(logo whooshing) (light upbeat music) - The semifinals are here, (drum rolling) and one of today's teams is guaranteed a spot in the championship round, and a chance for the $1,000 grand prize.

Who moves on?

Will it be the Blue Blazes of Westbrook?

(dramatic music) Or the Red Riots of Orono?

(drum rolling) (dramatic music) Find out next on "High School Quiz Show Maine."

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(dramatic music) - Welcome to "High School Quiz Show Maine."

I'm your host, Todd Gutner.

We have made it to the semifinals.

One of today's teams is gonna move on to the final, and possibly take home the $1,000 prize for their school's project graduation.

Westbrook has had a great first year taking out veteran school Gould Academy in the quarterfinals to make it this far, but they still need to get past Orono.

The Red Riots defeated Fryeburg in their quarterfinal, and hope their second year on the show includes a trip to the final.

Everyone is eager to get semi-final one underway.

So let's get things going by meeting our teams.

For Westbrook, we have Zachary, Logan, Finn and Ezra, with alternate Isaac, and they're coached by Rebecca Bailey.

And for Orono, we have Dorsa, Noah, Alan and Jack, with alternates, Micah and Nick, and their coached by Troy Wagstaff and Shauna Goodall.

The competition has four rounds.

The Tossup round, The Head to Head Round, the Category Round and that fun Lightning Round.

We'll start with the Tossup Round.

Now 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 though, and if one team answers incorrectly, the other team will be given a chance to answer.

Is everybody ready?

Westbrook, Orono, are you guys good?

Okay, here comes the first question.

Let's get going.

- In books by Dr. Seuss, what's the name of the elephant character that hears a who and hatches the egg?

(buzzer chiming) Logan?

- Horton.

- Horton, nice job.

Prestigious awards given in the fields of science, literature, and economics are named for what Swedish chemist who patented his process for making dynamite in 1867?

(buzzer chiming) Ezra?

- Nobel.

- Nobel is right.

What four letter word can refer to a long story about a fictional adventure or the long fiber used for knitting and crocheting?

(buzzer chiming) Logan again.

- Yarn?

- Yarn is right.

Steven Nedoroscik from Massachusetts wears glasses, completes a Rubik's cube in under 10 seconds, and won an individual bronze medal at the 2024 summer Olympic Games on which apparatus in men's gymnastics?

(buzzer chiming) Logan again.

- Pommel horse.

- Pommel horse, nice job.

Up next we have a picture question.

Take a look at the monitor.

Discovered in 1920 with a 60 inch telescope at the Mount Wilson Observatory in Los Angeles, California, this iconic cosmic structure made of interstellar gas and dust is located in the Eagle Nebula 7,000 light years from Earth.

Name this cosmic phenomenon.

(buzzer chiming) Alan?

- Pillars of Creation.

- That is correct.

St. John, St. Thomas and St. Croix are the three largest of witch group of islands that the United States purchased from Denmark in 1917?

(buzzer chiming) Go ahead, Logan, - The Bahamas.

- That's incorrect.

Orono, you wanna take a chance?

Go ahead, Alan.

- The Virgin Islands?

- [Todd] I'll need more than that.

- The US Virgin Islands.

- That is what I needed, nice job.

Meaning, "Turn to stone," what word describes wood that becomes fossilized when its normal cells are replaced by mineral deposits?

(buzzer chiming) Go ahead, Noah.

- Petrified.

- Petrified, yes.

What US Federal holiday commemorates an announcement made in Galveston, Texas in 1865 informing enslaved people that the Civil War was over and they were free?

(buzzer chiming) Logan?

- Juneteenth.

- Juneteenth, yes.

In science, the idea that a simple explanation for an event is preferable to a complicated one is commonly known by what two word name that refers to a 14th century English philosopher and a sharp implement used for trimming whiskers?

(buzzer chiming) Go ahead, Finn.

- Occam's Razor.

- That's right.

Next up we have a video question.

So again, take a look at the monitor.

- Hi everyone, I'm Senator Susan Collins, and here is your question.

In the United States, which political party was formed in 1854 by anti-slavery activists and gained prominence with the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860?

