Exeter Blue Hawks Soar Past Oyster River Bobcats

GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE

(DURHAM, March 25, 2018) – Oyster River High School became the first team this season to ace the Granite State Challenge lightning round, answering 10 out of 10 questions correctly in just 60 seconds. They were quickly matched by their rivals, the Exeter Blue Hawks, when, with the clock ticking down, Blue Hawks captain Weston Su correctly guessed that a luxating patella is more commonly known as a trick knee. Exeter won this week’s Granite State Challenge with a final score of 510 to 320.

The Exeter Blue Hawks were represented by captain Weston Su, Patrick Marcoux, Sophia Rubens, and Owen Barry, along with alternates Jack Pindell, and Matthew McCutchen. They were coached by Aaron Blais. The Oyster River Bobcats were represented by captain Gigi Reece, Owen Hilyard, Kagan Conrad, and Jacob Zercher, and alternates Emily Allyson and Megan Hutar. They were coached by John Monahan.

Exeter now advances to the quarterfinals of Granite State Challenge.

Hosted by Jim Jeannotte, the popular quiz contest began the season with Granite State Challenge Super Sunday at Manchester Community College. 46 New Hampshire high school teams took a qualifying test to secure one of only 16 spots on Granite State Challenge.

At the conclusion of the season, this year’s Granite State Challenge champion will move on to compete in the first-ever High School Quiz Show Invitational at WGBH in Boston against the winners of Maine Public’s High School Quiz Show: Maine . The winner of that game will face the winner of the semifinal game between Massachusetts and Rhode Island in a battle to decide the High School Quiz Show Invitational champion.

New Hampshire's top high school academic teams demonstrate remarkable teamwork, quick thinking and smarts as they play Granite State Challenge. The game emphasizes quick recall of math, science, social studies, language arts, and fine arts facts—along with questions about current events, entertainment, sports, and New Hampshire.

Watch Granite State Challenge Saturdays at 6 PM on New Hampshire PBS, with multiple airdates on NHPBS and NHPBS EXPLORE. You can view the latest games, try your hand at online GSC Quizzes and track the progress of your favorite team at nhpbs.org/gsc.

Granite State Challenge is generously funded by lead sponsor Unitil; additional funding is provided by NEA-New Hampshire, Heinemann Publishing, New Hampshire Lottery, D.F. Richard Energy, HRCU Measured Progress, the NHHEAF Network Organizations, and Super Sunday Sponsor Manchester Community College.