Today, two high school teams compete for the Academic Championship of our viewing area.

This is Tennessee Scholars' Bowl.

Thank you for watching Tennessee Scholars' Bowl.

I'm Frank Murphy.

This is the high school academic tournament in its 42nd season.

And the winner of today's game advances to our threshold of 32.

Will it be the Fighting Irish of Knoxville Catholic High School in West Knox County, or will it be the Chargers from McMinn Central High School?

Well, we'll find out of course, in about half an hour's time.

But first, we'll meet the players from both schools, beginning on the Catholic side with 12th grader Alexander Dekawalter.

Alexander, welcome back.

Tell us about yourself.

What you been doing lately?

Not a whole lot applying to college.

That's important.

Yeah.

Do have any hobbies?

Interests?

Pets?

I got a lot of cats.

Really?

All right, well, tell us about those.

Well, I've got two that live in the house.

They're just normal.

They're actually really old.

And Infiniti that live outside the house?

No, only about three.

But more keeps showing up, so it may be more than that.

What are some of their names?

The ones inside are Five and Six, which were placeholder names until we didn't change them.

You don't have 6 7?

No.

That's an obvious next cat name, I think.

All right.

Let's say hi to Alvaro Pite, who is also a senior this year.

Alvaro.

Welcome back.

Tell us about yourself.

Well, I'm an Eagle Scout and I'm working on growing my Pokémon card collection.

Card collection?

Yes, sir.

Okay.

And the real ones.

Yeah.

For a second there, I thought you said car collection.

Like, you know, a bunch of Pokémon cars.

Oh, I wish.

But is the Pokémon thing, a recurring theme that you've mentioned before?

I don't believe so.

I think this is this is new this year.

And what, as a senior in high school, you've got a lot of other things to worry about.

Why Pokémon?

Well, in the in the midst of irksome school tasks and, weighty responsibilities, I like to, have some leisure with my Pokémon cards.

Okay.

Fantastic.

Let's say hi to team captain for Catholic.

That's Mary Zengle, who's in 11th grade.

Mary, you're going to answer bonuses or defer by name to a teammate.

Tell us something about yourself.

I'm in the theater program at Knoxville Catholic.

Oh, okay.

I've seen a couple of shows over there and over the years.

What have you been in that I might have seen?

Into the Woods, A Murder is Announced, and I'm in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Oh.

Very good.

We've also got 10th grader Heidi Bartholomew.

Hey, Heidi.

Welcome.

Tell us about yourself.

I like collecting hats.

Hats?

Yes.

All right.

What kind of hats do you collect?

What do you have?

My favorite is a top hat.

I have a nice top hat.

Does it collapse or?

No, it's just a it's a solid, sturdy one which I think is important.

When I was your age, I had a collapsible top hat that I bought at a yard sale and used for magic tricks.

Oh, nice.

Just wanted you to know that.

Let's say hi to the alternates and coaches for Knoxville Catholic High School.

We've got Lily Bostick, Riley Hurda, and coaches Roxanne Cabrera, who teaches theater, math and band, and John Laforest, who teaches biology.

And they are joined by special guest Father Danny Herman, who is here to root on the Fighting Irish of Catholic High School, taking on the Chargers of McMinn Central.

Let's say hi.

First up to Ryne Moore, who's a senior.

Hey, Ryne.

Welcome.

Tell us about you.

Well, I recently won the homecoming king.

And what was your winning campaign to become homecoming king?

You must have, had to say something or encourage people to vote for you.

Well, I actually wrote my name on a bunch of blank pieces of paper and just put it up at the school, and it worked.

Okay, so not ballot stuffing, just fliers?

Everywhere you look.

It said, “Ryne, Ryne, Ryne.” Yeah.

I accept it.

Let's say hi to senior Mirra Friedman.

Mirra, welcome.

Tell us about you.

I play three sports for my school, and I'm going to graduate from Cleveland State with my associate's degree in the spring.

I'm going to give up sports after high school.

What are then, or were your three sports?

I play volleyball and basketball.

I played softball for three years, and I'm going to give that up and do track instead.

Your first time in Scholars Bowl.

We're happy to have you.

Thank you.

Let's say hi to James Jack Koehler, who is a senior.

Now James Jack Koehler.

You're going to answer bonuses or defer by name to one of your teammates.

What about yourself?

Hey, I work as a stage tech in a local theater, and I'm the drum captain for my school's band.

Oh, give the theater a shout out.

Which one is it?

It's the historic Gem Theater in Etowah, Tennessee.

Oh, fantastic.

And what kind of shows do they have there?

We do bluegrass.

We do plays, a couple musicals.

