>> Join us tonight as the playoffs continue with the third seed, Lenox Memorial High School, going up against the sixth seed Agawam High School.

The historic 64th season of Western New England's award winning high school quiz show continues tonight as schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA, a diverse union of education workers committed to the public schools and colleges.

Our communities deserve.

>> You can see the difference from the first couple of minutes that you walk onto this campus.

You realize that it's not just a campus.

It's a community.

It's a family.

>> Good evening and welcome to.

As schools match wits coming to you from the campus of Westfield State University.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

This season, high schools from throughout our region went head to head to try to score the most points for a chance to make it to the top eight.

But in the playoffs, it is not just about the points anymore, it's about the win.

The qualifying matches are over and the playoffs continue.

As you can see, Belchertown and Longmeadow won the first two quarterfinal matchups and will move on to the semifinals in tonight's third quarterfinal matchup.

We have Lenox Memorial High School going up against Agawam High School.

Let's take a second to meet the teams, starting with Agawam High School, coached by Keith Ireland.

>> Hi.

My name is Abigail Drumm and I am a senior from Agawam High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Daniel Carlson and I'm a sophomore from Agawam High.

>> Hi.

My name is Colin Kirk.

I'm a freshman at Agawam High.

>> Hi.

My name is Adam Ross.

I'm a senior from Agawam High, and I'd like to acknowledge our alternates, Jason Liakos and Austin LeBlanc.

>> And for Lenox Memorial High coach by Matt Gottfried and Charles Mattina.

>> Hi.

My name is Kat Kowalski, and I'm a senior at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School.

>> Hi, I'm John Kowalski, and I'm a junior at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School.

>> Hi, I'm Ava Mosesian, and I'm a junior at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School.

>> Hi.

I'm Caleb Ketchen, and I go to Lenox Memorial Middle and high School.

Also, I'd like to recognize our alternates, Charlotte Culver, Greta matthews, and Fiona Ward.

>> As we do each week, we start off with the challenge round.

Both teams will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for ten points each.

Good luck to both teams.

Here we go with the first question of the evening.

If you travel due north from Copenhagen, Denmark, what is the first?

Lenox?

>> Sweden.

Norway.

Norway.

Norway.

>> Norway.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

What is the first national border that you'll cross?

All right, Agawam High School, because Lenox answered incorrectly.

You get the opportunity to answer the question.

>> Sweden.

>> Sweden is the right answer.

Let's move on with the next one.

With the atomic number of 40 on the periodic table of elements.

Name the element that has the symbol Z. Agawam.

>> Zirconium.

>> Yes.

That's right.

In which of the following parts of the human body will you find the metatarsal bones?

The Agawam.

>> Toes?

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

Is it the rib cage, hand or foot?

All right.

Lenox, can you answer the question?

>> Foot.

>> Foot is technically the correct answer there.

In which of the following years did Ketanji Brown Jackson become the first black woman confirmed as a Supreme Court justice in a 53 to 47 vote?

Was it in 2018, 2020 or 2022?

>> Lennox 2020.

>> I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

Agawam can you answer.

>> 2022.

>> 2022 is the right answer?

Pick up your pens for this If one angle of an isosceles triangle measures 102 degrees, what's the measure in degrees of each of the other two angles?

Agawam.

>> 739 3939 degrees.

>> 39 degrees is the right answer.

Complete the following relationship.

Paris is to France as what capital city is to Chile?

Lennox.

>> Santiago.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Holden Caulfield is the main character.

Agawam.

>> Catcher in the Rye.

>> J.D.

Salinger's Catcher in the Rye.

Yes.

In the technology world, GPS is a satellite based navigation system.

Lennox.

>> It's like.

>> Something.

Positions of some global positioning.

>> Global positioning system.

>> Yes.

I was looking for the acronym.

What that meant?

Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

Name the celebrity who is known for his movie roles of Han Solo and Indiana Jones.

Lennox.

>> Harrison.

Ford.

>> Yes.

That's right.

In which of the following years did Calvin Coolidge assumed the presidency following the death of President Warren G. Harding.

Was it 1923.

19 Lennox.

>> 19 2323.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Grab your pens once again.

What?

Percent of 150 is 600?

>> Agawam 400.

