>> Join us tonight as the playoffs begin, with the first seed, Conard High School, going up against the eighth seed, Hampshire Regional High School, the historic 65th season of Western New England's award winning high school quiz show continues tonight.

As schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA, a diverse union of education workers committed to the public, schools and colleges our communities deserve.

>> I've been able to take all these experiences and really build myself as a person.

You're treated like a young professional.

The second you walk in here, we.

>> Drop this beat like.

Oh.

>> Good evening and welcome to As schools match wits coming to you from the campus of Westfield State University.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

This season, high schools from throughout the region went head to head to try to score the most points at a chance to make it to the top eight.

Here's a look at the final standings from our qualifying rounds.

But in the playoffs it is not just about the points anymore, it is about the win.

The qualifying matches are over and the playoffs are about to begin.

In tonight's first quarterfinal matchup, we have Conard High School going up against Hampshire Regional High school.

Let's meet the teams, starting with Hampshire Regional, coached by Jeff Casey.

>> Hi, I'm Xavier Greenberg and I'm a junior from Hampshire Regional High School.

>> Hi, I'm Ben Zajac.

I'm a junior from Hampshire Regional.

>> Hello.

I'm Harrison Farrar, a junior from Hampshire Regional High School.

>> Hi, I'm Percival Bennett, a sophomore from Hampshire Regional High School.

And I'd like to acknowledge our alternate Gryffindor.

>> And for Conard High School, coached by doctor Bonnie Mayer.

>> Hi.

My name is Mimi Dolan, and I'm a senior at Conard.

Hi.

>> Hi.

My name is Eleanor Hite and I'm a senior at Conard High.

>> Hi.

>> My name is William Hite and I'm a freshman from Conard High School.

>> Hello, my name is Hannah and I'm a senior at Conard High.

>> We start off each match with the challenge round.

Both teams will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for ten points each.

All right.

Good luck to both teams.

Let's begin with the first question of the evening.

Which of the following Asian countries does not border Russia, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan or Mongolia?

Hampshire.

>> Afghanistan.

>> Yes.

that's right.

The James Webb Space Telescope was designed to conduct infrared astronomy.

In which of the following years did the James Webb Telescope get launched into space?

Was it 2018, 2021 or 2024?

Hampshire 2021 yes, 21 is correct.

Name the capital city of the state of Utah.

>> Salt Lake City.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Which one of the following choices belongs to the muscular system of the human body?

The ilium.

The deltoid or the ulna radius.

Hampshire.

>> Deltoid?

>> Yes.

In the human shoulder.

That's right.

Which of the following three digit numbers is a prime number?

123.

137 or 171.

>> 123.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Hampshire regional.

That gives you automatically the opportunity to answer the question.

137 yes, that is correct.

Let's try this one.

The magician's nephew, the horse and his boy and Prince Caspian are three of the seven C.S.

Lewis books that make up the series named what?

>> The Chronicles of Narnia?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Which of the following.

Islands does not belong to the Hawaiian Islands.

Kauai.

Palawan or Maui.

Conard.

>> Palawan.

>> Yes, Palawan is correct.

It's part of the Philippine Islands.

Listen to the sentence.

The EMTs arrived and stabilized the injured man.

In that sentence, what did the letters EMT represent?

Conard.

>> Emergency medical technician.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan were all athletes who played Conard.

>> Basketball.

>> Let's move on to this next one.

Grab your pens.

What percent of 150 is 450?

>> Conard 300%.

>> Repeat, please.

>> 300%.

>> At different times in U.S.

history, Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice held.

What U.S.

Cabinet Office.

Conard.

>> Uh, Secretary of the interior.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right.

Hampshire regional, can you answer the question?

>> Uh, the Treasury.

>> Secretary of State is the right answer there.

Let's try this.

What's the middle name of the author?

Edgar Poe.

>> Allen.

>> Allen is right.

D-Day was the name given to the June 6th, 1944, invasion of the beaches at Normandy, Hampshire.

France didn't have to finish that.

Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

If you had a fez spelled FEZ.

>> Hampshire, you would wear it hat you.

>> Would wear it.

Yes.

Very nice job.

It's a hat.

Grab your pens.

A certain rectangle is 16ft long and 11ft wide.

What is the area of the rectangle?

>> Conard 01176.

>> Uh, please be more specific.

>> 176ft .

>> Which of the following chemical elements on the periodic table is not an alkaline earth, metal, magnesium, barium, or iridium?

>> Iridium.

>> Iridium is a transition metal.

Yes.

A required prior condition that must be met before moving on is called Hampshire.

>> Prerequisite.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

It is called a prerequisite.

Please spell the word prerequisite.

Conard High School prerequisite gives you the chance to answer prerequisite.

>> PREREQUISITE.

Prerequisite?

>> Which of the following was written by Roald Dahl?

David Copperfield, James and the giant peach.

Conard.

>> James.

Giant peach.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Montevideo is to Uruguay, as Caracas is.

To what other South American country?

>> Venezuela.

>> Yes.

Venezuela is correct.

Listen very carefully.

Which of the following simple Trig functions is undefined at x equals 180 degrees.

The tangent.

>> Tangent.

>> I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

The tangent of x cotangent of x or secant of x. All right, Konrad, can you answer the question.

>> Cotangent.

>> Yes that's correct.

Spell the name of the U.S.

state.

Whose capital city is Dover.

Konrad.

>> Uh, Delaware.

Uh, DELAWARE.

>> Yes, that's right.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

Let's take a moment now to meet the team from Hampshire Regional High School.

>> Hi, I'm McKenzie from Westfield State University.

We asked our quarterfinalists, why do you think as schools match, wits is still important after 65 years?

>> I think as schools match, wits is still important because whether it's in 1961 or now, it serves as a place for schools from all over our region to come together and, you know, just have a good time together in a way that they wouldn't normally.

>> I think as schools match wits is still important because in the era of social media, when nobody really turns into television anymore, it's still a place for people to get together and watch something.

>> I think as schools match, wits serves as a place to compete in a sense that's not athletically based, like somewhere you can do competition and have it not based on your physical attributes.

>> I think it brings together a sense of community and a way of schools showing their academic prowess rather than their athletic prowess.

>> Let's move on now to the first lightning round of the match.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each buzz in answered correctly, you win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

However, your team loses five points.

Well, we hope that you all do well with this one.

All of the answers contain the letter sequence o, n e somewhere in them.

Are you ready?

You have 90s starting right now.

Someone who avoids the company of others.

Conard.

>> Loner.

>> Loner is correct.

Sound signaling an incoming call.

Conard.

>> Ring tone is the right answer.

Name for a remote controlled helicopter.

Connor.

Drone drone is right.

Gas.

That's a protective layer against UV radiation.

Connor.

>> Ozone.

>> Ozone is correct.

A small biscuit like pastry.

Hampshire.

>> Scone.

>> Scone is right.

University of Oklahoma.

Team name Hampshire.

>> Sooners.

>> Sooner is correct.

Sounds or words uttered in a single tonal pitch.

Hampshire.

>> Monotone.

>> Monotone is right.

Your personal communication device.

Konrad.

Phone.

Phone is correct to identically copy an organism using DNA samples.

Konrad.

>> Clone.

>> Clone is correct to overlook or forgive an offense.

Hampshire.

>> Atone.

>> Condone is the right answer.

Their term for the team you're playing against Hampshire.

>> Opponent.

>> Opponent is correct.

You're this.

If you finished a task.

Done is right.

It's a company that makes car tires.

Hampshire.

>> Firestone.

>> Firestone is correct to make amends for a mistake or a fault.

Hampshire.

A tone, a tone is correct where some newly married couples go after their wedding.

>> Hampshire honeymoon.

>> Honeymoon is right.

And that marks the end of our first lightning round.

Let's move on now, with the capitalization round, that's where teams get the chance to pick a category and a point value.

