Knowledge Bowl team captures section title
By: Sheila Crowley
Murray County News Staffwriter
The Murray County Central Knowledge Bowl team has made quite a ‘buzz’. Comprised of Bryason Korver, Alyssa Boynton, Miranda Van Ruler, Rachel Siedschlag, and Jack Pierson, the team has made history at MCC earning first place at the section meet held on March 12th at Southwest Minnesota State University. Although other teams have earned trips to the state competition, this is Bau’s first team to earn top honors.
Veterans Alyssa Boynton and Jack Pierson, both seniors, competed at the state level last year with each participating in the program since seventh grade. For Bryason Korver this is his first year competing with MCC. His initial involvement happened in seventh grade while attending school in Kansas. Rachel Siedschlag, a senior, is competing for her second year while Miranda Van Ruler, junior, also begin as a seventh-grade student.
When asked what the students’ favorite part of being involved in this extracurricular activity, Boynton commented, “It makes me feel good when I get a question right. It’s an ego boost.” She continued with, “We love Mrs. Bau….she’s like a Mother to us.” Each of the team members nodded in agreement with this comment.
How does one prepare for such a competition? According to the students, preparation involves Mrs. Bau reading questions with the team members buzzing in … just like competition. Typically these questions come from previous meets. Normally the teams practice every Wednesday after school during the season which begins in January.
Sue Bau has been coaching the teams for the past nine years. She was encouraged by Sue Jones to apply when the opening occurred. Bau says she loves the interaction with the students. “It is so much fun to see them make connections to what they learned in class with the questions during a practice or competition.” In the nine years, Bau’s been coaching this is the sixth group of students to advance on. “This group of students is motivated to do their best,” says Bau. “The competition will be intense. They will need to be ready to work hard.”
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