- Welcome to the studios of WCMU Public Media.

This time our second semi-final match and that's between Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart and White Cloud.

We have it for you coming up next.

(dramatic music) Hello again, everyone.

I'm David Nicholas.

Welcome to our second semi-final of this 21st season.

This time, students from Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart are taking on the team from White Cloud.

It's a 16-team single elimination tournament.

The top teams from Quiz Central will qualify for the NAQT High School National Championship Tournament.

Now let's get to our game.

The first round is the Maroon and Gold Rush.

Teams will have two minutes to answer as many toss-up questions as they can.

If a team answers incorrectly, the opposing school has the opportunity to answer that question.

Teams may not consult during this round and players will receive a one-second penalty if they ring in before a toss-up question has been read completely.

That'll be indicated by an orange light above their name.

Answers are worth 10 points apiece with no deduction for incorrect answers.

If our teams, all our players, buzzers ready?

Here comes your first question.

Plays in what language include Eugene Ionesco's absurdist play "The Bald Soprano" as well as a play about the impious hypocrite, "Tartuffe," by Moliere.

(buzzer chimes) - French.

(scoreboard dings) - That's correct.

What author described the dreaming spires of Oxford in his poem, "Thyrsis," and imagined ignorant armies who clash by night in the 1867 poem "Dover Beach"?

(buzzer chimes) - Arnold.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

What city is home to Gen Baku Dome, contains the headquarters of Mazda, and is a Japanese city that was the first to be struck by an atomic bomb?

(buzzer chimes) - Hiroshima.

- (scoreboard dings) - Correct.

The successful American defense of what Fort in Baltimore inspired Francis Scott Key to write the "Star-Spangled Banner"?

(buzzer chimes) - McHenry.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

What element whose filings are used to show field lines lends its name to a phenomenon also displayed by cobalt and nickel called ferromagnetism?

(buzzer chimes) - Iron.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

Mayonnaise is an example of what kind of colloid which is one liquid indispersed in another in admissible liquid.

(buzzer chimes) - In emulsion.

(scoreboard dings) - Also correct.

Next question, what man who poses as the receptionist Shirley in the miserable mill pursues the Baudelaire orphans In "Lemony Snickets: A Series of Unfortunate Events"?

(buzzer chimes) - Count Olaf.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

What country's 2025 presidential election was won narrowly by right wing candidate Karol Nawrocki, who succeeded the term-limited Andrzej Duda?

(timer dings) Well, we don't get time for an answer.

End of that round.

Let's check those that we did not get to, that country we would've been looking for is Poland.

Now, before we get to that next round, let's learn a little more about our students competing today as we say hello first to the students from Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.

- Hi, I'm Catherine, I'm a sophomore at Sacred Heart and I'm on the basketball team.

- Hi, I'm Andrew.

I'm a junior at Sacred Heart and I'm on the Quiz Bowl team.

- Hi, I'm Noah, I'm a junior from Sacred Heart Academy and I'm on the cross country team.

- Hi, I'm Ben, I'm a junior at Sacred Heart Academy and I play basketball and golf.

- Good to have you here, Sacred Heart.

And now let's say hello to the students from White Cloud.

- Hi, I'm Charlotte.

I'm a senior.

I run cross country, throw in track and field, and am the section leader of the flutes.

- Hi, I'm Liam Povey.

I play varsity football, varsity track and field, varsity quiz bowl, and I lift weights.

- Hi, I'm Brian Loveless.

I go to White Cloud High School.

I am in the chess club and I do band.

- Hi, I'm Mason Delemajor.

I'm a sophomore at White Cloud High School and I do football, basketball, and track - Thanks to all of our students with us here today for this semi-final match.

Now the next round today is the Kickoff round and this round includes a combination of toss-up and bonus questions.

The team that correctly answers the toss-up gets the opportunity for a single bonus question.

No stealing on the bonuses.

After a bonus question, we'll go back to a toss-up for both teams.

Players do receive a one-second penalty if they ring in before the toss-up has been read completely.

Buzzers ready?

Here comes the first question.

What civilization founded what is now the city of Cadiz used murex snails to create purple dye in its city of Tyr, and invented the first alphabet?

