Vermont-NEA Scholars Bowl 2019 finals

Burlington shows off the trophies after defeating CVU, 450-390, in the state championsip match at the State Houe on March 30th. Pictured are (standing from right) Bella Farkas, Wyatt Harte, Anna Halladay, Zoe Koeninger, Isidora Bailly-Hall, Vilena Hall, Simon Kissam, coach Kevin Commo, and (kneeling) Theo Ellis-Novotny and Miles Ellis-Novotny. (Photo courtesy Rebecca Zietlow)

MONTPELIER -- The team from Burlington High School is the state high school academic champion after winning the Vermont-NEA Scholars' Bowl at the State House on Saturday, March 30th.

BHS defeated Champlain Valley Union High School in the championship match, 450-390, after building a big lead in the first of three rounds of competition and holding off a couple of late CVU comebacks. The match capped an exciting day of competition that featured teams from 11 schools around the state.

Burlington advanced to the finals by nipping defending champion Essex 350-315 in the quarterfinals and surging past South Burlington, 400-300, in the semifinals.

The competing team for Burlington included seniors Zoe Koeninger, Anna Halladay, Vilena Lee and Simon Kissam, juniors Isidora Bailly-Hall and Isabella Farkas, and sophomore Wyatt Harte. The team is coached by Kevin Commo.

Scholars' Bowl is a question-and-answer quiz competition, similar to Jeopardy! but featuring teams of high school students and with a heavier focus on the academic curriculum. Burlington has won the tournament six times, with the most recent title coming in 2016.

CVU earned its berth in the last round with a 460-340 semifinal win over Middlebury Union High School, ending a run that saw the Tigers take home the Medlar Cup, the tournament's second-chance competition, for the second year in a row. Middlebury defeated St. Johnsbury and Essex in the Medlar Cup and then knocked off Hanover in the quarterfinals before its loss to CVU.

Medlar Cup First Round
Burr and Burton 365, Cabot 270
St. Johnsbury 375, Woodstock 255
Essex 370, Windsor 170

Medlar Cup Semifinals
Essex 460, Burr and Burton 255
Middlebury 515, St. Johnsbury 295

Overall Semifinals
Burlington 400, South Burlington 300
CVU 460, Middlebury 340