(ambient music) - Welcome to season 8 of "High School Quiz Show Maine".

We have 16 schools from across the state competing to be this year's champion and take home the $1,000 prize for their school's project graduation.

In our second qualifying match, it's the Dragons of Brunswick High School, (dramatic music) taking on the Blue Blazers of Westbrook High School.

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- [Announcer] And by viewers like you, thank you.

(lively music) - Welcome to season 8 of "High School Quiz Show Maine".

I'm your host, Todd Gutner.

We have 16 schools competing to be the season 8 champion and the $1,000 grand prize for their schools project graduation.

In our second match, we have a veteran taking on a newcomer, the Dragons of Brunswick, were the season 7 champions and are hoping to make it back-to-back wins this year, but the Blue Blazers of Westbrook are hoping to knock the former champs out and have a try at the $1,000 prize.

Let's get things going by meeting the teams.

For Brunswick, we have Alexei, Molly, Wyatt, and Jonathan with alternate Sam and their coached by Clark Porter.

And for Westbrook, we have Zachary, Logan, Finn, and Ezra with alternates Lance and Isaac and their coached by Rebecca Bailey.

The competition has four rounds; toss up round, head-to-head round, category round, and the fun lightning round.

We'll start with the toss up round.

All answers are worth 10 points and this is the only round with no point deductions for wrong answers.

Players must wait for me to complete the question and if one team answers incorrectly, the other team will be given a chance to answer.

All right teams, good luck to you both.

Here comes the first question.

In 2024, the China Wildlife Conservation Association announced that it would send pairs of what animals to the National Zoo in Washington DC, the San Diego Zoo and the San Francisco Zoo?

(buzzer chimes) - Alexei?

- Pandas?

- Pandas is correct and we're off and running.

Before he became internet famous, engaging millions of people on social media, Mychal Threets worked full-time in what profession in Solano County, California?

(buzzer honks) He was a librarian.

Next question.

In Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, Bridget Bishop, Sarah Good and Martha Corey were among the people convicted an executed for what crime?

(buzzer chimes) - Jonathan, Brunswick?

- The dark arts and witchcraft.

- That's the correct answer, witchcraft.

Next question, lysine and tryptophan are examples of witch acids that are the building blocks of proteins.

(buzzer chimes) Alexei, Brunswick?

- Amino acids?

- Amino acids is correct.

Up next we have a picture question, so please take a look at the monitor right over here.

Located at the western end of the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France, this monument stands at the juncture of 12 radiating avenues and honors the men and women who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

What is the name of this famous French landmark?

(buzzer chimes) Alexei?

- The Arc de Triomphe?

- That is correct.

Next question.

In June, 2024, Narendra Modi won a third term as prime minister of what country?

(buzzer chimes) Finn, Westbrook?

- India.

- India's right.

In Mark Twain's novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", Huck and Jim built a raft that they used to journey down which river?

(buzzer chimes) Alexa?

- The Mississippi?

- Mississippi.

What six-letter word can refer to a fold in a piece of fabric or the area surrounding the goal in ice hockey or lacrosse?

(buzzer chimes) Finn?

- Crease.

- Crease is correct.

In the federal government the USDA refers to the US Department of what?

(buzzer chimes) Alexei?

- Agriculture?

- Yes.

We have a video question now, again to the monitor.

- I'm Aislinn Sarnacki, host of "Borealis" on Maine Public, and here's my question for you.

Viles Arboretum is a 224-acre area in Augusta for recreational and educational use.

Of its 20 botanical collections, there's a white pine stand that has an unusual story.

Where were the seeds cultivated?

(buzzer hooks) - The answer is in space or onboard the space shuttle.

All right, we're gonna move on.

The US Navy construction battalions that build bases of operation in war zones are known by what nickname that comes from the words "Construction battalion"?

(buzzer honks) They're known as the Seabees.

Next question, foxes, wolves, dogs and jackals are members of witch taxonomic family whose name comes from the Latin word for dog.

(buzzer chimes) Finn, Westbrook?

- Canine?

- Canine, yes.

Which of these words is a synonym for temporary?

Complex, impermanent or sleepy?

(buzzer chimes) Jonathan?

- Impermanent.

- Yes, impermanent.

Math question now.

So you have a pencil, you have a piece of paper, get ready.

When graphing the equation, y equals x squared, what type of curve is produced?

(buzzer chimes) - Alexei?

- A parabolic curve?

- We'll take that, right?

We will, nice job.

Next question.

The Chinese language has many dialects, which is most widely spoken?

(buzzer chimes) Wyatt, Brunswick?

