For the first time in school history, Republic is the district Scholar Bowl champion. The Republic team of Sami Carter, Chris Davis, Allie Day and Noah Haigler won decisive victories in the semifinals and finals of the Class 6 District 4 tournament Saturday in Republic.
In the semifinals, top-seeded Republic beat Carthage 360-20, while Ozark topped Nixa, 310-140. In the championship match, Republic beat Ozark, 360-130. Earlier in the day, Republic had beaten Ozark, Nixa, and Carthage in preliminary matches.
The win allows Republic to advance to the state quarterfinals on April 23. Republic will host Springfield Central on April 23, with the winner advancing to state competition in Columbia. Republic advanced to the district championship match last year, but lost to Branson, ending its season.
Two Republic students earned individual medals for their performances in the preliminary rounds. Noah Haigler answered 21 questions in rounds 1-3 to place first individually. Allie Day placed sixth. Republic was playing without captain Caleb Watson, who missed the competition for personal reasons. He is on Republic’s post-season roster and will be able to compete in the quarterfinals.
Scholar Bowl is an academic quiz competition overseen by the Missouri State High School Activities Association. Teams of students answer questions in areas like math, science, history, and literature. The competition involves toss-up questions that reward quick responses, followed by bonus questions that allow team members to collaborate.