>> Join us tonight as the playoffs continue with the second seed, Longmeadow High School, going up against the seventh seed Westfield 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.

Here's a look at the final standings from our qualifying rounds.

And as you know, in the playoffs, it is not just about the points anymore.

It is about the win.

The qualifying matches are over and the playoffs continue.

Belchertown won our first quarterfinal matchup last time and will move on to the semifinals.

In tonight's second quarterfinal matchup, we have Longmeadow High School going up against Westfield High School.

Let's meet the teams starting with Westfield High, coached by John Tyler.

>> Hi, my name is Andy Liu and I'm a junior at Westfield High.

>> Hi.

My name is Caitlin Goulet and I'm a junior at Westfield High School.

>> My name is Luke Bullen and I'm a senior at Westfield High School.

>> Hi, my name is Ben Miller and I'm a senior at Westfield High School.

And I would also like to recognize our alternates, Jonas Miller and Brendan Czajkowski.

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

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

Hi.

My name is Nicholas Christoforous and I'm a senior from Longmeadow High School.

>> Hi.

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

>> I'm Spencer Delizo, a senior at Longmeadow High School.

And I'd like to take this time to shout out our alternates, Jasmine Lang and Ethan Bell.

>> 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.

All right.

Good luck to both teams.

Here we go with the first question of the evening.

If you travel due east from Kabul, Afghanistan, what is the first national border that you'll cross?

Westfield.

>> Pakistan.

>> Pakistan?

Yes.

That's right.

With the atomic number 19 on the periodic table of elements.

>> Westfield sodium.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

The atomic number 19 on the periodic table of elements.

Name the element that has the symbol K. Okay.

All right.

Longmeadow high school.

Can you answer the question?

>> Potassium.

>> Potassium?

Yes.

That's correct.

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

The Westfield.

>> Hand?

>> Yes.

Didn't have to finish that.

Nice job.

On January 11th, 2023, for the first time since nine over 11, the FAA issued a nationwide ground stop following the failure of the FAA's Notice to Air Hazard Alert System.

What do the initials FAA stand for?

>> Longmeadow Federal Aviation Administration.

>> Yes, that's correct.

Pick up your pens for this one.

If one angle of an isosceles triangle measures 98 degrees, what is the measure in degrees of each of the other two angles?

Westfield.

>> 41 degrees.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Complete the following relationship.

Buenos Aires is to Argentina.

As what capital city is to Libya?

Westfield.

My time is up.

All right.

Longmeadow high school.

Can you answer the question?

>> Tripoli?

>> Yes, Tripoli is correct.

Bilbo Baggins is the main character in Longmeadow.

>> The hobbit.

>> The hobbit, the 1937 J.R.R.

Tolkien novel.

Let's move on to the next one.

Listen to this sentence.

The map is downloadable as a 150 megabyte PDF file from this website.

In that sentence, what do the letters PDF stand for?

Longmeadow.

>> Portable document format.

>> Yes, that's right.

Name the celebrity known for portraying Black Widow in the Marvel Longmeadow.

>> Scarlett Johansson.

>> Yes, that is correct.

In February of 2016, Donald Trump won the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary.

What U.S.

Senator from Vermont won the New Hampshire Democratic Longmeadow.

>> Bernie Sanders.

>> Presidential primary in 2016.

Yes.

Grab your pens once again.

What percent of 150 is 450?

Longmeadow.

>> 300%.

>> Yes, that is correct.

All right, listen very carefully.

It sounds plausible enough tonight, but wait until tomorrow is a quote from 1895 science fiction novella The Time Machine, written by.

What author?

Westfield.

>> George.

Orwell.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Longmeadow High School, can you answer the question, H.G.

Wells?

Yes, that is correct.

Next question.

From October 1970 until his assassination in 1981, Anwar Sadat was the president.

Of what?

>> Longmeadow, Egypt.

>> Yes.

What African country?

Egypt is the right answer.

If your calendar says it's vendredi in the French language.

Longmeadow Friday is in the English language.

Yes.