- Mandarin?

- Mandarin is right.

Which 16th century Polish astronomer wrote on the revolutions of celestial bodies, a dissertation on his heliocentric theory of the universe?

(buzzer chimes) Logan, Westbrook?

- Galileo?

- That's incorrect.

- Brunswick?

(buzzer chimes) - Go ahead Alexei.

- Copernicus?

- That is the correct answer.

On a mountain in South Dakota, a monument is being carved in memory of which Oglala, Lakota warrior who led his people against General Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn?

(buzzer chimes) Alexia again?

- Crazy Horse?

- And again, you got it right.

The 1985 movie, "Return of the Living Dead" introduced the idea that zombies like to eat what body organ to ease the pain of decomposition?

(buzzer chimes) Wyatt?

- Brains?

- Brains is right.

Here's the next question.

A liquid is heated until it begins to vaporize then cooled to produce condensate that is a purified, concentrated form of that liquid.

This is a description of what process that is used to make certain types of alcoholic beverages?

(buzzer chimes) Go ahead, Finn.

- Distillation?

- Distillation is the right answer.

Myopia and presbyopia are conditions that primarily affect which organ of the body?

(buzzer chimes) Alexei?

- The brain?

- [Todd] That's incorrect.

Westbrook, do you wanna give it a shot?

(buzzer chimes) Go ahead Logan.

- The eyes?

- The eye, right.

The cherry trees planted in 1912 along the title basin in Washington DC were a gift from which of these nations; China, Japan, or New Zealand?

(buzzer chimes) Wyatt, Brunswick?

- Japan.

- Japan is right.

A map made in 1507 was the first to identify a continent as America in honor of which Italian explorer?

(buzzer chimes) Alexei?

- Christopher Columbus?

- That's incorrect.

Go ahead Westbrook with a (buzzer chimes) shot.

Go ahead, Finn.

- Amerigo Vespucci?

- You got it, Vespucci?

What bitter substance that occurs naturally in coffee beans and kola nuts is known mainly as a stimulant, but can also act as a diuretic that can cause the body to eliminate fluids and salts.

(buzzer chimes) Finn again, Westbrook.

- Caffeine?

- Caffeine is the right answer again.

(buzzer beeps) And that's the end of our first round and we've got a pretty tight one here.

Brunswick at 130 and Westbrook, you're at 70.

Looks like we have a great match brewing.

Don't go anywhere.

We'll meet the players when we get back.

(dramatic music) Before we go to the head-to-head round, we like to pause and get to know our players with a slightly silly question, which is, if you could live in any fictional universe, which one would you choose?

Alexei, Brunswick, what do you think?

- I think I'd say "Sesame Street".

You know, it's just so pleasant.

The characters are so nice most of the time, you know, a lot of lessons to be learned there.

- Yeah, and iconic.

- Yeah.

- And it transcends like every generation.

Everybody knows "Sesame Street", right?

- Exactly.

- Molly, your turn.

- Yeah, I think I'd say, "Ninjago".

It was a show I really liked as a kid.

I'd like to have superpowers.

- Isn't that like a Lego thing?

- Yeah, yeah, like Lego Spinjitzu something.

- Yeah, my 15-year-old twins used to watch that.

It used to be animated type thing.

- Yeah.

- Yeah, it's great.

Thanks Molly, Wyatt?

- I would probably say "Regular Show".

- What, one more time?

- "Regular Show".

- You gotta give me more.

I don't know that one.

- It's like a thing on Cartoon Network.

- Oh.

- Two guys go to work and there's just crazy things happen all the time.

- All right, cool.

- It's kind of cool.

- Sounds fun.

Jonathan, your turn.

- I'll have to say Middle Earth, for that one.

- Middle Earth?

- Yeah.

- What do you think Middle Earth is like?

- Untamed in a word.

- Oh.

- Yeah, explore the wilderness is exactly what I do there.

- Okay, it sounds really fun and interesting.

We're gonna go over to Westbrook now.

Zachary, what do you think?

- I would probably have to pick the "Harry Potter" world, 'cause using magic seems pretty fun.

- Yeah, what's the game they play?

- Quidditch.

- Quidditch, is that right?

Would you be good at quidditch?

- Maybe.

(Todd laughs) - Logan, go ahead.

- Jonathan kinda stole my answer.

- Oh, Jonathan, Middle Earth, come on.

- I am quite the big nerd as you can see.

(Todd laughs) Although I'd probably- - You crack me up regardless, go ahead.

- Although I'd probably wanna live specifically in the Shire though.

Again, I'm pretty big for a Hobbit.

