BISHOP GUERTIN TOPS PINKERTON ACADEMY TO WIN NHPTV'S GRANITE STATE SUPERCHALLENGE

*** THIS NEWS RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
May 17, 2015 AT 6:30 PM ... THANK YOU! ***

(DURHAM, May 16, 2015 ) - In an almost player to player rematch of last year's SUPERCHALLENGE match, Bishop Guertin managed to top defending champions, and last year's GOVERNOR'S CUP winners, Pinkerton Academy by a score of 380 to 130. This marks the first time in 28 years that Bishop Guertin has won the GRANITE STATE SUPERCHALLENGE.

Pinkerton held strong in the first few rounds of the game, but couldn't stop the season-defining captain of Bishop Guertin, Timothy Morrison. Morrison helped Bishop Guertin in the sixty-second round leap ahead and finish the final round with a healthy lead.

"Last year was a dream season for us," said Pinkteron Academy coach Peter Crowell. "Being in the final match again was an amazing feat but I knew we had a tough game ahead of us and it was definitely that.  I am extremely proud of my team members and look forward to next year’s competition."

The Pinkerton Astros were represented by captain Rebekah Terry, Joe Ronca, Jake Hudgins, and Sara Tridenti, and were coached by Peter Crowell and Pam Griswold. The Bishop Guertin Cardinals were represented by captain Timothy Morrison, Zachary Deming, David Travers, and Holly Boivin, and were coached by Lisa Larochelle. Watch this and all the matches online >>

Immediately following the SUPERCHALLENGE game, at 6:30 p.m., Bishop Guertin will take on the winner of WGBH's High School Quiz Show in the Granite State vs. Bay State GOVERNOR'S CUP. This will be the third year for the inter-state rivalry between the winners of the GRANITE STATE SUPERCHALLENGE and the WGBH Boston High School Quiz Show.

The popular GSC quiz contest began its 31st season with 16 Granite State high school teams battling toward the coveted SuperChallenge title and brainy bragging rights.

New Hampshire's top high school academic teams demonstrate 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 England. Host Jim Jeannotte poses the Challenge questions; co-host Lori Warriner gets the behind-the-scenes story from each team.

Watch GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE Saturdays at 6 PM on NHPTV PRIME, with multiple airdates on NHPTV PRIME and NHPTV EXPLORE. All games can be watched online at video.nhpbs.org, on YouTube or iTunes. Online GSC quizzes help keep students and audiences involved in the game. www.nhptv.org/gsc

GRANITE STATE CHALLENGE is generously funded by lead sponsor Unitil, a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England; additional funding is provided by NEA New Hampshire, Heinemann, DF Richard, Markem-Imaje, Measured Progress, and the NHHEAF Network.