Searcy High School’s quiz bowl team has just won the title of state champions.

Learning is the most important aspect of this sport and all of the team members stepped up to study their particular fields.

“I just try to study everything I can,” said junior Eva Giddens. “Right now I’m reading a book on medical information.”

Crystall Neill, who has been on the team since junior high, said practice is vital in making the team strong.

“We play a lot of practice games on Mondays and Fridays when it gets close to tournament season,” Neill said. “We learn new strategies, learn new information, and pay attention in class.”

This game puts all players against each other in a battle of knowledge.

Hunter Ingle appreciates the rivalry.

“I like the friendly competition and catching up to everyone. Everyone has their own field,” said Ingle.

The seniors leaving has injured this team, just as it has for all the others.

The younger players are already planning on how to make their team even better for next year.

“Last year Kelly Mckenzie was the art person, and she passed that down to me, so that’s my responsibility to know now,” Neill said. “That’s how it will be with more seniors, too. They’ll just pass the knowledge down.”

Ingle feels even though the team is losing five seniors, the new freshmen will make a good addition to the team.

These victorious quiz bowl team members have come to the state championships against all odds. The triumphant feeling has spread to all the team and their coach.

“We were kind of dumbfounded at first. No one really spoke, no one really did anything. The crowd started clapping and we just started clapping back. It was a joyous occasion,” said Ingle.

Neill was really excited and surprised when they won.

“It was really an adrenaline rush. After Patrick got the last question, we knew we had it won, and we were all just sitting there with joyful expressions on our faces,” said Neill.

Giddens admits that she cried a few tears of joy.

The team believes Beverly Joyner, quiz bowl coach, played a big role in bringing the state championship to Searcy.