- Oh, okay, all right.

I'm not familiar with that one, but it sounds like it'd be pretty fun.

Finn, your turn.

- I gotta go with the "Shrek" universe.

I just think him and I would get along pretty well.

- Why so?

Why would you get along so well with Shrek?

- I don't like people in my swamp either.

(Todd laughs) - You like to keep to yourself kind of thing?

- Yeah.

- All right, Ezra?

- Well, Todd, I would have to say the "Harry Potter" wizarding world.

I would think it would be like so cool.

Have a broomstick and be able to fly everywhere.

- Yeah, man, that would be amazing.

I agree, I agree.

Thank you guys, that was a lot of fun.

The head-to-head round is next, but let's see how well you do with our viewer question of the week.

(dramatic music) - Hi, I'm Jake Cody from Bangor Savings Bank and this is your viewer question of the week.

Maine's most well-known area code is 207.

But one town in Maine is so remote, it has a different area code for its land-based telephones.

What is that other area code?

Keep track of your answers and tune into the semifinals for part two of the viewer question challenge.

(dramatic music) - Okay, it's time for our head-to-head round.

Now, players will alternate facing off one-on-one here at the desk.

Correct answers are worth 10 points.

Incorrect answers will cost you 10.

There are 90 seconds on the clock.

Players ready?

Here we go.

Which play by William Shakespeare takes place in and around the castle of Elsinore?

(buzzer chimes) "Macbeth"?

Incorrect, "Hamlet".

Next question.

Which river in South America flows for about 1,700 miles in a horseshoe path from the Guyana Highlands to the Atlantic Ocean?

(buzzer honks) Orinoco.

The Boiler Makers is the nickname of sports teams- - Purdue.

- Purdue, yes.

In October, 1983, Ronald Reagan ordered the start of the Operation Urgent Fury, a military invasion of which Caribbean island nation?

(buzzer chimes) - Puerto Rico?

- Incorrect, Grenada.

Which multiple Oscar-winning composer wrote the scores for the "Star Wars" films, "ET" and the first three "Harry Potter" movies?

(buzzer honks) John Williams.

What two P words are found in the title of Jane Austin's novel about the Bennett- (buzzer chimes) - "Pride and Prejudice"?

- Yes, you got it.

According to the 26th amendment, how old must you be to vote in a US general- (buzzer chimes) Go ahead.

- 18?

- 18 is right.

The words "Garden State" appear on a standard car license plate- (buzzer chimes) - New Jersey?

- New Jersey, yes.

The name of which Zodiac sign means "The fish"?

(buzzer chimes) - Pisces?

- Pisces, you got it.

In the world of Dr. Seuss, what type of animal is Horton?

(buzzer chimes) - An elephant?

- Yep.

What micro-vessels are the smallest blood vessels in the body?

(buzzer honks) Capillaries.

In chemistry, the abbreviation... (buzzer beeps) Oh, that's the end of our round.

Oh, we got a battle.

It's tied, 120 to 120.

The category round is next.

Don't go away.

(dramatic music) - [Announcer] Production support for "High School Quiz Show Maine" is provided by- - Educators want our students to succeed?

You know, who do we want our kids to be when they leave this building?

It's really about becoming a contributing citizen in society.

My name is Marissa Deku and I am MEA.

- [Narrator] The Worthington Scholarship Foundation dedicated to the success of Maine students by providing scholarships and personalized support throughout their college journeys.

Application deadline is April 15th, worthingtonscholars.org.

- [Narrator 2] Live and work in Maine providing resources to those who want to relocate, move within or stay in Maine.

Proud to sponsor "High School Quiz Show Maine" and thanking Maine's educators and schools for preparing the workforce of tomorrow.

- [Announcer] And by viewers like you, thank you.

(dramatic music) - Next up is the category round with the following choices.

Tell me a story, Let's keep this between us, Meet Virginia, That's your "Q", Four-letter science, and... ♪ Party in the USA Sorry, I had to do a little Miley Cyrus, there.

It was poor taste, I guess.

Each team will alternate control of two categories.

Questions have increasing point values with each question they can choose to answer and either gain or lose points.

They can skip and neither gain nor lose points or once for category, they can toss and force the other team to answer.

Players will have five seconds to confer and decide what to do.

Westbrook, we had to do a coin flip in the back.

You guys won, so you get to choose first.

What will your first category be?

And Finn, what do you think?

- [Finn] We're gonna pick, That's your "Q".

- That's your "Q".

All your answers will begin with the letter Q.

Here's the first one.

What Q word is defined as the result of dividing one number by another?