Ma is the two letter United States Postal Service code.

Longmeadow.

>> Kentucky.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

They knew they buzzed in a little bit too soon.

All right.

Ma is the Postal Service code for Massachusetts.

What state uses the Postal service code?

EMS.

All right.

Westfield.

Can you answer the question?

>> Sorry.

Mississippi.

Mississippi.

>> Correct answer is Mississippi.

Let's move on.

Complete this relationship.

Mount Greylock is to Massachusetts as Mount Katahdin is.

To which US state?

>> Westfield, New York.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Longmeadow High School, can you answer the question?

>> Maine.

>> Maine is the right answer.

Yes.

Which of these three digit numbers is not evenly divisible by 13?

65.

One.

79.

Longmeadow.

>> One.

69.

Nope.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me.

Let me finish the question.

Or is it one?

95.

All right, Westfield, can you answer the question?

179 yes, that is correct.

All right.

The solar event that happens on the first day of winter is also known as what?

Longmeadow?

>> The winter solstice.

>> Winter solstice is correct.

Giorgia meloni has been serving as prime Minister.

Of what?

Longmeadow.

>> Italy.

>> Yes.

Since October of 2022, MSG is used to enhance the savory Longmeadow monosodium glutamate.

What is the acronym?

Yes, that is correct.

The First Transcontinental Railroad was completed on May 10th, 1869, with the joining of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads at Promontory Summit in what US state Longmeadow.

>> Utah.

>> Utah is correct.

The Parana River, spelled p a r a n a, can be found.

In what continent?

Longmeadow.

>> South America.

>> South America is correct.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

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

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

We asked the team from Westfield High, what's your go to excuse for not having your homework done?

>> Well, if I told you the answer, that would kind of defeat the purpose, wouldn't it?

>> I already turned that in.

Did you lose it?

>> Oh, I turned that in a while ago.

I guess I just forgot to put my name on it again.

>> Oh, wait, I did that the day that you assigned it, but I left it at home again.

I'll turn it in tomorrow.

>> Let's move on now 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.

However, your team loses five points.

Well, you'll need to choose the right answer to score in this round.

Each correct response will begin with the letters C as in the word choose.

All right, you have 90s starting right now to transform from one thing to another.

Westfield.

Change.

Change is correct.

Fastest land mammal on Earth.

Longmeadow.

Cheetah.

Cheetah is right, a musically tuned bell.

Westfield chime.

Chime is correct.

Another term for a risk.

Longmeadow.

Chance.

Chance is right.

Many candy bars are made of this.

Westfield.

Chocolate.

Chocolate is correct to stir or agitate violently.

Westfield.

>> Churn.

>> Churn is right.

The first place winner in a race.

Westfield.

>> Champion.

>> Champion is correct.

A skilled professional cook.

Longmeadow.

Chef.

Chef is right.

Feta, Gouda and mozzarella.

Longmeadow.

Cheese.

Yes.

That's right.

An onion like plant used as a seasoning.

>> Westfield Chive.

>> Chive is correct to pursue someone with great speed.

Westfield.

Chase.

Chase is correct.

Smiley face.

Feline from Alice in Wonderland.

Longmeadow.

Cheshire Cat Cheshire Cat is correct.

Something you can sit on.

Westfield.

>> Chair.

>> Chair is correct.

Old school fuel for an outdoor grill.

Longmeadow.

>> Charcoal.

>> Charcoal is correct.

A small striped rodent.

Longmeadow.

Chipmunk is the right answer there.

Game with Kings, Queens and bishops.

Westfield.

>> Chess.

>> Chess is correct.

A farm bird that lives in a coop.

Longmeadow.

>> Chicken.

>> Chicken is right.

A pepper that can be hot or sweet.

Longmeadow.

>> Chili.

Chili.

>> Chili is right.

Books are divided into these.

Sometimes Westfield.

>> Chapters.

>> Chapters is correct.

A vent for smoke from a fireplace.

>> Westfield chimney.

>> Did they get that under the buzzer?

Yes they did.

