>> Join us tonight as the semi-finals conclude with number two seed Longmeadow High School.

Going up against number three seed Lenox Memorial 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.

Our first semifinal matchup last time between Belchertown and Easthampton.

Belchertown came out on top to advance to the championship match.

Who will join them?

We will soon find out.

In tonight's second semifinal matchup, we have Longmeadow High School going up against Lenox Memorial High School.

Let's meet the teams, starting with Lenox Memorial High School, coached by Matt Gottfried and Charles Mattina.

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

>> Hi, I'm Caleb Ketchen, and I am a freshman at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School.

>> Hi, I'm Ava Mosesian, and I'm a junior from Lenox Memorial Middle and high school.

>> Hi.

I'm Kat Kowalski, and I'm a senior at Lenox Memorial High School.

I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge our alternates.

Greta matthews and Fiona Ward.

>> And for Longmeadow High School, coached by Tracy Kelly.

>> Hi.

I'm Spencer Peluso, a senior from Longmeadow High School.

>> Hi.

I'm Thomas Brede, and I'm a senior from Longmeadow High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Nicholas Christopher, and I'm a senior at Longmeadow High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Marin Gebhart and I'm a senior at Longmeadow High School.

I'd like to take this moment to acknowledge our alternates.

Ethan Bell and CJ Delizo.

>> We start off each match 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.

Let's begin with the first question of the evening.

Complete the following relationship.

Lima is to Peru as what capital is to Saudi Arabia?

Lennox.

>> Riyadh.

>> Riyadh is correct.

Name.

The title of the 1818 Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Gothic novel.

Longmeadow.

>> Frankenstein.

>> Frankenstein.

Yes.

That's right.

In the technology world, the letters stand.

For what?

Lennox.

>> Something I forget.

>> No idea.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up, all right.

Because you did not get that answer correctly.

Longmeadow.

You get the automatic chance to answer the question.

>> Um.

Portable numerical graphics.

>> Very close.

Portable network graphics.

Let's move on.

What Marvel Comics character has been portrayed by actor Benedict Cumberbatch?

Lennox.

>> Doctor strange?

>> Yes.

That's right.

In which of the following years did Barack Obama get sworn in for his first term?

>> Lennox 2009.

>> Didn't have to finish that.

Yes, 2009 is correct.

If you travel due west from Paramaribo, Suriname, what is the first?

Lennox?

>> Venezuela.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

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

Longmeadow High School, can you answer the question?

>> Guyana?

>> Yes.

That's right.

Grab your pens for this one.

What?

Percent of 350 is 700?

Longmeadow.

>> 200%.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Which of the following bones sits between the tibia and fibula and Longmeadow?

>> The patella?

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question and forms the top of the ankle joint.

Is it the talus trapezium or the occipital bone?

All right, Lenox Memorial.

Can you answer the question?

>> Occipital.

>> Talus is actually the right answer there.

Let's try this.

The 2024 Democratic National Convention took place between August 19th and 22nd, in which U.S. city.

Longmeadow.

Chicago.

Chicago?

Yes.

That's right.

In a parallelogram, if two angles measure 107 degrees each, what is the measure in degrees?

>> Lenox 073, I think.

>> 7373.

>> Either of the other two angles?

Yes, 73 is correct.

Complete this relationship.

Mount Greylock is to Massachusetts as Mount Washington is to Lenox.

>> New Hampshire.

>> New Hampshire, yes.

That's right.

Which of these numbers are not evenly divisible by 18?

Is it 90, 270, or 348?

>> Longmeadow 348.

>> Yes.

That's right.

On June 14th, 2024, Mercury passed behind the sun and out of view.

Lenox.

>> Is that on?

No.

I guess.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up.

Let me finish the question.

Relative to the Earth, was this event known as Mercury being in superior conjunction, inferior conjunction or solar opposition?

All right, Longmeadow, can you answer the question?

>> Solar opposition.

>> Superior conjunction is actually the right answer there.

Let's move on with this question.

Since January of 2022, Ziomara Castro has served as president of Longmeadow, Cuba.

