Maine South

Maine South Hawks
Location: Park Ridge, Illinois
Coaches	Jason Dutmers & Amy Kladis
State Championships	2007 Masonic State
National Championships	None
National Appearances	HSNCT: 2007-2009
Program Status	Active
School Size	2383
NAQT Page	link

Maine South High School is a public high school located in Park Ridge, Illinois, a near-north suburb of Chicago. It currently competes as a member of the Central Suburban League (CSL). It also competes in Class AA, the "large school" division, of the Illinois High School Association's (IHSA) State Championship Series. The team's motto, based on that of the Apollo XIII mission, is Ex scientia, victoria (from knowledge, victory).

History

Quizbowl at Maine South began with the year the school opened in 1963-64, though competition was restricted to participation in It's Academic, which was then hosted by the local NBC affiliate (WMAQ-TV), which had studios located at Chicago's Merchandise Mart.

At this time, records seem to indicate that the team was selected from among the members of the National Honor Society. This is consistent with the team being listed as a subgroup of the NHS, and not separately, in Maine South yearbooks of that era.

The "Scholastic Bowl" era began in 1988 with the advent of Scholastic Bowl being elevated to an officially sponsored activity of the Illinois High School Association.

In 1991, the team won, to date, its only IHSA Sectional Championship, qualifying for the State Championship Tournament. As was not entirely uncommon in that era, the team decided not to attend the tournament, as its timing conflicted with studies for Advanced Placement exams and other end-of-the-year activities. As a result, the Sectional title was stripped from the school, and stricken from the IHSA record books.

Throughout most of the 1990s and early 2000s, the team participated exclusively in the Central Suburban League; never establishing a winning record.

A coaching change in 2002 resulted in a change in team policy. The 3-9 record in the CSL, was poor, but the 17-28 record in all matches established the most losses in the state of Illinois that year. Nonetheless, the 45 matches was more than the team had played in the pervious four years combined.

Prior to the 2003-04 season, the team withdrew from CSL Scholastic Bowl. This withdrawal would remain in effect until after the 2006-07 season, during which time the team played in invitational tournaments only, except for a small number of dual meets. The primary reason for withdrawing from the League was to open up the schedule to more challenging opponents. The CSL is the only conference of its size in the state which requires individual matches against all conference members instead of playing some combination of quadrangulars or triangulars. With the IHSA rule on playing on no more than 18 dates, and the CSL schedule requiring 11 (at the time; now 12), it was decided that the best way to improve the team rapidly was to forego conference affiliation, and play more matches at more tournaments; something that would have been difficult under the structure of the CSL. The tournament schedule also permitted play for a "B" team as the number of players grew, something that would not have been easily done in the CSL conference structure.

After the 2004-05 season, one school approached the CSL principals, and asked for a vote on Maine South's status; that is that Maine South be forced to return to the league immediately, or be banned from returning forever. In an unanimous vote, the principals voted to permit Maine South to continue as they saw fit, and rejoin whenever they chose.

The 2003-04 season saw Maine South travel to its first out-of-state tournament, hosted by the Conserve School in Land O'Lakes, Wisconsin, which saw a fourth place finish. The team finished the season with an upset victory over the heavily favored Ramblers from Loyola Academy in the IHSA Regional Tournament, before bowing out with an 0-3 last place finish in the IHSA Sectional. While the team did not improve on its 28 loss total from the previous year, the 44 wins was a new high water mark.

2004-05 saw a strong senior class, and a 41-21 record. The team finished 5th in the large field at Culver's tournament. Ironically, the Regional loss to Loyola Academy was virtually a mirror of the previous year, with the favored, more experienced Hawks falling to an upstart, younger team of Ramblers.

2005-06 marked the first time since the 02-03 campaign where the starters were predominantly juniors, yet the team stayed on course with a 41-27 record.

2006-07 saw the team run out to a school record 85-22. Major victories included the Ultima Tournament, and the Masonic State Championship. The team won their second IHSA Regional title in four years, but finished second in the Sectional to eventual IHSA State Champion, New Trier.