And chimney is the right answer.

That marks the end of our first lightning round.

We continue 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.

All right.

At the moment, Westfield, you are behind.

That also means you get the first opportunity to pick a category and a point value.

What's going to be.

>> Social studies for 30, please.

>> Social Studies for 30 years.

Qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

What state capital is named after the Englishman who attempted to establish a colony on Roanoke Island and later searched for El Dorado, the legendary lost city of gold named the city and the state.

>> Raleigh, North Carolina.

>> Yes, that's right, let's move on.

More about the names of U.S. capital cities for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

This states capital was named for the third president of the United States.

The state was admitted to the Union in 1821 as the 24th state named the city and the state.

>> Saint Louis, Missouri.

>> Jefferson City, Missouri is the right answer there.

Let's try this.

This state's capital was named for the fourth president of the United States.

Its state was admitted to the Union in 1848 as the 30th state named this city and the state.

>> Madison.

>> Wisconsin.

>> Yes.

That's right.

And finally, this state capital was named in honor of the seventh president of the United States.

The state was admitted to the Union in 1817, as the 20th state named this city and the state.

>> Jackson, Mississippi.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

All right.

Longmeadow, your turn.

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

>> General knowledge for 30.

>> General knowledge for 30.

Qualifying question.

What form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons derives its name from the Greek for few and to rule.

>> Oligarchy?

>> Yes, that's right, let's move on.

Sticking with forms of government that derive their names from the Latin or Greek languages for ten points each, take a look at your screen first.

What form of government derives its name from the Greek word for sacred.

>> Diarchy.

>> Hierarchy is the right answer there.

Let's try this.

What form of government is defined as a government having a hereditary sovereign with life, tenure and powers varying from nominal to absolute monarchy.

Monarchy?

Yes.

That's right.

And finally, from the Greek word for without.

What form of government is defined as a state of disorder due to absence of authority or other controlling systems?

>> Anarchy.

>> Anarchy.

Yes.

That's right.

Westfield.

Once again.

Your turn.

>> Math and science for 30, please.

>> Math and science for 30.

To qualify, we have a video qualifier for this question, so please take a look at your screen.

>> Hi, I'm Anna from the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, Massachusetts, here with your qualifying question.

Emily Dickinson wrote, there's a certain slant of light to qualify.

What is the name of the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy?

>> Photosynthesis?

>> Yes, they say together.

That is correct.

Moving on in this category, more about photosynthesis for ten points each.

First up, name the organelles found in plant cells and algae that convert sunlight into oxygen and food chloroplasts.

Yes that's right.

Name the light absorbing pigment present in the internal membranes of chloroplasts that lends them to their green color, chlorophyll.

Yes.

That's right.

And finally, photosynthesis uses the energy of light to convert carbon dioxide and water into what?

>> Glucose.

>> Correct answer.

There is glucose.

And oxygen is what we were looking for.

Longmeadow.

Once again, your turn.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30.

Your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

In a 2019 Paramount Pictures movie, this adventurous 16 year old title character leads her friends on an adventure to save her parents and solve the mystery behind a lost city of gold.

Name this character.

>> Dora the Explorer.

>> Dora is correct.

Let's move on.

More about 2019 movies for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen.

This team of friends returns to brave parts unknown, from arid deserts to snowy mountains, in order to escape the world's most dangerous board game.

Named the full title of this movie.

>> Jumanji two.

>> That is a good guess.

Jumanji The Next Level is the right answer there.

Let's try this.

The plot line for this 2019 live action movie reads, A charming thief, the princess of Agrabah and a genie tried to stop Jafar, the cruel Grand Vizier, from usurping the king's throne.

Name this film.

>> Aladdin.

>> Aladdin is right.

And finally, this live action Disney musical has the plot line after the murder of his father, a young lion prince flees his kingdom only to learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery.

Name this film.

>> The Lion King.

>> Of course.

Yes, the Lion King is right.

Westfield.

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

>> World events.

>> For.

>> 30, please.

>> World events for 30.

