Nashua South Purple Panthers Halt Flight of Exeter Blue Hawks

GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE QUARTERFINALS

Test your nautical knowledge with this brain-teaser: How many feet would five fathoms be? The answer — thirty (each fathom is six feet) — was worth 20 points on the final round of this week's Granite State Challenge. Nashua South High School bested Exeter High School by a final score of 640 to 320.

The Nashua South Purple Panthers were represented by captain Ankita Devasia, Ben Telerski, Waithira Kiritu, and George Eid, with alternates Sathvika Korandla and Hailey Sweeney. They were coached Greg Montine. The Exeter Blue Hawks were represented by captain Weston Su, Jack Pindell, Sophia Rubens, and Owen Barry, as well as alternate Matthew McCutchen. They were coached by Aaron Blais.

Nashua now advances to the semifinals of Granite State Challenge where they will meet Plymouth Regional high.

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.