(upbeat music) - Welcome to this season of WVIA's "Scholastic Scrimmage."

I'm your host, Paul Lazar.

"Scholastic Scrimmage" is a question and answer competition featuring high school students from across the WVIA viewing area.

In each program, two schools will compete in a single elimination tournament for a chance to win one, three, or $5,000.

Tonight's match features Crestwood versus Wyoming Valley West.

Representing Crestwood are Jeremy Mueller, Eric Reinheimer, Luke Joseph, and Sean Rossi.

Their alternates are Spencer Young and Sophia Seifert, and their advisor is Maria Koons.

Representing Wyoming Valley West are Xin Wang, Elijah Serota, Will Hebda, and Emily Bolan.

Their alternate is Evangeline Dick and their advisor is Douglas Shook.

"Scholastic Scrimmage" is a game of rapid recall of factual information.

So let's take a moment and review the rules.

The first team to buzz in will have an opportunity to answer a toss-up question.

Correct answers to these questions are awarded 10 points and that team will then receive a five point bonus question.

If that toss-up answer is incorrect, no points will be deducted, but the question will then rebound to the other team.

If the other team answers correctly, they'll be given the toss-up points, but will not receive a bonus question.

Well, let's go ahead and get the game started with this toss-up question.

What animal skeletons of which were found by Bucky Derflinger and Sue Hendrickson had unusually short arms and has a name meaning tyrant lizard?

Luke, Crestwood.

- T-Rex.

- Is correct and here's your bonus question.

In the 1980s the US supported contra rebel groups fighting against what Central American country's Sandinista government?

(buzzer dings) Jeremy.

- Nicaragua?

- Nicaragua is correct for your bonus points, Crestwood.

As we go to our next toss-up question, what Roman whom Catholic tradition holds was emperor when St.

Peter was crucified blamed Christians for the fire during which he mythically fiddled?

Eric, Crestwood.

- Nero?

- Is correct.

And your bonus now.

What belief common among enlightenment thinkers holds that God created the world, but does not intervene in it?

(buzzer dings) - Creationism?

- Sean.

- Creationism?

- No, we're looking for deism.

Deism.

All right, here's our next toss-up question.

What oldest member of the Senate Democratic caucus in 2025 was runner up to Joe Biden in the 2020 Presidential primary?

And Sean Crestwood.

- Bernie Sanders.

- Is correct and here's your bonus, and get out your pencils and papers.

In simplified radical form, what is the quotient that results from dividing the square root of 40 by the square root of two?

Sean?

- Two root five.

- Two root five is correct for your bonus points, Crestwood.

As we go to our next toss-up, what foods with the scientific names Solanum lycopersicum have beef steak and San Marzano varieties and partly name, Will, Valley West.

- Tomatoes.

- Is correct.

And your bonus now.

William Butler Yeats stated, "A terrible beauty is born," in a poem about an Irish uprising on what holiday in 1916?

(buzzer chimes) - Christmas?

- Nope.

That holiday was Easter.

Okay, let's go to another toss up and everybody get out your pencils and papers.

How many total people can be transported by five school vans given each van can hold, Sean, Crestwood.

- 80.

- Is correct.

And here's your bonus question.

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal starred in what 2005 Ang Lee film about a decades long romance between two cowboys in Wyoming?

(buzzer chimes) - Eric.

- "Brokeback Mountain"?

- Is correct for your bonus points, Crestwood.

Here's our next toss-up question.

What Asian country where presidential power expanded under guided democracy gained independence from the Netherlands in 1945?

Jeremy, Crestwood.

- Indonesia.

- Is correct and here's your bonus.

Ely Cathedral in Eastern England exemplifies a pre-gothic architecture style named for what empire?

- Roman?

- Roman is correct for your bonus points, Crestwood.

Let's go to another toss-up.

In what European country did 15 people die in a September 2025 accident when the Ascensor da Gloria funicular derailed in its capital of Lisbon?

(buzzer dings) Jeremy, Crestwood.

- Portugal?

- Is correct.

And your bonus now.

The Hundred Days' Reform prompted the overthrow of the Guangxu emperor by what dowager empress who dominated the last years of the Qing Dynasty?

