Parrott Academy’s winning Quiz Bowl team receives trophy. (left to right) Back: Simal Omer, Rachel Alexander-Lee, Gabe Crail-Steinbaker, judges John Paul Black and Justin Stout. Front: Emily Angel, Natalie Christiano, Allison Christiano, Abby Turner, Alice Paul, and judge Catherine Hardee. Submitted photo.

Parrott Academy defeated South Lenoir in the sixth game of the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library Quiz Bowl on March 7th to become the county champions for the fifth straight year. The competition began in the library’s Schechter Auditorium at 1 p.m. with only four high school teams vying for victory:  Arendell Parrott Academy, Kinston High, North Lenoir High, and South Lenoir High. Bethel Academy was a late scratch from the contest due to illness among team members. 

With teams paired by a random draw, South Lenoir and Parrott faced off in a tense opening game. Though South Lenoir led through much of the three-round contest, Parrott sneaked in on the final 30 point question, winning by 5 points. Kinston High was the first to depart in the double-elimination tournament with losses to both North and South Lenoir. Defeating North Lenoir 140 – 80 in the third round game, South Lenoir was set up to face Parrott in the finals, a re-match of last year’s contest.  

The game was a 25-25 tie after the initial 10-point round. Then, with questions about North Carolina-born president James Polk, the cubist movement in art, and discrete mathematics, Parrott built a strong lead in the 20 and 30 point rounds. After both teams missed the final question about Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, moderator David Sawyer pronounced Parrott the victor with a 225-55 score.  

This was the 42nd year that the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library staff has organized a Quiz Bowl competition for local high schools. With the support of Friends of the Library, Tands Inc./ Bojangles, and the Kinston Free Press, the library offered Amazon gift cards to first and second place team members. Melanie Morgan, Neuse Regional Library Director, awarded trophies and gift cards to both teams and complimented coaches Laura Thompson of Parrott and Ryan Gardner of South Lenoir. She also announced that the Kinston Library will host the regional Quiz Bowl on March 28th. 

Catherine Hardee, a history instructor at LCC, joined Dr. John Paul Black and Justin Stout as a judge this year.  Hardee, who competed successfully on Jeopardy after college, said she enjoyed the competition.  “In an age of Google, there is still something magical about knowing things through sheer brainpower.”