Nice.

And then just people who rent it out, too.

Yeah.

To put on performances.

That's like a fun job.

It here in school, I like it.

Good.

Glad to hear about it.

And then Landyn Giles who is a senior Landyn, welcome.

Tell us about you.

Obviously I'm Landyn and obviously, I teach youth at church.

I coach two youth flag football teams, and I've won two pickleball tournaments.

Two pickleball tournaments?

Yes, sir.

And against whom do you play?

Whoever wants to lose.

So this is not a school sanctioned activity.

This is something you do in your spare time after school or over the summer.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

Fantastic.

Well, happy to know you.

Let's say hi to the alternate and coaches for McMinn central.

We've got Jaden Rasteiner and coaches Katrina Kilby, who's a graduation specialist, and Amber Moore, the school counselor for the Chargers at McMinn central.

All right, everybody, you know how this game works.

We've got Tossups worth ten bonuses worth 20.

Get your fingers on the buzzer for Tennessee Scholars' Bowl 2026 Tossup for all players in the category of art.

What is the general term for art that does not attempt to represent objects from the external world, but is composed solely of lines, shapes, and colors?

Jack.

Abstract.

Is right and an art bonus now.

What type of book is made up of comics which include fiction, nonfiction, or an anthologized work?

Defer to Giles.

Landyn, my bad.

Comic books.

Well, it's the - I'll give you the overall description of a graphic novel.

Tossup for all players in literature.

What is the poetry term for a two line stanza?

Alvaro.

Couplet.

Yes, and the literature bonus now.

Which poet wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors”?

Answer.

Robert Frost.

Is right for ten.

The line is in which of Frost's poems?

Two Roads in a Forest.

That one is called Mending Wall.

Ten points on the bonus.

Tossup in vocabulary.

What is the 11 letter sociological term for the action of two or more individuals working together to achieve a common goal?

Jack.

Cooperation.

Is right.

Vocabulary is your bonus.

What eight letter word beginning with a means rough, harsh, or capable of polishing or cleaning a hard surface by rubbing?

Abrasive.

Is right.

Now, spell “abrasive.” Answer.

Defer to Mirra.

A-B-R-A-S-I-V-E.

Is right.

20 on that bonus.

Tossup now in geology, what is the only gemstone to come from a living creature?

Alvaro.

Fossil.

Not it.

You can steal, McMinn.

Jack.

Pearl.

Right, and a geology bonus.

What famous mounted slab in an Irish castle supposedly grants the power of persuasion to those who kiss it?

Answer.

Ozark.

That's the Blarney Stone.

No points.

Tossup in geography.

Which city is the westernmost state capital in the US?

Heidi.

Honolulu.

Correct.

Geography bonus now.

What is the name of the Show-Me state, which was admitted to the Union in 1821 as the 24th state.

Missouri.

Is right for ten.

What is the capital of Missouri?

Jefferson City.

Is right.

20 on the bonus, Tossup in miscellaneous.

What name is given to the age bracket of children born since 2010 who were growing up entirely in the smartphone era?

Mary.

Gen Alpha.

Is right.

Miscellaneous bonus.

A new museum that educates visitors about meat rubs, spices, wood, fire, smoke, and sauce; opened in Kansas City in 2025 and is dedicated to what method of cooking?

Barbecue.

Is right for 20.

Tossup in foreign language.

Translate, “thank you very much,” into French?

Heidi.

Merci beaucoup.

Is right, and a foreign language visual bonus.

Take a look at the screens, Catholic.

The opera, Cendrillon written by Massenet, is the story of which fairy tale?

Cinderella.

Is correct for 20.

Tossup in math, what number is one half percent of 280?

Jack.

140.

Not it.

You can steal, Catholic.

Alexander.

1.4.

Is right and a math bonus now.

If 90% of a number is 18, what is 50% of that same number?

10.

Is right for 20 points Tossup in health.

Which part of the body do podiatrists treat?

Alvaro.

Heath.

And a health bonus.

What is the surgical term for the procedure of making an incision into a patient's windpipe?

Drainage channel?

Tracheotomy.

Right for ten.

Now spell tracheotomy.

Answer.

T-R-A-C-H-E-O-T-O-M-Y.

That's right, 20 on that bonus.

Tossup now in economics.

Which fruit is the primary ingredient used in the production of the most common alcoholic and nonalcoholic ciders worldwide?

Landyn.

Apple.

Yes.

And an economics bonus for McMinn.

Known as the father of modern economics, Adam Smith advocated the principles of laissez faire economics, in which book?

Could you repeat the name for us?

Adam Smith.

A Common Sense.

