Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The Steamboat Springs High School Knowledge Bowl team supplied nearly all the answers during a strong finish to its season at a recent statewide tournament.

Coach Barb Tuchlinsky said five members of the team competed at the statewide event in Colorado Springs on April 19 and 20. The event brought more than 50 Knowledge Bowl teams from around the state and from schools of varying sizes for two days of academic and intellectual competitions.

"Our team placed 11th overall," Tuchlinsky said. Competing for Steamboat were seniors Austin Anderson and Kristin Toy, junior Sam Chovan and sophomores Anna Roder and Charlie Stoddard.

Tuchlinsky said the group finished fourth in division 4A, a size division implemented by the Colorado High School Activities Association. Only teams from Berthoud, Pueblo and Liberty High School in Colorado Springs topped Steamboat in the division.

Tuchlinsky said Steamboat qualified for the regional meet at a March qualifier in Granby.

The state tournament capped months of work for the Knowledge Bowl team, which began practicing in September 2006 and competed in its first meet in November.

"The team performed excellently through the whole season," Tuchlinsky said. "This was one of our best seasons in years."

The state event marked a finale for Anderson, the team captain and a four-year Knowledge Bowl competitor.

"Austin has definitely been our most dedicated team player - he has stepped up to the plate for any request asked of him, from fundraising to presentations. He has been a really good inspiration for the team," Tuchlinsky said.

She added that all five students who traveled to the state tournament brought different strengths to the team.

"Kristin is our science whiz, Charlie excels in math, Sam and Austin are history buffs, and Anna excels in literature and arts," Tuchlinsky said. "All of them have a pretty broad knowledge base, but they each had their own strengths, which made for a great team."