I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

Let me finish the question of which Western hemisphere country is it Mexico, Guatemala or Honduras?

Lennox, can you answer the question?

>> Honduras?

>> Yes, Honduras is the right answer.

In the business world, Qu is an acronym for what?

>> Longmeadow Chief Operating Officer.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Which chemical element on the periodic table has the atomic number 93 and is abbreviated with the letters NP.

>> Lenox NP.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up.

Longmeadow.

Can you answer the question?

>> Neptunium?

>> Yes.

That's right.

Chapter one of what classic C.S.

Lewis novel begins?

Once there were four children whose names?

>> Longmeadow, the lion, the witch and the wardrobe.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Very nice.

From 2015 until his resignation in March of this year, Justin Trudeau served as Lenox.

>> Canada.

>> Prime minister of Canada.

Yes.

That's correct.

Three molecules of hydrogen peroxide comprise.

How many atoms of hydrogen?

Longmeadow.

>> Six.

>> Yes, six.

I heard that answer.

First is the correct answer.

The two letter United States Postal Service state abbreviation for Massachusetts is Ma.

What is the two letter United States Postal Service state abbreviation for Vermont?

Lennox is correct in the legal and business worlds.

CFO is Longmeadow.

>> Chief financial officer.

>> Chief Financial Officer Yes, that's correct.

You'll need those pens once again.

What is the answer to this multiplication problem?

Five times seven times nine.

Lennox.

>> 353.

>> Time is up.

I'm sorry.

Longmeadow High school, can you answer the question?

>> 315.

>> Yes.

315 is the right answer.

In the International System of Units, or ISU, what is the name of the base unit for measuring the amount of pure substance?

Longmeadow.

>> A mole?

>> Yes.

Mole is the right answer.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

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

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

We asked the team from Longmeadow High what was the best part of your.

As schools match wits experience.

>> I remember the first time we brought Spence on the show.

That man was shaking.

He was shivering.

He was sweating all over the desk.

He soaked through the notepad.

But then when he finally locked in.

Oh my God, it was the best experience I've ever had on this game show.

We had so much fun.

We did so well.

And I think I just love my team and I love working with all the members of this team.

>> The best part of my school experience was the Geography Lightning round last time, because Spence really just got to thrive and he's been so nervous this whole experience.

Usually he's kind of shaking.

He's really sweaty, you know, rubbing his hands all over the desk and creating a puddle.

So it's just really nice to see him in his element.

>> I mean, I've got to say, I just love how Spence finally locked in on the last episode.

You know, he's always been so shaky, sweaty, just nervous, disheveled.

But I feel like we're finally back.

>> I gotta say, my teammates, I've really enjoyed spending these last two years with them and I just it's really been a great experience with them.

>> A fun match going on right now.

So let's move on to the first lightning round of the evening.

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.

Your team loses five points.

Well, hopefully this will be a simple round.

To figure out.

Each answer to the following clues will be a six letter word beginning with the letter S, as in the word simple.

You have 90s starting right now.

An institution for learning.

>> Longmeadow School.

>> School is right.

A high school student in 12th grade.

>> Lenox Senior.

>> Senior is correct.

Winter is the coldest one of these.

Longmeadow.

Season.

Season is correct.

Not speaking or making noise.

Lennox.

>> Silent.

>> Silent is correct.

Metallic element with atomic number.

Lennox.

>> Silver.

>> Silver 47.

Yes.

That's right.

Another name for a traffic light.

Lennox.

Signal is the right answer there.

In Europe it's called football.

Longmeadow.

>> Soccer.

>> Soccer is correct.

A public address to an audience.

Lennox.

>> Speech.

>> Speech is correct.

Something really easy to understand.

Longmeadow.

>> Simple.

>> Simple is right.

A quadrilateral with congruent angles.

Longmeadow.

>> Square.

>> Square is correct.

A verb describing putting butter on bread.

Longmeadow.

>> Spreads.

>> Bread is correct.

Poetic term for a phantom or a ghost.

Lennox.

>> Spectre.

