>> Join us tonight as Pioneer Valley Regional School goes up against West Springfield 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.

>> Westfield State University has allowed me to grow and pursue my passion to become a neurologist.

I think the quality of education is invaluable.

>> 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, once again.

High schools from throughout our region are going head to head in qualifying matches to see who can score enough points to finish in the top eight and compete in this season's championship tournament.

In tonight's matchup, we have Pioneer Valley Regional School going up against West Springfield High School.

Let's meet the teams starting with West Springfield, coached by Howard Bernard and Leanna Toy.

>> Hi, my name is Riley Gehring and I'm a senior at West Springfield High School.

>> Hi, I'm Abigail McNulty and I'm a senior at West Springfield High School.

Hi, I'm Carly Schneider and I'm a senior at West Springfield High School.

>> Hi, I'm Kendall Burke and I'm a senior at West Springfield High School.

I'd also like to acknowledge our alternates, Ian Schneider and my little sister Maya Burke, as well as Riley Gearing, who designed these shirts.

>> And for Pioneer Valley Regional, coached by Karen Browning and Dana Unitas.

>> Hi, I'm Clay white and I'm a senior at Pioneer Valley Regional High.

>> I'm Nia Barton and I'm a sophomore at Pioneer Valley Regional High.

>> Hi.

I'm Serenity Brown and I'm a ninth grader at Pioneer Valley Regional High School.

Hi, my name is Lucy and Brenna and I'm a ninth grader at Pioneer Valley Regional.

>> Let's take a look now at our current top eight standings.

You can see that there are three ties.

Well the ranking is based on margin of victory.

So we shall see how the rest of the season plays out and where we end up.

Score to beat 260 tonight.

So we will begin each match as we do with the challenge round.

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

All right, let's begin with the first question of the evening.

And good luck to both teams.

Lanai, Molokai and Niihau are islands that can be found in what world?

Ocean.

West Springfield.

>> Pacific.

>> Yes, they are all part of the Hawaiian Islands.

Nice.

In what system of the human body are deltoids a part of.

Pioneer Valley?

Skeletal.

I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

All right.

That gives you the chance to answer.

>> Muscular.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Spell the US state whose capital city is Lincoln.

>> Pioneer Valley n e b r a s k a.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Which of Johannes Kepler's three laws of planetary motion state that the square of a planet's orbital period is proportional to the cube of the length of the semi-major axis of its orbit.

West Springfield.

>> Kepler's third law.

>> Yes, that's right, the US Army Battle of Hamburger Hill took place during what, 20th century conflict?

That would be the Vietnam War.

Let's move on with this question.

What Shakespeare tragedy depicts a Danish prince and his attempts to exact revenge against his uncle Claudius, who murdered the prince's father, the king of Denmark.

Pioneer Valley.

>> Hamlet.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Vienna is to Austria as what city is to Hungary.

Pioneer Valley.

>> Budapest.

>> Yes.

Budapest.

In NCAA baseball.

What is the distance in feet from third base to home plate?

Pioneer Valley.

>> 120.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right.

West Springfield, that gives you the chance to answer 90.

90.

The point farthest from the sun in a planet's complete orbit is called, what is it, a perihelion and aphelion or outer Helion Pioneer Valley.

>> Outer Helion.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

West Springfield, can you answer?

>> Perihelion.

>> Aphelion is the right answer.

All right, let's move on with this one.

In the texting world, the letters B, T, w or an abbreviation for what?

Pioneer Valley.

>> By the way.

>> By the way, you are correct.

Yes.

If you owned a bungalow spelled B u n g a l o w, would you drive it?

Sail it or live in it?

West Springfield.

>> Live in.

>> It is a style of house.

All right, let's move on with this one.

What word is used to describe a polynomial with exactly three terms.

Pioneer Valley.

>> Trinomial.

>> Which of the following European countries does not border Germany, Poland, Italy or the Czech Republic?

Pioneer Valley, Italy.

Yes, Italy is correct.

Listen to these literary opening lines.

When shall we three meet again?

In thunder, lightning or rain?

They're from Pioneer Valley.

>> Macbeth.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question and you'll know why.

That's incorrect.

They're from the play, uh, Tragedy of Macbeth, penned by what author is the question?

All right.

West Springfield, can you answer William Shakespeare?

Yes, that is correct.

Name the Mojang Studios sandbox game in which players can choose West Springfield.

>> Minecraft?

>> Yes.

Didn't have to finish that one.

That is correct.

The letters R x are commonly known in the medical field for referring to what West Springfield prescriptions.

Yes, prescription is right.