It's called The Wealth of Nations.

Tossup in games.

How many red squares are on a red and black checkerboard?

Alexander.

32.

32 is right, and a game is bonus.

What tile based game uses rectangular pieces marked on each end with a number of dots for players to match end to another tile with the same number of dots?

Dominoes.

Right for 20.

Tossup in English.

“He was as brave as a lion,” is an example of what type of figure of speech?

Mary.

Simile.

And an English bonus for Catholic.

What is the term for a verb form ending in I-N-G when used as a noun?

Gerund.

Is right for 20.

Tossup on architecture.

What is the term for the upper triangular part of a wall at the end of a pitched or sloping roof?

Heidi.

Buttress.

Not it, you can steal, McMinn.

That is a gable.

Buzzer gotcha.

Tossup now in astronomy.

Which area of the moon was the landing site for Apollo 11 lunar module?

Alvaro.

A crater.

Not it, you can steal, McMinn.

the - you cant talk before you ring it in.

Jack.

The Forskide Plateau.

No, it's called the Sea of Tranquility.

No points there.

Tossup for all players in history, which American is credited with inventing bifocal lenses?

Landyn.

Ben Franklin.

Is right, and a visual bonus in history for McMinn.

Take a look at the screens.

In 2024, the U.S Board of Geographic Names, approved the request of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians to rename the highest point in Tennessee shown here to what Cherokee name that translates to the Mulberry Place.

This is for Jack to answer a defer.

Defer to Landyn.

Cumberland Plateau, that's Kuwohi.

What was its former name?

For Jackson to answer or defer.

Defer to Landyn.

The Cumberland Plateau.

No, Clingsman Dome.

No points on that.

Tossup in religion.

What is the title given to the leader of a prayer service or the head of a mosque?

Jack.

Rabbi.

Not that, you can steal, Catholic.

Mary.

Imam.

Yes, and a religion bonus.

What is the name of the Islamic legal system derived from the teachings of the Koran and the Sunnah?

Sharia Law.

That's also right.

20 on the bonus.

Tossup in music.

Who was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Heidi.

Joan Jett.

Not it, you steal McMinn.

Landyn.

Dolly Parton.

Aretha Franklin, no points.

Tossup in spelling.

A noncommissioned officer in the armed forces is a sergeant; spell “sergeant.” Alvaro.

S-E-R-G-E-A-N-T.

Is correct.

Gives you a spelling bonus for Catholic.

Two parts; spell the word “ensign,” as in a naval officer.

Answer.

E-N-S-I-G-N.

Is right for ten.

Spell the word “colonel,” as in an army officer.

C-O-L-O-N-E-L.

Also right, 20 on that bonus.

Tossup now for all players in biology.

Bottlenose is a type of which species known for its built in- Alexander.

Dolphin.

-Smile and performances at marine shows.

Biology bonus for Catholic.

According to a study released in 2024 by Michigan State University, what is the single largest factor contributing to a decline in total butterfly abundance in the Midwest?

Global warming.

No it's pesticides.

Tossup for everybody in government.

What is the two word term for pretrial negotiations, in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge in return for a less severe penalty?

Landyn.

Plea deal.

Yeah, I guess we'll take that.

The result of plea bargaining.

Government bonus.

What is the name of the doctrine issued in 1823, stating that any intervention by external powers in the politics of the Americas is a potentially hostile act against the United States.

Monroe Doctrine is right.

20 points at the end of the first half, one of these teams will advance to the threshold of 32.

Will it be Knoxville Catholic or McMinn Central?

We'll find out after the break.

On Tennessee Scholars' Bowl 2026.

The 42nd season of Tennessee Scholars' Bowl is a single elimination tournament featuring 50 high school academic teams.

The championship team at this year, Scholars' Bowl, receives the Frank Miller Memorial Trophy.

The scorekeeper, timekeeper, and judges for this year's Scholars Bowl are Chandler Benson, Ernie Roberts, Jerry Doherty, Stephen Hensley, Rebecca Longmire, James Dean, and Kathy Waddell.

East Tennessee PBS would also like to thank its staff and the many volunteers who helped make this educational program possible.

To enter your high school in next year's Tennessee Scholars' Bowl.

Please write to the address shown on your screen.

You're watching Tennessee Scholars' Bowl.

I'm Frank Murphy, back from halftime in this game between Knoxville Catholic High School and McMinn Central High School, it's the Fighting Irish versus the Chargers right now, Catholic has a lead.

The winner will advance to the threshold of 32.

We'll find out who is going to be of course coming up in a little bit.

But first we going to meet the alternates for Knoxville Catholic starting with sophomore Riley Herta.