>> Be more specific, please.

>> 400%.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Listen very carefully to this literary line.

Fish, he said softly, aloud.

I'll stay with you until I am dead.

This is a line from the 1952 Lenox.

>> The old man and the sea, Ernest Hemingway.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

This is a line from the 1952 novella The Old Man and the sea, written by.

What?

American author?

Agawam.

Can you answer the question, Ernest Hemingway?

Just simply, Ernest Hemingway is the right answer.

The first answer I heard from Lenox was the name of the novel, which was not the correct answer.

Let's move on.

Between May of 1979 and November of 1990, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Lennox.

>> Margaret Thatcher.

Margaret.

>> Margaret Thatcher.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

If it is Dienstag in Germany and Mardy in France.

What day of the week is it in the United States?

Agawam.

Tuesday.

Tuesday.

Yes.

Ma is the two letter United States postal state.

>> Lenox, Massachusetts.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

Ma, is the two letter United States Postal Service state abbreviation for Massachusetts?

What is the two letter United States Postal Service, state abbreviation for Louisiana.

All right.

Agawam, can you answer?

>> La.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Complete this relationship.

Mount Greylock is to Massachusetts as Mount Rainier is.

To which US state?

Lennox.

>> Washington.

>> Washington?

Yes.

Which of these three digit numbers is not evenly divisible by 12?

108, 168 or 280.

Agawam.

>> 280.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

The astronomical event that happens on the first day of summer is also known as what Linux.

>> Linux.

>> The summer solstice.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Emmanuel Macron has been serving as president of Linux.

>> France.

France.

>> Yes, that is correct since 2017.

In the US collegiate sports world, the letters NCAA are Agawam.

>> National College Athletics Association.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right, let's go back the NCAA.

Our initials for what organization?

Lenox Memorial.

Can you answer the question?

>> National collegiate Athletic association.

>> The correct answer there is the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Moving on now, in 1867, the United States purchased the land that would become the 49th state in the Union.

Lennox.

>> Alaska.

>> Alaska for $7.2 million?

Yes, that is correct.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

Let's take a moment now to meet the team from Agawam High School.

>> Hi, I'm Mackenzie Gaudet from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Agawam High if you could do a group project with any famous person.

Who would you choose?

>> I think I'd choose Mary Shelley just because I think she's a really great thinker, and I'd like to see the way her mind works.

>> I would choose Drew Brees because he's the best quarterback of all time and he's a great leader, so I think he'd be fun to work with.

>> I'd probably have to go with Ben Franklin, since he's really smart and his creativeness can solve any issue.

>> I only choose LeBron because he's really passionate and he's my glorious king.

>> On now to the first lightning round of the match.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

Buzz in answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

Your team loses five points.

Well, this round is all about us states.

Their nicknames and capitals all name a state and its nickname.

You tell me its capital city.

You have 90s starting right now.

The Constitution.

State.

Connecticut.

Agawam.

>> Hartford.

>> Hartford?

Yes.

That's right.

The Hoosier state.

Indiana.

Lennox.

>> Indianapolis.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

The Golden state.

California.

Lennox.

>> Sacramento.

>> Sacramento is correct.

Try the land of Lincoln, Illinois.

Lennox.

>> Springfield.

>> Springfield is correct.

The sooner state.

Oklahoma.

Lennox.

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City is correct.

The Magnolia state.

Mississippi.

Lennox.

>> Jackson.

>> Jackson is correct.

The granite state.

New Hampshire.

Lennox.

>> Concord.

>> Concord is correct.

The Wolverine state.

Michigan.

Agawam.

>> Lansing.

>> Lansing.

Yes.

The Keystone state.

Pennsylvania.

Lennox.

>> Harrisburg.

>> Harrisburg is correct.

The old Dominion.

Virginia.

Lennox.

>> Richmond.

>> Richmond is correct.

The gem State.

Idaho.

Lennox.

>> Boise.

>> Boise is right.

The Grand Canyon state.

Arizona.

Agawam.

>> Phoenix.

>> Phoenix.

Yes.

That's right, the Aloha State.

Hawaii.

Lennox.

>> Honolulu.

>> Honolulu is correct.

Try the Sunshine State.

Florida.

