Salem High Bests Hanover High

GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE

Can you name the English mathematician considered to be the first computer programmer? Here’s a hint: she was also the daughter of poet Lord Byron. The answer - Ada Lovelace - helped Salem High School secure an early lead over Hanover High School on this week’s Granite State Challenge. Despite a perfect score in the game’s 60-second lightning round, Hanover was never able surmount Salem’s lead. The final score was 580 to 370.

The Salem Blue Devils were represented by captain Tony Consentino, Aidan Gallo, Jonathan Tarness, and Alexis Ahern, with alternates Ricky Jeffreys and Oba Oseghali. They were coached by Bernie Campbell. The Hanover Marauders were represented by captain Hayden Smith, Liam Szczepiorkowski, Simon Herron, and Oliver Minshall, as well as alternate Sam Beliveau. They were coached by Gabe Brison-Trezise and Bill Murphy.

Salem now advances to the semifinals 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.