Top of the Morning, May 24, 2023
May 24—They might lack the roster size and uniformed look of their rivals, but don't count out Uni High's talented Scholastic Bowl kids at this weekend's 300-team national tournament in Atlanta.
"It can be intimidating because a lot of these schools are bigger than us with a much larger pool to pull from," Uni High coach Kaila Simpson said. "They come in with matching shirts and matching swag. Some even come wearimng suits.
"The competition is going to be extremely difficult, but if they study hard, I believe they can win."
Fresh off another IHSA state title, the Illineks head to the National Academic Quiz Tournaments' High School National Championship Tournament to answer questions about science, math, history, literature, mythology, geography, social science, current events, sports and pop culture.
Here's the best part: Even though four players are allowed on each team, Uni High is only sending three, each with a particular strength. Captain Arjun Kala, who graduated on Sunday, is a whizbang when it comes to literature and fine arts. Rising seniors Shreyas Singh (math, science) and Shawn Syed (politics, history) bring other strengths to a well-rounded table. "We're choosing to play with three because of their chemistry and how they work together," Simpson said.
The school's Scholastic Bowl fund will cover transportation and lodging for Uni High, which starts competition Saturday. Finals are Sunday.
"Even though (Scholastic Bowl) can be under the radar, there is always support here," Simpson said. "This weekend is going to be fun."
