So close: Onekama Portagers
edged in final of West Shore Quiz Bowl competition
The Onekama Portagers
were runner-up in the 2012 West Shore
College High School Quiz Bowl competition.
Shown left to right are team members Kayla Feil, Alex
Barto, Emily Barnard, Claire Harvey, Curtis McKenney,
Elizabeth Bergren, and Jacinda Misico
by Ken Grabowski, Manistee
News Advocate
The Onekama Portager Quiz Bowl team came so close to
capturing the Class D championship of the West Shore
Community College Quiz Bowl competition that they could
almost feel the championship trophy in their hands. It still
was an outstanding effort by coach Kathy Joseph’s Onekama
team who came in as the 2012 runner-up.
The 25th Annual West Shore Tournament proved to be one of
the best ever, as most matches were very competitive. Many
matches went right down to the final seconds before being
decided.
Onekama’s team consisted of Emily Barnard, Elizabeth
Bergren, Curtis McKenney, Clarie Harvey and alternates Alex
Barto, Dan Kinn, Kayla Feil and Katie Harrison. They set the
mood for the day in their opening-round match where they
pitched Mason County Eastern a 135-0 shutout.
The Portagers then had to patiently wait to see who would
come out on top of the Brethren and Walkerville match. Coach
Mike Jura’s Bobcats were right in the thick of it, and time
just ran out on them in a 30-25 loss. This year’s Bobcat
team consisted of seniors Aaron Hillsamer (captain),
Danielle Brenner, Dylan Richardson, Cameron Smith, Brendan
Wayward, juniors Joe Riggs, Alex Marsh and sophomores Moriah
Miltgen and Lucas Richardson.
Onekama then continued to gain momentum when they
defeated Walkerville 135-10. The Portagers had rolled up an
amazing 270-10 advantage over their opponents at that point
in time, and appeared to be on their way to the
championship.
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Things looked even brighter for the Portagers when they
squared off against fellow undefeated Pentwater for what
would prove to be the first of three matches between the two
schools. Pentwater had defeated Manistee Catholic Central
65-45, and Bear Lake 40-10 to reach that stage.
However, the Portagers were able to ring the bell on
them, and move into the championship round with a 100-70
victory. At that point in time, the Portagers had to wait
and see who they would be meeting in that championship
round.
Manistee Catholic Central which is coached by Matt LaMore
tried to bounce back from that opening loss to Pentwater
when they met up with Walkerville in their second match. The
Sabers team consisted of Gabe Toczynski, Jaime Sierra,
Jarred Janicki, Kimmy Patulski, Mike Drew, Logan Hansen,
Makayla Sanchez, Chris Buswinka and Jeremy Bigalke.
In what proved to be a very close match that went down to the final
seconds, Walkerville was able to hang on for a 55-45 win. That loss sent
the Sabers out of the tournament.
Brethren, who had lost its opening
match to the same Walkerville team, then came back in its second match
to blank Mason County Eastern 145-0. That paired them up against the
Bear Lake Lakers in their next match.
Bear Lake was coached by Lavon Jonson and were seeking their first
ever championship since the Class D Division was added in 1997. Team
members include Jaimey Ferguson, Samantha Mullet, Alex Dutton, Josh Ide,
Tyler Groenwald, Miranda Hengy, Katelyn Adams, Emileigh Ferguson and
Madeleine Smeltzer.
The Lakers were turned back by the Bobcats, 100-30, in the first of
several strong matches for the Brethren team. Brethren then sent
Walkerville from further action with an 80-15 win.
That put them up against Pentwater to see who would challenge Onekama
in the finals for the championship. However, the Bobcats’ tournament run
ended at that point, and it was Pentwater and Onekama battling it out
for the trophy.
The first game couldn’t have been closer and Onekama lost a
heartbreaking 85-80 decision. Pentwater jumped on that momentum and
bounced back for the championship with a 95-50 win in the finals.
Students are challenged with some difficult questions in math,
science, geography, literature and language, current events, history and
theater in Quiz Bowl.
The Manistee, Mason Lake and Oceana intermediate school districts
help put on this annual event. Staff members from the college also
volunteer their time to serve as moderators, judges and timekeepers.
The WSCC foundation provides a $500 scholarship to attend the college
for a high school senior on the winning Class B/C and Class D Quiz Bowl
team. Last week, the Ludington Orioles defeated Manistee High School in
the finals to win that round of the tournament.
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