MSHSAA State Championship
A MSHSAA State Championship has been hosted for Scholar Bowl annually since 1996.
Predecessor
Prior to 1996, a state tournament was hosted by the Missouri Academic Association.
Format and Distribution
2021
In 2021, MSHSAA, due to NAQT's hesitance to support an in-person districts, MSHSAA chose Academic Hallmarks as their question provider, as Avery Enterprises and Questions Unlimited were the only other companies capable of providing questions. The packets consisted of 20 tossups and 20 bonuses, the first time a 20/20 set had been used at a MSHSAA tournament. If including a massive, unbuzzable biography before the giveaway can be considered pyramidal, the questions were pyramidal.
According to Clever coach and committee member Scott Walker, the questions were "4/4/4/4/4. 4 math, 4 English, 4 History, 4 Science. The last 4 [were] a Miscellaneous catch-all of everything else."
2019
The MSHSAA Board of Directors approved a three-year trial of a 26 tossup with three part bonus format, using NAQT's standard distribution for a 22 tossup-bonus packet with additional math questions. All questions are worth 10 points each with no powers or negs.
Despite the three-year trial, this only saw use in 2019, as COVID-19 prompted the cancelling of Districts in 2020 and NAQT refused to license questions for in-person tournaments for the 2020-21 season. 26/26 packets were still created throughout the 2020-21 season for any conferences that decided to go online.
1996-2018
The MSHSAA state series originally used a four-quarter format:
- 1st quarter: 15 tossups
- 2nd quarter: 10 tossups with bonuses
- 3rd quarter: 15 tossups
- 4th quarter: 10 tossups with bonuses
All tossups were worth 10 points; all bonuses were worth 20 points. Previously, they contained four parts worth five points each, but in 2010, the four part bonuses were changed to two part bonuses worth ten points each. There were no powers or negs. The maximum score in a MSHSAA game was thus 900.
The Missouri distribution consisted of:
- Science: 10/4
- Math: 10/4
- Social Studies: 10/4
- Literature: 10/4
- Fine Arts: 6/2
- Miscellaneous/Vocational Education: 4/2
The format and distribution used before 2010 were inherited from the MAA tournament. The original distribution included 3 tossups and 1 bonus in language arts; these questions were reassigned to fine arts in 2010. Combined with the change in bonus format also in 2010, the updated Missouri four-quarter format was uniquely MSHSAA's.
Districts and Sectionals
To participate in the MSHSAA state series, schools must register to participate in the activity for the current school year, which allows the school to participate in competitions against other MSHSAA member schools. The registered schools (usually a little over 400 each year) are then divided into four roughly equal classes based on enrollment. Through the 2017-2018 school year, enrollments were based on grades 9-12 and updated on a two year cycle in the summer of even years. Starting in the 2018-2019 school year, enrollments are now based on grades 9-11 and updated annually. Populations for private schools are multiplied by 1.35, and populations for single-gender schools are also doubled (which makes sense for single-gender sports but not so much for quizbowl). The schools are then divided within their classes into roughly equally-sized districts based on geographic proximity.
Districts are held in early April. District tournaments of four or more teams begin with three preliminary rounds with matchups based on random draw by teams. Based on the results of these games, the top 4 teams based on record then average points per game advance to a four team single-elimination bracket. District tournaments of three teams play a full round robin in the three rounds, then play a championship game between the top two teams. District tournaments with only two teams play a best two of three series.
From 1996-2008, each class had 8 districts, with the winner of each district advancing to the state tournament. From 2009 to 2020, each class had 16 districts, with the winners of two adjacent districts meeting on an afterschool weekday to play a best two-of-three series (or, 2021, one game) to determine which teams advance to the state tournament. In the 2021 season, the classes were expanded from 4 to 6, and districts were reduced back to 8; despite this, sectionals are still in place, creating a 4-team state tournament for each class.
State Tournament
The state tournament is held in early May in Columbia. The tournament was previously hosted at Stephens College in 1996 and 1997, Columbia College in 1998, and Rock Bridge High School from 1999-2008 (except for 2000 when the tournament was held at Gentry Middle School). Since 2009, the tournament has been hosted in Memorial Union on the University of Missouri campus.
From 1996-2007, all four classes competed on Saturday. Since 2008, the tournament has been split to two days, with Classes 1 and 2 competing on Friday and Classes 3 and 4 competing on Saturday.
The tournament uses the same schedule as districts. Each team plays three preliminary rounds with predetermined matchups based on district/sectional number. Based on the results of these games, the top 4 teams based on record then average points per game advance to a four team single-elimination bracket. This format has been used consistently since the tournament's inception, with the exception of 2021. That year, the limited number of Academic Hallmarks packets led MSHSAA to controversially forgo the prelim rounds, instead seeding the single-elim bracket by which sectional teams came from.