>> Shadow is the right answer there.

In baseball, a swing and a miss is this strike?

Yes, Longmeadow.

That's correct.

We're recording this show in a television.

What?

Lennox.

>> Studio.

>> Studio?

Yes.

That's right.

To take a test of the taste of something.

Longmeadow.

>> Sample.

>> Sample is right.

A waitress or a waiter is generally called Lennox Server.

Server is correct.

A brother's female sibling.

Longmeadow.

>> Sister.

>> Sister is correct.

Another name for a brook or a rivulet.

Lenox.

>> Stream.

>> Stream.

Yes.

That's right, a surface free from roughness.

Longmeadow.

>> Smooth.

>> Smooth is correct element used in common salt.

Longmeadow.

>> Sodium.

>> Sodium is right.

A person who's vocally performing a song.

Singer is the right answer there.

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

We move on now with our second semifinal match 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.

All right, as the rules state, the team that is behind also gets the first opportunity to pick a category and a point value.

All right, Lenox Memorial.

What's it going to be?

>> Social studies for 30.

>> Social studies for 30.

A qualifying question right out of the gate.

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.

All right.

Good luck.

Here we go.

What social studies class covers human societies social structures and interactions encompassing everything from individual behaviors to global trends.

>> Anthropology.

>> Anthropology.

Anthropology.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Longmeadow high school, can you capitalize human geography?

Sociology is the right answer there.

All right, Longmeadow, your turn.

First time of the evening to please pick a category and a point value.

>> General knowledge for 30.

>> General knowledge for 30.

A qualifying question.

Oh, we have a video qualifier.

So please take a look at your screen.

>> Hi, I'm Peter Sokolowski, editor at large for Merriam-Webster in Springfield, Massachusetts, with your qualifying question.

The word meticulous is an adjective defined as marked by extreme or excessive care in the consideration or treatment of details.

Here's how it's used in a sentence.

She was meticulous about keeping extremely accurate records.

To qualify, spell the word meticulous.

>> M e I c u l o u s. >> Yes, you are correct.

Let's move on in this category.

More spelling with adjectives.

I'll give you a sentence with a ten letter adjective.

You spell out that adjective for ten points each.

First, Paris will always be synonymous with style and fashion.

Spell the word synonymous.

>> S y o y m o u s. >> Yes.

You're right.

Try this one.

For a noted Shakespearean actor, his lines sounded rather monotonous.

Spell the word monotonous.

>> M o n o t o o u s. >> You are correct.

All right.

Finally, let's try this one.

Frankly, I thought this category was somewhat ridiculous.

Spell the word ridiculous.

>> R I'd I c u l o u s. >> Clean sweep.

Very nice job.

You know your spelling.

Nice job.

All right, Lennox, once again your turn to please pick a category and a point value.

>> World events for 30.

>> World events for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screen.

These hanging gardens, one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World, were built by Nebuchadnezzar the Second, to console his wife because she missed the greenery of her homeland.

They are known as the Hanging Gardens.

Of where?

>> Babylon?

>> Yes, Babylon is correct.

Let's move on in this category.

Sticking with the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World for ten points each, take a look at your screen.

Though it's the oldest of the ancient wonders, it's also the only one of the seven substantially intact.

Today in Egypt, they are known as the pyramids.

Of where?

>> Giza.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Try this one.

Built for Ptolemy, the second of Egypt.

This technological triumph is arguably the most famous lighthouse in antiquity.

It is known as the Lighthouse of where?

>> Alexandria.

>> Yes, you are correct.

Finally, let's try this one.

This statue of the Greek goddess Helios reportedly stood about 110ft tall atop a 50 foot tall base erected in 280 BCE.

It was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BCE.

It is known as the Colossus of where?

>> Rhodes.

>> Rhodes.

Yes.

Very nice job.

All right.

Longmeadow, your turn to.

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

>> Arts and entertainment for 30, please.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screen.

In what world capital can you visit the Louvre Museum, pictured here Paris.

Please be more specific.

>> Paris, France.

>> Yes, you are correct.

Let's move on in this category.

