Battle of Brains Carried Live Statewide Today on UNC-TV
BOONE'S WATAUGA HIGH SCHOOL WINS
2005 PUBLIC LIBRARY QUIZ BOWL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!
DEFEATS RUNNER-UP DH CONLEY HIGH SCHOOL OF GREENVILLE

In its first ever appearance, Watauga High School of Boone won the 2005 Public Library Quiz Bowl State Championship by defeating DH Conley High School of Greenville 205 to 100. The rapid-fire finals were broadcast live statewide Saturday afternoon from the Research Triangle Park studios of the University of North Carolina Center for Public Television (UNC-TV).

Coached by Ray Karaus, members of Watauga High School's championship team include Jacob Bathanti, Sean Dotson, Sally Parlier and Brad Farthing. Other team members included Patrick Fuller, Isaac Smith and Kevin Wade. The Appalachian Regional Library System was the sponsoring library.

Members of the runner-up team from DH Conley High School in Greenville consisted of Christin Baker, Hannah Hodson, Daniel Lawrence and Jeff Smith. Other team members included John Darrow and Kylee Phillips. Jennie Baird and Kris Noland coached the team and the Sheppard Memorial Library was the sponsoring library.

In today's exciting match, friends and family filled the Goodmon Studio at UNC-TV to support their favorite teams. Tireless preparation, intense after-school practice, mental agility, coolness under pressure and a gift for scholastics are the hallmarks of the quiz bowl participant. In between the live, action-packed competitive rounds, UNC-TV profiled each finalist's school and team. UNC-TV's Deborah Holt hosted the commentary and Hope Kiser returned as moderator. Mary Beall of Pittsboro Memorial Library functioned as the Public Library Quiz Bowl State Championship authority while Dr. Robert~Burgin, professor, School of Library and Information Science at North Carolina Central University; Mr. Kevin Cherry, visiting instructor, College of Education at East Carolina University; and Mr.~Patrick S. Wooten, attorney with the North Carolina Department of Justice Attorney General's Office, served as judges.

Cary Academy started the winning in the first of the single elimination contests by stunning the team from Wilmington's JT Hoggard High School 210 to 140. In other first round action, Currituck High School of Roanoke Rapids narrowly lost to eventual champions Watauga High School 145 to 150. The final first round contest, between Northwood High School of Pittsboro and Greenville's DH Conley High School, required a tie-breaker question to determine the winner. Conley pulled it out, winning 140 to 110.

In semi-final action, Cary Academy, also in its first Public Library High School Quiz Bowl State Championship appearance, stayed close to Watauga High School, but Watauga pulled away late in the match defeating Cary Academy 225 to 145. In the other semi-final round, DH Conley High School snagged an early lead before perennial Public Library High School Quiz Bowl State Championship contenders Lee Senior High School of Sanford tied the score midway through the match. After both teams suffered a drought of correct answers, Conley answered the last question correctly winning its semi-final over Lee 115 to 50.  

In the championship final, Watauga took an early lead over Conley 45 to 20 and continued its domination. In the 20-point round, Watauga extended its lead 115 to 40. Conley was never able to overcome its deficit and lost by a final score of 100 to Watauga's 205 points. Upon moderator Hope Kiser's announcement of the final score, the exuberant team and audience celebrated the championship with trophies presented to the teams from Watauga High School and DH Conley High School. Team members and coaches thanked their school, supporters, their regional libraries, state libraries and UNC-TV.

This year's contenders for the 2005 Public Library Quiz Bowl State Championship included:

• Tuscola High School-Waynesville; sponsor: Haywood County Public Library
• Watauga High School-Boone; sponsor: Appalachian Regional Library System
• Lee Senior High School-Sanford; sponsor: Lee County Library
• Northwood High School-Pittsboro; sponsor: Central North Carolina Regional Library System
• JT Hoggard High School, Wilmington; sponsor: New Hanover County Public Library
• DH Conley High School, Greenville; sponsor: Sheppard Memorial Library
• Cary Academy, Cary; sponsor: Wake County Public Libraries
• Currituck High School, Roanoke Rapids; sponsor: East Albemarle Regional Library System

The Public Library Quiz Bowl State Championship, jointly produced by UNC-TV, North Carolina Public Libraries, The North Carolina Public Library Directors' Association and the State Library of North Carolina, Department of Cultural Resources, again put the spotlight on our state's academic all-stars. Now celebrating 25 years, the Public Library High School Quiz Bowl State Championship has offered academically gifted students the opportunity to enjoy the character-building elements more often associated with athletic programs-cooperation from teamwork, discipline from training, and confidence from competition. The championship brings out the best and brightest high school students from across North Carolina. The eight teams reached the finals by winning their preliminary local and district level competitions.

With the State Library's Public Library High School Quiz Bowl State Championship sponsorship, the competition is partially funded through the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA), Title I. The State Library is an agency of the Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on the Public Library High School Quiz Bowl Championship, contact Jim Rosinia, State Library of North Carolina, 919-733-2570 or jrosinia@library.dcr.state.nc.us.

The Public Library High School Quiz Bowl State Championship is part of UNC-TV's ongoing commitment to producing programs for and about North Carolina. UNC-TV's 11 stations comprise North Carolina's only statewide television network, made possible through a unique partnership of public investment and private support. UNC-TV is committed to producing and broadcasting programs for and about North Carolina, making it the state's most important source of information about North Carolina.

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