Saxony Lutheran Wins State Scholar Bowl Championship

The Saxony scholar bowl team has had an exciting past few weeks. In fact, to say that the team has performed well would be an understatement. Since the beginning of March, the Crusaders have gone undefeated, riding a 33-game winning streak through the district, sectional and state tournaments, bringing home the program's second state championship!

On April 18, the team traveled to Puxico High School for the district meet. In the preliminary rounds, the Crusaders beat Bloomfield 590-80 and then cruised past Puxico 550-140, earning the top seed in the district championship. In the rematch with Bloomfield, Saxony soundly defeated the Wildcats 640-50, winning the district title and advancing to the sectional round! Eleven days later, the scholar bowl team traveled to Malden to battle the Green Wave in a best-of-three games match, with a trip to state on the line. With two wins of 650-120 and 380-220, the Crusaders qualified for the state meet on May 8, one of eight teams remaining.

Following a send-off at school the day before, a long drive to Columbia and a night in a hotel, the team began its quest to reclaim the state title. The Crusaders beat Monroe City 370-230 and Lathrop 460-160 before facing the defending champion, Richland. In a close game, the Crusaders squeaked by on the last question to win 380-350, having a perfect morning record and earning the #1 seed for the final four in the afternoon.

After a quick lunch, Saxony played Gainesville in the semifinals, winning 400-210, advancing to the state championship. In a back-and-forth game, it looked as if the Richland Bears could repeat as state champs, building a 70-point lead in the third quarter. However, the Crusaders battled back to tie the game and take a narrow lead. Once again, the game came down to the last question, and Saxony won 350-330, winning the Class 2 State Championship! The team received a large trophy and medals, and Joshua Vogel received the first place individual award.

Congratulations to the scholar bowl team for a successful year! The team finished with a record of 52-7, the best in school history. The team had three all-district (Nick Henry, Nathan Lichtenegger and Josh Vogel) and one all-state (Josh) player. Although the team's seniors will be missed, the future looks bright as several underclassmen will rise to the challenge. Thank you to Mr. Cleair and Ms. Story for coaching this season, and thanks to the student body for the support you've given the scholar bowl team!