SCHOOLS’ CHALLENGE Quiz 2019 featured low scores but still some interesting face-offs, the first of which was the matchup between Manchester High School and Cornwall College.
Manchester High School won the toss and decided to go first. After the Opening Challenge, the teams seemed evenly matched, as the round ended on a three-all tie. Cornwall, however, created a gap by the end of the Speed Challenge, which ended 20 to 16. The buzzer section of the match had both teams trailing each other until the end of the section with Manchester High on 24 and Cornwall College on 26. Queries were done, and Manchester High lost eight points for two questions which were initially accepted as correct. They gained two points also for the final question they answered on the bell, resulting in 18 points at the end of the match. Cornwall College also lost four marks and ended with 22 points. Cornwall College will move on to the third round of the competition.
The second match for the week featured the ladies of Montego Bay High School up against Calabar High School. Montego Bay won the toss but sent Calabar to face the first question. The first section of the match ended with Calabar leading by one point at five, but they dominated the speed section and created a 10-point gap for Montego Bay High to try to close. This was not possible during the Buzzer Challenge, though, as Calabar High School rang the buzzer only when they were sure of the answer and steadily increased to 31 points. Montego Bay High School, on the other hand, kept see-sawing between 17 and 21 points, but ended the match on 17. Four points were added to Calabar’s 31 for a question which the judges accepted but was given incorrect during the match. Calabar move on to the third round with 35 points.
Ardenne High School faced Denbigh High School in the third match, where Denbigh elected to go first after winning the toss. Both teams ended the first section on five points, but after queries, Denbigh gained a point and Ardenne lost points, only to gain another, therefore, the new score after the first round read Ardenne High on four points, and Denbigh High on six points. The teams seemed evenly matched, and this could be seen in the Speed Challenge which initially ended 20-all, but after review, Denbigh lost a point, as they had given the wrong answer first to a question. The match ended with Denbigh High School going home after a three-point defeat from Ardenne High School. The match ended 24 to 21.
The fourth match of the week was between Westwood High School and St Mary High School. This was a close match from the beginning, starting after Westwood won the toss and decided to face the questions first. The Opening Challenge ended with five points for both teams. The second round ended with a one-point difference – Westwood on 16 points and St Mary High School on 17 points. The Buzzer Challenge ended just as closely; however, this time Westwood was in the lead, winning the match on 24 points and St Mary High School ending on 23 points.
Glenmuir High School faced Clarendon College in the first double-header of the week, where Glenmuir won the toss but sent Clarendon College first. Glenmuir dominated the match from the beginning, leading the Opening Challenge with three points to Clarendon College’s one point. Things did not get better for Clarendon College, however, as Glenmuir created a gap in the Speed Challenge, which ended 13 to four. The Buzzer Challenge sealed the deal for Glenmuir, as Clarendon College could not come back and the match ended with Glenmuir moving on to the third round with 23 points and Clarendon College dropping out of the competition on four points.
The final match of the week and the second double-header featured Wolmer’s Girls’ School facing off against Munro College. The match started with Munro winning the toss and deciding to go first. The Opening Challenge was a good start to the match and ended with Munro leading on six points and Wolmer’s Girls’ ending on five points. The Speed Challenge was one to watch, as both teams came with their A-game but ended, again, with Munro leading. After queries, Munro College gained two points, while Wolmer’s High School for Girls lost two points, ending the round on 21 points to Munro’s 31 points. Munro held on to the lead and dominated the Buzzer Challenge, winning the match on 41 points to Wolmer’s High School for Girls ending on 25 points.
The third round of the competition should be filled with fast-paced matches and unexpected upsets.