They'll need to answer a qualifying question first before they can continue on for points.

If they fail to answer that qualifying question correctly, their opponents will have the opportunity to capitalize and get those points.

At the moment, Hampshire Regional is a bit behind.

That also means you get the first opportunity to pick a category and a point value.

What's it going to be.

>> For a second?

Uh, social studies for 30, please.

>> Social studies for 30.

You have picked the Westfield State University entrance exam question, answer the qualifier and all the category questions correctly.

Your team wins an additional ten points.

All right.

Good luck.

Here we go with the question.

Take a look at your screens.

This US state's capital was named after the 16th US president.

Name the city and the state.

>> Madison, Wisconsin.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Conard High School, can you capitalize?

>> Lincoln.

Nebraska.

>> Lincoln, Nebraska.

Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on in this category.

Name the following capitals and their states for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

This state's capital was named for the mythological bird that cyclically dies in flames and then is reborn to rise out of the ashes of its predecessor.

Named the capital city and the state.

>> Phoenix, Arizona.

Phoenix, Arizona.

>> Yes.

That's right.

This state's capital sits on the east bank of the Missouri River and is named after a colonial French fur trader named the capital city and the state.

>> Saint Louis, Missouri.

Is that the capital?

No, it's Jefferson City, Missouri.

Jefferson City, Missouri.

>> Not quite in time.

Pierre, South Dakota is the right answer.

There.

Finally, try this one.

This state's capital was given its name from a poetic term used for the United States, originating from the name of Christopher Columbus, named the capital city and the state.

>> Columbia, South Carolina.

Columbia, South Carolina.

>> Yes, that is correct.

All right, Connor, your turn.

First time of the evening to please pick a category and a point value.

>> We would like arts and entertainment for 30.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30.

Here we go with your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

This James Cameron movie released in 2009, is about a paraplegic marine who gets dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission.

While there, he becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world.

He feels he has become his home.

Name the movie.

>> Avatar.

>> Avatar.

Yes, that is correct.

More about the avatar movie franchise.

As we move on in this category for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first in the 2009 avatar movie.

Sam Worthington plays the role of the marine who is ultimately transformed into a Na'vi avatar named this character.

>> Do you guys know a Smith?

>> The correct answer there is Jake Sully.

Zoe Saldana portrays the princess figure in the Na'vi clan, where she saves Jake from a pack of Pandora Viper wolves.

Name this character.

>> Gina.

>> Mhm.

>> Let's say it.

>> Um.

>> Neytiri is the right answer there.

And finally, in the recent 2025 avatar movie, Jake and Neytiri's family grapples with grief while encountering the ash people who are led by the fiery Varang.

The conflict of Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.

Name this avatar movie.

>> It's like avatar, fire and Ash.

>> Yes, that is correct.

All right.

Hampshire Regional.

Once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> World events for 30.

>> World events for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

During the U.S.

Civil War, the 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville was considered to be the greatest victory.

By which Confederate general was it Thomas Stonewall Jackson, Jeb Stuart, or Robert E Lee?

>> Robert E Lee.

>> Yes, Robert E Lee is the right answer.

More about the Civil War for ten points each.

First, in which state did the Battle of Chancellorsville take place?

>> Virginia.

>> Here's the next one.

Two months later, at Gettysburg, Confederate General Robert E Lee initially ordered the ill fated charge against the Union Army known as Pickett's Charge, which Union general was in charge of the North's forces at Gettysburg that day?

Was it Ulysses S Grant, George G. Meade or William T Sherman?

>> Sherman.

>> George Meade is the right answer there.

Finally, let's try this.

President Lincoln's November 1863 Gettysburg Address begins with the line four score and seven years ago.

How many years make up four score and seven years.

>> 87?

>> Yes, 87 is correct.

Conard.

Once again, please pick a category and a point.

>> Value math and science for 30.

>> Math and science for 30 to qualify.

Take a look at your screens and listen very carefully.

The polynomial you see on the screen has two real roots.