Question Providers
- 1996, 1997, 1998: unknown
- 1999-2002: The Question Bank (Bob Brown)
- Following the 2002 season, Bob Brown began teaching at Richland
- 2003: Champions Quiz Prep
- 2004: Straight A
- 2005-2007: Bryce Avery
- 2008: Shawn Pickrell
- 2009-2010: Questions Galore
- 2011-2019: NAQT
- 2021: Academic Hallmarks
Color Key
| Set/matched record in all classes | |
| Set/matched class record |
Championship Game Results
Indicated records are for highest score by a team with their placement in the championship game.
Championship Game Statistics
900 points were possible in a MSHSAA four-quarter format game (50 tossups worth 10 points each and 400 bonus points), with the 26/26 format allowing an additional 140 points to be scored in 2019. If a game was tied after regulation, overtime consisted of reading tossups until one team has answered three correctly.
| Statistic | Class 4 | Class 3 | Class 2 | Class 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest score, champion | 600
2013, 2019 Ladue |
470
2012 Savannah |
490
2018 Louisiana |
530
2012 Mound City |
| Highest score, second place team | 380
2003 Parkway Central |
400
2019 Hallsville |
340
2019 Thayer |
380 (forcing OT)
2014 Pilot Grove |
| Highest combined score | 910
2019: Ladue 600, St. Joseph Central 310 |
840
2017: Savannah 450, Orchard Farm 390 |
790
2019: College Heights 450, Thayer 340 |
760
2014: Thomas Jefferson 380, Pilot Grove 380 (OT) |
| Lowest combined score | 440
2006: Ladue 290, Liberty 150 |
385
2009: Priory 240, Smithville 210 |
305
2006: Richland 170, McAuley Catholic 135 |
315
2009: Tarkio 255, Leeton 60 |
| Smallest margin | 30 points
2003: Liberty 410, Parkway Central 380 |
3-1 in overtime
2014: Hallsville 370, Savannah 370 |
3-0 in overtime
2010: Barstow 170, St. Paul Lutheran 170 |
3-0 in overtime
2011: Heartland 340, Mound City 340; 2014: Thomas Jefferson 380, Pilot Grove 380 |
| Largest margin | 360
1998: North Kansas City 495, North County 135; 2012: Ladue 590, Rock Bridge 230 |
300
2012: Savannah 470, Priory 170 |
250
1999: Richland 420, Elsberry 170 |
380
2012: Mound City 530, Columbia Independent 150 |
The lowest combined scores occurred in years in which poorly written and excessively difficult questions were used, lowering scores across the board. A notoriously difficult Bryce Avery set was used in 2006, and Questions Galore wrote the questions in 2009.
Top Individuals
This table lists the individual with the highest average points per game through 5 rounds in each class in each year. Bold averages indicate the highest average in all classes that year. An asterisk indicates a different player had a higher average but did not advance to the playoffs, or a different player had a higher number of total tossups due to the listed player having a bye due to forfeit; see notes below the table for details.
Unknown top scorers answered fewer than 70 tossups correctly.
| Year | Class 4 | Class 3 | Class 2 | Class 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 1997 | Mike Wehrman, North Kansas City
26.6 (133/5) |
unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 1998 | Andy Wehrman, North Kansas City
18.0 (90/5) |
unknown | unknown | Joshlin Yoder, North Shelby
11.0 (55/5) |
| 1999 | Andy Wehrman, North Kansas City
18.4 (92/5) |
unknown | unknown | unknown |
| 2000 | Adam Hill, Nixa
18.2 (91/5) |
Sean Phillips, Boonville
19.8 (99/5) |
Jason Mueller, Lincoln
18.6 (93/5) |
Kevin Moore, Mound City & Jim Driscoll, Koshkonong
11.0 (55/5) |
| 2001 | Adam Hill, Nixa
22.2 (111/5) |
Greg Martin, Savannah
15.8 (79/5) |
Jason Mueller, Lincoln
19.0 (95/5) |
Jim Driscoll, Koshkonong
14.0 (70/5) |
| 2002 | Chris Ottolino, Parkway Central
11.8 (59/5) |
Melissa McCush, Savannah
23.4 (117/5) |
Cliff Brown, Glasgow
14.4 (72/5) |
Rebecca Porte, Thomas Jefferson
9.0 (45/5) |
| 2003 | Chris Ottolino, Parkway Central
22.2 (111/5) |
Justin Hofstetter, Lexington
15.4 (77/5) |
Derik Moore, Bernie
10.6 (53/5) |
James Black, Galena
13.6 (68/5) |