(buzzer chimes) - Phoenicia.

(scoreboard dings) - Fania is correct.

And the bonus question now for White Cloud, what British king who lost the battle of Boyne in 1690 was deposed in the glorious revolution?

- Oh.

- Charles?

- Charles.

- Charles II?

Charles II.

(scoreboard buzzes) - [David] Incorrect on that bonus question.

Toss-up for both teams, what quantity equals the dot product of torque and angular velocity in rotational systems is defined as work per unit time and is measured in Watts?

(buzzer chimes) - Power.

(scoreboard dings) - Power is correct.

Bonus question for you now.

What class of in kind of drums perform gas exchange using respiratory trees and are named for their resemblance to a vegetable?

- The sea sponges?

I don't know.

Sea sponges.

(scoreboard buzzes) - Incorrect.

Back to the toss-ups.

What opera in which suitors of a princess must answer several riddles contains Calaf's aria, "Nessun Dorma," and was composed by Giacomo Puccini?

(buzzer chimes) - "La Bohem."

(scoreboard buzzes) - Incorrect.

Sacred Heart with the guess.

All right, back to toss-ups here.

Lake Peipus is on the border between Russia and what country whose capital is Tallinn?

(buzzer chimes) - Estonia.

(scoreboard dings) - Estonia is correct.

Bonus question now for you.

What 22-year-old woman who was detained on the ship Madeline was trying to bring aid to Gaza and deported to Sweden and is a leading climate activist?

- Greta Thunberg?

- Greta Thunberg.

- [David] Correct on the bonus question.

Back to the toss-ups.

In the novel "Ethan Frome," Ethan and Maddie are severely injured after an intentional accident in which they steer what object into a tree?

(buzzer chimes) - Car.

(scoreboard buzzes) - Incorrect.

Sacred Heart for the steal.

(buzzer chimes) - A boat.

(scoreboard buzzes) - Incorrect also.

Toss-up for both teams.

What airport is named for a World War II fighter pilot who defended the USS Lexington, has the airport code ORD, and serves the Chicago area?

(buzzer chimes) - O'Hare?

(scoreboard dings) - O'Hare is correct.

And a bonus question now, what term beginning with A refers to a measurement of the fraction of light an astronomical object reflects?

- Luminosity?

- Yeah.

- Luminosity (scoreboard buzzes) - Incorrect on that.

Toss-up for both teams.

The frosh process extracts what element which forms cross links in the vulcanization, is bonded to hydrogen in a thiol, and has an atomic symbol S?

(buzzer chimes) - Silicon.

(scoreboard buzzes) - Silicon's incorrect.

(buzzer chimes) - Sulfur.

(scoreboard dings) - Sulfur is correct.

Bonus question now for you.

What desert named to honor an American territorial acquisition in 1867 consists of ice cream and sponge cake topped with brown meringue?

- Mojave.

(scoreboard buzzes) - Incorrect.

Back to the toss-ups.

In what 1994 film in which an opera duet is played over an intercom depicts Andy Dufresne's crawling through a sewage pipe to escape the title prison?

(buzzer chimes) - "Shawshank Redemption."

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

Bonus question now.

"Owed to Aphrodite" is the only complete exon poem by what ancient author who may have been exiled to Sicily after she lived on the island of Lesbos?

- Safo.

- Safo.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

Toss-up for both schools.

What ecological event, a refugee from which was depicted in the photo Migrant Mother, devastated agriculture on the Great Plains in the 1930s?

(buzzer chimes) - The Dust Bowl.

(scoreboard dings) - Dust Bowl is correct.

Bonus question for you.

What small Canadian province known as the Cradle of Confederation has a southern coast that borders the Northumberland Strait?

- New Brunswick?

- Maybe.

- New Brunswick.

(scoreboard buzzes) - Incorrect on that bonus.

(timer dings) To the end of that round, let's check the questions that were missed.

The British king who lost in the Battle of Boyne, that was James II of England.

The class of echinoderm, we were looking for sea cucumbers.

The opera we were looking for was "Turandot."

And in the novel "Ethan Frome" the object that they crashed was a sled.

The term beginning with A referring to the measurement was an albedo.

And the dessert named to honor the American territorial acquisition was Baked Alaska.