If you multiply those two roots, what is the product?

>> Um, would it be 222?

>> Yes, two is correct.

Roots are negative one and negative two.

Let's move on in this category.

Sticking with quadratic polynomials for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen.

First, the polynomial x squared plus one has two complex roots.

What is the product of those two roots?

>> What are the, um.

Are you sure?

Negative one.

>> Correct answer.

There is one.

Roots are I and negative I. Let's move on to the next one.

The polynomial x squared minus x -12 has two real roots.

What is the product of those two roots?

>> -12 minus three.

So plus three.

-12.

>> -12.

Yes that's right.

Roots are negative three and four.

And finally the polynomial three x squared -27 also has two real roots.

What is the product of those two roots.

>> Um three x.

>> Negative nine negative nine.

>> Negative nine roots are three and negative three.

Very nice job.

All right, Hampshire, once again, your turn.

>> General knowledge for 30.

>> General knowledge for 30 to qualify.

Take a look at your screens along the Boston Freedom Trail in front of the Boston Latin School house stands this statue of a former student and eventual U.S.

statesman.

Who is this statue of Benjamin Franklin?

Yes, Benjamin Franklin is correct.

Let's move on in this category.

More about what you can see on the Freedom Trail for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

In this famous Boston building, two lanterns were hung in April of 1775 to alert American colonists that the British were coming.

Name the building.

>> Episcopal Church.

>> Correct answer.

There is the Old North Church.

Let's try this one.

Built in 1713, this Boston building housed the seat of the Massachusetts General Court until 1798.

It is located at the intersection of Washington and State streets and is the oldest surviving public building in Boston.

Name the building.

>> The old state House.

>> Yes.

That's right.

And finally, located in Charlestown, this monument was erected between 1825 and 1843 at the site of one of the first major battles between the United Colonies and the British Empire in the Revolutionary War.

Name this monument.

>> The Bunker Hill Monument.

>> All right, Conrad, once again, please pick a category and point value.

>> We'd like literature for 30.

>> Literature for 30 to qualify.

Take a look at your screen once again.

This American novelist won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1962.

His written works include The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and Of Mice and Men.

Name him.

>> Steinbeck.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

In this category, I'll give you three works by a renowned author.

You tell me the author's name for ten points each.

First and still I rise.

Letter to my daughter.

And I know why the caged bird sings Maya Angelou.

Yes, that is right.

Here's the next one.

The House of Seven Gables twice told tales and The Scarlet Letter.

>> Hawthorne, Hawthorne.

>> Nathaniel Hawthorne is correct.

And finally, The Martian Chronicles.

Something Wicked This Way comes and Fahrenheit 451.

>> Bradbury.

Bradbury.

>> Ray Bradbury is right.

Yes, Hampshire.

Once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> Social studies for 25.

>> Social studies for 25.

To qualify in the medical world, the acronym who spelled W, H o stands for what.

>> World world Health Organization.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

Sticking with acronyms, I'll give you a common acronym.

You tell me what it stands for.

For five points each, take a look at your screen first, the acronym for the climate monitoring group NOAA, or NOAA, stands for what.

>> National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Here's the next one.

The acronym for Workplace Regulators OSHA, spelled SHA.

>> Occupational Safety Hazard Association.

>> Occupational Safety and Health administration.

Close.

How about the media regulating group, the FCC.

>> Federal communications.

Center.

>> Federal.

Communications.

Commission.

Let's try this.

The federal nutrition program.

Snap spelled SNAP.

Supplemental nutrition assistance program.

And finally, let's do this one.

Earth preservers the EPA.

>> Environmental Protection Agency.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Conard, once again, your turn.

>> I think.

>> Uh, should we go?

Literature.

A literature for 25.

>> Literature for 25.

Qualify of the following, which is not the title of a short story.

The Gift of the Magi, Rip Van Winkle, Annabel Lee, or Barn burning.

>> Annabel Lee a poem, Annabel Lee.

>> That is correct.

Annabel Lee.

It's a poem by Edgar Allan Poe.

