(whistle tweeting) (upbeat music) - [Musicians] Go!

(whistle tweeting) (upbeat music) - Welcome to the 18th season of WVIA's "Scholastic Scrimmage."

I'm your host, Paul Lazar.

"Scholastic Scrimmage" is a question and answer competition featuring high school students from across the WVIA viewing area.

In each program, two schools will compete in a single elimination tournament for a chance to win $1,000, $3,000, or $5,000.

Tonight's match features West Scranton versus Susquehanna Community.

Representing West Scranton are Britt Banull, Celia Emiliani, Ava Crisco, and Ava Stanton.

Their alternate is Kate Evans, and their advisor is Richard Bresser.

Representing Susquehanna Community are Alex Hall, Paytyn Sellitto, Lilly Mattis, and Jackson Maby.

Their alternate is Jeremiah Hadden, and their advisor is Will Sealy.

"Scholastic Scrimmage" is a game of rapid recall of factual information, so let's take a minute and review the rules.

The first team to buzz in will have an opportunity to answer a toss-up question.

Correct answers to these questions are awarded 10 points, and that team will then receive a five point bonus question.

If that toss-up answer is incorrect, no points will be deducted, but the question will then rebound to the other team.

If the other team answers correctly, they'll be given the toss-up points but will not receive a bonus question.

We're gonna go ahead now and get started with this toss-up question.

What man, who was the first person ever to resign from the Soviet Politburo, defeated Nikolai Rechov in 1991 in Russia's first presidential election.

(buzzer beeps) Okay, that was Boris Yeltsin.

Let's move on to another toss-up.

What man stated that a certain line segment sweeps out equal areas in equal times and that orbits are elliptical in his laws of planetary motion?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson Susquehanna.

- Issac Newton.

- Is incorrect.

Rebound to West Scranton.

(buzzer beeps) Okay, that was Johannes Kepler.

Here's your next toss-up.

What prehistoric period, whose late portion names a civilizational collapse of the 12th century BC, occurred between the Stone Age and Iron Age?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson, Susquehanna.

- The Bronze Age?

- Is correct, and here comes your bonus question.

Ukraine has accused Russia of planning what alliteratively named attacks in which a country blames another nation for an act they commit?

(buzzer beeps) - Invasion.

- Nope, we were looking for a false flag.

Here comes your next toss-up.

What city, which contains the glass-making island of Murano, is home to the Rialto Bridge and the bridge of Sighs, which both cross its many canals?

(buzzer beeps) Lily, Susquehanna.

- Venice.

- Is correct, and here comes your bonus question.

What American author published the 1856 collection "The Piazza Tales," which includes a novella about a slave revolt titled "Benito Cereno?"

(buzzer beeps) That author was Herman Melville.

Here's your next toss-up.

In what state was architect Rex Heuermann arrested in 2023 after being linked to the murder of four women discovered on Gilgo Beach in Long Island?

(buzzer beeps) Ava, West Scranton.

- New York.

- Is correct and here comes your bonus question.

What Chinese politician, whose three principles were nationalism, democracy, and livelihood, was the co-founder and first leader of the Kuomintang?

(buzzer beeps) Okay, that's Sun Yat-sen. Let's move on to another toss-up and get your pencils and papers ready.

What is the arithmetic mean of the four numbers 13, -3, six, and eight, given it is their sum divided by four?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson, Susquehanna.

- Four - [Paul] Is incorrect.

Rebound to West Scranton.

(buzzer beep) - Ava.

- Six.

- Is correct for your rebound points, West Scranton.

Great job, and here comes your next toss-up question.

What country, which was the location of the prison S-21, was the site of the killing fields of Pol Pot during the reign of the Khmer Rouge?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson, Susquehanna.

- Colombia.

- Is incorrect.

Rebound to West Scranton.

(alarm tone dinging) (buzzer beeps) Okay, we're looking for Cambodia.

Well that sound you heard signals the end of the first quarter and it's now time for the lightning round.

(logo whooshing) (electricity buzzing) In this segment, each team will have an opportunity to answer as many of the 10 rapid fire questions as they can in one minute.

Susquehanna Community has won the coin toss and will pick first.

Your categories are Primes or A in US Geography.

- US Geography.

- US Geography it is, and your time begins after I finish reading the first question.

Give these geographical answers that begin with the letter A.

State known as the Cotton State.

- Alabama.

- [Paul] Yes.

Alaska's most populous city.

- Anchorage.

- [Paul] Yes, please ring in.

Mountain range whose sub-ranges include the Blue Ridge Mountains.

(buzzer beeps) - Appalachian.

- [Paul] Yes, Texas City that hosts the South by Southwest Festival.

(buzzer beeps) - Austin.

- [Paul] Yes.