Canadian province known as the Cradle of Confederation, Prince Edward Island was the location we were looking for.

And at the end of that round, a lead for White Cloud, 130 to 30 over Sacred Heart.

And our next round today is the Perfect 10.

And in the Perfect 10 you'll have 60 seconds to answer questions from a choice of clues to three categories.

The opposing team then has 30 seconds to answer any unasked, incorrect, or skipped questions.

You can consult throughout the entire round.

We take the answers from the captain and the team that's trailing will get the first choice to pick a clue to a category today.

Sacred Heart, you're currently trailing in our game.

You get the first choice and the first 60 seconds to handle one of these, double dip, party like it's 1899, and home field advantage.

Again, the three categories, double dip, party like it's 1899, or home field advantage.

- [Student] Might be sports or war so maybe home field.

- Yeah?

Home field.

- [David] Home Field Advantage, your choice.

The clue, given an American sports league and the name of a team, identify the city in that team's name.

Again, given an American sports league and the name of a team, identify the city in that team's name.

And your Perfect 10 with 60 seconds on the clock begins now.

MLB.

The Red Sox.

- Boston.

- Boston.

- Boston.

(scoreboard dings) - NBA.

The Lakers.

- Los Angeles.

- Los Angeles.

(scoreboard dings) - NFL.

The Cowboys.

- Dallas.

- Dallas.

(scoreboard dings) - NHL.

The Capitals.

- Yeah, DC.

- DC.

(scoreboard dings) - WNBA.

The Fever.

- Indiana.

- Indiana.

(scoreboard dings) MLB.

The Guardians.

- Cleveland.

- Cleveland.

(scoreboard dings) - NBA.

The Trailblazers.

- Portland.

(scoreboard dings) - MLS.

The Earthquakes - Pass.

(scoreboard buzzes) - NHL.

The Jets.

- Pass.

(scoreboard buzzes) - [David] WNBA.

The Aces.

- Atlanta.

- Atlanta.

(scoreboard buzzes) (timer dings) - [David] And the end of that.

All right, 30 seconds now as we shift it over to White Cloud, you got a chance to pick up on some that were missed in that first part.

Again, it's Home Field Advantage, given an American Sports League and the name of a team, identify the city in that team's name.

And your 30 seconds and your pickups begin with this.

MLS.

The Earthquakes.

- Think of something.

- I would say San Francisco.

- San Francisco.

(scoreboard buzzes) - NHL.

The Jets.

- Winnipeg.

- Winnipeg.

(scoreboard dings) - [David] WNBA.

The Aces.

- Las Vegas.

- Las Vegas.

(scoreboard dings) (timer dings) - [David] And those were the ones we needed to check on and that brings our game a little bit closer.

We're gonna come to you now, White Cloud, you have 60 seconds to check on one of these final two categories, double dip or party like it's 1899.

- So what are we thinking?

- Double dip could be food.

- I don't know.

What do you want?

- We should do 1899.

- 1899.

- [David] 1899.

Again, Party Like It's 1899.

The clue, the Gilded Age.

Named these people and things from American life in the late 1800s.

Again, that's the Gilded Age, name these people and things from American life in the late 1800s.

60 seconds for your shot here at the Perfect 10 and it starts with this.

Founder of Standard Oil, the first US billionaire.

- Rockefeller.

(scoreboard dings) - [David] Immigration station opened in New York Harbor in 1892.

- Ellis Island.

(scoreboard dings) - [David] Political machine led by Boss Tweed.

- Tammany Hall.

- What?

- Tammany Hall.

- Tammany Hall.

(scoreboard dings) - [David] Mocking name for investigative journalists who expose corruption.

- Muckrakers.

(scoreboard dings) - [David] Nationality subject to an 1882 exclusion act.

- Japanese.

- Japanese.

(scoreboard buzzes) - [David] 1890 antitrust law named for an Ohio senator.

- Sherman.

(scoreboard dings) - [David] Detective agency that helped fight the Homestead Strike.

- Detective, Pinkerton's.

- Pinkerton's (scoreboard dings) - [David] Robber Baron nicknamed the Commodore.

- Vanderbilt.

