Senior Jacob Stange bit his tongue, using every fiber of his being to keep his mouth shut. When he could not take it anymore, he stood up and started teaching his middle school teacher a thing or two.

All because she could not pronounce “Tenochtitlan.”

“In hindsight, that was really stupid,” Stange said, “but the fact that I was willing to go into it speaks a lot to what I’m all about.”

And Stange, like most scholar bowl athletes, is all about the facts. Luckily, there’s a place where he can put that to use. On the Scholar Bowl team, he and his teammates study to become masters in “the art of knowing stuff.”

To Stange, there’s no better feeling than showing off his skill and being the first to buzz in with the correct answer.

“It’s like you’re in a room full of really smart people and you, of them all, know that one thing,” Stange said. “There’s a pride that comes with that.”

It gives those who specialize more in brains than brawn, like junior John Higgins, a chance to flex their muscles.

“We like showing the world that we know stuff,” Higgins said. 

And knowing stuff takes practice; a lot of practice. So, players focus on certain subjects. It helps their team cover as much ground as possible during a match. Stange is notorious for his knowledge of art and culture. Higgins, on the other hand, is a history buff.

When it comes down to it, Scholar Bowl team members like Stange are just looking to expand their arsenal of knowledge.

“[Scholar Bowl] is not only a competition but also a learning opportunity,” Stange said. “No matter what happens during that game, if I come out learning something, then it’s a win.”