Hey, Riley.

Welcome.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Riley Herta.

I wore the wrong shoes to school today.

We can't see them, so it really, I mean.

And why?

Those are the wrong shoes.

Is it a special team shoe day?

Yeah, it's.

We have to wear leather shoes to school, and it's.

I just didn't feel like it today.

Oh, we.

You're on a field trip.

And.

Yeah, if you hadn't put it on television, no one would have known.

And also, sophomore Lily Bostic is here.

Hi, Lily.

Welcome.

Tell us about you.

I do theater as well with my school.

Okay.

Tell us about some of the stuff you've done, and only, what, two years of school there?

We've done.

I've done two plays and one musical.

Last year, the musical was High School Musical.

Oh, really?

Okay, great.

Did you have fun doing that?

Yes we do, I do theater with all four people up here right now.

Oh, only Mary owned up to it.

Yeah, that's true.

Yeah.

Well, great.

Happy to know it.

Meanwhile, McMinn is keeping their starting lineups intact.

Going to catch up and bring in a little faster, see how they do.

All right everybody fingers on the buzzer for Tennessee Scholars' Bowl 2026.

Tossup for all players in sports.

Who is the only athlete to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series?

Landyn.

Deion Sanders.

Correct, sports bonus.

The Alabama Crimson Tide of the SEC play their home games in which city?

Defer to Landyn.

Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Well, the city would be Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

So as much as excited as you are about it, I can't give it to you.

Tossup in foreign language.

What is the Spanish word for “eleven”?

Jack.

No se.

No, chance to steal, Catholic.

Alvaro, Once.

Yes, and a foreign language bonus.

Two parts; what is the phrase for, “I love you” in Spanish?

Te amo.

And what is the phrase for, “I love you” in German?

Liebe.

Well, you're on the right track.

That might be the word love, but it's, “Ich liebe dich,” which is I love you.

Tossup in geometry.

Name the new coordinates for the .23 when it is rotated 90 degrees clockwise about the origin.

Jack.

Negative three-two.

Not it, you can steal, Catholic.

Riley.

Three negative two.

That's what it is.

And a geometry bonus.

The area of a triangle is 48ft.

If a base is 12ft, what is the height length to that base?

Mary.

Eight.

Is right for 20.

Tossup now in physics.

How does increasing the diameter of a pipe affect the velocity of water flowing through it?

Alvaro.

Decreases.

Right, and a physics bonus.

If a musical pitch vibrates at 880 cycles.

At how many cycles does the octave below it vibrate?

440.

Right for 20 points.

Tossup in world history.

The Great Fire of 1666 destroyed over 13,000 buildings, including homes, markets, shipping and wharves in which city?

Jack.

London.

Right, and a world history bonus.

Now, historians say a possible reason that Queen Elizabeth the First never married, is that she was traumatized at age three by the death of which Queen consort, who was her mother?

Defer to Landyn, Queen Anne.

Need more.

Boleyn.

Right, that's 20 points.

Tossup now in architecture, what is the name of Elvis Presley's colonial revival style house in Memphis?

Mary.

Graceland.

And an architecture bonus.

Take a look at the screens, please.

The bridge on the River Kwai is a fictional epic war film loosely based on the true story of British soldiers at a World War II Japanese prison camp, who were forced to build the bridge, shown here as part of the Siam Burma Railway, in which country?

Vietnam.

That's actually Thailand.

No points on that.

Tossup now in literature.

In the Crucible, for what offense is John Proctor arrested and tried?

Lily.

Witchery?

Yes.

And a literature bonus.

What are the four styles of writing for essays?

Answer.

Argumentative, persuasive, informative, and opinion.

Well, I was looking for narrative, descriptive, persuasive and expository.

So you definitely got persuasive and maybe descriptive.

Ill have to let the judges assess that out and let you know.

Tossup for all players in vocabulary.

What part of speech are the words, “and, but, or, nor -” Jack.

Conjunctions.

“-Or for.” And a vocabulary bonus.

What ten letter word starting with C means of or like a corpse?

Answer.

Crepit.

That's cadaverous, but you can still get points for spelling “cadaverous.” Answer.

C-A-D-A-V-E-R-O-U-S.

That's right.

Ten points on the bonus.

Tossup in chemistry.

What type of substance produces hydronium ions in aqueous solutions?

Mary.

Base.

Not it, you can steal, McMinn.

Jack.

Acid is right.

Chemistry is your bonus.

Name four of the seven diatomic molecules.

Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and chlorine.

All of those are correct.

Fluorine, bromine and iodine are the others, 20 points on the bonus.