In what world capital city can you visit each of the following museums for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

The Bauhaus Archive and Museum of Design.

>> Denmark.

>> Copenhagen, Denmark.

>> Berlin, Germany is where that is located.

Let's try the Munch Museum.

>> In Copenhagen, Denmark.

>> You keep trying.

All right.

Oslo, Norway is the right answer there.

And finally, how about the new Acropolis Museum?

>> Athens, Greece?

>> Yes, that one is correct.

Okay.

Lenox Memorial once again.

Your turn.

>> Yeah.

Literature for 30.

>> Literature for 30.

Your qualifying question.

Name the author who wrote the seven collective fantasy novels called The Chronicles of Narnia.

>> C.S.

Lewis.

>> One of my favorites.

Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

Let's see what you know about The Chronicles of Narnia for ten points each.

Here's the first question.

The first book of the Chronicles tells the story of how Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie find their way to the magical land of Narnia.

Name that book.

>> The lion, the witch and the wardrobe.

>> Yes.

That's right.

In this book from the Chronicles, Edmund, Lucy, and their cousin Eustace Scrubb join a voyage to find the seven Lords who were banished from Narnia.

Name this book.

>> Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

>> Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

And finally, this last book of the series leads to the end of Narnia as it was known, but allows Aslan to lead the characters to the true Narnia.

Name that book.

>> The Last Battle.

>> Yes.

You know your chronicles.

Very nice job.

All right.

Longmeadow.

Once again, your turn.

>> Math and science for 30, please.

>> Going for the last of the 30s.

Here we go with your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

One of the key ingredients in making glass is the compound with the chemical formula SiO2.

Better known as what?

>> Silicon dioxide.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Let's move on in this category.

Identify the following three chemicals from their molecular formula for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

One.

More than 40 million metric tons of this chemical are produced annually in the US.

It's found in everything from car batteries to fertilizers.

It's H2So4, better known as what?

>> Sulfuric acid?

>> Yes, that's right.

Among other applications, C2h4 is a natural plant hormone used in agriculture to induce the ripening of fruits.

C2h4 is better known as what?

>> Methane?

>> Correct answer is ethylene.

All right.

Finally, let's try this one.

The common name for the molecular formula is lime.

What does C actually stand for.

>> Calcium oxide.

>> Yes that's correct.

All right Lennox once again please pick a category and a point value.

>> Social studies for 25.

>> Social studies for 25 to qualify.

Take a look at your screen.

What is the current capital of the southern US state whose previous capitals included Savannah and Augusta.

>> No, it's the Savannah, Georgia and Augusta, Georgia.

It's Atlanta.

>> Atlanta.

>> Please be more specific.

>> Atlanta, Georgia.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

Tell me the current capital city of the US state, whose previous capitals included each of the following pairs of cities for five points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

Donaldsonville and New Orleans.

>> Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

>> Yes, that's right.

Fort Whipple and Prescott are Phoenix.

>> Or is it Phoenix, Arizona?

>> Yeah.

Phoenix, Arizona.

>> Just in time.

Yes.

Phoenix, Arizona.

Kingston and Poughkeepsie.

>> Albany, New.

>> York, Albany, New York.

>> Albany, New York is right.

Zanesville and Chillicothe.

>> New Santa Fe, New.

>> Mexico, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

>> Columbus, Ohio is the actual answer there.

And finally, how about Murfreesboro and Knoxville?

>> Is it Memphis.

>> Or no, it's Nashville.

>> Nashville, Tennessee.

>> Nashville, Tennessee is the right answer.

Yes.

Longmeadow.

Once again, it is your turn.

>> General knowledge for 25, please.

>> General knowledge for 25.

Your qualifying question.

If you were born on the 4th of July, what is your zodiac sign?

Is it Taurus?

Leo.

Cancer or Virgo.

>> Cancer.

>> Cancer?

Yes.

That's right.

More with astrological signs for five points each.

Take a look at your screen.

If you were born on any of the following holidays, what would your zodiac sign be?

First New Year's Day.

>> Sagittarius.