>> Lennox Tallahassee.

>> Tallahassee is correct.

The pine tree state, Maine.

Lennox.

Augusta Augusta is correct.

How about big Sky country Montana?

Lennox.

Helena Helena is correct.

The Buckeye State.

Ohio.

Lennox Columbus Columbus is correct.

The Peach State Georgia.

Lennox Atlanta Atlanta is right.

The Badger State Wisconsin.

Not quite under the buzzer.

The answer to that is Madison.

However, that bell marks the end of our first lightning round.

We move on now with the capitalization round.

That's where teams get the chance to pick a category and a point value.

They'll need to answer a qualifying question first before they can continue on for points.

Now, if they fail to answer that qualifying question correctly, their opponents will have the opportunity to capitalize and get those points at the moment.

Agawam you are behind also means you get the first opportunity to pick a category and a point value.

What's it going to be?

>> Math and science for 30.

>> Math and science for 30.

Your qualifying question.

We have a video qualifier, so please pick up your pens and take a look at your screens.

>> Hi, I'm Gene Cassidy, president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition, with your qualifying question.

The big e butter sculpture has been an annual tradition since 1996.

It is created with over £600 of butter and is housed in a specially designed cooler in the rotunda.

To qualify if one gallon of whole milk is equal to £8.6 and it takes approximately £21.2 of whole milk to create £1 of butter.

How many gallons of whole milk does it take to make a pound of butter?

Rounded to the nearest 10th.

>> The whole question.

So how many is that?

Yes.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up.

Right, Lennox, can you capitalize?

>> Maybe, like 2.8.

>> 2.5 gallons is the right answer there.

Okay, Lennox, please pick a category and a point value.

First time of the evening.

>> Oh, social studies for 30.

>> Social studies for 30.

You're qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

The city of Sucre was once the capital of the South American country of Bolivia.

What is the name of Bolivia's current administrative capital?

>> La Paz.

>> La Paz?

Yes, that's correct.

Let's move on.

In this category, provide the capital city of the following South American countries for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

Suriname.

>> Paramaribo.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

Ecuador.

>> Quito.

Kato.

Kato.

Kato.

>> Kato.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

And finally, how about Uruguay?

>> Montevideo?

>> Yes.

That's right.

Nice job.

Okay, Agawam.

Once again, your turn to please pick a category and a point.

Value.

>> General knowledge for 30.

>> General knowledge for 30.

Qualifying question.

Listen carefully to the following sentence.

Older people, especially, were languishing during the prolonged heat wave.

Spell the word languishing as it's used in that sentence.

>> L a n g u I s h I n g. >> Yes that's right, let's move on.

Sticking with spelling, please correctly spell each word I give all words begin with the letter L. There's one clue for ten points each.

First, a limousine is defined as a large, often chauffeur driven luxury sedan that usually has a glass partition separating the driver's seat from the passenger compartment.

Spell limousine.

>> L I'm o s u I e. >> I'm sorry.

The correct answer is l I'm o u s I n e. Let's try this one.

The lieutenant received his orders from the captain.

Spell the word, Lieutenant.

>> Uh, l I e u t e a n t. >> Yes.

That's right.

And finally, a labyrinth is a complicated, irregular network of passages, or paths in which it is difficult to find one's way.

Spell.

Labyrinth.

>> Labyrinth.

Labyrinth.

>> L a b I y n t h. >> Close l a b y r I t. All right, Lennox, once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30.

Qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

This sculpture of Napoleon Bonaparte depicts his head, shoulders and upper chest, beginning with the letter B.

What is the term for this type of sculpture?

>> A bust.

>> Bust is correct.

Let's move on.

Here are clues to three famous bust sculptures for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen.

First estimated to have been created in the 14th century BCE.

This sculpture depicts which ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti.

Yes, that is correct.

In Greek mythology, this gorgon was generally described as a woman with living snakes in place of hair.

Her appearance was so hideous that anyone who looked upon her was turned to stone.

Name her.

>> Medusa.

>> Medusa.

Yes.

That's correct.

And finally, if you've ever studied piano, then you may have had a bust of this classical composer on your piano.

He composed the Moonlight Sonata and the ode to Joy.

Name him.

>> Beethoven.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Very nice.

