Fall Mountain Regional Defeats Portsmouth High on GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE

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FALL MOUNTAIN TOPS PORTSMOUTH HIGH, ADVANCES TO GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE SEMIFINALS (DURHAM, April 15, 2017) - What do Kubla Khan, El Cid, and Richard Milhouse Nixon have in common? They all all played a role in this week’s GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE quarterfinal game between Fall Mountain Regional High and Portsmouth High.

Fall Mountain played a strong early game, leading comfortably after rounds one, two and three, but Portsmouth came back in round four and with just 26 seconds left in the game the score was tied at 370 to 370. It all came down to the last two questions - Fall Mountain correctly identified the first name of the Simpson’s character Milhouse Van Houten as being the middle name of Richard Nixon.

If Portsmouth answered the final question correctly, they would tie the game, but it was an extraordinarily tough question - Castilian medieval military leader Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, better known by this short name meaning the lord, was played by Charlton Heston in a 1961 film. The answer was El Cid, but both teams were stumped by the question!

The final score was Fall Mountain 390 and Portsmouth High 370. Watch this and all the matches online >> The Fall Mountain Wildcats were represented by captain Tim Fitzpatrick, Brandon Perkins, George Gowdy, Lauren MacLachlan and alternates Lenard Lim and Morgan Snelling. The Wildcats were coached by Nick Belsky. The Portsmouth Clippers were represented by captain Cameron Markovsky, Peter Gerrish, Ethan Fuller, Chithra Singareddy, and alternates Elayna Bennett and Jackson Smith. The Clippers were coached by Hannah Dul. “This was a great team,” said Portsmouth coach Hannah Dul. “I’m very proud of them for their hard work, years of studying and their sportsmanlike (and sportswomen-like) conduct.” “I’d been reading about Kubla Kahn this past week and when that question came up, I knew it! “Who knew I’d use it!” said Portsmouth student Chithra Signareddy Fall Mountain now advances to the semifinals of GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE.

Hosted by Jim Jeannotte, the popular quiz contest began the season with 16 Granite State high school teams battling toward the coveted SUPERCHALLENGE title. Also, for a fifth year, there will be a Granite State vs. Bay State Governor's Cup match between the winners of the GRANITE STATE SUPERCHALLENGE and the WGBH Boston High School Quiz Show. 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 England. Watch GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE Saturdays at 6 PM on NHPTV PRIME (5:30 p.m. during the NHPTV SPRING AUCTION), with multiple airdates on NHPTV PRIME and NHPTV EXPLORE.

All games are available to watch online at video.nhptv.org. Online GSC quizzes keep students and audiences involved in the fun. www.nhptv.org/gsc GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE is generously funded by lead sponsor Unitil, a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England; additional funding is provided by NEA-New Hampshire, Heinemann Publishing, D.F. Richard Energy, Measured Progress, Pax World Donor Advised Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the NHHEAF Network Organizations, New Hampshire Magazine, and our Super Sunday partner, Manchester Community College.