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SSFS Quiz Bowl Team Updates 2025

SSFS Quiz Bowl Team on It's Academic
SSFS Quiz Bowl Team Updates 2025

On Sun., Nov. 9, SSFS Quiz Bowl team members Justin C. ’26, Nate M. ‘26, and Ian D. ‘26, accompanied by their fearless coach Eduardo Polon, varsity teammates, and a host of SSFS supporters, won the opening round of WETA's "It's Academic" for the 11th time in 13 years! SSFS scored 575 points in defeating Whitman High School (495 points) and Landon School (445 points). On the heels of this success, the SSFS Quiz Bowl Team delivered its most commanding performance of the season on Nov. 13, completing a decisive 3–0–0 sweep in Round 3 of the Montgomery Academic Beltway League (MABL) with victories over Wheaton, Gaithersburg, and Sherwood high schools. The results propelled the ‘Beests to an impressive 17–2–0 overall record and 8–1–0 mark in the MABL. See below for more details!

Quiz Bowl Team 2025-2026

Post-Match Summary of It's Academic Opening Round

The SSFS Quiz Bowl Team, represented by Justin (Captain), Nate, and Ian, and supported by Steve, Benji, Catherine, and Henry in official alternate roles, competed at WETA Television Studios in Arlington, Virginia, on Sunday, November 9 on It’s Academic, “recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running quiz program in TV history.” With It's Academic now in Season 65, SSFS squared off against Landon and Whitman high schools, tasked with answering academic-centered questions for points posed by award-winning radio and television reporter and moderator Hillary Howard. Landon is a private, college-preparatory school for boys in grades 3–12, with an enrollment of approximately 710 students, located in Bethesda, Maryland. Walt Whitman High School is a public high school also located in Bethesda, Maryland, with a student population of 2,018.

This is how it went…

IT’S ACADEMIC OPENING ROUND

  • vs. Whitman and Landon W & W (575-495-445)

It’s Academic provides teams with five rounds of gameplay — the Opening Fast Start Round, Team Mix & Match Round, Picture Perfect Round, Packet Round with Bonus, and Grab Bag Round. All three teams begin with 100 points. The theme for this match was “From N to N,” in which every correct answer began and ended with the letter N (e.g., Nemean [Lion], Neon, Nixon, etc.).

SSFS got off to a strong start, buzzing in on 5 of the first 10 questions and answering all 5 correctly. Landon answered 1 question correctly but lost 10 points for an incorrect response, while Whitman went 3 for 3. At the end of the Opening Fast Start Round, the scores stood at SSFS 150 – Landon 100 – Whitman 130.

In the Team Mix & Match Round, all three schools answered their six assigned questions correctly, bringing the score to SSFS 270 – Landon 220 – Whitman 250. During the Picture Perfect Round, SSFS went 4 for 5, Landon chose not to buzz in on any of the eight questions, and Whitman went 3 for 3, shifting the score to SSFS 330 – Landon 220 – Whitman 310.

The Packet Round with Bonus saw all three teams go 8 for 8 and earn 25-point bonuses, raising the tally to SSFS 515 – Landon 405 – Whitman 495. And then it all came down to the Grab Bag Round. After three minutes of open play, SSFS went 6 for 9, compared to Landon’s 4 for 6 and Whitman’s 2 for 4. When the dust settled, the final score was SSFS 575 – Landon 445 – Whitman 495.

From start to finish, SSFS led the match. To be precise, over the course of the entire competition, SSFS went 29/33, while Landon went 19/22, and Whitman went 22/24. You can see just how much more assertive our team played compared to our opponents. As we discussed beforehand, you don’t win on It’s Academic without taking calculated risks. If you only buzz when you’re 100% sure, it’s usually too late — and often not enough.

That said, as proud as I am of the team and their performance, my pride is not rooted in their victory. On the contrary, my love and respect for this group are not conditional. I don’t care for them because they win — that would imply I don’t care for them when they lose, and nothing could be further from the truth.

My pride extends beyond Justin, Nate, and Ian — who were fabulous — to include our dedicated alternates and teammates, Steve, Benji, Catherine, and Henry, who attended and cheered with enthusiasm, along with the wonderfully supportive ’Beest herd of family and friends. In fact, the producers announced that today’s audience was the largest in WETA’s history since picking up It’s Academic!