- Quotient.

- Quotient?

- Quotient is correct.

That's your "Q" for 15.

What Q word is the name for the carrying case that archers use to hold their arrows.

- Quiver.

- Quiver?

- Quiver is also correct.

That's your "Q" for 20.

The muscle group at the front of your thigh is known by what Q name that comes from the Latin word meaning four?

- Quad?

- That's correct.

Next question and That's your "Q" for 25.

Extremely bright young galaxies that are powered by super-massive black holes and emit large amounts of radiation are known by what name that starts with Q?

- Quasar?

- Quasar is also right.

That's your "Q" for 30.

What animal whose name starts with Q is in an extinct subspecies of zebra that lived in the grasslands of southern Africa until it was hunted to extinction in the 19th century?

- Skip.

- Skip.

(buzzer beeps) - We're gonna skip.

- Okay, so you wanna skip?

The answer is quagga, quagga.

All right, so now we're gonna go over to Brunswick.

What do you think, Alexei, for your first category?

- [Alexei] I think we're gonna take Party in the USA.

- All right, let's do it, Party in the USA.

These are questions about American festivals and celebrations.

Parades go down Bourbon Street and past Jackson Square, in which US city that's famous for its Mardi Gras celebrations?

- New Orleans.

- New Orleans?

- That is correct.

Party in the USA 15.

Known for its giant helium balloons in the shape of cartoon characters, an annual parade hosted by Macy's department store in New York City takes place on the morning of which national holiday?

- Thanksgiving, right?

- Thanksgiving?

- Thanksgiving is correct.

In what year will the United States celebrate its semi-quincentennial a fancy word for 250th anniversary?

- So it's 2026, yeah?

- Yeah.

- 226?

- Unfortunately, that's incorrect, it's 2026, Alexei.

- Sorry.

- No, it's okay.

I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you, I know you knew it.

Party in the USA for 25, which small coastal city in Rhode Island began hosting its world-famous jazz and folk festivals in the 1950s?

- Is that Warwick?

Do we want to go for it?

- Sure.

- Warwick?

- Incorrect, it's Newport is the right answer.

And the last one in this category for 30 Party in the USA.

Started by Larry Harvey and Jerry James in the 1980s, what annual festival of art philosophy and civic involvement takes place in Black Rock City in the Nevada Desert?

- I think it's Burning Man.

Burning man?

- You got that one, Burning Man.

All right, back over to Westbrook, Finn, your second category.

- [Finn] We're gonna do Four-letter science.

- Four-letter science.

All your answers will be four-letter words.

What four-letter word that comes from a Latin word for sour refers to a chemical with a pH of less than seven?

- Acid.

- Acid?

- Acid, yes.

Four-letter science for 15.

From the Latin for new, what four-letter term refers to a binary star system that exhibits a sudden and unpredictable increase in brightness?

- Nova?

- Nova is also right.

Four-letter science 20.

The kilogram is the SI unit of which fundamental property of matter that can be defined as a body's resistance to a change in speed or position in response to a force?

- Mass.

- Mass, yes.

Four-letter science 25.

The ratio of the velocity of an aircraft to the speed of sound in the atmosphere where his traveling is expressed as a what number?

Your answer will be the surname of the 19th century physicist for whom the term is named.

- Mach.

- Mach, right.

Four-letter science for 30.

What's the four-letter name for the sack or chamber in an earthworm's digestive system where food is stored before it passes into the gizzard?

- Toss.

- Toss.

We're gonna toss.

- We're gonna toss over to Brunswick.

I'll reread the question.

What's the four-letter name for the sack or chamber in an Earthworm's digestive system where food is stored before it passes into the gizzard?

- The what, gall?

Gall.

Anyone else you have a?

Okay, we're gonna say gall.

- Unfortunately, that's not right.

The correct answer is crop.

Crop is the right answer.

That wraps up four-letter science.

Brunswick, Alexei, we will go back to you for your last category.

- [Alexei] Meet Virginia, please.

- Meet Virginia.

These are questions all about Virginia.

What man born in Albemarle County, Virginia founded the University of Virginia and served as the third president of the US?

- Jefferson.

- Yeah.

- Thomas Jefferson?

- Jefferson is correct.

Meet Virginia for 15.

The first permanent English settlement in North America was what place in Virginia that was established in 1607 and named for the English king.

- Jamestown.

- Jamestown.

- Jamestown?

- Jamestown, yes.

Meet Virginia for 20.

In what year did General Ulysses S Grant meet with General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, to finalize the agreement that would end the US Civil War?

- 1865.