Qualifying question.

Take a look at your screen.

It's been said that James Watt's improvements to this invention led to the start of the Industrial Revolution.

Which invention?

>> Steam engine.

>> Steam engine?

Yes, that's right, let's move on.

More about the Industrial Revolution for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first, thanks to James Watt's refinements, the first commercially successful one of these was built by Robert Fulton in 1807.

What was the invention?

>> Steamboat.

>> Yes, steamboat is correct.

Communication also revolutionized during the Industrial Revolution.

Samuel Morse develops the Morse code for use on which of these inventions Telegraph.

Telegraph is correct.

And finally, in 1866, this invention by Alfred Nobel revolutionized construction and mining.

It enabled workers to excavate tunnels and break through rock hard materials with greater ease.

What was the invention?

>> Dynamite?

>> Yes, that is correct.

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

>> Literature for 30.

>> Last of the 30s.

Here we go with your qualifying question.

Fill in the blank in this novel's title with the proper number.

Blank Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey.

>> One.

>> One is correct.

More with numerical titles in literature.

I'll give you an incomplete title and tell you the author.

You tell me the missing number.

For ten points each.

First up, the House of Blank Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

>> Seven.

>> Seven is correct.

Blank.

Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne.

>> 20,000?

>> Yes, 20 is correct.

Finally.

Fahrenheit blank by Ray Bradbury for 51.

Yes.

That's right.

Right.

Westfield.

Once again, your turn.

>> Social slice for 25, please.

>> Social studies for 25.

To qualify, take a look at your screen.

Eight of the ten tallest buildings in the United States can be found.

In.

What city?

>> New York city.

>> New York City is right.

Let's move on.

More about some of the tallest buildings in the United States.

In which city will you find each of these skyscrapers for?

Five points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

In what city will you find the Wilshire Grand Center, the tallest building west of Chicago.

>> Los Angeles.

>> Yes, that's right, the Bank of America Plaza is the tallest building in any US state capital city.

In which city will you find the Bank of America Plaza?

>> Chicago.

>> Atlanta is the right answer there.

Let's try this.

The Willis Tower was first built as the Sears Tower and opened in 1973.

At that time, it was the tallest building in the US.

In which city will you find the Willis Tower?

>> Chicago.

>> Chicago?

Yes.

That's correct.

Salesforce Tower, formerly known as Transbay Tower, is the second tallest building west of the Mississippi.

In which city is Salesforce Tower found?

>> San Francisco.

>> San Francisco.

>> Yes, San Francisco is correct.

And finally, don't think too hard about this one.

One Liberty place is.

In which city?

>> Philadelphia.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Okay.

Longmeadow.

Once again, please pick a category and a point.

>> Value general knowledge for 25.

>> General knowledge for 25.

Qualifying question.

You have picked the Westfield State University entrance exam question.

Answer the qualifier and all of the category questions correctly.

You'll win an additional ten points.

Good luck.

Here we go.

Listen to the sentence I have a weakness for eating too many potatoes at supper time.

Spell the word potatoes as it was used in that sentence.

>> P o a t o e. >> Yes.

That's right.

Let's move on.

More with spelling the names of fruits and vegetables.

I'll name a fruit or vegetable in a sentence.

You spell its name for five points each.

First raspberry preserve is delicious on toast.

Spell raspberry.

>> R a s p b e r r y.

>> Yes.

That's right.

A clementine is a small, easy to peel citrus fruit spell.

Clementine.

>> C l e e t I.

>> Correct.

A habanero is a type of chili pepper.

Spell.

Habanero.

>> H a b a n e. >> Correct.

A pomegranate is a popular fruit known for its vibrantly colored seeds.

Spell.

Pomegranate.

>> P o m e g r a n a t e. >> Yes.

That's correct.

And finally, white is the most common color for cauliflower plants.

Spell cauliflower.

>> C a u l I f o w e r. >> Yes, you are correct.

Nice job you got all of those answers correct.

You know your spelling.

Your team wins an additional ten points.

You have passed the Westfield State University entrance exam.