- Shakespeare?

- Sure.

(buzzer dings) - Shakespeare?

- No, that's Empress Dowager Cixi.

Here's our next toss-up.

What artist who may have used a camera obscura when creating his view of Delft was a Dutch golden age master who painted "Girl with a Pearl Earring"?

(buzzer dings) Will, Valley West.

- Monet?

- Is incorrect.

Rebound, Crestwood.

(buzzer dings) - Matisse?

- No, we're looking for Johannes Vermeer.

Well, that sound that you heard signals the end of the first quarter and it's now time for the lightning round.

In this segment, each team will have an opportunity to answer as many of the 10 rapid fire questions as they can in one minute.

Wyoming Valley West has won the coin toss and we'll pick first.

Your categories are American stories or Pacific cities.

- Pacific cities.

- Pacific cities it is.

And your time begins when I finish reading the first question.

Name these cities on the Pacific Ocean or one of its marginal seas.

Capital of Peru and namesake of a bean.

(buzzer dings) Will.

- Lima?

- Yes.

Most populous city in British Columbia?

(buzzer dings) - Vancouver?

- Yes.

Special administrative region transferred from the UK to China in 1997.

- Hong Kong?

- Yes.

Most populous city in New Zealand?

(buzzer dings) - Augsburg?

- Auckland.

Home of the Padres in Major League baseball.

- Skip.

- San Diego.

Capital of New South Wales in Australia?

- Skip.

- Sydney.

Most populous Alaska City?

(buzzer dings) - Anchorage?

- Yes.

Second most populous Japanese city, which is southwest of Tokyo?

- Hiroshima?

- Yokohama.

Home of Waikiki Beach?

(buzzer dings) - Sydney?

- Honolulu.

Capital of Papua New Guinea?

- Skip.

- That is Port Moresby.

Okay, Valley West, that's gonna wrap up your portion of the lightning round.

Crestwood, it's over to you and your remaining category will be American stories.

And once again, your time begins when I finish reading the first question.

Given the year and title of a short story, name its author.

1843, "The Tell-Tale Heart."

(buzzer dings) - Edgar Allan Poe?

- Yes.

1905, "The Gift of the Magi."

- Pass.

- O. Henry.

1820, "The legend of Sleepy Hollow."

(buzzer dings) - Grim?

- Washington Irving.

1936, "The snows of Kilimanjaro."

- Pass.

- Hemingway.

1948, "The Lottery."

(buzzer dings) - Shirley Jackson.

- Yes.

1890, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge."

- Pass.

- Ambrose Bierce.

1892, "The Yellow Wallpaper."

(buzzer dings) - Wolf?

- That's Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

"The Enormous Radio," 1947.

- Pass.

- John Cheever.

1902, "To Build a Fire."

- Pass.

- Jack London.

1924, "The Most Dangerous Game."

- Pass.

- That is Richard Connell.

All right, that's going to do it for your portion of the first lightning around, Crestwood.

And after that, we currently have Crestwood in the lead over Wyoming Valley West.

90 to 30 as we begin the second quarter with this toss-up question.

What structure has three blood vessels cushioned by Wharton's jelly can cause fetal distress when it's around the neck and connects to the placenta?

Sean, Crestwood.

- Umbilical cord.

- Is correct.

And your bonus, the traditional Italian sonnet is named for what author who collected scattered rhymes dedicated to Laura in his 14th century Songbook, "Il Canzoniere"?

(buzzer dings) - Piazzo?

- No, that's Petrarch.

Petrarch.

Okay, here's our next toss-up.

What conflict which Arab countries call the tripartite aggression began with Gamal Abdel Nasser's 1956 nationalization of an Egyptian waterway?

(buzzer dings) Will, Valley West.

- The seven years war.

- Is incorrect.

Rebound to Crestwood.

(buzzer dings) Jeremy.

- Suez Canal?

- Is correct.

And we'll take that for your bonus points, Crestwood, as we go onto our next up question.

What piano work and C sharp minor subtitled "Quasi Una Fantasia" did Ludwig van Beethoven compose to evoke a nighttime scene?

Luke, Crestwood.

