The RHS team entered the National Knowledge Bowl competition as reigning national champions

Preparing for and competing in one national competition would be a challenge for any team, but two in one season is doubly impressive. The Ridgefield High School Knowledge Bowl team proved to be fierce competitors on the national stage, earning 4th place at National Knowledge Bowl and missing playoffs by the narrowest of margins at the larger National Quiz Bowl.

The RHS team entered the National Knowledge Bowl competition as reigning national champions. The small town public school team was a surprise contender for last year’s top prize. This year, they were excited to qualify for the national tournament again, winning the state championship for the second year in a row. 

When game day arrived, they found themselves matched up against seasoned competitors from across the country, and the matches were very close. At the end of a full day of competition, the team came in fourth nationwide. But instead of congratulating themselves and taking a break, the team jumped right into studying for the National Quiz Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia — which is a completely different style of competition. 

Coach David Jacobson said, “Everything from the rules, the format, and the reading of the questions, the scoring and the use of penalties and bonuses, the use of a match timer… we’d read about all the differences, but having never been in that kind of competition before, we found ourselves hitting a pretty steep learning curve against elite competition.” However, the new format didn’t throw the team too far off balance; they adjusted their practice and their playing style during the few weeks between the two national events. 

The trip to Atlanta for the National Quiz Bowl was made possible with generous donations from the Ridgefield community, including a matching grant from the Ridgefield Public Schools Foundation, a grant from the Ridgefield Lions Club, and numerous donations from individuals and businesses across the city. Competing against 1,500 of the best-of-the best Quiz Bowl competitors nationwide was a dramatically different experience from the online and smaller regional events for team members Adam Ford, James Haddix, Emi Newell, and Stuart Swingruber. 

Newell shared what competing at the National Quiz Bowl was like. “After each round, we’d find out where the next would take place, which usually meant a lot of elevators, stairs, and escalators. We stayed at one of two adjoining hotels in which the tournament took place. Our hotel, the Marriott Marquis, had about 50 floors, nearly all of which were visible from the lobby, which was very surreal — like something you’d see in the Matrix. It was an amazing experience!” Newell said. 

It took the team a few tries to find their footing in the new environment, but they were soon winning match after match. By the final preliminary match, they were ahead by 75 points. Unfortunately, a challenge on an earlier question awarded all of their points from that match, as well as additional bonus points, to another team, taking them out of competition at the last minute instead of making it to the playoffs. The students took it in stride, especially since it was their first time at the National Quiz Bowl competition. 

Competing at the Quiz Bowl nationals for the first time, Swingruber was impressed with the event. “It was an amazing opportunity to experience a different sort of competition,” he said. “It was very interesting to meet the other contestants. They were all very experienced and had come to Atlanta from across the country.” 

Coach Jacobson expressed profound gratitude to everyone who donated, making the trip possible for the students. “We feel an overwhelming flood of gratitude for our community and all the people who donated their money to make it possible for us to experience this life-changing event,” he said. “We got to hang with the smartest kids in the country, and we were always competitive. I’m eager to bring this entire team back next year now that we have a little experience actually playing. We also understand areas where we can study this summer to be even better prepared for next year.” 

As they close out another stellar season, the team is already looking ahead. They have started studying, practicing, and preparing in hopes of qualifying for the national competition again. “I’m really proud of us all,” Ford said, “especially Coach Jacobson, who puts his heart and soul into making us the best, even if we feel it’s impossible.” 

But Coach Jacobson gives all the credit right back to the students. They are the first group of students to have been part of the Ridgefield Knowledge Bowl program from middle school through high school, so they have spent hundreds of hours practicing to prepare to compete.

“I’ve had the honor of being their coach since they were seventh graders,” Jacobson said. “Watching these kids grow over the years into who they are today has been among the greatest privileges of my life.” He shakes his head and smiles broadly. “These kids are incredible. There really are no limits to what they can achieve.” 

Information provided by Ridgefield School District.