By MICHELLE MILLER
Staff Writer
A couple of years ago, members of
the Cooperstown High School Quiz
Team competed in WCNY’s Double
Down Quiz Show for the first time and
came back champions.
This year, there is a new group of
competitors. Their mission is to win it
all once again after getting knocked out
in the second round last year.
Double Down is a fast-paced academic
competition where two Central
New York high school teams face off to
test their knowledge of science, math,
literature, history, current events and
more. According to WCNY’s website,
points are given for correct answers
and in the ``Double Down’’ rounds
points are taken away for wrong ones.
The results of the competition are
known (the tapings of the show were
finished Tuesday), but cannot be revealed
until all episodes are aired. This
much is known, Cooperstown has made
it as far as the second round.
The second round match of Cooperstown
verses Westville will be televised
on WCNY at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec.
27. The competitions are also video
streamed on WCNY’s website,wcny.
org.
Quiz team advisers Tomas Good and
Karstin Pullyblank said people will
have to tune in to see weather or not
the team was able to become champions
once again.
``One thing I can say is I am pretty
proud of these guys and girl,’’ said
Good, who has been advising the team
for 39 years.
Good said his team members have
worked well together and have listened
when talking about strategies.
``Chances are you are going to lose
more than you win because there are
32 schools in the competition,’’ said
Good. ``It is just a game, not a we won,
you didn’t type of situation.’’
CCS has two high school quiz teams,
an A team and a B team, that it usually
sends to competitions. However, only
five students can participate in Double
Down. This year’s participants include
seniors Virginia Ofer, Connor Adsit
Henry Bauer and Wylie
Phillips and junior Michael
Leonardo. All of the members
are new except Leonardo.
Good said instead of getting
out the buzzers and
having a competition for
team tryouts, he handed
out a written exam instead.
The top five were selected
to compete in the Double
Down competition, according
to Good.
We really had to put the
team together quickly this
year because the competition
was scheduled earlier
than in the past, said Good.
We had to get students interested
swiftly because all
but one member graduated,
he added.
``We have been pleasantly
pleased with the
team’s success,’’ said Good.
According to Good, three
students are able to participate
in each round. He
said he makes sure each
student gets on air at least
once so parents and grandparents
can see them on
television. The decision of
who gets to play is determined
by each student’s
confidence level and performance,
said Good.
Adsit said the first faceoff
was nerve-racking because
the team found itself
behind leading up to the
last question. However, the
last question went in the
teams favor.
Bauer said he found it
intimidating to see himself
on the television screen at
first.
``You are on TV,’’ he said.
``That’s a pretty big deal.’’
Phillips said he did not
think being on television
was that big of a deal.
``It’s just a competition,’’
he said.
Adsit said he also found
it a bit daunting having to
compete against students
from schools that are much
larger than Cooperstown.
Phillips however was a
little more laid back. He
said, ``They are just kids
just like us. They are just
from bigger schools. That
does not make them any
smarter.’’
Phillips said competing
is something he looks forward
to.
He said being a member
of the team is fun because
all the members are good
friends and it gives them a
good excuse to hang out.
Team members said
they mostly practice for
each match on their way to
competition. However, they
said it is hard to study for
such a broad range of questions
that might come up.
The team has a book of
questions they carry on the
bus with them to assist
with their studies.
The high school quiz
teams also compete in the
Leatherstocking Cup competition
at Unatego Central
School, the Tompkins-
Cortland Community
College High School Challenge
at TC3 and the
CASSC Upstate Academic
Competition at SUNY
Oneonta.
