Vermont-NEA Scholars Bowl 2023 finals

The team from Burlington Union High School (from left Daniel McNamara, Isaac Doggett, Robbie Safran, coach Kevin Commo, Clare McNamara, Quinn Shelley, Ezra Case) captured the 2022-23 Vermont-NEA Scholars' Bowl championship at Montpelier High School on April 1st after scoring a 405-230 victory over Essex High School in the final match.

MONTPELIER -- The team from Burlington High School secured the state high school academic championship on Saturday, April 1st, winning the Vermont-NEA Scholars' Bowl at Montpelier High School.

BHS defeated Essex High School in the championship match, 405-230, taking command late in the first of three rounds of competition and leading by at least 95 points throughout the final round. The match capped an exciting day of competition that featured teams from eight schools across the state.

Burlington advanced to the finals by fending off Rice Memorial High School 320-260 in the quarterfinals and by pulling away late in a 420-310 victory over Champlain Valley Union High School in the semifinals.

The competing team for Burlington included senior Robbie Safran, juniors Ezra Case, Daniel McNamara, Isaac Doggett and Quinn Shelley, and sophomore Clare McNamara. Kevin Commo is the team's coach.

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 seven times, with its most recent previous title in 2019.

Essex reached the state championship match for the seventh time in the last 10 contested seasons (the 2020 finals were canceled due to the pandemic) after rolling past Lyndon Institute 520-40 in the quarterfinals and knocking off top-seeded Hanover in the semifinals 330-255.

CVU won the Medlar Cup, the tournament's second-chance competition, with victories over St. Johnsbury and Montpelier and added a quartefinal win over South Burlington before facing Burlington in the semifinals.

Medlar Cup Semifinals
Champlain Valley 480, BFA-St. Albans 105
Rice Memorial 290, Woodstock 265

Overall Quarterfinals
Essex 520, Lyndon 40
CVU 330, South Burlington 205
Burlington 320, Rice Memorial 260

Overall Semifinals
Burlington 420, Champlain Valley 310
Essex 330, Hanover 255