Nashua High South Tops Academy for Science and Design

Can you names the California city known for hillbillies, Rodeo Drive and its 90210 zip code? That question baffled the players for the Academy for Science and Design and Nashua High South in their Round One GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE game.

Playing for the Academy for Science and Design was sophomore Ella Blanchard, senior Olivia Bennett, senior Nicholas Federico, captain junior Jonah Rivers and alternates Mark Colley and Lindsey Koczalka. The team was coached by Douglass A Belley.

Nashua High South was represented by captain senior Ankita Devasia, senior Ben Telerski, junior George Eid, and junior Njeri Kiritu. The alternates were senior Hailey Sweeney and freshman Sri Korandla. The team was coached by Greg Montine.

At the end of Round One Nashua High South led by a score of 140-90, but the Academy for Science and Design came on strong in Round Two and only trailed by 30 points with a score of 300-270.  

In the 60-second round, the Academy for Science and Design picked the category "Just Don't " and correctly identified eight out of ten phrases beginning with the word "don't" missing only the No Doubt song, "Don't Speak" and the phrase, "Don't Mess with Texas" adding 80 points to their score. Nashua High South chose the category "Road Taken" and correctly identified nine out of ten phrases that included the sound "road" in them, missing only the Lindsey Buckingham song "Holiday Road" from the movie National Lampoon's Vacation. At the end of the round Nashua High South had a 40 point lead with a score of 390-350.

In the last round of the game where correct answers are worth 20 points, but an incorrect answer can cost a team 20 points, Nashua High extended their lead, and won the game by a score of 690-510.

Nashua High South goes on to the quarterfinals where they will face the winner of the next Round One match between Merrimack High and Portsmouth High airing on Saturday, March 23 @ 6 pm on NHPBS.  

The name of that California city that stumped both teams - Beverly Hills!

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 Organizations, Safety Insurance  and Super Sunday partner, Manchester Community College.

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