Sir Isaac Newton's experiment of bending white light through a prism demonstrated that all of the colors already existed in the light, with different color corpuscles fanning out and traveling with different speeds through the prism.

Now, did this happen in the 1500s, 1600s, or the 1700s?

Pioneer Valley.

>> 1500s.

>> Repeat, please.

>> 1500s.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

West Springfield, can you answer?

>> 1600.

>> Yes, 1600s is the correct answer.

Name the capital city of the state of California.

Pioneer Valley.

>> Sacramento.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

In a set of numbers.

What is the term for the value that appears most frequently?

West Springfield.

>> The mode.

>> Listen to the sentence.

The first day of kindergarten is the beginning of a long and fantastic journey.

Spell the word kindergarten.

>> Part k I n d e d e r g a r t e n.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Nice job.

Television was first demonstrated to the public at the New York World's Fair.

In which of the following years was it?

1939, 1949 or 1959?

Pine Valley.

>> 1949.

>> I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

West Springfield, can you answer.

>> 1939.

>> 1939.

Yes, that's right.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

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

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

We asked the team from West Springfield High to Hand-write notes.

Or do you use your phone or computer?

>> I prefer to handwrite notes because I like to draw and I like to doodle my margins to keep myself from being bored.

>> I usually prefer to take handwritten notes, not only because it helps my memory, but I enjoy getting creative with my note taking, which I think makes the content more engaging.

>> Most of the time I prefer handwritten notes.

Writing helps me remember information, and it's easier to access.

I can just pull out my notebook when I need it, but for some classes, the amount of notes or the structure makes writing notes on the computer easier to organize.

>> For a while, I didn't have a preference for handwritten or typed notes.

However, last year my AP chemistry teacher shout out Miss Toy.

She's also our assistant coach for our schools match wits team introduced me to her style of taking handwritten notes, and that's what I've been using ever since.

>> We have a close match going on right now, so let's move on to the first lightning round of the evening.

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.

Your team loses five points.

Well, we hope you won't be seeing red after this round.

All of the answers to the following clues.

Begin with the letters r, e, d. All right, you got it.

You have 90s starting right now.

A giant tree that grows in California.

Pioneer Valley.

>> Redwood?

>> Named for Revolutionary War.

British soldier Pioneer Valley redcoat.

Redcoat is correct to experience something over again.

Pioneer Valley, we.

>> Do.

>> Redo.

I heard first.

That is correct.

Their home is Fenway Park.

West Springfield Red Sox is correct.

Caught in the act of doing something wrong.

Pioneer Valley.

>> Red.

>> Handed.

Yes that's right, the NHL team from Detroit Pioneer Valley.

>> The Red flames.

>> Red wings is the right answer.

A high level of emergency warning.

West Springfield.

>> Red alert.

>> Red alert is correct, something characterized by similarity or repetition.

West Springfield.

>> Redundant.

>> Redundant is correct to make smaller in size or quantity.

West Springfield.

>> Reduce.

>> Reduces right.

Types of these vegetables include cayenne and bell pine.

Valley rutabaga red pepper is the right answer to find something for a second time.

West Springfield.

Rediscover rediscover is the right answer term for excessive bureaucracy.

That would be red tape.

Try this one fabled girl who encountered the big bad wolf Pioneer Valley.

>> Little Red Riding Hood.

>> Yes, that's correct.

To make right or remedy.

That would be redressed to pass something specifically to someone else.

Pioneer Valley redirect.

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.

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

At the moment, Pioneer Valley, you are behind just by a little bit though.

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

>> Arts and entertainment for 30.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

Created by Jim Davis, this comic strip cat spends a lot of time sleeping, eating, and tormenting the family dog.

Odie.

Name this cat.

>> Garfield.

>> Yes, Garfield is right.

Let's stick with popular animated cats for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen once again, First known for its distinctive, mischievous grin, this cat appears in the children's novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Name that cat.

>> The Cheshire.

>> Cat.

>> Yes, the Cheshire Cat is right.

This cat overthrows his evil Uncle Scar to be crowned The Lion King.

Name that cat Simba.

Simba is correct.

And finally, this cat made his first big screen appearance in the 2004 animated film Shrek two.

He had his own spin off movie in 2011 and its sequel in 2022.

Name that Cat.

>> Puss in boots.

>> Yes!

Nice job.

Okay, West Springfield, please.

Once again.

Or for the first time, please pick a category and a point value.

>> General knowledge for 30.

>> General knowledge for 30 years.

Qualifying question.

Take a look at your screen.

This Boston building has been a meeting hall since 1742.