- Vanderbilt.

(scoreboard dings) - [David] Socialist president candidate jailed over the Pullman strike.

- Gimme something.

Come on.

Skip.

(scoreboard buzzes) - [David] Railroad mogul who tried to corner the gold market in 1869.

(timer dings) End of that round.

We didn't get an answer in there.

Okay, Sacred Heart, we're gonna come over to you now, the chance with 30 seconds on the clock to pick up on the missed, skipped, or unheard questions in that.

The category again, Party Like It's 1899, the Gilded Age.

Name these people and things from American life in the late 1800s.

With your 30 seconds, your part of this perfect 10 begins now.

Nationality subject to an 1882 exclusion act.

- Chinese.

(scoreboard dings) - [David] socialist president candidate jailed over the Pullman Strike.

- Oral Browder.

- Oral Browder (scoreboard buzzes) - [David] Railroad mogul who tried to corner the gold market in 1869.

- Pass.

(scoreboard buzzes) (timer dings) - And we get to the end then of that round.

Let's check those that were missed by both.

That socialist president was Eugene V. Debs.

And the railroad mogul we were looking for was J. Gould.

Ats the close then of the Perfect 10, we now have a score of 220 for White Cloud, 110 for Sacred Heart.

Now onto our next round and that is the Home Stretch.

In the Home Stretch I'll ask a combination of toss-up and bonus questions.

The team that correctly answers the toss-up will get the opportunity to answer a single bonus question.

No stealing on the bonuses.

After a bonus question, we will go back to a toss-up for both teams.

Remember, players do receive the one-second penalty if they ring in before the toss-up has been read completely.

If our players are all set and buzzers at the ready, let's get started with your first question.

Pitcher Freddie Peralta and catcher William Contreras helped what baseball team win the NL Central in 2024?

(buzzer chimes) - Brewers.

(scoreboard dings) - Brewers is correct.

Your bonus question, what mountain range is home to the world's largest salt flat, contains the Altiplano plateau, and stretches along the western coast of South America?

- Andes.

- Andes.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct also on the bonus.

Back to the toss-up, what computing company's microprocessors included the 8088 and the flawed Pentium?

(buzzer chimes) - Intel.

(scoreboard dings) - Intel is correct.

Bonus for you.

The second king of what name established the brutal Force Publique to extract rubber from the Congo free state, which is ruled as king of Belgium?

- Leopard.

- Yeah.

- Leopard.

- [David] And that's correct on the bonus.

Toss-up for both, what was the common German name for the MFS, the East German Secret Police Agency that maintained an extensive surveillance network?

(buzzer chimes) - Stasi.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

And the bonus for White Cloud, in August, 2025 police in what state captured Austin Drummond who allegedly committed a quadruple murder along its Missouri border north of Memphis?

- North of Memphis?

- Tennessee.

- Tennessee.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

Toss up for both teams.

What member of the 12 apostles does the Roman Catholic Church recognize as the first Pope?

(buzzer chimes) - Peter.

- Peter is correct.

(scoreboard dings) And the bonus question now.

Colostrum is a precursor rather of what substance, contains IGA antibodies, is produced by mammary glands, and is a white fluid secreted in lactation?

- Milk - [David] More specific please.

- Lactic acid.

(scoreboard buzzes) - That's incorrect.

Back to the toss-up.

In George Orwell's novella "Animal Farm," the exploitation of the proletariat is represented by what large cart horse whose motto is, I will work harder.

(buzzer chimes) - Boxer.

- [David] Correct, your bonus question now.

What new world country's independence began on a geo dufeku and was the future Braganza dynasty Emperor Pedro I refused to return to Portugal?

- I think so.

Brazil.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

Toss up for both.

YBCOs exhibit the high temperature form of what phenomenon, meaning that it can occur in YBCO at temperatures above 77 Kelvins?

(buzzer chimes) - Deposition.

(scoreboard buzzes) - [David] Incorrect.

Toss up for, or excuse me, Sacred Heart with a chance to guess.

(buzzer chimes) - Sublimation.

(scoreboard buzzes) - Sublimation incorrect.

Now back to the toss-up.

What instrument the soloist in Ludwig von Beethoven's "Emperor Concerto" has a range of more than seven octaves across its black and white keys?

