New Orleans Phase 2021
New Orleans Jesuit Wins Varsity
Gadsden City High (AL) Repeats in JV Division
Edmonson County (KY) Juggernaut Goes 9-0 in
Junior Middle Grade Division
Semifinalist Neville High (Louisiana)
(l to r):
Ralph Brockman, Maisy Liles, Bella Bolayon, Max Wiesner, Simon Michener
In the playoffs every year, New Orleans Jesuit finished No. 1 in the nation in 2014. This year’s Varsity team lost their second preliminary match to rookie Louisville Trinity, 275-270, but entered the playoffs ranked No. 4 with a 5-1 record and advanced all the way to the last High School Varsity game in New Orleans. Earlier in the playoffs, they had decisively defeated two Arkansas teams, White Hall and Russellville.
Then they went up against No. 1-seeded Bishop Kelley (OK), and this turned out to be the most exciting contest at New Orleans. Jesuit led 60-35 at the end of the first period. They extended that lead to 145-45 after sweeping the bonuses titled CORRECT THE NONFICTION BOOK TITLE and PRESIDENT OBAMA. Bishop Kelley cut that lead to 65 after sweeping a bonus of their own, ENDS IN “END.” The 60 Seconds round belonged to the Oklahoma team, as they swept the MIDDLE AGES category, after which Jesuit advanced 70-10 on the NOVELS category. At the start of the final period, it was Jesuit 225, Bishop Kelley 220. It was neck and neck – Bishop Kelley’s 20-pointers included Philosphy (They identified Sophists), Music (They recognized a Rossini Overture after an audio excerpt), and Current Events (Germany’s Christian Democratic Union party). Jesuit added 20 points piece on Genetics (They knew about codons), Calculus (second derivative), and Russian Literature (Fathers and Sons). The final tally was Jesuit 330, Bishop Kelley 325.
Meanwhile, Neville, also from Louisiana, seeded No. 2, making the playoffs for the first time in half a dozen tries, found themselves in the last game after beating another Louisiana school, South Lafourche, then overcoming rookie Villa Grove (IL) – then in a game every bit as exciting as Jesuit-Bishop Kelley, edging powerful rookie Louisville Trinity 320-310.
Tied at the end of the first period, Jesuit moved ahead in the bonus round, 165-130, after sweeping the FINISH THE SENTENCE and ECONOMICS bonuses. The game was basically won in the 60 Seconds Round, which saw Neville advance 70-30 on their choice, NATIONS, and then Jesuit sweeping the LOUISIANA category, mounting a daunting 315-200 lead entering the final period. By a final score of 395-235, Jesuit won New Orleans, advancing to the Final Four in Orlando.
Junior Varsity
In the 10th annual Junior Varsity division play at the National Academic Championship, Gadsden City (AL) defeated New Orleans Jesuit, 225-175. Finishing with an 8-0 record, Gadsden won the New Orleans JV championship for the third time in the last four years.
Gadsden City, New Orleans JV champ
Left to right:
(seated) Ade Akisanya, Hunter Ender, Gaby Gaspar, Christian Todd
(standing) Mithun, Ethan Pascuales, Coach Col. Wayne Davenport
New Orleans MVP
Jesuit’s Bradley Fugetta, MVP
Who Wants to Be a Game Show Host?
Another edition of our "reality show," WHO WANTS TO BE A GAME SHOW HOST? was conducted. Students (graduating seniors) were invited to audition as moderators, and coaches played the game. Students understood the event to be a real audition for a job as one of the moderators at next year's Nationals. This year's winner was the aforementioned Bradley Fugetta. This is the first time the same person has won both GAME SHOW HOST and competition MVP awards.
