Lovell WAC team fifth at Northwest College competition

The Lovell High School Wyoming Academic Challenge (WAC) team competed Saturday, Jan. 10, at Northwest College in Powell. Coach Bret George took five students to the competition: Nate Cornia, Dean Anderson, Cutler Wilkerson, Isaac Sanders and Kyson Crosby.

Lovell placed fifth out of 12 teams at the meet. Coach George said he was pleased with the team’s performance, especially considering the level of competition.

“We’d like to do better,” George said, “but overall I was happy with how the team performed.”

This was the first meet for both Crosby and Sanders. Despite being first-time competitors, both students performed well. George said he was impressed with the team’s buzz-in speed and performance throughout the rounds.

The tournament used a “toss-up bonus” format. Each round included 20 core questions worth 10 points each. If a team answered the core question correctly, they were given four bonus questions worth five points each, allowing teams to earn up to 30 points per question. The scores were much higher because of the format. Because only four players are allowed to compete at one time, Lovell rotated players each round. Cornia, the team captain, competed in every round, while the other team members were subbed in and out.

Lovell finished the tournament with a total score of 350 points. The winning team, Powell, scored in the low 700s. Coach George highlighted the students for how well they represented Lovell High School.

“Our kids represented our school very well,” he said. “I’m always pleased with the way that they act, the way that they dress and the way they carry themselves as good, moral human beings.”