Plainview academic team gained a 240-210 win and the 4A state academic bowl championship after a move by defending champions Bristow backfired.
First, Plainview sent Bristow to the losers’ bracket in Round 3 after answering nine out of 10 questions about books of the Bible.
After losing to Plainview once that day because of a Biblical category, Bristow went on the defensive.
“They saw that we were good in Bible and they thought they were clever and being defensive and took Bible, but then we had ‘Little Women,’” Katherine Habeck said.
Habeck and Teresa Hottel’s favorite book is “Little Women” and the team answered nine out of 10 questions correctly.
“I said the Pickwick Society instead of the Pickwick Club, but I knew what was going on. I just said the wrong word,” Hottel said.
However, the win meant more to the Indians than just the championship — in the area tournament, they lost to Bristow.
“It was really unexpected. We thought we’d be out by Bristow, but we got our revenge twice,” Jack Wen said.
Realization that they were the state champions came later.
“We weren’t that nervous because we didn’t think we would make it, but God and ‘Little Women’ were on our side,” Hottel said.
“It wasn’t until the championship that they realized this was it. It was really exciting to say the least,” coach Melinda Wallace said.
However, their captain knew that they could do it.
“I always knew we had the best team in the state and now we’ve proven it,” captain Michael Carpenter said. “We are the first team at Plainview to win state, and I feel honored to be the captain.”
The tournament was a huge confidence builder for the students who dressed up in lieu of not having team shirts.
“People always underestimate the teams that dress well and have girls,” Habeck said.
“Growing up, people don’t expect much from me. Then we were there, and I contributed something. I had my suit on and we won. It was a confidence builder,” Jessie Smith said.
Each team member played their part, as two matches were decided by one question.
“I sang, I prayed and I gave pep talks,” said Chance Johnson, the team’s youngest member.
“Above all it was a team effort — it wasn’t just me the captain or anyone else. It was everyone,” Carpenter said.
Meanwhile, in the Class A tournament, Turner beat Arapaho-Butler before losing to Kremlin-Hillsdale on a math question in sudden death. Then they lost to Geronimo.
“We had that one disappointment and learned that it’s how you get over it that matters,” coach Heather McMahon said.
Jennifer Lindsey
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