(buzzer chiming) - [Todd] Zachary?

- The Republican Party?

- That is correct.

Biochemist Louis Pastore developed a vaccine for what disease that is transmitted through the bite of an infected animal?

(buzzer chiming) Noah?

- Rabies.

- Rabies, yes.

What American poet wrote a poem called "The Defense of Fort McHenry" that was adapted for the lyrics of "The Star Spangled Banner?"

Ezra?

- Francis Scott Key.

- Yes.

In June, 2024, British singer Charlie XCX released an album with what four letter title that took on new meaning as a political meme when it was associated with Kamala Harris's presidential campaign in July?

(buzzer chiming) Alan?

- Brat.

- Brat, right.

Histrionic behavior could be best described in which of the following ways?

Calm and quiet, outgoing and friendly, or dramatic and emotional?

(buzzer chiming) Logan?

- C, dramatic and emotional.

- That is right.

We have a math question now, the first one.

In the equation 3x plus y cubed equals 24, if y equals three, what is the value of x?

(buzzer chiming) Alan?

- Five.

- That's incorrect.

Westbrook?

(buzzer buzzing) Answer is negative one, negative one.

The events in the thoroughbred horse racing triple crown are the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and what race held in New York State?

(buzzer buzzing) That'd be the Belmont Stakes.

The National Security Act of 1947 established which branch of the US military as separate from the Army and the Navy?

(buzzer chiming) Logan?

- Coast Guard?

- [Todd] Incorrect.

Go ahead, Alan.

- Marines?

- Also incorrect.

There's only one more, the Air Force.

The Mediterranean diet is an approach to eating that emphasizes whole grains, fresh vegetables, legumes, and what type of oil that is produced mainly in Mediterranean countries?

(buzzer chiming) Go ahead, Jack.

- Olive oil.

- That's right.

The first line of a poem by Emily Dickinson says what, "Is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul?"

(buzzer chiming) Alan?

- Hope.

- Hope, right.

In 1967, South African surgeon, Dr. Christian Barnard performed the first successful human to human transplant Of what vital organ?

Noah?

- Heart.

- Heart, right.

Which of these things occurred at Promontory, Utah on May 10th, 1869?

The completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad, the final battle of the American Civil War, or the opening of the first art museum in the United States?

(buzzer buzzing) Ezra?

- A.

The trans continental railroad.

- Yep, we'll take that, yep.

People in ancient Egypt believed that the annual flooding of what river was caused by the goddess Isis shedding tears over the death of her husband?

Zachary?

- The Nile.

- The Nile, yes.

(timer buzzing) And that's the end of our first round.

We got a tight one, Westbrook 110, Orono, 80.

Looks like this match is gonna be a great one.

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're gonna pause and get to know our players with a slightly off the wall question.

And it is if you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?

We'll begin with Westbrook and Zachary.

- I think I'd want to go with like a really exotic animal that not many people have, so I think I'd go with a cat.

(Todd laughing) - You know I'm a cat dad, right?

Do you have a cat?

- Yeah.

- [Todd] You have a cat at home?

- Yeah.

- [Todd] What's your cat's name?

- Scout.

- Scout, that's cute.

Logan, your turn.

- I also have a cat, but I'd have to go with bear.

- [Todd] Bear?

- Yeah, there's this game, "Far Cry 5" and you can have a bear as a companion, a fat bear with diabetes, so.

- You want a fat bear?

- Yeah.

- How do you intend to feed a fat bear?

- Cheeseburgers.

- Cheeseburgers, naturally.

Finn?

- I gotta go with a kangaroo.

'cause it could double as a bodyguard.

- Totally, right.

Like they'll punch, right?

That's a good call.

Ezra?

- I would probably take a frog or a toad of some sort.

- [Todd] Oh yeah?

- Yeah.

- [Todd] - Are you into amphibians or something?

- No, I just think it'd be easy to care for.

- Oh, that's a good point.

We'll go over to Orono now, Dorsa?

- You know, last time Todd, we were expressing our love for our friend with the fiery locks, Teddy Dixon Smith.