The Masonic State Championship match saw Maine South come back from a 90 point first half deficit to New Trier, and then erase a 25 point margin on the final question to win 210-205. It marked the first time in the combined 53 IHSA and Masonic State Title Games before this where a team behind with one question to play, and requiring a toss-up/bonus sweep to win, actually scored the final toss-up and bonus sweep to win a State Title.

Despite not qualfying for the IHSA State Tournament, the IHSSBCA Final Coaches Poll ranked the team 3rd in the state only behind IHSA Champion New Trier, and Runner-up Wheaton North.

Maine South finished the season with a second place finish in the NAQT Illinois State Tournament, and then a tie for 33rd at the 2007 HSNCT.

A new coach and a new schedule welcomed the team in 2007-08, as the team returned to a CSL conference schedule for the first time in five years. The senior laden team welcomed thr first freshman to regularly stat for the team, and finished second in the CSL to New Trier. Highllights included a third place finish at the New Trier Varsity Tournament, and reclaiming he Wyatt and Ellenstein trophies in District 207 competition. For the first time in team history, the Hawks won a back-to-back regional title. In the sectional, the Hawks fell to New Trier, but beat Loyola in the final round to set up a three-way tie for the championship. On tie breakers, Loyola advanced to the State finals.

2012-13 saw the team win the first CSL Conference Title in school Scholastic Bowl history. The IHSA Regional Tournament saw the team lose in the final to the Latin School of Chicago in double overtime. Trailing by 10 points before the final bonus part, the Hawks stole the 10 points to tie the match. After the first overtime tossup went dead, Latin answered the second tossup and got twenty points on the bonus to win the regional.

Traditions

Rivalry Awards

Maine South competes in two annual rivalries with special awards at stake.

The District 207 Championships are competed between Maine South and her sister schools Maine East, and Maine West. In commemoration of the District, the triangular meet is held as close to February 7 (2/07) as possible. The varisty team competes for an inscribed pewter bowl mounted onto a wood base, named in honor of Dennis Wyatt, the former coach at Maine East. The frosh-soph teams play for a perpetual plaque named in honor of Marshall Ellenstein, the retired coach at Maine West, and nationally renowned physics teacher.

South won both awards for the first time in 2007, the second year of the competition. They repeated with double wins in 2008.

The Bloodstone Cup is the annual competition held between Maine South and Loyola Academy. The annual competition was born from the back-to-back Regional upsets that the teams visited in each other. The award is a crystal goblet filled with hand-tumbled bloodstones, and kept in a wooden presentation box.

South won the Cup in 2007, the second year of the competition.

Honorary Varsity Letter

Each year since 2003, the organization has recognized a non-player who has given their time and talent to support the team, or a Maine South individual who has given of their time to support Scholastic Bowl in Illinois.

• Dr. T. Cachur (class of '03) - former principal, supported leaving the CSL
• Dr. R. Garlasco (class of '04) - activities director, supported hosting tournaments and helping to secure financial well being of the program
• Mr. G. Dietz (class of '05) - asst. principal, helped to secure transportation to the many tournaments, and helped in securing increased budget for travel.
• Mr. M. Ellefson (class of '06) - former frosh-soph coach; helped develop top talent as underclassmen.
• Mrs. S. Sagmeister (class of '07) - wrote biology questions for the IHSA State Series for several years.
• Mr. M. Biondo (class of '08) - former frosh-soph coach; helped develop the talent as underclassmen.

The award, consists of a display case containing a varsity letter, any other chenille awards earned by the team that year, and a small plaque carrying the appropriate citation. The award is presented by the senior captain at the annual banquet held after the season.

Tournament Hosting

In addition to hosting IHSA Regional and Sectional tournaments, Maine South hosted a frosh-soph tournament between 2005 and 2007. The "Hawk Classic" consisted of 12 relatively short toss-ups. followed by a written bonus of 10 questions, such that there were two questions each of science, literature, social studies, the arts, and trash. The final period consisted of 10 pyramidal toss-ups, with bonuses. The overall philosophy of the tournament for novice players was to keep matches moving, give opportunity for scoring, and to make sure that the opportunity to win favored the team with the greater depth and breadth of knowledge.