Again.

Once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> World events for 30.

>> World events for 30 to qualify.

Take a look at your screens.

In which 20th century?

Year did World War two end?

>> 1945?

>> Yes, 1945 is correct.

Let's move on.

In this category, front pages from history will give you a front page headline.

You tell me in what year that headline was printed.

These are for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first name the year.

This front page was printed.

>> 1912.

>> 1912.

Yes.

Name the year.

This front page was printed 1960, 1969, 1969 is correct.

And finally, name the year this front page was printed.

>> 1777 1973.

>> Close 1974.

Nice job on the other ones, though.

Okay, Lennox, once again pick a category and point value.

>> Literature for 30.

>> Literature for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

This 1978 Newbery Medal winning novel by Katherine Paterson tells the story of Jessie, a fearful, angry boy whose life is transformed when he befriends an outgoing tomboy named Leslie.

Name this novel.

>> Bridge to Terabithia.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Let's move on to this category.

More Newbery Medal winners for ten points each.

First, this 1973 award winner by author Jean Craighead George is set on the Alaska North Slope and features a young Inuit girl who runs away and happens upon a wolf with whom she is able to coexist.

Name the book.

>> Dear.

>> Julie of the Wolves is the right answer.

Let's try this.

In this 1963 medal winner by Madeleine L'Engle, you'll meet siblings Meg Murry and Charles Wallace as they undertake a cosmic journey in search of their lost father.

Name this book.

>> A Wrinkle in Time.

>> Yes, that's correct.

And finally, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1970 and made into a film in 1972, this William H. Armstrong novel tells the story of a young boy and his sharecropper family.

The title character of the book is the family dog named.

This book.

>> Is Shiloh.

>> Um, Shiloh.

>> Sounder is the right answer.

All right, go on.

Once again, your turn.

>> Arts and entertainment for 25.

>> Arts and entertainment for 25.

Qualifying question.

The first book in the Harry Potter series by author JK Rowling was titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Including all punctuation marks spell the word sorcerer's as it is spelled in that sentence.

>> S o r c e r e apostrophe s. >> Yes, that's correct.

Let's move on.

Let's switch to Harry Potter movies.

Some of my favorites.

I'll name an incorrect Harry Potter movie title.

You give me the fully corrected title for five points each.

First, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Doom.

>> Chamber of.

>> Secrets.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Next, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azerbaijan.

>> Prisoner of Azkaban.

>> Azkaban is correct.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Evil.

>> Goblet of fire.

>> Goblet of fire is correct.

How about Harry Potter and the order of the Pharaoh?

>> Order of the Phoenix.

>> Phoenix is correct.

And finally, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood.

>> Which Half-Blood?

Half-Blood Prince?

>> Yes, that is correct.

You know your Harry Potter movies.

Okay, Lennox, once again, please pick a category and point value.

>> Social studies for 25.

>> Social studies for 25.

To qualify, you have picked the Westfield State University entrance exam question, answer the qualifier and all the category questions correctly.

Your team wins an additional ten points.

Good luck!

Take a look at your screens.

What South American country's flag is represented here?

>> Brazil?

>> Brazil?

Yes.

That's right.

Let's test your international flag fluency.

We'll show you a flag, give you a continent and the name of a non-capital city for five points each.

You name the flags.

Country of origin.

Take a look at your screen first.

Europe and the city of Valencia, Spain.

Spain is correct.

North America and the city of Calgary.

>> Canada.

>> Canada is correct.

Asia and the city of Agra.

India India is correct.

Oceania and the city of Auckland.

>> New Zealand.

New Zealand.

>> New Zealand is right.

And finally Africa in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Yes, that is correct.

Nice job.

You got all the answers correctly.

Your team wins an additional ten points for winning the Westfield State University entrance exam.

Question.

Congratulations to you.

All right, let's move on with Agawam.

Once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> Math and science for 25.

>> Math and science for 25 to qualify.

Discovered in 1877, Phobos is the larger of the two known natural satellites.

Of which planet in our solar system?

>> Mars.

>> Mars.

Yes.

That's right.

Sticking with natural planetary satellites for ten points each.

First, which planet in our solar system has four large natural satellites known as the Galilean moons?

