said.

Dangerfield said his goal for the team was to win at least one game at the State tournament, which was held Feb. 14 at Burnsville High School.

“My goal was to win a game, because the first two years we went we were 0-2. It is a double elimination tournament, so we got bounced, and then last year we didn’t even qualify for the State tournament,” Dangerfield said. “This year the goal was to win one game.”

According to Dangerfield, the season does not end with the State tournament, and the team is looking forward to several more meets in the coming months.

“We are not even close to being done with the season yet. We have a tournament on March 1. It’s a tournament that’s designed for schools that are more our size,” Dangerfield said. “I believe there will be another Minnesota Quiz Bowl tournament in late March and these are all opportunities for us to train and qualify a second team for the National tournament.”