Utah national park whose delicate landform appears on state license plates.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- Arches National Park.

River that flows through Tulsa and Wichita.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] Arkansas.

State with public university campuses in Tucson and Tempe.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] It's Arizona.

Most populous city in New Mexico.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] Albuquerque.

Island chain whose Attu and Kiska were occupied by the Japanese in World War II.

(alarm tone dinging) Okay, the answer we were looking for there was the Aleutian Islands.

Okay, Susquehanna, that's going to do it for your portion of the lightning round.

West Scranton, we're coming over to you and your remaining category will be Primes, and again your time begins after I finish reading the first question.

Answer the following about prime numbers.

The only even prime.

(buzzer beeps) Ava.

- Pass.

- [Paul] Two.

Class of integer past one that are not prime.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] Composite numbers.

Greek mathematician whose theorem says there are infinitely many primes.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] That's Euclid.

Theorem that integers past one can be factored into primes.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] Fundamental theorem of arithmetic.

Smallest three digit prime.

(buzzer beeps) - 101.

- Yes.

Unproven hypothesis about the distribution of primes, a Millennium Prize problem.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] That's the Riemann hypothesis.

Name for primes that differ by two.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] That's twin.

Type of prime that's one less than a power of two.

(alarm tone dinging) That was Mersenne prime, and that's going to do it for the lightning round, and after that we currently have Susquehanna Community in the lead over West Scranton 40-25, and we're now going to go ahead and begin the next quarter with this toss-up question.

What philosophical concept, the subject of Plato's "Theaetetus," has been defined as justified true belief and is studied by the field of epistemology?

(buzzer beeps) No takers there, we are looking for knowledge.

Here comes your next toss-up question.

What author of the play "The Skin of our Teeth" depicted small town American life in Grover's Corners, New Hampshire in his play, "Our Town?"

(buzzer beeps) Ava, West Scranton.

- Tennessee Williams.

- Is incorrect.

Rebound to Susquehanna.

(buzzer beeps) Okay, we're looking for Thornton Wilder.

Here's your next toss-up and again, get your pencils and papers ready.

What is the combined weight in pounds of three identical bricks if five such bricks have a total weight of 20 pounds?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson, Susquehanna.

- 12.

- Is correct, and here comes your bonus question.

The rusting of iron is an example of what kind of reaction in which a species loses electrons?

(buzzer beeps) - Decomposition.

- No, we're looking for oxidation, oxidation.

Here comes your next toss-up.

What state, which contains the eastern part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is home to Duke University and the city of Charlotte?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson, Susquehanna.

- North Carolina.

- Is correct, and your bonus now.

What English author described enchanted fruit sold by sinister beings in her 1862 poem, "Goblin Market" and was the sister of artist Dante Gabriel?

(buzzer beeps) That's a tough question.

We are looking for Christina Rosetti.

Let's move on to another toss-up.

What case, in which William Jennings Bryan was asked about biblical morality by Clarence Darrow, saw a Tennessee man convicted of teaching evolution?

(buzzer beeps) - That was the Scopes Trial.

Let's move on to another toss-up.

What particles, which were discovered via deep inelastic scattering, form baryons and have flavors including charm, strange, up, and down?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson, Susquehanna.

- Quarks.

- Is correct and here comes your bonus question.

Alfalfa and apples are examples of what type of plant defined as one that could live for three or more years?

(buzzer beeps) Those are perennial plants.

Let's move on to another toss-up.

What island lies west of Sulawesi and north of the Java Sea and is divided between the three countries of Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson, Susquehanna.

- The Philippines.

- Is incorrect.

Rebound now to West Scranton.

(buzzer beeps) Okay, we're looking for Borneo.

Here's your next toss-up.

What center, who lost in the 1993 Stanley Cup finals while leading the Los Angeles Kings, is the NHL's all time leader in both assists and goals?

(buzzer beeps) Okay, that answer we were looking for was Wayne Gretzky, (alarm tone dinging) and that sound that you heard signals the end of the first half and we're now going to give our contestants a bit of a break and the opportunity for those of you at home to get to know them a little better, and we'll start with the students from West Scranton and Britt, I will come to you first.

Tell me what your plans are after high school.

- I hope to go to college somewhere in Maryland for communication.

- Okay, excellent.

Celia?

- I plan to go to college for international business.

- That's excellent.

Ava?

- I plan to go to college for journalism.

- All right, very good, and Ava?

- I plan to go to college for education.

- All right.

College bound, all four of you.

That's wonderful.

Congratulations, I wish you luck.

Let's come over to Susquehanna and Alex, if you wouldn't mind telling us what your plans are after high school.

- I plan to go to college, but I currently don't know what I wanna be yet.

- [Paul] Okay, neither do I. Paytyn.

- I plan to attend college for forensic science.