Most of all, I’m proud of how our SSFS Quiz Bowl Team represents themselves, their families, our program, and our community. Like true student ambassadors, they looked sharp, spoke eloquently, worked in harmony, and showed ice-cold composure under pressure — all while displaying courtesy, respect, and genuine joy for the competition and experience. It is a game, after all. But this team also understands that T.E.A.M. stands for Together Everyone Achieves More. And I think the attached photos reflect these sentiments.

In the end, we know that practice doesn’t make perfect — it makes progress. And the more you practice, the better you get. This team has practiced faithfully and determinedly, learning to handle pressure and adversity, to lose with grace, and to win with humility. Bravo, ’Beests! Bravo!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR & SET YOUR DVR: Today's match is scheduled to broadcast on WETA on March 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Episodes will also be available to stream on WETA's YouTube Channel.

Post-Match Summary of MABL Round 3

Led by Justin (Captain), Nate, Ian, Steve, Benji, Catherine & Henry, SSFS hit the road on Nov. 13 for Round 3 of this season’s Montgomery Academic Beltway League (MABL) at Sherwood HS to compete in three one-on-one matches against Sherwood, Wheaton 2, and Gaithersburg.

Entering the round, we knew that #11 Sherwood was 4-2-0 and averaging 394 points per game, #13 Wheaton 2 was 3-3-0 and averaging 388 points per game, and #21 Gaithersburg was 1-5-0 and averaging 64 points per game. However, they had also each played some top-tier opponents early on. Heading into today's round, we discussed that, if we are to continue growing, we must avoid the pitfalls of complacency and hubris that too often nip at the heels of success. Doing so demands that we respect (i.e., neither dismiss nor fear) each opponent and commit ourselves to each opportunity in front of us, one question at a time. As an added incentive, it always feels like there's a little more at stake when playing geographic rivals, like Sherwood, as the victor secures territorial bragging rights among the schools in our area. In soccer, the English call such rivalries "derbys" (pronounced "darbys"), and Hispanics call them "clásicos." This is how it went...

MABL ROUND 3 (SSFS 3-0-0) and (1,785 PF – 590 PA):

  • vs. Wheaton B W (565-315)
  • vs. Gaithersburg W (595-0) Forfeit
  • vs. Sherwood W (625-275)

SSFS AVERAGE POINTS PER GAME: 595

SSFS POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME: 197

When the dust settled, SSFS finished the round with an undefeated 3-0-0 record. In Game 1, against Wheaton B, we led from start to finish. In Game 2, it was frustrating that Gaithersburg was unable to participate and had to forfeit. Apparently, most of their team had a mandatory theatrical rehearsal ahead of a performance this weekend. As I've shared before, some might argue that "a W is a W, any way you slice it." Frankly, it's a hollow victory that leaves a bad taste in any honest competitor's mouth. Of course, we would have much preferred to play the game than to win by forfeit. Nonetheless, the rules of the MABL state that a forfeited match will be recorded as a W for the team present, and the points registered will be the average of the points earned in the other two matches (i.e., 595-0). It looks impressive, but don't be fooled. Game 3 would be the derby against our host and neighbor, Sherwood HS. Heading into our showdown, both teams had 2-0-0 records. In fact, Sherwood defeated Wheaton B by a greater difference than we did. Nonetheless, and evidenced by the final score, SSFS played exquisitely against Sherwood, attaining an impressive 625 points.

In the end, what made today’s performance truly meaningful was not simply the 3–0–0 record or the eye-catching 595 points per game, but the way this group of student-scholars carried themselves in pursuit of those results. Justin, Nate, Ian, Steve, Benji, Catherine, and Henry demonstrated exactly what we hoped for heading into Sherwood: poise without arrogance, confidence without complacency, and a genuine respect for every opponent across the table. Even the Gaithersburg forfeit, an unsatisfying reminder that not all victories feel like victories, became an opportunity for reflection rather than celebration. What mattered most was how the team responded: by doubling down on focus, supporting one another, and showing that their competitive spirit is matched by their integrity. If we continue to grow at this rate, one practice, one match, one question at a time, SSFS has every reason to feel proud of the road we’re on and excited for where it might lead. As legendary Coach John Wooden reminded us, “Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It’s what you do next that counts.”

Moving forward, MABL Round 4 is scheduled for Thursday, December 11, where SSFS is slated to travel to Rockville HS to square off against Rockville, Magruder, and Springbrook.

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