It is now a marketplace and museum on Boston's Freedom Trail.

Name this building.

>> See Something.

>> Just Quincy Hall.

>> Quincy Hall.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right, pioneer Valley, can you capitalize?

Faneuil Hall is the right answer.

You're very close.

All right, pioneer Valley, once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> Do we want to do.

>> World events for 30.

>> World events for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Named for one of the front line generals of the Civil War, what is the popular name of the Confederate infantry assault that took place on July 3rd, 1863, on the third and final day of the Battle of Gettysburg.

>> The last stand.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

West Springfield, can you capitalize?

Pickett's charge was the name.

All right, West Springfield, once again.

Your turn.

>> Math and science for 30.

>> Math and science for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Please take a look at your screen log base two of eight equals.

>> What equals three?

>> Yes, three is correct.

Let's move on.

These are for 15 points each.

Continuing with log base.

Log base ten of one equals what.

>> Zero zero.

>> Yes.

That's right.

And finally again for 15 points log base five of 25 equals what?

>> Two.

>> Very nice job.

All right.

Pioneer Valley once again please pick a category and a point value.

>> Could we have literature for 30.

>> You can literature for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screen name.

The American writer and poet who penned this line.

Once upon a midnight dreary while I pondered.

Weak and weary.

>> Edgar Allan Poe.

>> Yes, that's right.

Let's move on.

More from American Poetry.

I'll read an excerpt of a famous American poem.

You tell me the name of the poet for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

I celebrate myself and sing myself.

And what I assume you shall assume.

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

>> I thought it was Sylvia Plath.

Sylvia Plath.

>> Sorry.

That was Walt Whitman from Song of Myself.

All right, try this one.

The caged bird sings with fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still.

And his tune is heard on the distant hill.

For the caged bird sings of freedom.

>> Emily Dickinson.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

That would be Maya Angelou from her famous poem Caged Bird.

All right, let's try this one.

Finally, there is no frigate like a book to take us lands away.

Nor any coursers like a page of prancing poetry.

>> Emily Dickinson.

>> Yes, that is Emily Dickinson.

That's from no frigate.

Like a book.

All right, here we go.

Once again with West Springfield.

Please pick a category and a point value.

>> Social studies for 30.

>> Last of the 30s.

Here we go with the qualifying question.

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.

Here we go with the question.

Take a look at your screen.

This US state's capital is home to the US Naval Academy named the city and the state.

I'm sorry.

Time is up.

All right.

Pioneer Valley, can you capitalize?

Annapolis, Maryland is the right answer.

All right.

Let's continue with Pioneer Valley.

Once again.

>> Should we do Arthur 1925 Arts entertainment for 25.

>> Arts and entertainment for 25.

Your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screen when the 2024 demolition of the King Dakar roller coaster at Six Flags in New Jersey.

Top thrill two at Cedar Point is now the tallest coaster in the US at 420ft.

In what state will you find?

Cedar Point.

>> Ohio.

New Jersey, new Jersey, new Jersey.

>> I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

West Springfield, can you capitalize California?

It's actually in Ohio.

Wouldn't catch me on it, but it is in Ohio.

All right.

West Springfield, once again.

Your turn.

>> What should we do?

>> General knowledge for 25.

>> General knowledge for 25.

Oh, we have a video qualifier for this, so please take a look at your screen.

>> Hi, I'm Emma Wick from the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association.

With your qualifying question around 1694.

German and Dutch colonists in New England came up with the word cranberry to represent the expanding plants, flower, stem, calyx and petals that resemble the neck, head and bill of this type of tall wetland bird to qualify.

Name this species of bird crane.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Nice.

Let's move on.

Let's see how well you can identify some other wetland birds for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

This familiar large build crested blue gray bird can often be seen hovering and plunge diving for fish near fresh water and coastlines.

Name this bird.

>> I'm just going to guess a blue jay.

>> It is a little bit blue, but correct answer there is kingfisher.

Let's try this.

These long legged water birds are common in New England and are seen year round in various wetlands, rivers and coastal areas, making a strong comeback after historical declines due to hunting.

Name this bird.

That would be the heron or great blue heron.

All right.

Finally, for five points.

This variety of ducks are extremely common waterfowl throughout New England.

They're found in parks and wetland areas year round, with males sporting distinctive green heads, while the females heads are mottled brown for camouflage.

Name this duck.

>> Green headed dog.

>> Green headed duck.

>> That's a good answer.

However it is the mallard duck is what we're looking for there.

All right, Pioneer Valley, once again please pick a category and a point value.

>> Social studies for 25.

>> Social studies for 25.