- [Paul] Is it Penn State?

- I'm kind of going between a few schools right now.

- Oh, okay.

I just saw your sweater and I assumed.

- [Paytyn] Yeah.

- Lily.

- I plan to go to college for medical illustration.

- [Paul] Okay, really cool, and Jackson?

- I plan to go to college for education as well as competing collegiately in wrestling.

- All right, very, very good.

It was very nice to meet all of you, and now we'll go ahead and begin the third quarter with this toss-up question.

What state was governed by segregationist Orval Faubus when in 1957, nine students attempted to integrate at Central High School in Little Rock?

(buzzer beeps) Celia, West Scranton.

- Arkansas.

- Is correct, and here comes your bonus question.

What name was shared by two Roman senators, the elder of whom repeatedly said, "Carthago delinda est" before the third Punic War?

(buzzer beeps) Okay, that was Cato.

Let's move on to another toss-up question.

What seven letter adjective denotes reproductive processes such as parthenogenesis and budding, which create identical offspring with only one parent?

(buzzer beeps) Lily, Susquehanna.

- Cloning.

- Is incorrect.

Rebound to West Scranton.

(buzzer beeps) Okay, that's asexual reproduction.

Let's go to your next toss-up question.

What body, chaired in August 2023 by Linda Thomas Greenfield, is tasked with preserving international peace and has five permanent members with vetoes?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson, Susquehanna.

- United Nations.

- [Paul] No.

West Scranton, rebound to you.

(buzzer beeps) - Security Council.

- Is correct for your rebound points, West Scranton.

Very good.

Let's move on now to your next toss-up.

What novel, in which the wealthy child Amir witnesses the assault of his servant's son as they play with a title object, is by Khaled Hosseini?

(buzzer beeps) No takers there.

That was "The Kite Runner."

Here's your next toss-up.

What state, which is the setting of the movies "50 First Dates" and "The Descendants," was a kingdom until 1893 and contains the island of Oahu?

(buzzer beeps) Celia, West Scranton.

- Hawaii.

- Is correct, and here comes your bonus question.

Escalite is a rare ore of what transition metal highly resistant to tarnishing, whose name refers to its brightly colored compounds?

(buzzer beeps) Britt.

- Bronze.

- No, we're looking for chromium, chromium.

Let's go to another toss-up question now.

What senator, who left a woman to drown during the Chappaquidick incident, represented Massachusetts and was the brother of a former president?

(buzzer beeps) That was Ted Kennedy, Ted Kennedy.

Your next toss-up question.

What photographer, whose wartime assistant was named Alexander Gardner, took over 10,000 photos capturing the reality of the Civil War's battlefields?

(buzzer beeps) Okay, that photographer is Matthew Brady.

Let's go to another toss-up.

What organelles, which contain membrane-bound structures called thylacoids where light dependent reactions occur, are the site of photosynthesis?

(buzzer beeps) Celia, West Scranton.

- Chloroplast.

- Is correct and here comes your bonus question.

In 1879, Britain fought the battle of Isandlwana against what African empire, which triggered the Umphakeme during its rise in the early 19th century?

(buzzer beeps) - Kenya.

(alarm tone dinging) - No, we're looking for the Zulu empire, the Zulu Empire.

Well that sound that you heard signals the end of the third quarter and another lightning round.

(logo whooshing) (electricity sizzling) This time, West Scranton will pick first.

Your categories are Bestselling Albums since 2000 or Vowels.

- Vowels.

- Okay, Vowels it is, and your time begins after I finish reading the first question.

Give these vowels and some answers will repeat.

Letter that begins Canada's national anthem.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] O. Vowel that ends most Spanish feminine nouns.

(buzzer beeps) - A.

- [Paul] Yes.

Transcendental number that is approximately 2.718.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] E. Prefix meaning descendant found at the beginning of many Irish surnames.

(buzzer beeps) - O.

- [Paul] Yes.

Largest vowel on Snellen charts used by eye doctors.

(buzzer beeps) - E. - Yes.

Universal donor blood type.

(buzzer beeps) - O.

- [Paul] Yes.

Major scale whose key signature has four sharps.

(buzzer beeps) - F. - [Paul] E. Represents current in Ohm's Law.

(buzzer beeps) - Y.

- [Paul] I. Burmese honorific that precedes Thant in the name of a UN Secretary General.

(buzzer beeps) - I.

- U.

(alarm tone dinging) Vowel in the Welsh words cwm and crwth that is a consonant in English.

That is W. All right, West Scranton.

You did a fine job in your portion of the lightning round.

Susquehanna, we're coming over to you, and your remaining category will be Bestselling Albums Since 2000, and again, your time begins after I finish reading the first question.

Name the singer or band whose albums include "21," which opens with "Rolling in the Deep."

