Salem Bests Merrimack in Tiebreaker

(DURHAM, April 28, 2018) – Do you know how many counties there are in New Hampshire? The answer — ten — was the deciding factor in a tiebreaker round during the tightest game of the Granite State Challenge season, with Salem taking the win by a final score of 440-420.

While the tiebreaker question was critical, perhaps the bigger question was could a marriage survive the match?  Salem coach Bernie Campbell and his wife Merrimack coach Sara Campbell met while playing for Salem High School. Bernie Campbell was a member of the Salem team who took home the championship in 2002.

We are happy to report that the marriage did survive and that Salem now advances to the finals of Granite State Challenge, where they will meet the winner of the semifinal match between two-time defending champions, Nashua High South and 2013 champions, Plymouth Regional High.

The Salem Blue Devils were represented by captain Tony Consentino, Aidan Gallo, Jonathan Tarness, and Alexis Ahern, with alternates Ricky Jeffreys and Madison Emmons. They were coached by Bernie Campbell.  Representing the Merrimack Tomahawks were captain Scott Peyton, Alex Jobin, Nick Marcus, and Eric Hilton, as well as alternates Sophie Kim and Nick Gacharna. They were coached by Sara Campbell.

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.

Pressroom Contact

Carla Gordon Russell
Director of Communications
crussell@nhpbs.org
(603) 868-4339