FROM THE ARCHIVES - Pictured above from left are Knowledge Bowl participants Jadyn Surat, Jager Beck, Dylan Mosher, Michiah Van Syckel, Grace Cummings and Aubrey Johnson. Below is the caption that ran with this late December 2015 edition of the Star Eagle.
This team of 9th graders has successfully completed the Junior High Knowledge Bowl season. They finished in 12th place at the sub-regional tournament. There were 62 teams representing 22 schools in south central Minnesota. Regional competition was held on Friday in Mankato. They held on to their 12th place ranking. Most of these students will now compete as members of the senior high teams.
By NATHAN VANEK AND EVAN BECKMANN
Panther Press
The NRHEG Senior High Knowledge Bowl season started Wednesday, November 3 with an opening meeting: practices began the following week with about 12 participants in grades 9-12.
Theresa Buendorf, coach of the NRHEG Senior High and Junior High Knowledge Bowl team for the past five years and at Medford for eight, says she enjoys getting to know the students and seeing how they will do in competitions. She went on to say that she is equally excited about Knowledge Bowl this year as in years past even though there was no Knowledge Bowl last year due to Covid-19.
Team members practice Wednesday morning before school. About fifteen NRHEG competitors take part in typical meets, and comprise three teams of five people each. The team usually competes in four meets a year, three during the regular season and one playoff. All competitions are held in Rochester during the school day. Playoffs start in March. The season usually comes to an end at the beginning of April with State.
In speaking of past successes, Buendorf said that, when she was coaching at Medford, she took a team to state. Also, in 2001, Mary Sack, coach of the NRHEG Knowledge Bowl team, took them to and won state with them that year.
Senior team member Anton Domeier remembers how he got his start with the competitions: “My sister, Jayna Domeier, told me to join, so I did.” Anton recommends participation in knowledge bowl for, “People who enjoy trivia, are competitive, and like getting out of school for the day.”