(buzzer beeps) Lily.

- Adele.

- [Paul] Yes.

"The Marshall Mathers LP," which contains "The Real Slim Shady."

(buzzer beeps) Jackson.

- Eminem.

- [Paul] Yes.

"American Idiot," which has songs by Billie Joe Armstrong.

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- [Paul] Green Day.

The greatest hits album "One" which contains "Hey Jude."

(buzzer beeps) - Beatles.

- [Paul] Yes.

"Oops, I Did It Again," the follow up to "...Baby One More Time."

(buzzer beeps) - Britney Spears.

- Yes.

"A Rush of Blood to the Head" and "X&Y."

(buzzer beeps) Jackson.

- Pass.

- [Paul] That's Coldplay.

"Doo-Wops and Hooligans," which contains "Just the Way You Are."

(buzzer beeps) - Backstreet Boys.

- [Paul] Bruno Mars.

"Back to Black," which contains "Rehab."

(buzzer beeps) - AC/DC.

- [Paul] Amy Winehouse.

"Let Go," which contains the pop punk song, "Sk8er Boi."

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

- Avril Lavigne.

"Fallen," which contains "Bring Me to Life."

(buzzer beeps) - Pass.

(alarm tone dinging) - That was Evanescence, and after that, that's going to conclude the lightning round, and we have a great game.

We have Susquehanna Community in the lead over West Scranton by the slimmest of margins, 90-85, and we're now going to go ahead and begin the final quarter of the game with this toss-up question.

What author was interrupted by a person from Porlock while writing a poem about a pleasure dome built in Xanadu by the title emperor, Kublai Khan?

(buzzer beeps) Eva, West Scranton.

- Walt Whitman.

- [Paul] Is incorrect.

Rebound now to Susquehanna.

(buzzer beeps) - Edgar Allan Poe.

- No, we are looking for Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Let's move on to another toss-up.

What name is shared by a king known as Bluetooth, a Norse king who lost the battle of Stanford Bridge, and the Anglo-Saxon King who died at Hastings?

(buzzer beeps) Britt, West Scranton.

- George.

- [Paul] Is incorrect.

Rebound to Susquehanna.

(buzzer beeps) Jackson.

- Henry.

- Is incorrect.

We're looking for Harold, King Harold.

All right, let's move on to another toss-up.

What sitcom, in which Dr. Leo Spaceman gave dubious medical care to Tracy Jordan and NBC sketch comedy writer Liz Lemon, was created by Tina Fey?

(buzzer beeps) That is "30 Rock."

Let's move on to another toss-up.

What painting, whose setting is a road in Ekeberg, depicts a tumultuous orange sky behind an agonized figure covering his ears and is by Edward Munch?

(buzzer beeps) Lily, Susquehanna.

- "Scream."

- Is correct, and here comes your bonus and get your pencils and papers ready.

What is the discriminant of the quadratic polynomial, 2x squared minus 5x plus three, found by evaluating B squared minus 4AC?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson.

- One.

- Is correct for your bonus points.

Very good, Susquehanna.

Our next toss-up, what process, which heats then rapidly cools a liquid to kill bacteria, is named for its French inventor and is most often applied to dairy products?

(buzzer beeps) Celia, West Scranton.

- Pasteurization.

- Is correct, and your bonus now.

What Whig politician, who rose to power after the South Sea bubble burst, is generally considered to have been Britain's first prime minister?

(buzzer beeps) Okay, that's Robert Walpole.

Here's your next toss-up.

What military leader, who had a scandalous affair with Lady Hamilton, was commanding the HMS victory in 1805 when he died at the Battle of Trafalgar?

(buzzer beeps) That's Horatio Nelson.

Here's your next toss-up.

What character, whose bounty is as boundless as the sea, is courted by Paris, has a cousin named Tybalt, and is the star-crossed lover of Romeo?

(buzzer beeps) Ava, West Scranton.

- Juliet.

- Is correct, and now your bonus.

In July, 2023, Michigan filed forgery charges against 16 people who falsely claim to have served in what role on December 14th, 2020?

(buzzer beeps) That's presidential electors.

Here comes our next toss-up.

What beings, described in the theogeny as divine craftsmen who forged Zeus's thunderbolts, (alarm tone dinging) included Polyphemus, and were notable for having one eye?

(buzzer beeps) Jackson, Susquehanna.

- Orcs.

- [Paul] Is incorrect.

Rebound to West Scranton.

(buzzer beeps) Ava.

- Cyclops.

- Is correct for your points, and that is the game, and our winner tonight is West Scranton over Susquehanna, 115-105.

Congratulations, West Scranton.

Congratulations, West Scranton, and we'll see you next time with another round of "Scholastic Scrimmage."

I'm your host, Paul Lazar, and thanks for watching.

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