The Apollo Academic Team began its 22nd season when the 50 members of the 2005-2006 squad began practice and study Aug. 16. Head coach John Woolley also began his 22nd season, assisted by 7th-year assistant coach Becky Mann and 2nd-year assistant coach Tim Weatherholt.

The quick recall team will be competing in at least seven tournaments during the first semester. These include: the Ezell-Harding Christian School Academic Tournament Sept. 17 in Antioch, Tenn.; the Central Hardin Academic Challenge Sept. 24 in Cecilia; the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Earlybird Tournament Oct. 1 in Champaign, Ill.; the Vanderbilt Academic Bowl Contest XXVIII Oct. 28-29 in Nashville, Tenn.; the Hart County Academic Invitational Nov. 12 in Munfordville; the Brookwood Invitational Scholars Bowl Nov. 19 in Snellville, Ga.; the Pennyrile Academic Association Tournament Dec. 17 at O.C.T.C.

The team will also compete in the 15-school Pennyrile Academic Association, which will include five meets in written assessment and quick recall for both varsity and J.V. competition. The meets will be held Sept. 12 and 26, Oct. 24, Nov. 14 and 28.

In addition, during the first semester, team members will compete in the American High SchoolInternet Mathematics Contest, American Scholastic Mathematics Association contests, the Brescia University Math-Science Competition, the Student Loan People JV Challenge and the Fall Knowledge Master Open.

With such a large and enthusiastic group of team members, the coaches feel that the tradition of excellence established by previous Apollo teams will be continued! The varsity quick recall team, with five starters returning, will try to best last year's record of 71-45.

Academic team fund-raising activities for this year include candy sales, and recycling computer printer cartridges, aluminum cans and cardboard. Please help by bringing empty computer cartridges to room 320.

23rd National Academic Championship

The Apollo High School competed in the second phase of the 23rd Annual National Academic Championship held June 3-6 at Marymount University in Arlington , Virginia . This was Apollo's 11th appearance in the NAC and their 16th appearance in a national tournament since 1991.

This year's NAC involved 114 teams from 28 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Shanghai , China and was held in three phases. The first phase was held May 28-31 at Loyola University in New Orleans , Louisiana and and the third phase was held June 10-13 at the Embassy Suites O'Hare in Chicago , Illinois . The New Orleans phase featured 39 teams, the Arlington phase featured 39 teams and the Chicago phase featured 36 teams. In each phase, teams played six preliminary matches, with the top 18, 15 and 16, respectively, advancing to a single-elimination playoff. The New Orleans and Arlington winners played the two Chicago finalists in the national semifinals and the winners of those two matches played to determine the overall champion.

Holland Hall Upper School (11-1) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the New Orleans winner, won the 2005 NAC by defeating El Paso (Texas) High School (8-2) 360-285 in the overall championship match in Chicago. Russell ( Kentucky ) High School (10-1), the Arlington winner, placed third. Byram Hills High School (9-1) of Armonk , New York placed fourth.

In Arlington , Apollo went 3-3 in the preliminaries, outscored their opponents 1,350 to 1,200, and missed the playoffs by one match. They placed 21st among the 39 teams in Arlington and 58th overall out of 114 teams. The quick recall Eagles averaged 225 points per match, placing 24th in Arlington and 66th overall in that category.

Match results for Apollo were: Preliminaries: Match 1 - defeated Alief Hastings High School of Houston, Texas, 265-65. Match 2 - defeated Alief Taylor High School of Houston, Texas, 290-145. Match 3 - lost to Knoxville ( Tennessee ) West High School , 325-140. Match 4 - defeated Robinson ( Illinois ) High School, 250-135. Match 5 - lost to High Technology High School of Lincroft, New Jersey, 225-210. Match 6 - lost to Seton Hall Preparatory School of West Orange, New Jersey, 305-195.

Elizabeth Rogers led the team in scoring with 6 tossups per match, followed by Ian Wilkey, Thomas Cameron, Ryan Seabolt and Rose Krzton-Presson. The team finished its 2004-2005 season with a record of 71-45 (61%), outscoring 64 different opponents from 12 states 18,308 to 16,179. The AHS team played in 12 tournaments in 2004-2005, placing in the top five in six of them, including two seconds, one third, two fourths and one fifth.