Your qualifying question in area.

Brazil is the largest South American country.

Which country is the second largest?

Is it in South America?

That is.

Is it Bolivia, Argentina or Chile?

>> Argentina.

>> Argentina?

Yes, that's the right answer.

Let's move on.

Second largest land masses by land area for ten points each.

First Asia is the largest continent by land area.

Which continent is second largest?

>> China.

>> South Africa.

>> Africa is the right answer.

All right, let's try this one.

Greenland is the largest island in the world.

Which island is second largest?

Is it New Guinea, Madagascar or Honshu.

>> Madagascar.

>> New Guinea is the right answer.

All right, let's try this one.

This one's for five points of the 48 continental United States.

Texas is the largest state.

Which state is second?

Is it Montana, California or Arizona?

>> California.

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

>> Literature for 25.

>> Literature for 25 years.

Qualifying question.

The mad scene by the daughter of Polonius in Shakespeare's Hamlet is one of the best known in Western literature.

What is the name of Polonius's daughter?

I'm sorry.

Time is up.

Pioneer Valley.

Can you capitalize.

>> Ophelia?

>> Yes.

Ophelia is the right answer.

Let's move on.

Sticking with the letter O in Shakespeare's work, I'll describe a Shakespearean character whose name begins with the letter O. You tell me the character for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

He's the male lead in As you like it.

>> Oberon.

Orsino.

>> Orlando is the right answer.

In A Midsummer Night's Dream.

He's the king of the fairies.

>> Oberon.

>> And finally, this is for five points in King Lear.

This servant of Goneril carries out her orders without hesitation, including an attempt to kill Gloucester.

Named the character.

>> Osric.

>> Oswald is the right answer.

And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Let's take a minute now to meet the team from Pioneer Valley Regional School.

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

We asked the team from Pioneer Valley Regional.

What's one thing that's always in your backpack?

>> One thing I always keep in my backpack is my script for theater.

So that way if I have some downtime in between classes, I can go over some of my lines.

>> One thing that's always in my backpack is my flute and my piccolo.

One thing that's always in my backpack is colorful pens, because I write all my notes on paper and they get very messy unless they're color coded.

>> One thing that's always in my backpack is my yonder pouch, which is my phone jail.

>> We have a very close match going on, so let's move on to the final lightning round of the evening.

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

You know how this works.

Buzz in and answer correctly.

Your team wins five points.

Answer incorrectly.

However, your team loses five points.

Every point counts as we head to this final round.

All right.

Hopefully you'll do okay in this round.

The answers to each of the following clues is a two letter abbreviation such as.

Okay, you have 90s starting right now.

It's the abbreviation for an ounce.

West Springfield.

>> Oh, c.

>> O z is correct.

It's a popular model railroad scale.

H o is the right answer.

Abbreviation for the state of Missouri.

Pioneer Valley.

>> M o.

>> M o is right.

Movie alien who wanted to phone home West Springfield.

T yes, that's right.

Delivery of medications directly into the bloodstream.

Pioneer Valley.

>> IV.

>> IV is correct.

You should avoid these kinds of rays from the sun.

West Springfield.

>> UV.

>> UV is correct.

A six point score in the NFL.

Pioneer Valley.

>> TD.

>> TD just under the buzzer.

Therapeutic plan to improve mobility and restore function.

Pioneer Valley.

>> PT.

>> PT is correct.

Abbreviation for the State of Delaware.

Pioneer Valley.

>> D w.

>> D is the right answer.

A person who introduces speakers, players or entertainers.

West Springfield.

>> MC.

>> MC is right.

Abbreviation for the State of Wyoming pioneer Valley.

>> O w.

>> W.

>> O.

>> W y is the right answer.

Magnesium is a chemical element.

With what symbol?

West Springfield.

>> MG.

>> MG is correct.

You'll need to turn this on to cool your car in the summer.

West Springfield.

>> AC.

>> AC is right, it's the normal chromosome designation for a male West Springfield.

>> X, y.

>> X y is right.

Abbreviation for the state of Arizona.

Pioneer Valley.

>> Is.

>> Did they get that in time?

Yes they did.

Arizona is a Z. Yes, you are correct.

And that marks the end of our last lightning round.

It also marks the end of a very close and exciting match.

As I've said several times during this match up, what a close match separated by just a few points throughout the entire evening.

So congratulations to both teams.

Tonight's winner, West Springfield.

Congratulations to you on a job well done to see the season's roster and for more information, be sure to log on to our web page at npr.org.

Or you can look for us on Facebook and Instagram.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

Good night and be sure to tune in again next time.

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.