Academies team earns Quiz Bowl title with final answer.

JIM MEENAN
Tribune Staff Writer

MISHAWAKA -- Culver Academies coach Phil Blessman was both confident and nervous. His team, easily on its way to earning the title at the St. Joseph Valley Quiz Bowl Tournament with a 245-165 lead minutes earlier, now found itself tied at 265 with St. Joseph's High School.

The previous question was about the Catholic religion and papal infallibility, which St. Joseph's John Robinson easily answered correctly to create the tie.

It was time for the final question, which would decide the match, the announcer said. The topic would be sculpture.

"I got a little nervous, but I knew we had a good team and Lane (Pratt) is very good on those last questions," Blessman said.

All was quiet in the Mishawaka High School television studio.

"It was very, very tense," said Bryce Durgin, a junior for Culver, who scored 50 individual points during the match.

"I could see the score and see that it was tied. And when I heard it was an art question, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, it's just completely out of my hands, I know nothing about art.'"

But Pratt, who also had 50 individual points heading into that final 20-point question, was ready with his buzzer.

His mother, Dail Jones, is a sculptor.

He didn't even have to hear the entire question.

He buzzed in at "support" (players often buzz in early) as the announcer read "What name is given to the metal or wire framework constructed by the sculptor for use as a support. . . ."

Pratt answered correctly ---- armature ---- before the rest of the question ... "for the clay and other plastic material in modeling? This word also refers to the rotating part of a dynamo. . ." could be read.

And in its first year in the league, and second as a competitive team, Culver Academies won the St. Joseph Valley Quiz Bowl post-season tournament, 285-265, qualifying for the state tournament April 22.

"I knew I had it right," said Pratt. "But I didn't know how close the game was until they said the score. I knew it was close."

Blessman, who has guided his team to a 30-5 mark this season and 10-3 record in the Valley, admitted his confidence rose when he found out the topic for the finale.

"When I heard it was a sculpture question, I knew that we had a good question and (Pratt's) actually taking art history as well, so I knew that was going to be a good shot," he said.

St. Joseph High School's Robinson was feeling just the opposite.

"We don't have anybody who is very good at sculpture," he said.

"I thought it was a very good match. It was very close. Culver's a very good team."

The teams had split two previous matches.

As both teams milled around in the Mishawaka High School TV studio briefly afterward, Pratt enjoyed the significance of the moment.

"We get the league championship for a year, and it feels good to end it that way because it's my senior year," he said.

The post-season continues now with the state tourney in Lafayette at Harrison High School on April 22.

There, Culver and St. Joseph's will join co-league season champs Penn and Washington.

Blessman was proud of his team of Pratt, Durgin, juniors Teresa Greppi and Lyndsey Gray and freshman Eric Faust.

"It's been great," Blessman said. "I am grateful St. Joseph Valley accepted us into the league. To win in the first year of membership is great and fantastic.

"It's been a great experience for us."

PHOTO ABOVE
Lane Pratt '06 ponders a Quiz Bowl question during finals at Mishawaka High School. (Tribune photo/JANAR STEWART)
LEFT PHOTO
Team members show off their new "Quiz Bowling" shirts (left): Eric Faust '09 ('Charlottesville, Va.), Lane Pratt '06 (Lovettsville, Va.), Teresa Greppi '07 (Dyer, Ind.), Bryce Durgin '07 (Warsaw, Ind.), coach Phil Blessman, and Lyndsey Gray '07 (Columbus, Ind.). Photo courtesy of Audrey Blessman.