- "Moonlight Sonata."

- "Moonlight Sonata" is correct.

And here's your bonus question.

George III and Queen Victoria were members of what royal house that ruled Britain from 1714 to 1901?

(buzzer chimes) That was the House of Hanover.

Okay, here's our next toss-up.

What nation, the birthplace of UN Secretary General Dog Hammarskjold is a Scandinavian country where five Nobel prizes are awarded in Stockholm?

Will, Valley West.

- Sweden?

- Is correct And your bonus now.

Karl Davydov, Jacqueline du Pre, and Pablo Casals were all virtuoso performers on what musical instrument?

(buzzer dings) - Piano?

- Nope, that is the cello.

Here's our next toss-up question.

What character's face appears on a door knocker as he haunts his stingy former business partner, Ebenezer Scrooge and Charles Dickens.

Emily, Valley West.

- Scrooge?

- Is incorrect.

I'll finish the question and rebound to Crestwood.

In Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol."

(buzzer dings) Luke.

- Marley?

- Is correct.

Jacob Marley it was.

That's for your rebound points.

Great job, Crestwood.

Let's go on to our next toss-up question.

What scandal whose central crime was actually committed by Ferdinand Esterhazy involved a wrongful conviction of a Jewish army officer in France?

(buzzer dings) Elijah, Valley West.

- The DuPont incident?

- Is incorrect.

Rebound to Crestwood.

(buzzer chimes) That was the Dreyfus affair.

The Dreyfus affair.

Here's our next toss up.

What composer who depicted Lensky's death in a duel in his opera, "Eugene Onegin," was a Russian who wrote a ballet depicting Odile and Odette?

Emily, Valley West.

- Shostakovich.

- Is incorrect.

I'll rebound and finish the question, go to Crestwood.

"Swan Lake."

(buzzer dings) Sean.

- Tchaikovsky.

- Is correct for your rebound points, Crestwood.

As we go to our next toss-up question, what country whose cities of Burgas and Varna lie on the Black Sea is north of the European portion of Turkey?

Jeremy, Crestwood.

- Bulgaria?

- Is correct.

And your bonus now.

A large gold colored glass sphere known as the sun sphere is a landmark in what Southern city, which is also home to college football's Neyland Stadium?

(buzzer dings) Eric.

- Tuscaloosa.

- No, we're looking for Knoxville, Tennessee.

Well, that sound that you heard signals the end of the first half and we're now going to give our contestants a little bit of a break and the opportunity for those of you at home to get to know them a little better.

And we'll start with the students from Crestwood.

And Jeremy, I will come to you first.

Tell me, if you had a superpower, what would it be and why?

- Probably teleportation so I could travel anywhere in the world.

Excellent.

Thanks, Jeremy.

Eric?

- I'd say the ability to talk to animals so that I can know what my dog's barking about all the time.

- Thanks, Eric.

Luke?

I'd say to the ability to cure any disease.

- [Paul] That's wonderful.

Thank you, Luke.

Sean?

- Probably flight.

It'd be pretty cool to fly.

- Absolutely, it would.

Well, thanks, Crestwood.

Good luck to you the rest of the way.

Valley West, it's over to you.

Xin, tell us, if you had a superpower, what would it be and why?

- I wanna be super rich so I could be like Batman.

(Paul chuckles) - Who doesn't?

Thanks, Xin.

Elijah.

- The ability to learn anything within an hour.

- That's great, thank you.

Will.

- Probably time free so I have more time on my hands.

- I think that would've come on handy for all of us.

Emily.

- Background music that fits every situation that I'm in.

- Okay, I like it.

Thanks very much, Valley West, and good luck to you the rest of the way.

And now, we'll go ahead and begin the third quarter with this toss-up question.

What group of elements form strong binary acids with hydrogen have seven valence.

Sean, Crestwood.

- Halogens.

- Is correct and here's your bonus.

What deity known as the white Quetzalcoatl was a feathered serpent God of the sun from Aztec mythology?

(buzzer dings) - Quetzalcoatl?

- Is correct for your bonus points, Crestwood.

As we turn to our next toss-up question, what color names and order formed by the Pepo Day boys to protect Protestant power in Northern Ireland, as well as the Royal House of William III?