Nice job.

Let's move on, then.

Is it a short story or is it a poem?

I'll give you the title of a literary work.

You tell me whether it's a short story or a poem for five points each.

First, how do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

>> A poem poem.

>> Poem is correct.

I Cannot Live Without You by Emily Dickinson.

>> Poem, poem.

>> Poem is correct.

Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville.

>> Short story.

>> Short story is correct.

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner.

>> I'm pretty sure.

Schwartzberg.

Short story.

>> Short story is correct.

And finally, song of Myself by Walt Whitman.

>> Poem, poem, poem.

>> Yes, very nice job.

And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Let's take a moment now to meet the team from Conard High School.

>> Hi, I'm Mackenzie from Westfield State University.

We asked our quarterfinalists, why do you think as schools match, wits is still important after 65 years?

>> I think that our school is much worse, is still poor after 65 years, because it gives students a way to express their knowledge that isn't necessarily tested within the classroom.

>> I think it's important to celebrate academics.

>> I think it's always important to learn new things and to test your knowledge.

>> I really encourages learning, and it's like a academic game, like a football match, but with cool science and history questions instead.

>> Now to the final lightning round of the match.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

Buzz.

In answer correctly, you win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

However, your team loses five points.

Well, this first quarter final match is coming to an end really soon.

In this round.

The last syllable of the answers to the following clues will rhyme with the word soon.

You have 90s starting right now.

It's the sixth month of the calendar year.

Hampshire.

>> June.

>> June is right.

A new butterfly emerges from this Hampshire cocoon.

Is right.

It's a dried plum.

>> Hampshire prune.

>> Prune is right.

It goes with a knife and fork.

>> Spoon?

>> Spoon is correct.

It's a big mound of sand.

Hampshire Dune is correct.

Scooby doo or The Simpsons are an example of this style.

Hampshire.

>> Cartoon.

>> Cartoon is correct.

A person with wealth, power and influence.

Hampshire.

>> Tycoon.

>> Tycoon is the right answer.

It takes 27.3 days to travel around the earth.

Connor.

>> Moon.

>> Moon is correct.

Heavy wind and rain in the Indian Ocean.

Hampshire.

>> Monsoon.

>> Monsoon is right.

A small bag inflated with air or a gas.

>> Balloon.

>> Balloon is correct.

A large double reed woodwind instrument.

>> Bassoon.

>> Bassoon is right.

A water bird with a haunting call.

>> Hampshire Loon.

>> Loon is correct.

What you do to correct the pitch of a musical instrument.

>> Hampshire tune.

>> Tune is correct.

It's another name for 12 p.m.

Noon is right.

Not susceptible to a disease.

>> Immune.

>> Immune is correct.

Name for a flat bottom boat.

>> Pontoon.

>> Pontoon is correct.

A small military unit of 20 to 50 soldiers.

Hampshire platoon is correct to try to enrapture someone.

Connor.

>> Uh!

Swoon.

>> Swoon is right.

Ah!

And that bell marks the end of our last lightning round.

It also marks the end of our match.

Fantastic way to start our quarterfinal matchups.

Want to say to Hampshire to make it this far?

To make it to the top eight.

Congratulations to you, Conard High School though.

You will move on.

Nice job.

Let's take a look at our bracket now.

As it stands, we will now wait to see who Connor faces.

That matchup is between Belchertown and Amherst four versus five.

However, coming right up, stay in your chairs.

East Longmeadow versus Mount Greylock, number two versus number seven.

So we shall see how this all works out to see this season's roster.

And for more information, be sure to log on to our web page@nepm.org, or you can look for us on Facebook and Instagram.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

Good night and stay right where you are, because East Longmeadow goes up against Mount Greylock.

That's coming up next when the playoffs continue on.

As schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA 180 years of commitment to the public schools and colleges.

Our communities deserve.

>> You can see the difference from the first couple of minutes that you walk onto this campus.

You realize that it's not just a campus.

It's a community.

It's a family.