SSFS Quiz Bowl Team: MABL Championship Round Summary

For the first time in program history, Sandy Spring Friends School’s Quiz Bowl Team has been crowned champions of the Montgomery Academic Beltway League (MABL), finishing a remarkable Championship Round with a perfect 4–0 record against the region’s top academic teams. The championship match pitted SSFS against defending champions and top-seeded Montgomery Blair High School in a dramatic contest worthy of the occasion. Read details of the match below from Quiz Bowl Coach extraordinaire, Eduardo Polon. Don't miss the message from former Quiz Bowl Captain and SSFS alum Moira Pulju-McCudden '21!

Also: don't forget to watch the opening round victory over Landon and Whitman HS on WETA's It's Academic on Sat., March 7 at 10 AM or 7 PM (also streaming on WETA’s YouTube channel after March 7)!

SSFS Quiz Bowl Team: Post-Match Summary (MABL Championship Round)

THE GREAT EIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND:
Represented by Justin (Captain), Nate, Ian, Steve, Benji, Catherine, and Henry—and accompanied by Max—SSFS felt honored to compete in the MABL Championship Round for the eleventh consecutive season. Gathering at Churchill HS alongside seven of the region's most formidable academic programs, our "Little Engine" prepared for one final day of competition.

THE PATH TO THE FINALS:
The eight finalists were divided into two seeded brackets. SSFS entered as a top seed in Group B. After a round-robin stage, the rankings were:

Group A:

1. Blair A (3-0-0 & 1640)
2. Poolesville (2-1-0 & 1365)
3. Churchill (2-1-0 & 1315)
4. Wheaton A (2-1-0 & 1110)

 Group B:

1. SSFS (3-0-0 & 1545)
2. B-CC A (2-1-0 & 1320)
3. Whitman (2-1-0 & 1170)
4. Richard Montgomery (2-1-0 & 1170)

THE INTERNAL STRUGGLE: PART 1 (INNOCENCE TO EXPERIENCE):
Perhaps more important than our external opponents was our internal reconciliation with reality. As a coach, helping students—especially seniors—navigate the end of a season they love is a maturing passage from innocence to experience. Aware of this shared "mortality," I asked only one thing of the team: Carpe diem. Seize the day.

In a field of Goliaths, SSFS stood as the only private school and, by far, the smallest community present. But within our "inner circle," there is an intangible quality that is hard to explain to those outside of it. While I take care not to divulge too much of the "sacred" nature of our team dynamic, I will share that this program has managed to ingratiate itself with a massive community of alumni and families who cheer us on from afar.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PAST:
Nothing illustrates this legacy better than an unexpected message that arrived today from Moira Pulju-McCudden ’21, a former Captain. Her words to the team served as a masterclass in leadership:

Hey gang, it’s me, a stranger none of you have ever met, who is proud of you anyway. I’m Moira, and I played on this lovely team from 2017 to 2021. If you recognize my name at all, it might be because of certified Girl Dad and Feminist Icon, Eduardo Polón, mentioning my two years of captaining an all-female team. Now, Eduardo is a lot better at meaningful motivational speeches and guidance than I am, but here are some pearls of wisdom from me, a twenty-two-year-old who definitely has her life together enough to be giving advice:

1. On the most basic of levels, you are here because you are smart. You know this, I know this, Eduardo knows this, your competitors know this, but that’s not why you’re going to beat them. You’re going to beat them because you know how to work together better than any other team in the league. But when the stakes are high, sometimes people retreat into their own heads and their camaraderie slips. Never forget that the people sitting beside you are more important than whether or not you win. Frankly, if I tried to play an MABL round today, I would lose in spectacular fashion. But on the other hand, if today I sent a text to any of my old teammates asking them for help or advice, I know I would have a lovely response within the hour.
2. For god’s sake, have fun. It’s a game. You are not required to be here, and no one is grading you. As Eduardo can attest, at the end of my last MABL game, I started sobbing and didn’t stop for like an hour. (Keep in mind this was on Zoom and I had a cheap laptop camera, so you can just imagine how good I looked in that moment.) I was crying because for four years of my life, this game had been the thing I looked forward to week after week, and I couldn’t believe it was over. Remember to enjoy today, no matter what ends up happening.
3. Sometimes I’ll hear people say that high school was the best years of their life. You should not listen to these people; they’re lunatics. For my seniors especially, it’s normal to be apprehensive of the next big step, but as Ted McAdams (retired SSFS teacher, director, alumni parent, and Board of Trustees member) has told me at least twice a year for the last decade, high school is better than middle school, college is better than high school, and life is better than college.
4. To Catherine and any other young women, it’s been five years since I played, but I can still confidently say that crushing a room of smug teenage boys is still one of the greatest pleasures life has to offer. Yes, I built an all-female team because they were the best competitors. Enjoy this feeling of triumph, and never feel bad about it. 
5. The last question I ever answered in the MABL, which was in overtime and was the difference between us medaling or not, was about when the Mayflower landed. The answer is 1620. If that question comes up, I expect you to get it right and then inform me immediately. (Don’t start hyperventilating after getting it right like I did, though.)
6. And finally: Let's go! We ball! (paraphrased by Eduardo). This is genuinely my motto, and I say it to myself daily, whenever I’m anxious about doing something.