Jeremy, Crestwood.

- Orange is correct, and here's your bonus and get out your pencils and papers.

What hexadecimal number is equivalent to the decimal number 44 given the hexa decimal digits.

Include the letters A through F, (ambient music) (buzzer dings) Sean.

- DD?

No, we're looking for 2C.

Okay, let's go to our next toss-up question.

What character who hears the mermaid singing each to each and wonders if he should disturb the universe titles a poetic love song by TS Eliot?

(buzzer dings) Emily, Valley West.

- Othello?

- Is incorrect.

Rebound to Crestwood.

(buzzer chimes) That is J. Alfred Prufrock.

Okay, let's go to another toss-up.

In what city did Michelle Wu run unopposed for mayor in, Jeremy, Crestwood.

- Boston?

- Is correct.

And here's your bonus question.

The city of Gold Coast is in what Australian state whose capital is Brisbane?

(buzzer chimes) That is Queensland.

Okay, let's go to our next toss-up question.

What country is east of Lake Kivu, has its capital at Kigali, and saw nearly a million Tutsis killed by, Jeremy, Crestwood.

- Rwanda?

- Is correct.

And here's your bonus question.

Hayashi tracks are paths on what diagram that plots stars by their luminosity and temperature and is named after two astronomers?

- Shakespeare and Shakespeare.

- Sure.

(buzzer chimes) - Shakespeare and Shakespeare.

- No, that's the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.

All right, here comes our next toss-up.

In 2013, Mount Aetna created a large fountain of what substance which has A'a and pahoehoe forms, Emily, Valley West.

- Lava.

- Is correct.

And your bonus, what city's Garden of the Fugitives contains 13 plaster casts of victims buried in an AD 79 event witnessed by Pliny the elder?

(buzzer dings) - Pompeii?

- Pompeii is correct for your bonus points, Valley West.

As we go to our next toss up question, what law which the Supreme Court upheld in NFIB v Sebelius in 2012 expanded Medicaid and have the number of Americans who lack health insurance?

Elijah, Valley West.

- Obamacare?

- Is correct and here's your bonus.

What state is the setting of the play's Joe Turner's come and gone and the piano lesson, which are both part of a 10-place cycle by August Wilson?

Emily.

- New York?

- No, it's a very magical place known as Pennsylvania.

(buzzer chimes) All right, well that sound that you heard signals the end of the third quarter and another lightning round.

This time, Crestwood will pick first.

Your categories are short Spanish words or mind your P or Qs.

(students chattering) - Yeah, sure, sure - The P or Q one.

All right.

- - Mind your Ps and Qs it is and your time begins when I finish reading the first question.

Give these answers whose names in English begin with either a P or a Q. Country governed from Manila?

(buzzer dings) - Philippines?

- Yes.

Pacifist religious denomination of William Penn?

- Pass.

- Quakers.

Type of rain that titles a Prince song?

(buzzer dings) - Purple.

- Yes.

Writing instrument made from a feather and dipped in ink.

- Quill.

- Yes.

Writing material made from untanned animal skins.

(buzzer dings) - Parchment.

- Yes.

Country home to media network Al Jazeera?

- Qatar.

- Yes.

City home to the NBA's Trailblazers?

- Portland.

- Yes.

In computer science, a request to a database for information?

(buzzer dings) - Poll?

- Query.

Pseudonym used by the authors of the Federalist Papers?

(buzzer dings) - Pluribus?

- Publius.

Southeast Mexican state that contains Cancun?

- Pass.

- That is Quintana Roo.

Okay, Crestwood, you did great in that round.

Now, Valley West, we're coming over to you.

Your remaining category will be short Spanish words.

And once again, your time begins when I finish reading the first question.

Give the Spanish words of three or fewer letters given their usual English translations.

Either form of the indefinite article a or an?

- Skip?

- Un.

The number two.

(buzzer dings) - Dos?

- Yes And.

- Pass.

- Y. Day.

(buzzer dings) - Sol.

- Dia.

Eye as in the body part.

(buzzer dings) - Me?

- Ojo.

Year.

- Skip.