Questions?

So congratulations to you.

All right, let's move on with Westfield.

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

>> Math and science for 25, please.

>> Math and science for 25.

Your qualifying question.

There are 92 protons in the nucleus of an atom of uranium 238.

How many neutrons are in the nucleus of each atom of this isotope?

>> 246.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Longmeadow High School, can you capitalize?

>> 146.

>> 146.

Yes, that is correct.

All right, tough one.

Westfield.

But let's move on.

More with familiar isotopes.

Tell me how many neutrons are in the nucleus of an atom of each isotope I.

Name for five points each.

First carbon 14.

>> Six.

>> Eight is the right answer.

Trisodium 18.

>> Did you say something?

>> Nine.

>> Seven is the right answer there.

How about boron 15?

>> Eight.

>> Ten is the right answer.

Try radium 202.

>> 100.

>> 114.

Close.

And finally hydrogen three or tritium.

>> Two.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Nice job.

And that marks the end of the capitalization round.

Let's take a minute 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.

Would you rather have school start at noon or end at noon?

>> I mean, listen, I'm the type to sleep in until like 1:30 p.m., so it's got to start at noon.

>> Well, try as they might, they can't make me a morning person, so I'd love if it started at noon.

>> I would rather have school start at noon, because if I'm going to suffer, I might as well be well-rested.

>> I'm a big fan of European soccer, and so I'd love for school to start at noon so I can watch all the Premier League games before I go to school.

>> Heading 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.

You know how this works.

Buzz in and answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

Your team loses five points.

Well, this round is all about international capitals and their home countries.

All name a capital city.

You tell me what country it's in.

You have 90s starting right now.

What country's capital is Vienna?

Longmeadow.

>> Austria.

>> Austria is correct.

What country's capital is Islamabad?

>> Westfield.

>> Pakistan.

>> Pakistan is right.

The country whose capital is San Salvador.

Longmeadow.

>> El Salvador.

>> El Salvador is right.

Name the country whose capital is Tripoli.

Longmeadow.

>> Libya.

>> Libya is right.

What country's capital is Wellington?

Westfield.

>> New Zealand.

>> Yes.

That's right.

The country whose capital is Buenos Aires.

Westfield.

>> Argentina?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

>> Try naming the country with the capital city of Budapest.

>> Westfield, Romania.

>> Hungary is the right answer there.

What country's capital is Rabat?

Longmeadow.

Morocco Morocco is right.

The country whose capital is Phnom Penh.

>> Westfield, Vietnam.

>> Cambodia is the right answer.

Name the country whose capital is Amman.

Longmeadow.

>> Armenia.

>> Jordan is the right answer.

The capital city, Caracas, is found.

In what country?

Westfield.

>> Venezuela?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

What country's capital is Bucharest?

>> Westfield, Romania.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Name the country whose capital is Canberra.

>> Australia?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

What country's capital is Nairobi?

>> Westfield, Kenya.

>> Kenya is right.

Name the country whose capital city is Beirut.

>> Lebanon.

>> Lebanon is right.

What country's capital is Helsinki?

>> Westfield, Finland.

>> Finland is correct.

The country whose capital is Vaduz?

Liechtenstein is the right answer.

What country's capital is Mogadishu?

>> Longmeadow, Somalia.

>> Somalia is right.

Are the bell marks the end of our last lightning round?

It also marks the end of the match.

What a great matchup tonight.

Westfield you always come out strong and congratulations to making it this far.

I always say this but it is truly an accomplishment to get to the playoffs.

So congratulations to you.

Tonight however belongs to Longmeadow.

Congratulations.

Longmeadow will now move on to the semifinals.

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

You can see the next matchup will be Lenox Memorial number three seed going up against Agawam High School.

Number six seed.

The winner of that match will go on to face you Longmeadow.

So we will see what happens 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 the quarterfinals continue 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.

>> I've been able to take all these experiences and really build myself as a person.

You're treated like a young professional.

The second you walk in here, we drop this beat like.

>> Hold up.