Exeter Defeats Alvirne High

Granite State Challenge - Round One

Do you know the name of the Exeter, New Hampshire native whose first novel, Setting Free the Bears, was published in 1968? None of the players for Alvirne High or Exeter High could come up with the correct answer for that question in their Round One game of Granite State Challenge.

Both teams came out of the gate strong, and at the end of Round One Alvirne trailed by only 10 points. Exeter High played great in Round Two and led by a score of 320-190 going into the 60-second round.

In the 60-second round, Exeter picked the category "Great Day for a Movie" and correctly identified five movies with "day" in the title. Alvirne picked the category "To the Bone" and correctly named four out of ten words or phrases that included the word "bone" and at the end of the round Exeter had a lead of 370-230.

In the last round of the game where correct answers are worth 20 points, but an incorrect answer can cost a team 20 points, Exeter came on strong, and won the game by a score of 510-230.

Playing for the Alvirne Broncos were Captain Jack Gasdia, Sophia Garas, Elaine Quarles, and Lauren LoVerdi. The team was coached by Eliana Buckley and Nathan Mann.

The Exeter High Blue Hawks were represented by captain Rhys Forster, Sophia Rubens, Andrew McElroy and Noah Robinson and alternates Patrick Marcoux and Jack Pindell. The team was coached by Aaron Blais.

Exeter High now goes on to face the winner of next week's Round One game airing on Saturday, March 9 @ 6 pm on NHPBS between Bishop Guertin and Plymouth in a quarterfinal match airing on Saturday, April 13 @ 6 pm on NHPBS.

You can follow your favorite team, view games online and try your hand at online Granite State Challenge quizzes at nhptv.org/gsc.

Oh, that Exeter, New Hampshire novelist? It was John Irving, who went on to write The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, and A Prayer for Owen Meany.

Granite State Challenge features New Hampshire's top high school academic quiz teams as they demonstrate remarkable teamwork, quick thinking and smarts to beat the clock and buzz in first on this iconic New Hampshire game show. 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.

Granite State Challenge is funded by lead sponsor Unitil; with additional funding from NEA New Hampshire, Heinemann Publishing, New Hampshire Lottery, D.F. Richard Energy, HRCU, Measured Progress, The NHHEAF Network Organization, Safety Insurance and Super Sunday partner, Manchester Community College.