So I'd probably say that my dream pet would be his dog, Mila.

- Mila?

- [Dorsa] Yeah.

- What kind of dog is Mila, do you know?

- Unknown breed.

- Got it, all right, Noah?

- Well, last time I talked about how Teddy Dixon Smith really brought a lot of light to my life, and so does his dog, Mila.

So I think if I could have one animal as a pet, it'd probably be her.

- Definitely Mila, what's your favorite part of Mila?

Can Mila do any tricks like that that you know of?

- I don't think so.

- No, okay.

Well, maybe we could teach Mila some tricks.

Alan, let me guess, you're into Mila too.

- Well yeah, but I got that dog already.

That is my dog, so I might go with Todd Gunter's Cat.

- Aries, that is my cat, Aries.

Just so you know, she's not a very friendly cat.

She definitely doesn't like strangers, so you might get clawed a little bit.

- [Alan] I'll be all right.

- You'll be all right?

All right, Alan.

Jack, let's head down to you, wrap this up.

- Well Todd, I like the idea of your cats, but it would probably make my allergies act up a little.

So I'm gonna go ahead and choose a dog, and the reasoning is I have two, and I don't really have any complaints.

- Okay, do you have a specific dog in mind, type of dog?

- Maybe a boxer.

- A boxer?

All right, we finally got an honest answer out of you guys.

Thank you very much.

The Head to Head Round is next, but first find out how you can win a great Maine prize package in our viewer question of the week contest.

(dramatic music) - [Announcer] All season, the viewer question of the week had numerical answers.

Last week, we told you to add up the first 11 answers and divide by the answer in quarter final number four.

If you had all 12 answers correct, you ended up with a number that is special in Maine's history.

To enter the contest, send your name, town, and final answer to quizshow@mainepublic.org.

A winner will be chosen at random from all correct answers and receive at 2025 Maine State Park vehicle pass.

Entries must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time on Sunday, May 25th, 2025.

The winner will be announced on the season finale of "High School Quiz Show Maine" on Thursday, May 29th, 2025.

For full rules, terms and conditions, and to see all of the questions, go to Maine public.org/quiz show and good luck.

(dramatic music) - It's time for the Head-to-Head Round.

Players alternate facing off one-on-one right here at the desk.

Correct answers are worth 10 points.

Incorrect answers will cost you 10 points.

There are 90 seconds on the game clock.

Players ready?

Here we go.

The four operas that make up the Ring Cycle were written by which 19th century German composer?

(buzzer buzzing) Wagner.

What city in Spain is historically known for making swords, and shares its name with a city in Ohio?

- Toledo?

- Yes.

- Of the four types of tissue in the human body, which type covers the exposed surfaces of the body and lines.

(buzzer chiming) - Skin?

- Epithelial tissue.

What island state of Australia is named for the Dutch Explorer who is believed- - Tasmania.

- Tasmania, yes.

The length of nails used for carpentry is measured in what unit that's roughly equivalent to a quarter inch?

(buzzer buzzing) Penny.

As of 2007, daylight savings time begins in the United States on the second Sunday in which month?

March.

What US city will host the Summer Olympics in 2028?

(bell chiming) - Las Vegas.

- Los Angeles.

American virologist Jonas Salk developed one of the first- - Polio.

- Incorrect, the 1950s.

In 2024, the fastest song to reach 1 billion streams in Spotify history was what song by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars?

- "Die With A Smile."

- You got it.

The only butterfly known to make a two-way migration to survive cold winter climates is what butterfly?

- Monarch.

- Monarch.

From the Italian word for sound, what is the name for a musical composition that consists of two to four movements in the same key but with different tempos or characters?

(bell chiming) Ooh, I heard the bell before you buzzed in unfortunately.

We've got a score of Westbrook 120, Orono 80, and the Category Round is next, so don't go away.

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And by viewers like you, thank you.

(dramatic music) - We're back, and next up is the Category Round with the following choices.

Digging Deep, Vanishing Acts, On The Run, Gene Genie, A Hardworking Guy and I, Robot.

Each team will alternate control of two categories.

Questions have increasing point values.

