Plymouth Bobcats Pounce on Nashua South Panthers

(DURHAM, May 5, 2018) – What element on the periodic table has a symbol that is a rather juvenile — and intentional — joke? The answer of Plutonium, with symbol PU, was worth 10 points on one of the closest games of the season on this week's Granite State Challenge, as Plymouth Area Regional High School faced reigning champs Nashua High South.

Nashua South was well ahead of Plymouth for most of the game, but Plymouth pulled ahead early in the fourth round. Despite an impressive comeback by Nashua South in the last minute of the game, Plymouth managed to hold on and win by a score of 480 to 460.

The Plymouth Bobcats were represented by captain Richard Lyons, Rhys Harris, Konner Bird, and Martin Runquist, with alternates Austin Sanders and Clayton Titus. They were coached by Jay Fogarty and Troy Harris.

Representing the Nashua South Purple Panthers were captain Ankita Devasia, Ben Telerski, Waithira Kiitu, and George Eid, as well as alternates Sathvika Korandla and Hailey Sweeney. They were coached by Greg Montine.

Plymouth now advances to the championship round of Granite State Challenge, where they will meet Salem High School.

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.

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Carla Gordon Russell
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(603) 868-4339