Plymouth Regional High Defeats Mascoma Valley Regional High School on Granite State Challenge

Durham, NH (March 13, 2026) – Think fast—what’s a role that actors Bela Lugosi, Gary Oldman and Adam Sandler all have in common? This was just one of the questions when wildcard winners Mascoma Valley Regional High School took on three-time champions Plymouth Regional High School in the most recent match of GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE on New Hampshire PBS. Plymouth bested Mascoma Valley 430 to 295.

Captain Abe Hankens, an 11th-grader, led the Plymouth Bobcats. His teammates included Yuriy Paul, an 11th-grader, Leif Eisenbarth, a 10th-grader and Ezra Amsden, an 11th-grader. Team alternates were 9th-graders Aurora Ricker, Cam Cawley and Olivia Brayfield. The Bobcats were coached by Drafting Teacher Jay Fogarty and World Languages Teacher Troy Harris.  Plymouth Regional High School enrolls 640 students from Plymouth, Ashland, Holderness, Campton, Rumney, Wentworth, Ellsworth, Waterville Valley and Thornton. The Plymouth team has won GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE championships in 2019, 2013 and 1996.

The Royals of Mascoma Valley Regional High School were captained by 12th-grader Adeline Josephson. The team was rounded out with 11th-graders Carl Russell and Abby Lockitt and 10th-grader Isaac Malenda. The team alternate was 9th-grader Tiley Hathaway. The Mascoma Valley team was coached by Social Studies teacher John Sweetland.  Mascoma Valley Regional High School enrolls 340 students from Canaan, Grafton, Enfield, Orange and Dorchester.

Mascoma Valley kicked the game off by answering three of the first five questions correctly. While Plymouth quickly came out to a lead after the games opening questions, the less experienced Mascoma Valley was still never far behind, ending Round One 115 to 90.

However, Mascoma Valley would stumble in the strategically difficult three strikes and you’re out round with just two correct answers. That was followed with four correct answers out of ten during round three.

Plymouth also struggled during the three strikes and you’re out round, with just three correct answers, but they gained a commanding lead when they rallied to get nine out of ten answers correct in the 60-second round. Plymouth ended Round Three of the game with a 95 point lead over Mascoma Valley.

“I think our practice really paid off and that showed in the 60 second round especially,” said Captain Abe Hankens. “I'm really proud of how we worked as a team.”

Mascoma Valley was able to narrow the point margin considerably in the beginning of Round Four, but never gained the lead. A string of quick buzz-ins and correct answers from Plymouth in the final moments of the game sealed the win for the Bobcats.

Plymouth coach Jay Fogarty, whose team has made it to the GSC Championship games four times since 2019, was impressed with his team’s opponents. “I’m  really happy with how my team played because Mascoma Valley was such a strong team,” he said. “We don't usually see this much competition in the first round.”

For her part, Mascoma Valley’s captain Adeline Josephson was proud of her team. “We were very excited to get to do this,” she said. “I think we held our own and I think we had fun, which is the most important part.”

If you don’t know the role that Bela Lugosi, Gary Oldman and Adam Sandler have in common, you’re not alone. Neither team was able to give the correct, if surprising, answer—Dracula.

Hosted by Bow High School teacher and former GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE coach (Bedford High), contestant (Belmont High), and GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE crew member, Jon Cannon, GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE features some of New Hampshire's brightest high school students 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.

Catch the next game of GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE on Thursday, March 19th at 8:30 p.m. on NHPBS. You can also stream it on the PBS App, the NHPBS YouTube channel, or online at nhpbs.org/gsc.

Test your knowledge with GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE online quizzes, and more at the GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE web page, or try your hand at daily brain teasers on the GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE Facebook page.

GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE is funded by lead sponsor Unitil, with additional funding from Safety Insurance and NEA New Hampshire.

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