With each question they can choose to answer it and either gain or lose points, they can skip it and neither gain nor lose points, or once per category, they can toss and force the other team to answer.

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

Orono, you trail by just a little bit.

Noah, you get to pick the first category.

- [Noah] I think we're gonna go with On The Run.

- On The Run, these are questions related to running.

Here's the first.

Currently the shortest distance track and field event for both men and women at the Olympics is a sprint or dash over a distance of how many meters?

- 100.

- 100 is correct.

On the Run for 15.

Ethiopian runner Abebe Bikila won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics running barefoot for 26.2 miles in which event?

- The marathon.

- Marathon is also right.

On The Run for 20.

Women were not permitted to compete in the Olympic games of ancient Greece, but they had their own track and field competitions that were dedicated to which goddess who was the wife of Zeus?

- Hera.

- Hera is right.

On The Run, 25.

E-S-B-R-U is an abbreviation for an annual race in which competitors run up 1,576 stairs to the observatory level of what New York City landmark building?

- The Empire State Building.

- Yes, and On The Run for 30.

Annual runs to raise funds for cancer research take place every year in memory of what Canadian who attempted to run his own Marathon of Hope across Canada in 1980?

- Terry Fox, God bless his soul.

- Terry Fox indeed, I echo that.

You swept the category, Orono.

Now we're going over to Westbrook.

Finn, you get to choose your first category.

- [Finn] We're gonna do Vanishing Acts.

- Okay, Vanishing Acts.

These are questions about mysterious disappearances in history.

Here's the first.

A sudden weather change caused by the Gulf Stream might have caused the cargo ship USS Cyclops to disappear in 1918 when it was passing through what mysterious area near Florida?

- The Bermuda Triangle.

- Right, Vanishing Acts, 15.

Aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan were lost forever in 1937 during a flight over which ocean?

- Pacific.

- Pacific is correct.

Vanishing Acts, 20.

What explorer who was born in Italy but is better known by his English name, voyaged from England to Canada in 1497, then set off on an expedition to Japan in 1498, and was never heard from again?

- Champlain?

- That's incorrect, it's John Cabot, it's Cabot.

Vanishing Acts for 25.

No one knows what happened to the 11 people aboard what ship that left New York for Italy in 1872, and was found abandoned near the Azores a few weeks later?

- Skip.

- Skip it?

The answer's Mary Celeste.

And the last one in Vanishing Acts.

"12 years a Slave" is the life story of what man who was kidnapped and enslaved and then disappeared forever sometime around 1857?

- We're gonna toss.

- You wanna toss over to Orono.

I will reread the question now.

Vanishing Acts for 30.

"12 years a Slave" is the life story of what man who was kidnapped and enslaved and then disappeared forever sometime around 1857?

- Frederick Douglas.

- That's incorrect.

It's Solomon Northup, Solomon Northup.

That wraps up that category though, Orono.

You can make up for it right now with your second category.

Noah?

- [Noah] We will take A Hardworking Guy.

- A Hardworking Guy.

These are questions about the 12 labors of Hercules.

(contestants whispering) (Todd laughing) That didn't sound good.

All right, here we go.

For the last of his 12 labors, Hercules captured what many headed dog who guarded the underworld?

- Cerberus.

- Yes, that is correct.

A Hardworking Guy for 15.

For his ninth labor, Hercules had to obtain the belt of Hippolyta, queen of what race of warrior women?

- The Amazons.

- The Amazons, right.

A Hardworking Guy, 20.

Hercules' seventh labor involved a visit to King Midas on what island where he captured a rampaging bull that was causing all kinds of destruction?

- Crete.

- Yes, Crete.

A Hardworking Guy, 25.

A genus of invertebrate water creatures who have the ability to regenerate lost body parts takes its name from what multi-headed creature that Hercules slew in his second labor?

- The Hydra.

- Hydra, yes.

And Hardworking Guy for 30.

What is the name of the king who ordered Hercules to perform the famous 12 labors as a way to atone for murders that Hercules had committed?

- Skip.

- We'll skip that one.

- You wanna skip it?

The answer is Eurystheus, Eurystheus.

