Can't Stop the Questions

Chapter 39: Winners' Bracket

Their first game is held at the International Meeting Room C, in the hotel's basement, with both the bus driver and Warren being in the room with the B-team. Their opponents were already seated when they enter the room for their first playoff game:

"After this game, I will follow the A-team, as that will be the team people at home will be more eager to follow" the bus driver tells the B-team as they get seated to play their first playoff game. "The parish radio will also cover these games through the liveblog"

"This is round twenty-one, the first playoff round of the 2030 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament winners' bracket. This game pits, from Louisiana, Venomous Agendas B, and, from Michigan, Detroit Country Day A. Best of luck to both teams, and here's tossup one" the moderator starts the playoff game.

Detroit Country Day. While not as significant in VA quiz bowling history as Wayzata, DCC or TJHSST, it's still a loss I remember very clearly as a coach, Warren muses while the first clue is being read, leaving both teams speechless. And the A-team, too, who is watching this game.

Audrey is asking herself whether sacrificing half a season of AAU basketball for the HSNCT is worthwhile. After basketball-State, I reduced my basketball training schedule to some pickup basketball with the other girls, so that I could focus on quiz bowl. My parents had an incentive for me to focus on quiz bowl until the HSNCT ends, because they would spend less on travel than if I played the whole AAU season with Bayou City Hoops Elite. Hopefully Bayou City won't write me off for the second half, but at the same time, placing as high as we can get here will probably be worth the exposure of the first half of the season. She then proceeds to text Carrie, asking for updates of Bayou City at LGR Takedown.

The rest of the game seemed to be a tightly played game, with highly competitive play, but VA B's players all seem to have a sense of déjà vu, in that, once again, it will boil down to one last tossup-bonus cycle. Speaking of which, the final tossup is read, with VA B thirty points behind:

"Tossup twenty-three: The Federal Highway Act of 1921 was passed, providing matching funds to states to build the predecessor of this highway system" the moderator starts reading.

In 1921, the automotive industry was immature, and railroads were still the way to go for inter-state transportation back then, Lilina thinks about what the answer could possibly be, but didn't buzz in just yet.

"The Pennsylvania Turnpike is nicknamed the grandfather of that system" the second clue is read, causing both sides' history players to enter a buzzer race.

By now, these players have seen dozens of buzzer races over the season, and they know how to deal with one. But, in the end, Lilina was faster on the buzzer.

"Interstate!" Lilina shouts.

"Prompt!"

"Interstate highway system!"

"Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about drafts"

The DCD player who lost the buzzer race to Lilina feels the game slipping out of their control and starts praying the VAs don't get more than one bonus right. And the VAs miss the first bonus part.

"In ships, the draft refers to the distance between the keel and this line"

"Waterline!" Gerard answers the second bonus part.

"The NBA instituted a rule stating that teams cannot trade first-round draft picks in two consecutive seasons, named after this owner" the moderator reads as the clock rings, signaling the end of regulation time.

We must be quick! This is our chance to win this game and force DCD down the drain! Pablo's mind grinds gears while looking frantically for a possible answer to this bonus. Gerard and Nadine both signal they don't know the answer, and Lilina was struggling.