Tossup in geography, which one of the five Great Lakes is entirely within the United States?

Landyn.

Lake Michigan.

Is right.

Geography is your bonus.

Name four of the eight Amazon River basin countries, that in 2023, agreed on several initiatives to combat deforestation.

Answer.

Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia.

All four of those are correct with, Colombia, Guyana, Peru and Suriname being the other's.

20 points.

Tossup now in music.

What is Scotland's national musical instrument?

Jack.

Bagpipes.

Yes.

Music bonus.

Which three valves, brass instrument that is pitched in B-flat or C was derived from the cornet and flugelhorn in the 19th century?

The trumpet.

No, the baritone is the specific.

I used to play that well.

No points.

Tossup in English.

What is the term for verbs that do not follow the normal patterns for tense and past participle?

Jack.

Irregular.

Yes, English as your bonus.

Is the word “delicious” used as a predicate nominative or a predicate adjective in the sentence?

“The warm cherry pie smelled delicious.” Adjective.

Need the whole thing.

Predicate adjective.

There you go.

20 points on that.

Tossup in science.

What is the zone that develops when the edge of a cold air mass and the edge of a warm air mass meet?

Jack.

A cold front.

No, chance to steal, Catholic.

Riley.

Front.

Yeah, you made it too specific.

Just front science as your bonus.

What temperature in Celsius is equal to a normal human body temperature of 98.6°F.

37.

Yeah.

That's right, 37°C, 20 points.

Tossup in government.

Which U.S.

president asked Americans to cut back on their use of grain in order to help starving Europeans in the first- Landyn.

FDR.

-In the first televised presidential address from the white House on October 5th, 1947.

Chance to steal, Catholic.

Mary.

Harry Truman.

Right, and a government bonus.

What is the designated call sign created in 1954 that is most often used for a military airplane with the President of the United States aboard?

Air Force One.

And what is the designated callsign that is most often used for a military helicopter, with the president of the United States aboard it?

Air Force Two.

that would be for the Vice President.

The President usually flies in Marine One when he's in a helicopter.

Tossup in art.

What is the most distinctive characteristic of the statue of Venus de Milo?

Jack.

It is muscles.

Not it, you can steal, Catholics.

Mary.

No arms.

Correct, art bonus.

Which famous photographer, who was born in 1902 is known for the photo Moonrise Hernandez, New Mexico.

Dorothea Lange.

That's Ansel Adams.

No points there.

Tossup in mythology.

Which mythical Greek goddess was the daughter of Atlas, the mother of Hermes, and the namesake for the fifth month of the year?

Jack.

Artemis.

Not it, you can steal, Catholic.

Alvaro.

May.

No, it's Maya.

M-A-Y-A.

No points in that.

Tossup in spelling.

Destruction or slaughter on a mass scale is a holocaust.

Spell “Holocaust.” Landyn.

H-O-L-O-C-A-U-S-T.

Correct.

Now spell as your bonus.

Brandeis as in Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Defer to Landyn.

B-R-A-N-D-I-S-E.

Well, close, except it's, D-E-I-S at the end.

It's named after a person.

No points on the bonus.

Tossup in health.

Which organ of the body is enclosed in a sac called the pericardium?

Alviro.

The heart.

And a health bonus for Catholic.

What ingredient is added to white sugar to make brown sugar?

Molasses.

Is right at the end of the game.

20 more points for Catholic.

Not that you needed them.

Against a fun squad from McMinn Central got a little bit out-buzzed.

Obviously you knew your stuff, but Catholic congratulations, you're going to advance.

Meanwhile, McMinn we appreciate you being here, especially your seniors who will now move on and won't get to see you again.

But Jack, you like to say something.

I think the other team was really good at ringing that buzzer.

As for my own team, I think we all bring something a little bit different to the table, you know?

So if we had gotten more into this, we probably, maybe would have been able to do a little bit better.

Well, I encourage your underclassmen to watch past episodes and practice ringing in at your school, and you'll do real well next year, I'm sure.

Meanwhile, Catholic, congratulations.

You're going to advance now to the threshold of 32.

Mary.

I really liked seeing how you all work together.

A lot.

And what about your own team?

Yeah, it's very nice to be in Scholars Bowl and in theater with all of you guys Okay, very good.

Well, we'll look forward to seeing Catholic again.

Are you of course, going to keep track of all the episodes and keep track of all the teams as they advance through the tournament.

By never missing an episode, check your local listings or check your PBS website for the next time Scholars' Bowl is going to be on you can binge watch past seasons online using the PBS app.

My name is Frank Murphy.

Thank you so much for watching Tennessee Scholars' Bowl 2026.