The Fair Grove Scholar Bowl team started off the season qualifying for all three national tournaments. Aidyn Owings (12) is a key individual leading the Scholar Bowl team to nationals and individually placing high in every competition.
Michelle Wahlquist is the Scholar Bowl team coach. She stated, “I love being around students who have a love for learning and knowledge. They are competitive and talented and we have fun because they are witty. I enjoy seeing the growth of the students throughout the years on the team. At tournaments we play all sizes of public and private schools, small, medium and large.”
The Scholar Bowl team consists of Owings, Madison Crews (11), Chase Hale (11) Audrey Johnson (10), Arron Batson (9). Owing and Batson attended a workshop in Columbia with some of the most elite players in the state. Owings finished first overall, and according to Wahlquist, Batson did great amongst the juniors and seniors of the competition. Owings said, “I am very proud of my team.”
So far the scholar bowl team is placing high in every tournament. In the Missouri S&T tournament the team placed third with Owings placing second. Wahlquist stated, “Missouri Quiz Bowl was a huge tournament with some of the highest state-level competition. We were thrilled with the entire team’s performance.”
“Aidyn Owings is killing it!” Wahlquist expressed. Finishing first in both the Missouri S&T and the Houston Fall tournaments, Owings continues to be on top. In the Clever, Kickapoo Classic, and Missouri Quiz Bowl he placed second overall in these tournaments. The Missouri Quiz Bowl is a large tournament with some of the highest state-level competition. Whalquist stated, “We were thrilled with the entire team’s performance.”
Scholar Bowl meets Wednesdays and Fridays after school in the library. “Practice is about 30% dilly dallying and 70% locking in,” Owings said. So while practice can be fun it also consists of a lot of learning, and exploring new concepts.
The team reviews their sets from their last tournament, then they deep dive into new exciting categories. Wahlquist stated, “The players have individual category strengths that work well together to cover most of the categories. We are always looking for more players who are knowledgeable in areas and like to compete and win.”