All right, we have one more category to go.

We're gonna head over to Westbrook now, and Finn, what's your last category gonna be?

- [Finn] We're gonna do I, Robot.

- I, Robot it shall be.

These are questions about robots and robotics.

Here's the first.

What character is the main protagonist and leader of the Autobots in Transformers media franchise?

- Optimus Prime.

- Yeah, I, Robot, 15.

What word that refers to a large group of honeybees traveling together can also refer to a large group of robots like Kilobots programmed to work together on a single task?

- Swarm.

- Swarm, right.

I, Robot, 20.

In which film franchise is a Detroit police officer named Alex Murphy transformed into a cyborg with the designated name OCP Crime Prevention Unit 001?

- "RoboCop."

- Right, I, Robot, 25.

Researchers have used a robotic vehicle called an AUV to study which of these things?

Coral reefs in California, the surface of Mars, or volcanoes in Hawaii?

The U in AUV is a clue to this answer.

(contestants whispering) - The coral reef.

- That is correct, coral reefs in California.

I, Robot for 30.

Derived from Greek and Latin words meaning, "Touch," what is the name for robotic technology that can replicate the human sense of touch or provide touch base feedback to tell a user what a robot is doing?

- Haptic.

- You got it.

Nice job in that category, Westbrook.

And that's the end of our Category Round.

We've got a tight one.

It's Westbrook 225 and Orono, 220.

Everything can change.

It probably will in the Lightning Round, so don't go anywhere.

We'll be right back.

(dramatic music) Okay, we're heading into the final 90 seconds of gameplay.

It's 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.

Our clock is set.

Good luck both of you, here we go.

Meaning, "Outer skin," what is the scientific name for the outer layer?

Go ahead, Logan.

- Epidermis.

- [Todd] Yes.

In the books of Michael Bond, Paddington is what kind of animal?

Dorsa?

- Bear.

- [Todd] Yes.

The Aztec Empire was based in which modern day country?

(buzzer chiming) Logan?

- Mexico.

- [Todd] Yep.

The sun is composed mainly of hydrogen and?

(buzzer chiming) - Helium.

- [Todd] Helium, yes.

What is the present day capital of Japan?

(buzzer chiming) Logan?

- Tokyo.

- [Todd] Yes.

Grand Canyon National Park is in which US state?

(buzzer chiming) Logan?

- Colorado.

- Incorrect, Arizona.

What gold color gemstone forms from fossilized tree resin?

(buzzer chiming) Ezra?

- Amber.

- [Todd] Yes, the conflicts known as the Boer Wars took place in what country?

(buzzer chiming) Ezra.

- South Africa.

- [Todd] That's right.

"The Analects" is a collection of teachings Of what Chinese, (buzzer chiming) Noah?

- Confucius.

- [Todd] Yes, in standard deck of playing cards, how many cards, Logan?

(buzzer chiming) - 52.

- 13.

Albacore is a widely consumed species of what food fish?

(buzzer chiming) Alan.

- Herring.

- Incorrect, tuna.

What series of of horror books by RL Stein takes, Noah?

- "Goosebumps."

- [Todd] Right, what Interstate Highway runs from Maine to Florida through, Noah again?

- I-95.

- [Todd] You got it.

Which Zodiac signed for January and February is known as the Water Bearer, Logan?

- Aries?

- Incorrect, Aquarius.

The Tet Offensive took place during which, Noah?

- Vietnam War.

- [Todd] That's right.

"Leaves of Grass" is a poetry collection.

Go ahead, Logan.

- Walt Whitman.

- Yep, Chicago and Milwaukee.

(timer buzzing) And that's the end of the Lightning Round.

And our winning team and heading to the finals is Orono with 320 points.

They're moving on to the season eight championship.

Our runner up Westbrook had 285 points.

Thank you for playing.

You did so well to make it this far.

We hope to see you again next year.

Join us next time for semi-final number two.

Yarmouth takes on Deering.

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

(dramatic music) (audience applauding) - [Narrator] Production support for "High School Quiz Show Maine" is provided by.

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

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

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

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

(dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (dramatic music continues)