Maine South was also the originator of the Octangular tournaments in Illinois, which ran from 2004-07. The tournament brought in six teams (with Maine South fielding A and B teams) to play a seven match round robin. The questions were written in house to mostly pyramidal specifications. The tournament was then mirrored at a few sites around the state, most notably at the "Bloodbath" held at Fenwick High School each year. While question quality started out poorly, it generally improved, and was one of the first in-house written pyramidal tournaments available in Illinois.

In December, 2007, the IHSA awarded Maine South Sectional hosting duties for the second time.[1]

Coaching

From 2002-07, Maine South was coached by Mr. Tom Egan. Egan, known for his work ethic, modesty, and uncanny resemblance to the Penguin from "Batman," compiled a 228-126 record for a career winning percentage of .644. Over the course of his career, Egan served as an active member of the IHSSBCA, serving variously as ombudsman and at-large member of the steering committee. In 2005, Egan was presented with the Benjamin Cooper Young Ambassador Award "for his efforts in supporting and improving academic competition in Illinois." [2] The team is currently coached by Mr. Jason Dutmers on the varsity level and assisted by JV coach Amy Kladis.

Team Captains

Data since 2002-03

• Laura Garofalo: 2002-04
• Alex Schallmo: 2003-05
• Natalie Kociubinski: 2004-06
• Anastasia "Stacey" Svetlichnaya: 2005-07
• Jimmy Grizzell: 2007-2008
• Andrew Deveau: 2008-2009
• Joe Anderson: 2009-2010
• Adam Smith & Austin Bryniarski: 2010-2011
• Matt Buckley: 2012-13
• Brian Johnson: 2013-14

IHSSBCA Individual Awards

The following were honored by the Illinois High School Scholastic Bowl Coaches Association (IHSSBCA) for outstanding play through their All-Sectional/All-State Program. Each sectional comprises roughly 24 geographically concentrated teams, and thus roughly 125 starting players. Through the 2006-07 season, the top ten players were recognized in each sectional,(starting with 2007-08, the number was raised to 15) with teams restricted to no more than two nominations (three nominations starting in 2007-08). There are twenty All-State awards given each year (10 First Team, 10 Second Team) in each of Illinois' two classes.

All-Sectional Honorees

• 2002-03: Tom Bellino
• 2003-04: Tom Bellino, Mike Mangialardi
• 2004-05: Mike Mangialardi, Dan Widing
• 2005-06: Greg Peterson, Jeff Wear
• 2006-07: Greg Peterson, Jeff Wear
• 2007-08: Jimmy Grizzell
• 2008-09: Andrew Deveau, Joe Anderson
• 2011-12: Casey Bryniarski
• 2012-13: Matt Buckley
• 2013-14: Brian Johnson
• 2015-16: Ralph Patejunas

All-State Honorees

• 2003-04: Mike Mangialrdi (2nd team)
• 2004-05: Mike Mangialardi (1st team)
• 2005-06: Greg Peterson (1st team)
• 2006-07: Greg Peterson (1st team); Jeff Wear (2nd team)
• 2007-08: Jimmy Grizzell (2nd team)
• 2008-09: Andrew Deveau (1st team)
• 2013-14: Brian Johnson (2nd team)

Playing for Team Illinois

• Greg Peterson (2007)

Notable Team Alumni

Above: 1965 team with Hillary Rodham, second from left in the top row.

• Dr. Dan Amidei - ('74) - member of the team at Fermilab which discovered and measured the mass of the Top Quark
• Dr. Norman Ellstrand ('66) - Professor of Genetics and Director of Biotechnology Impacts Center at University of California, Riverside
• Hillary Rodham Clinton - ('64) - former First Lady, former senator from New York, former presidential candidate, former Secretary of State
• Gary Johnson - ('68) - President, Chicago History Museum
• Greg Peterson - ('07) - Runner-up to Meryl Federman in the 2007 Jeopardy! Summer Teen Tournament, also won money on WWtbaM and helped set an international record for winning on "The Chase".
• Jim Puls - long time nationals official.

External Links

• Maine South Scholastic Bowl Team Website

Illinois Masonic State Tournament Champion
Preceded by	Year	Succeeded by
Fremd	2007	Auburn