What do you think about that?

I will get the year right this time.

1865.

- You did get it right.

Nice job, Alexei.

Meet Virginia 25.

Like Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, Virginia's officially designated as what type of political entity, the 12-letter name for this entity means it exists for the benefit of all its residents?

- A commonwealth?

- That is also right.

Meet Virginia for 30.

Mildred and Richard, a married couple from Virginia were the plaintiffs in a landmark US Supreme Court case that said, marriage between people of different races was protected by the 14th Amendment.

This case is known by what name that is Mildred and Richard's surname?

- Should we go for it, or should we toss?

- Probably just worth tossing.

- Can we toss?

- You can toss, yes.

You wanna send it over to Westbrook?

All right, we'll do that.

I will reread it for you guys.

Mildred and Richard, a married couple from Virginia were the plaintiffs in a landmark US Supreme Court case that said marriage between people of different races was protected by the 14th Amendment.

This case is known by what name that is Mildred and Richard's surname?

- Loving vs Virginia?

- That is correct, nice job.

And I believe that wraps up our category round.

We have a score of Brunswick 170, Westbrook 290, but anything can happen in the lightning round, so sit tight, we will be right back.

(dramatic music) We are now heading into the final 90 seconds of game play.

It's known as the lightning round.

Players, you do not have to wait for me to finish the question, you can buzz in at any time, but do not answer until I call your name.

You get 20 points for each correct answer.

Incorrect answers will cost you 20, and the other team does not get a chance to answer.

The clock is set, here we go.

(clock ticks) Which city is the most populous in the US?

(buzzer chimes) Alexei?

- New York?

- [Todd] Yes.

What is the value of L in Roman numerals?

(buzzer chimes) Logan?

- 50?

- Yes.

Which planet is nicknamed the Red Planet?

(buzzer chimes) Jonathan?

- Mars.

- [Todd] Mars is correct.

Meriwether and William are the first names of which pair of 19- (buzzer chimes) Logan, Westbrook?

- Winnie the Pooh.

(buzzer honks) - Lewis and Clark.

A standard trumpet has how many valves or buttons?

(buzzer chimes) Zachary?

- Three.

- [Todd] Three is right.

The fleet of ships sent by Spain to attack England in 1588 is commonly... (buzzer chimes) Ezra?

- Armada?

- [Todd] Yes, we'll take that.

The Komodo Dragon lizard is named for an island... (buzzer chimes) Alexei?

- Indonesia.

- Yes.

Who was the leader of Italy during World War II?

(buzzer chimes) Finn?

- Mussolini?

- Yes.

Tivoli Gardens is an amusement park in what capital city of Denmark?

(buzzer chimes) - Alexei.

- Copenhagen?

- [Todd] Yes.

A pair of supplementary angles equals how many degrees... (buzzer chimes) Alexei?

- 180?

- [Todd] Yes.

Who was the first woman to be elected Vice president of the United States?

(buzzer chimes) - Kamala Harris.

- Logan, yes, you got that right.

What African semi-desert occupies almost all of Botswana?

(buzzer chimes) Alexei?

- The Kalahari?

- [Todd] That is right.

Which Ivy League University is located in New Haven, Connecticut?

(buzzer chimes) Alexei?

- Yale?

- [Todd] Yes.

What selection of 15 short stories by James Joyce is named for the city where he had- (buzzer chimes) - "The Dubliners".

- You got it.

As much as 80% of which European... (buzzer beeps) And that's the end of our match and we've got a really close one here.

Our winning team with 370 points is Westbrook and they'll be moving on to the quarterfinals in a few weeks.

Brunswick, you had 330 points.

What a match.

Congratulations to both teams.

Be sure to tune in next time as Maranacook takes on Fryeburg.

Thanks for watching and we'll see you next time on "High School Quiz Show Maine".

(dramatic music) - [Announcer] Production support for "High School Quiz Show Maine" is provided by... Energy is about more than just keeping the lights on.

It's about living life as parents, friends, and teammates.

Unitil is proud to support "High School Quiz Show Maine".

Unitil, more than a utility part of your community.

- [Narrator] Home renovations can increase the value of your home.

Safety Insurance offers a variety of home insurance products to cover your home's increased value.

You can ask an independent agent about Safety Insurance.

Safety Insurance, we'll help you manage life's storms.

- [Narrator 2] Since 1852, Bangor Savings Bank has been dedicated to keeping New Englanders at the heart of what they do.

That means investing in communities they serve and supporting families and businesses.

You matter more.

- [Announcer] And by viewers like you, thank you.

(dramatic music)