>> Jupiter.

>> Jupiter?

Yes.

That's right.

Many of the 27 known moons of this planet were named for Shakespearean characters, including Miranda and Ariel.

>> You got it.

I don't know these.

>> Neptune.

>> Uranus is the right answer there.

Finally, let's try this one for five points.

Name either of the two planets in our solar system that have no known moons Venus.

>> Mercury.

>> Mercury, or Venus is the correct answer.

And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Let's take a minute now to meet the team from Lenox Memorial High School.

>> Hi, I'm Mackenzie Gaudet from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Lenox Memorial if you could erase one school subject forever.

Which one would it be?

>> Um, probably AP stats.

>> I definitely have to go with AP stats.

>> I would say it would probably be pre-calculus.

>> Probably algebra one.

>> Let's move on now to the final lightning round of the match.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

Buzz in and answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

However, you lose five points.

We hope you'll be able to deduce the correct answers in this round.

Each of the answers to the following clues begin with the letter D, as in the word deduce.

You have 90s starting right now.

A house with two apartments in it.

Lenox.

>> Duplex.

>> Duplex is correct.

A daily written journal of experiences.

Lenox.

>> Diary.

>> Diary is right.

A doctor who works on teeth.

Lenox.

>> Dentist.

>> Dentist is correct.

The fin on a shark's back.

Lenox.

>> Dorsal fin.

>> Dorsal is correct.

The time limit for a project to end.

Lenox.

>> Deadline.

>> Deadline is right.

Bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees.

Degrees.

Yes.

That's right.

Another name for a ten cent coin.

Agawam.

Dime.

Dime is correct.

A Velociraptor was a type of Lenox dinosaur.

Dinosaur is right the the Miami NFL team.

>> Agawam Dolphins.

>> Dolphins is right.

A language only spoken in a certain area.

Agawam dialect.

Dialect.

Yes.

To separate into parts, sections or groups.

Lenox.

>> Divide.

>> Divide is right.

What you are when you hibernate.

Lenox.

>> Dead.

>> Dormant is the right answer there.

Alternate fuel from gasoline.

Agawam.

>> Diesel.

>> Diesel is correct.

A type of farm for milking cows.

>> Lenox Dairy Farm.

>> Dairy is correct.

Another name for a window curtain Lenox.

>> Drapes.

>> Drape or drapery?

Yes.

It's made up of ten years.

>> Lenox decades.

>> Decade is correct name for a male honeybee.

Lenox.

>> Drum.

Drum.

>> Drum drone is right on campus housing for a number of students.

Agawam dorm.

Yes, that's correct.

A term for light rainfall.

Lennox.

>> Drizzle.

>> Drizzle is right.

Ah, that bell marks the end of our last lightning round.

It also marks the end of a very good match.

What a great match up we had tonight.

As we continue with the playoffs, I want to say to Agawam, you always bring it such a strong job tonight.

Although I have to say Lenox Memorial, you really killed it in the lightning round.

So congrats to you.

You are the winners this evening.

Lenox will now move on to the semifinals.

And here's a look at our playoff bracket as it now stands.

You can see Longmeadow, Lenox, and it will be Northampton versus Easthampton as our playoffs continue to see who will take on Belchertown.

Time will tell.

So stay tuned for that to see this season's roster and for more information, be sure to log on to our web page at npr.org.

Or you can look for us on Facebook and Instagram.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

Good night, and be sure to tune in again next time when we wrap up the quarterfinals.

As schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA 180 years of commitment to the public, schools and colleges.

Our communities deserve.

>> To excel is to recognize that you want to continue to grow and transform and evolve into a better person.

Westfield State is a fit for me because it's a campus that's big enough to host a community in which I can get to know different kinds of people.

>> The impact I want to leave at Westfield State is to be a leader, to get involved.

Each person has their own excellence.

>> Hold on.

I drop this beat.

Like.

Drop like that.

>> Do you want to see when your school's match is scheduled?

Want to know who the past ASM champions are?

Have a question you'd like to see us ask?

Then log on to the As Schools Match Wits web page at npr.org.

You can see this season's roster, a listing of past ASM champions, and even submit a question of your own, which may be used in a future episode.

It's all just a mouse click away.