Knowledge Bowl season is off and running with three regional invitational meets and a Central Minnesota Conference meet checked off of a very busy season for the Kimball Knowledge Bowl teams. The season started off in Buffalo on Jan. 4, with our Varsity 2 (seniors Maddy Groinus, Maleah Loch, Jordyn Theis, Brooklyn Ochsendorf, and sophomore Kennedy Theis) earning the Spirit Award. This award is a continuation from last year, and it was fitting as they won it during the first round of competition last year, but at Foley instead. It is voted on by coaches during each of the teams’ oral rounds, to a team that shows “positivity, support of all teams, and an overall good attitude that exemplifies the Knowledge Bowl program.” Varsity 1 team (seniors Lily VonWahlde, Adelle Tubridy, Hunter Gebhardt, Ellie Becker, and Junior Blake Kiffmeyer) earned a 14th-place finish out of 30 teams, and Varsity 2 earned a 17th-place finish. These placements are great being they are competing against both AA and AAA schools in our region during these meets.
Jan. 8 marked the first of four conference meets and was hosted in Kimball where our Varsity 2 team lost a tough third-place finish on the day in a tie break, with Litchfield’s Varsity 1 team. First and second place were earned by Melrose’s 1 and 2 teams respectively. The week ended with another Saturday contest hosted by Foley where Varsity 2 finished 18/41 teams and Varsity 1 at 24. Again, impressive feats competing against schools like Sartell and Buffalo that have won state Knowledge Bowl titles in the past.
The Varsity teams competed Saturday, Jan. 18, at a meet hosted by Sartell where Varsity 2 earned a 13th-place finish out of 42 teams, and another Spirit Award. This team was made up of the same members, but with Senior Elaina Fink instead of Kennedy Theis. Our Varsity 1 team tied for a 22nd-place finish.
The season continues with the second CMC meet hosted by Mayer Lutheran High School Wednesday, Jan. 23. Then followed up by another Regional meet hosted at Tech High School in St. Cloud Saturday. Jan. 25.
This has been the largest Knowledge Bowl Program I have had since taking over as the advisor 13 years ago, with 24 kids in the 9-12 program, comprising three varsity teams and two JV teams. I am proud of all the kids in this program. Members of our varsity teams have been competing in the program since they were in 6th and 7th grade. They work very well together, are wicked-smart, and deserve all the recognition they get!
This group of seniors also designed our season shirts this year, and these can be seen in our second spirit award picture. I am hopeful this will be the year we punch our ticket to the State Knowledge Bowl Tournament, hosted at Cragun’s on Gull Lake in Baxter in April.
I also wouldn’t be able to have such a strong program if it wasn’t for my Assistant Jennifer Schiefelbein, who has put in just as many countless years as me in this program. It wouldn’t be this big if not for her help.
We still have more than a month of contests left in our season, but we tend to perform stronger as the season goes on. I am very excited to see how this season shakes out!
Zach Boser, Advisor