| 2004 | Jimmy Li, Parkway Central
15.2 (76/5) |
Kim Kerr, Savannah
13.6 (68/5) |
Matt Chadbourne, Viburnum
13.4 (67/5) |
Travis Eakin, Bell City
13.5 (54/4)* |
| 2005 | Jimmy Li, Parkway Central
20.2 (101/5) |
Andrew Hoekzema, Westminster Christian
12.8 (64/5) |
Josh Chittum, South Shelby
10.2 (51/5) |
Travis Eakin, Bell City
17.8 (89/5) |
| 2006 | Jason Wu, Ladue
13.8 (69/5) |
Andrew Hoekzema, Westminster Christian
14.2 (71/5) |
Sam Hooker, Richland & Cody Couch, Knox County
8.4 (42/5) |
Nate Kinast, Thomas Jefferson
10.6 (53/5) |
| 2007 | Charlie Dees, North Kansas City
18.0 (90/5) |
Cory Honer, Richland
15.4 (77/5) |
Woody Smelser, New Madrid County Central
10.8 (54/5) |
Nate Kinast, Thomas Jefferson
13.6 (68/5) |
| 2008 | Charlie Dees, North Kansas City
19.4 (97/5) |
Terin Budine, Savannah
19.0 (95/5) |
Logan Goad, Richland
12.2 (61/5) |
Nate Schuster, Pilot Grove
12.8 (64/5) |
| 2009 | Julia Price, Fort Zumwalt West
9.8 (49/5) |
Taylor Smith, Hallsville
13.6 (68/5) |
Ben Simpson, Belle
9.2 (46/5)* |
Kevin Lang, Tarkio
15.4 (77/5) |
| 2010 | Ravi Fernando, Kirksville
14.0 (70/5) |
Matt Menendez, Priory
8.8 (44/5) |
Ian Jessee, Plattsburg
7.4 (37/5) |
Tim Schmitz, St. Joseph Christian
8.8 (44/5)* |
| 2011 | Max Schindler, Ladue
27.0 (135/5) |
Aaron Seider, Centralia
14.6 (73/5) |
Ian Jessee, Plattsburg
14.4 (72/5) |
Antonio Perilli, Heartland & Paul Grant, Mound City
15.4 (77/5)* |
| 2012 | Max Schindler, Ladue
26.4 (132/5) |
Austin Kerns, Savannah
17.2 (86/5) |
Aidan Coyle, Barstow
13.6 (68/5)* |
Paul Grant, Mound City
25.4 (127/5) |
| 2013 | Max Schindler, Ladue
26.4 (132/5) |
Alexander Noddings, Priory
13.0 (65/5) |
Luke Voyles, Twin Rivers
21.0 (105/5) |
Luke Schuster, Pilot Grove
17.8 (89/5) |
| 2014 | Ben Zhang, Ladue
19.6 (98/5) |
Jared Lockwood, Hallsville
18.0 (90/5) |
Luke Voyles, Twin Rivers
22.2 (111/5) |
Luke Schuster, Pilot Grove
20.6 (103/5)* |
| 2015 | Omkar Venkatesh, Clayton
14.4 (72/5) |
Jared Lockwood, Hallsville
17.6 (88/5) |
Josh Vogel, Saxony Lutheran
17.6 (88/5) |
Ross Sparrow, Tuscumbia
20.6 (103/5) |
| 2016 | William Gentry, St. Joseph Central
18.2 (91/5) |
Tyler Woosencraft, Orchard Farm
11.2 (56/5)* |
Em Powers, Louisiana
18.0 (90/5) |
Will Devoy, Columbia Independent
16.0 (80/5) |
| 2017 | William Gentry, St. Joseph Central
16.8 (84/5) |
Samuel Lockwood, Hallsville
17.6 (88/5)* |
Em Powers, Louisiana
27.6 (138/5) |
Gage Smith, Wellsville
18.4 (92/5) |
| 2018 | William Gentry, St. Joseph Central
18.4 (92/5) |
Samuel Lockwood, Hallsville
27.2 (136/5) |
Em Powers, Louisiana
31.0 (155/5) |
Savannah Dillard, Thomas Jefferson
19.2 (96/5) |
Notes
- In Class 1 in 2004, Bell City only played 4 games due to a district winner declining to attend the tournament. Alex Moore from Mound City had 58 total tossups over 5 games.
- In Class 2 in 2009, John Prewitt from Thayer answered 34 tossups in the three preliminary rounds (11.33 per game) but did not advance to the playoffs.
- In Class 1 in 2010, Grant Monnig of Glasgow had 31 tossups and Matthew Willia of King City had 30 tossups in the three preliminary rounds, but their teams did not advance to the playoffs.
- The message board post with the 2011 All-State teams indicated 17.8 tossups per game but only 77 total tossups for the Class 1 leaders, so it is not known if 77 or 89 tossups is correct.
- In Class 2 in 2012, Luke Voyles of Twin Rivers had 45 tossups in the three preliminary rounds (15.0 per game) but did not advance to the playoffs.
- In Class 3 in 2016, Ross Simmons of Lafayette County had 46 tossups in the three preliminary rounds (15.33 per game) but did not advance to the playoffs.
- In Class 3 in 2017, Ross Simmons of Lafayette County had 69 tossups in the three preliminary rounds (23 per game) but did not advance to the playoffs. This set a record for most tossups by a player who only played the three preliminary rounds, and was the second highest number of total tossups answered correctly by an individual in Class 3 that year.