(buzzer chimes) - Piano.

(scoreboard dings) - Piano is correct, and the bonus questioned now.

What Swiss psychologists proposed that children go through four stages of development including sensory, motor, and concrete operational?

- That that's not Maslow, is it?

No, it's the other guy.

I dunno, I'm gonna say mine.

Maslow.

(scoreboard buzzes) - Maslow is incorrect.

Next toss-up.

Merzoya cells are found in what disease that is treated with artimisian or quinine, caused by the plasmodium protozoa and is spread by mosquitoes?

(buzzer chimes) - Malaria.

(scoreboard dings) - Malaria is correct.

And the bonus question, about 100 tons, which of Christopher Columbus's three ships was his flagship on the first voyage to the Americas in 1492?

- Santa Maria.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct there.

And we get to the close of that round.

Let's check the questions that stumped.

Cholestrum is the precursor of what substance, breast milk was the specific answer we were looking for there.

The YCBOs exhibit the high temperature and we were looking for high temperature superconductivity.

The Swiss psychologist who proposed that children go through the stages, we were looking for Jean Piaget.

And we end that round now.

White Cloud is at 310, Sacred Heart is at 140 as we head into the Final Countdown to decide today's game.

And as we enter the Final Countdown teams will have two minutes to answer as many toss-up questions as they can.

If a team answers incorrectly, the opposing school has an opportunity to answer that question.

Teams may not consult during this round.

Players will receive a one-second penalty if they ring in before the toss-up has been read completely.

We'll indicate that with a orange light just above their name.

An appearance in our Quiz Central season 21 grand championship game awaits the winner.

Buzzers ready?

Let's get started with your first question.

Acid rain is produced by the reaction of water with nitrogen oxide and what toxic gas released by volcanic eruptions whose molecular mass is 64?

(buzzer chimes) - Sulfuric.

(scoreboard buzzes) - [David] Sulfuric is incorrect.

We go to a toss-up again.

Acid, excuse me, sorry.

Chance for Sacred Heart to steal.

(buzzer chimes) - Carbon monoxide.

(scoreboard buzzes) - Also incorrect.

Now the toss-up for both.

In what peninsula did Great Britain launch the failed Charge of the Light Brigade against Russian troops during the 1854 siege of Sevastopol?

(buzzer chimes) - Crimea.

(scoreboard dings) - Crimea is correct.

Next question, the twin brothers who legendarily founded Rome were Romulus and what other man?

(buzzer chimes) - Remus.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

Ratatoskr runs up and down what structure that is by gnawed on by Nidhogg and surrounded by nine worlds, a mythic world tree in Norse mythology?

(buzzer chimes) - Yggdrasill.

(scoreboard dings) - Correct.

The Gatsby affair took place in what state, the last of the original 13 US states to ratify the constitution?

(buzzer chimes) - Georgia.

(scoreboard buzzes) - Georgia's incorrect.

Sacred heart for the steel.

(buzzer chimes) - New York.

(scoreboard buzzes) - New York also incorrect.

Toss-up for both.

What disease which last appeared naturally in Ali Maow Maalin in Somalia is caused by variola virus and causes painful skin blisters?

(buzzer chimes) - Smallpox.

(scoreboard dings) - Smallpox is correct.

A building nicknamed the Gerkin makes up part of the skyline of what European city whose tallest skyscraper is called The Shard?

(buzzer chimes) - London.

(scoreboard dings) - Yes.

- Take that answer right at the bell.

Let's check the missed answers.

Acid rain produced by the reaction of water with sulfur dioxide.

The Gatsby affair took place in Rhode Island, was a state that we were looking for from the originals.

And that closes the round and our game today, 350 for white Cloud, 150 for Sacred Heart.

Nice round of applause for both of our teams today.

(audience applauds) And thanks, Sacred Heart, for competing with us here in season 21.

We hope we'll see you back next season on the Quiz Central.

And congratulations to you, White Cloud, as you move on to the championship.

We'll have that coming up for you very, very soon.

So join us again here on WCMU.

For all of us at Quiz Central, I'm David Nicholas, you have a great night.

(adventurous music)