I am incredibly proud of you, and I know Eduardo is even more so. Fill your veins with ice, and Let's go! We ball!

As I replied to Moira, what she did is leadership personified. She paid forward something that was never really about Quiz Bowl or MABL at all, but about belonging, confidence, and caring deeply for the people who come after you. That is the legacy of a true captain, and it is exactly why Moira and the captains that preceded and followed her remain such touchstones for this program, and whose legacy and lore are celebrated to this day.

THE TOURNAMENT RUN:
And "ball" we did. Our march through the bracket was a testament to grit:

MABL CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND (SSFS 4-0-0) and (1,805 PF – 1,380 PA):

• vs. RM - W (545-330)
• vs. Whitman - W (470-330)
• vs. B-CC A - W (380-355)
• vs. Blair - W (410-365) 1st Place: MABL Champions

SSFS AVERAGE POINTS PER GAME: 451
SSFS POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME: 345

Game 1 against Richard Montgomery (RM) saw us build a lead that grew from Round 2 to Round 3 and Round 4, to finish in commanding fashion (545-330) to go 1-0-0. On the other hand, Game 2 against Whitman started shaky, trailing 60-120 following Round 1. However, we managed to close the gap steadily, trailing only 120-150 following Round 2. By the end of Round 3, we had drawn even, 240-240, and continued to claw our way to victory, finishing a tightly contested match 380-355 to go 2-0-0. Game 3 against Bethesda-Chevy Chase (B-CC) started evenly, 160-160 following Round 1. By the end of Round 2, we had taken a narrow lead, 230-210, but extended our lead to 335-255 by the end of Round 3, and never looked back through Round 4, finishing 470-330.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: SSFS vs. BLAIR
Having gone undefeated in our bracket, we faced the winner of Bracket A: our arch-rivals, the defending champions, and the #1 seed, Blair High School. To put the scale of this "David vs. Goliath" battle in perspective: Blair, with some 3,300 students, is roughly 25 times larger than SSFS!

The match was a heavyweight bout. SSFS led 140-100 after Round 1, and held a slim 270-245 lead entering the final Bonus Round. Halfway through the final frame, the score was deadlocked: 330-330. With a precarious 385-365 lead, the championship came down to the final question. Whoever answered would claim the title. The category: History. The answer: "Tiananmen Square." The winner: SSFS.

THE FINAL STANDINGS
Having long been the proverbial bridesmaid but never the bride, for the first time in SSFS Quiz Bowl history, we were MABL Champions! Here are the final standings of the 2025-2026 MABL Quizbowl Season: 

SSFS: MABL Champions!
Blair-A
Wheaton-A
Whitman
Churchill
RM
BCC-A
Poolesville

THE INTERNAL STRUGGLE: PART 2 (A PHOENIX RISING STORY):
I invite you all to take a moment to remember where our SSFS community was last April and think about just how far we’ve come. A year ago, we weren't talking about championships; we were talking about existence. Faced with an economic winter that threatened to silence our halls, it was our alumni and friends who rallied to save us. To see these students—who lived through that uncertainty—stand on a stage today and defeat schools 25 times our size is the ultimate return on that investment. Last April, we fought for the right to exist; this April, our students proved why that fight was so necessary. This isn't just a trophy; it is a vibrant declaration that SSFS is not just surviving, but leading the way.

