Scholastic bowl team on a roll

The St. Charles East Scholastic Bowl team completed its best season in 16 years, winning both the Upstate Eight Conference and the IHSA regional.

If they win the sectional, they will be one of eight teams to compete in the state tournament. Scholastic Bowl is a game played by two teams of five players each who will try to answer a combination of tossup and bonus questions. The questions mirror subjects studied in school.

Points are scored by the team who buzzes in first and answers a tossup question correctly. Many people consider scholastic bowl a high school version of "Jeopardy."

This year's team completed the best season by any East Scholastic Bowl in 16 years. Some of the team accomplishments include the following: East went undefeated in regular conference meets (11-0), Conference tournament champ (4-0), and IHSA regional champ (3-0). East qualified for the IHSA Wheaton Warrenville sectional by defeating Glenbard North (346-206) in the quarter finals, St. Charles North (436-108) in the semifinals, and Geneva (289-235) in the regional final match.

There were several fine individual performances. Mark Taylor, co-captain, completed a remarkable four-year career. He was a four-time all-sectional team award winner, a three-time conference leading scorer, and a two-time all-state nominee.

It is rare to be named to all-sectional Scholastic Bowl team all four years one competed. Another four-year scholastic bowler, and co-captain, Clara Shelton, was a member of the 2009 IHSA all sectional team.

Sophomore Graham Gier (2010 all sectional), and seniors Jenny Ackerman, (12th highest scorer in the Upstate Eight Conference), Dylan Kapp, Katy Mitchell, and Alyssa Payleitner (second highest tossup scorer in the regional championship game), all contributed to a successful season.