- Ano.

Through, for, or via?

- Skip.

- Por.

Bread.

(buzzer dings) - Pan.

- Yes King.

- Skip.

- Rey.

Garlic.

- Skip.

- That is ajo.

All right, that's going to do it for the second and final lightning round.

And after that, we have Crestwood in the lead over Wyoming Valley West, 225 to 75.

As we begin the last segment of the game with this toss-up question, what quantity whose curve is upward sloping on a price quantity graph is the amount of a good or service that producers are willing to sell?

(buzzer dings) Elijah, Valley West.

- Supply.

- Is correct.

And your bonus now.

Convolutional neural nets are well suited at classifying what creations that could be generated using DALL-E 3?

(buzzer dings) - Code.

- Nope, that's images or graphics.

Let's go to our next toss-up question.

What winner of the armor of the dead hero, Achilles, fled from the man eating, Elijah, Valley West.

- Odysseus.

- Is correct and here's your bonus.

The mock test Ramon is an erosion feature in what Middle Eastern country whose Southern half is covered by the Nev Desert?

(buzzer dings) Elijah.

- Saudi Arabia?

- Nope, that is Israel.

Okay, let's go onto our next toss-up.

Bands and what musical genre include the Saja boys, as well as Huntrix who appear in 2020, Luke, Crestwood.

- K-Pop?

- Is correct.

And here's your bonus.

In August 2025, what Midwestern University whose campus is in Hyde Park said it would slash its humanities departments amid a massive debt crisis.

- U Chicago.

It's U Chicago.

- It could be, yeah.

(buzzer dings) - U Chicago?

- Is correct for your bonus points, Crestwood.

Great job.

Let's go to our next toss-up.

What story whose title character is imprisoned for vagrancy is by Herman Melville and is about a man who repeatedly says, Luke, Crestwood.

- "Moby-Dick."

- Is incorrect.

I'll finish the question and rebound to Valley West.

Who says I would prefer not to?

(buzzer chimes) That is "Bartleby, the Scrivener."

Okay, here's our next toss-up question.

What dispersive device was used by Isaac Newton to separate white light?

Luke, Crestwood.

- Prism.

- Is correct.

And your bonus, what confederate General was mortally wounded by his own men at the Battle of Chancellorsville.

- Stonewall Jackson.

- Is correct for your bonus points.

Very good, Crestwood.

Let's go on to our next toss-up question.

What NFL team which had a record of 20 straight winning seasons from 19, Will, Valley West.

- Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers.

- Is incorrect.

I'll finish and rebound to Crestwood.

From 1966 to 1985 is owned by Jerry Jones and plays in- - Dallas Cowboys?

- Is correct for your rebound points, Crestwood.

Let's go to another toss-up.

What city which is linked to the city of Kingston by the Rideau Canal forms a metro area with the Quebec city of Gatineau and is Canada's capital?

Elijah, Valley West.

- Ontario.

- Is incorrect.

Rebound to Crestwood.

Jeremy.

- Ottawa?

- Ottawa is correct for your rebound points, Crestwood As we go to our next toss up and get out your pencils and papers.

Rounded to the nearest integer, what is the value of five?

Sean, Crestwood.

- 16.

- Is correct and your bonus question.

Martin Luther King was shot while supporting a strike in Memphis involving what group of public workers, two of whom had been crushed in a compactor.

(buzzer dings) Eric.

- Garbageman.

- Is correct for your bonus points.

Great job.

And here's our next toss up.

What President who won the White House by defeating John C. Fremont in 1856 did little to stop the South from seceding just before, Jeremy, Crestwood.

- Buchanan.

- Is correct.

And your bonus question, what fifth book of the Old Testament contains Moses' final speeches before the Israelites enter the Promised Land and has a name meaning Second Law?

(buzzer dings) - Leviticus?

- No, that is the book of Deuteronomy.

And that's the end of the game in our winner tonight is Crestwood over Wyoming Valley West, 300 to 95.

Congratulations, Crestwood, you are going to be moving on and we'll see you next time with another round of "Scholastic Scrimmage."

I'm your host, Paul Lazar, and thank you for watching.

(upbeat music)