A COACH'S NOSTALGIC REFLECTION:
For this coach, the sweetest part came on the bus ride back to school, as the team video chatted one-on-one with each of the previous three captains -- Diego ('25), Greta ('24), and Clara ('23). With an attitude of gratitude, this year's team simply wanted to pay tribute to their mentors, express their thanks for everything each did to inspire and elevate them, and to share this championship with them all. Not surprisingly, each alum articulated that their greatest joy was to see their protogés blossom and reach their potential. Truly, they were perhaps even more thrilled than we all were, and deeply touched by the gesture shown to them! 
 
From a historic programmatic perspective, today's 4 victories moved our program to 389 wins! What SSFS Quiz Bowl has accomplished, since the academic year 2013-14 -- and please do not lose sight of the Goliaths we face -- is unparalleled by any SSFS team, athletic or academic, and a tribute to all those 'Beest Quizards from the past to the present who have elevated SSFS' academic reputation in the surrounding area, one Quiz Bowl match at a time, and blessed me with cherished memories and friendships.

Carpe Diem—seize the day—was never just a motto for this team; it was a way of being. From the first practice to the final question of the championship round, they embraced every moment with courage, curiosity, and camaraderie. Advancing to the last possible day of competition was a testament not only to their talent but to their relentless drive to grow, to compete with honor, and to savor the journey together. Win or lose, what mattered most was how fully they showed up for one another—day after day, match after match—writing a story not just of success, but of shared purpose and unforgettable moments.

As the sun sets on our time together in this wonderful endeavor we shared this year, I'm left thinking about these quotes:

• Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. -  Dr. Seuss
• We didn’t realize we were making memories; we just knew we were having fun. -  Winnie the Pooh

A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO OUR VARSITY CLASS OF 2026:

I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize our amazing varsity seniors, Justin, Nate, Ian, and Steve, whose invaluable contributions this interscholastic academic competition season were only surpassed by their outstanding character, commitment, and servant leadership. 

Ian and Steve were named to the varsity squad last year, as juniors, and, alongside Justin and Nate, and led by their senior Captain Diego, helped SSFS to an awesome 32-7-0 overall record, earning two Silver Medals in the 2024-2025 Montgomery Academic Beltway League and on television's It's Academic. A special shoutout to Steve, who is the first non-native English speaker to earn a spot on the SSFS Varsity Quiz Bowl Team. An international student from South Korea, Steve had to overcome obstacles in a sport that demands so much knowledge, not only of the Western world, but of the United States specifically. Kudos, Steve! 

Justin and Nate were named to the varsity squad as sophomores. Inspired by their 2023-2024 senior Captain Greta, their first varsity campaign finished with a fabulous overall record of 27-8-0, earning Bronze medals in the 2023-2024 Montgomery Academic Beltway League and on television's It's Academic. A distinct recognition must go to our Captain, Justin. In the world of academic competition, it is especially daunting to be the one tasked with assuming the weighty responsibility of making all final decisions on answers. Transcending the requisite superior intellect and commitment, captaining well also requires maturity, composure, decisiveness, trust in one's teammates, timely and appropriate deference, and an ability not to perseverate (i.e., to let go and move forward, never getting too high from one's successes or too low from one's stumbles). Justin was all of this in spades!  

Together, this quartet, alongside their junior teammates -- Benji, Catherine, and Henry -- had a spectacular 2025-2026 season, finishing with an overall record of 30-2-0. More importantly, these seniors have helped set an example of ambassadorial excellence in sportsmanship and etiquette to inspire future team leaders. This class closes its interscholastic academic competition career admirably! They have been instrumental in helping build our program in-house and keeping SSFS on the map and in the minds of this area’s elite academic competition programs. 

From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Justin, Nate, Ian, and Steve, for all you have selflessly given to this program! Your presence will undoubtedly be missed next year, but the standard of excellence you each helped set with regard to your dedication and esprit de corps will serve as inspiration to those moving forward. While each of you will soon head off, and deservedly so, in pursuit of your dreams in the next important chapters of your lives, your legacy will remain with us all. ¡Mil gracias, grandes felicitaciones, buen viaje y muy buena suerte!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
SSFS’s It’s Academic Opening Round victory against Landon and Whitman is scheduled to air on WETA on March 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., with a rebroadcast at 7:00 p.m. The episode will also be available for streaming on WETA’s YouTube channel, offering multiple opportunities to tune in.