Elizabeth Rogers put her name in the AHS quick recall record book in several categories. Elizabeth set the one-year language arts tossup total record of 646 (breaking Jason Harris's record of 457 set in 2002-2003). She also achieved the third highest one-year tossup total of 1,211, the fourth highest one-year tossup average of 10.45, the sixth highest one-year science tossup total of 187 and the eighth highest one-year social studies tossup total of 363. Ian Wilkey achieved the tenth highest one-year math tossup total of 162.

In 21 years of competition, Apollo varsity quick recall teams have compiled a record of 1,280-474 (73%), outscoring 398 different opponents from 27 states and the District of Columbia 256,963 to 181,197.

In addition to the competition, the Apollo team enjoyed many of the sights in the Washington D.C. area. Among the sights they visited were: Arlington National Cemetery , the national Museum of the American Indian, the Jefferson Memorial, the F.D.R. Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the National World War II Memorial, the Einstein Memorial and various Smithsonian museums, art galleries and U.S. Government buildings in the National Mall area. They also saw the Washington Nationals defeat the Florida Marlins twice at RFK Stadium and got to meet Brad Wilkerson outside the Nationals locker room. A highlight of the competition was that Brad Rutter, who defeated Ken Jennings and won the $2 million grand prize on the Jeopardy Ultimate Tournament of Champions in May, moderated one match and judged two others for Apollo.

Pennyrile Meet #1

The Apollo academic team began the 2005-2006 competition season, its 22nd, by participating in Pennyrile Academic Association meet #1 Sept. 12 at Grayson County.

The varsity quick recall team went 2-0, defeating Muhlenberg North 35-5 and Grayson County 30-9. Elizabeth Rogers led the team in scoring with 10 tossups per match, followed by Ian Wilkey, Thomas Cameron and Ryan Seabolt.

The junior varsity quick recall team went 1-1, defeating Grayson County 16-10 and losing to Muhlenberg North 9-7. Nathan Kitchens led the team in scoring with 6 tossups per match, followed by Garrett Scott, Derrick Gauselman, Matt Atkins, Josh Edmonson, Emily Jones, Jordan Merimee, Courtney Schisler and Alli Sehon.

Varsity written assessment results were: Arts and Humanities - 1st, Elizabeth Rogers; 2nd, Ashley Boswell; tied for 3rd, Joseph Early and Delana Hill; 9th, Jermey Taylor. Language Arts - tied for 1st, Carrie Gentry and Meghan Van Bussum; tied for 3rd, Seth Bodnar and Natalie Johnson. Social Studies - 1st, Thomas Cameron; 4th, Jeremy Early; 5th, Tristan Hoover ; 6th, Dayved Bell. Science - 1st, Rob Milburn; 2nd, Branden Payton; 4th, Derek Morgan; 6th, Kevin Reel. Math - 1st, Ryan Seabolt; 2nd, Ian Wilkey; 4th, Casey Cambron; 5th Wei Ji.

Junior varsity written assessment results were: Arts and Humanities - 1st Betsey Harpe; 3rd, Kaytee Williams; 4th, Nathan Bryant; 5th, Chelsea Tipmore. Language Arts - 2nd, Garrett Scott; tied for 3rd, Courtney Schisler and Alison Schroeder; 5th, Whitney Thomas. Social Studies - 2nd, Ethan Richards; 3rd, Josh Edmonson; 5th, Derrick Gauselman; 7th, Alex Krampe. Science - tied for 2nd, Cody Pearl and Alli Sehon; 4th, Madeline Neel; 6th, Nathan Kitchens. Math - 1st, Jordan Merimee; 2nd, Emily Jones; 4th, Matt Atkins; 5th, Matt Reynolds.

Apollo Quick Recall Eagles Meet Two Famous Brads!

While attending the 23rd National Academic Championship in Arlington, Virginia, Apollo quick recall team members Thomas Cameron, Rose Krzton-Presson, Elizabeth Rogers, Ryan Seabolt and Ian Wilkey met Brad Wilkerson of the Washington Nationals outside the Nationals locker room at RFK Stadium and Brad Rutter, who defeated Ken Jennings and won $2 million on the Jeopardy Ultimate Tournament of Champions in May and officiated three of Apollo's matches.

AHS quick recall team members Thomas Cameron, Rose Krzton-Presson, Elizabeth Rogers, Ryan Seabolt and Ian Wilkey on the Einstein Memorial in Washington , D.C.

AHS quick recall team members Thomas Cameron, Rose Krzton-Presson, Elizabeth Rogers, Ryan Seabolt and Ian Wilkey in front of the White House in Washington D.C.