>> Capricorn is the right answer.

Try Labor Day.

>> Virgo.

>> Virgo.

Yes.

That's right.

How about Valentine's Day?

Aquarius Aquarius is right.

Thanksgiving.

>> Sagittarius.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

And finally, how about Saint Patrick's Day?

>> Pisces.

>> Yes, that is correct.

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

>> World events for 25.

>> World events for 25.

To qualify, take a look at your screen.

Known as the Intolerable Acts in the American colonies, the Coercive Acts of 1774 were a series of four British laws passed to punish the Colony of Massachusetts Bay.

Name.

This December 16th, 1773, event in Massachusetts Bay that led to the passage of the Coercive Acts.

>> The Boston Tea Party.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Nice job.

Let's move on.

More about the Intolerable Acts for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen.

First, what colonial assembly was formed in Philadelphia as a result of the Intolerable Acts?

>> The continental congress?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Attended by over 50 delegates.

The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in September of 1774.

When the Assembly reconvened in May of 1775. Who was elected president of the Congress?

>> George Washington.

>> John Hancock is the right answer there.

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

Who did the Second Continental Congress appoint to command the American Army in 1775?

>> George Washington?

>> Yes.

George Washington is the right answer there.

And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Let's take a moment 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 what was the best part of your.

As schools match wits experience.

>> My favorite part was the capitalization round since it let us tackle our greatest topics.

>> Probably the capitalization round, because there's a lot of stuff that we know in the capitalization round, and we know what to expect.

>> It's probably been how supportive everybody has been.

>> Probably the thrill and the competition of the lightning rounds.

>> All right, let's move on to the final lightning round of the match.

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

You know how this works.

Buzz in answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

You lose five points.

Well, time for the grand finale for this match.

Each answer to the following clues will be a word with a letter sequence, a D somewhere in it, as in the word Grand.

You have 90s starting right now.

A black and white bear.

Lennox.

>> Panda.

>> Panda is right.

A group of musicians.

Lennox.

>> Band.

>> Band is right.

They light up a birthday cake.

>> Lennox.

>> Candles.

>> Candle is right to spend money wastefully.

Longmeadow.

Squander is the right answer there.

PB and J on two slices of bread.

>> Lennox sandwich.

>> Sandwich is right.

Another name for the Netherlands.

Lennox.

>> Holland.

>> Holland is correct.

It's attached to your wrist.

Longmeadow.

>> Hands.

>> Hand is right.

A land mass surrounded by water.

>> Lennox Island.

>> Island is correct.

Material used to dress a wound.

Lennox.

Bandage.

Bandage is correct.

A short trip to perform a specified task.

Lennox.

>> Errand.

>> Errand is the right answer.

Area covered by a dense growth of trees.

Lenox.

Woodland is the right answer.

An overwhelming number of winning votes.

Longmeadow.

>> Landslide.

>> Landslide is right to increase.

Something in size and volume.

Lenox.

>> Expand.

>> Expand is correct to urgently ask for something.

Longmeadow.

>> Demand.

>> Demand is correct.

It's a male goose.

Lenox.

Gander is the right answer.

Used to make castles at the beach.

Longmeadow.

>> Sand.

>> Sand is right.

It's a subregion of Northern Europe.

Lenox.

>> Normandy.

>> Scandinavia is the right answer to rise from a seat to your feet.

Longmeadow.

>> Stand.

>> Stand is correct.

A false and malicious statement.

Lenox.

Slander is the right answer there.

However, that bell marks the end of our second lightning Round.

It also marks the end of our last semifinal match.

What a fantastic way to wrap up our semifinals.

I have to tell you.

Lenox Memorial.

Strong work to you.

I mean, you always bring it.

And that last lightning round.

Actually, both lightning rounds.

What a great job.

So I know it got close.

However, tonight, Longmeadow High School, you are the winner.

So congratulations to you.

You will be moving on 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 week when we find out who the season 64 champion will be.

Will it be Belchertown High School or Longmeadow High School?

That's next time on.

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.

Drop this beat.

Like.

Drop like that.