Scholastic Bowl Competition set to begin January 4
“What martial arts name means ‘gentle way’?” That is just one example of the quiz-show challenge questions that teased students on the morning announcements at Akron High School as Scholastic Bowl Coach Mr. David Meli was putting his team together for the 2024 Scholastic Bowl. The team participates in two leagues.
Coach Meli, high school history teacher at Akron Central, begins his eleventh year as the team’s coach, leading Akron’s finest scholars against top students from other area schools in the region’s radio league on WLVL and the Genesee Valley BOCES League.
The team will kick off the in-person competition at the Genesee Valley BOCES on State Street in Batavia, today, Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 5:45 p.m., with Akron pitted against Attica, LeRoy, and Oakfield-Alabama high schools in the team’s season opener.
Eleven teams from area high schools including Akron, Pembroke, Alexander, Oakfield-Alabama, Attica, Alden, Notre Dame, Elba, Batavia, LeRoy, and Pavilion will compete in this year’s league, celebrating thirty-five years of competition.
This year’s team consists of juniors Matt Kalinowski, Hunter Sears, and Hayden Wight; sophomores Aron Gehl, Leo Muck, Christopher Ginestre, Carly Hoffman, Ava Lombard, and Bruce Karmazyn; and freshmen Audrey Garverick, Luke Piscitelli, and Alyssa Jago.
Genesee Valley BOCES Enrichment Services will record some of the matches, particularly, the finals, and post them for viewing; however, the link is not available at this time.
Akron’s matches are scheduled for 5:45 p.m. or 6:45 p.m. Competition dates are as follows: Thursday, January 4, 2024 – 5:45 p.m. Akron vs. Attica, LeRoy, Oakfield-Alabama; Wednesday, January 10, 2024 – 6:45 p.m. Akron vs. Alexander & Pembroke; Thursday, January 18, 2024; 6:45 p.m. Akron vs. Pavilion & Byron-Bergen, Wednesday, January 31, 2024; 5:45 p.m. Akron vs. Batavia & Notre Dame, Wednesday, February 7, 2024 5:45 p.m.; Akron vs. Elba & Alden, Wednesday, February 14, 2024; 5:45 p.m.
Semi-Finals – TBA, Thursday, February 15, 2024; 5:45 p.m.; Finals & Awards Ceremony – TBA
The team will also compete in a radio league at WLVL AM 1340/FM 105.3 in Lockport. Competing schools are Akron, Starpoint, Medina, Royalton-Hartland, Wilson, Lockport and North Tonawanda. Competition dates are as follows: Tuesday, January 9, 2024, 5:00 p.m. Akron vs. Medina & Wilson; Thursday, January 11, 2024, 5:00 p.m. Akron vs. Starpoint & Lockport; Wednesday, January 17, 2024, 5:00 p.m. Akron vs. Lockport & Roy-Hart; Tuesday, January 23, 2024, 5:00 p.m. Akron vs. Starpoint & Wilson; Thursday, January 25, 2024, 5:00 p.m. Akron vs. Starpoint & N. Tonawanda; Tuesday, January 30, 2024, 5:00 p.m. Akron vs. Roy-Hart & Wilson; Thursday, February 8, 2024, 5:00 p.m., Akron vs. Clarence & Roy-Hart; Tuesday, February 13, 2024, 5:00 p.m., Akron vs. Clarence & N. Tonawanda; Tuesday, February 27, 2024, 5:00 p.m. Akron vs. Wilson & Clarence. Playoffs are March 5th with the Final on March 6th.
Answer: Judo.