HHS Scholar Bowl finishes second in district, sets sights on national tournament

Following a district runner-up finish Saturday, the Houston High School Scholar Bowl team will compete this week in the National Academic Quiz Tournaments’ Small School National Championship Tournament.

The 154-team event is hosted in Rosemont, Illinois (near Chicago). Houston has attended the Small School National Championship Tournament two times before. Most recently in 2025, the Tigers made the playoffs and finished in 33rd place.

HHS, which will play in the Traditional Public Schools Division, will be captained by Keaton Hinkle, who will be joined by teammates Ryan Haslett, Tyler Kelly, Thomas Kincaid, Chris Leighty and Gage Smith. The team is coached by Jason Pounds and assisted by Destiny York.

Tigers edged by Fair Grove in district finals

Houston, which won 6 of the previous 9 district tournaments, began Saturday’s competition in Class 4 District 4 by hammering Cuba 460-90.

In the second round, HHS topped conference foe Ava 400-200. Houston won the SCA title this season.

With a 390-290 win against Strafford in the third round, HHS advanced to the finals to face Fair Grove. The Tigers lost 390-300.

HHS has national experience

The SSNCT is the only quiz bowl national championship pitting small schools against each other. It has one division containing non-selective public schools with 500 or fewer students in their top three grades, and another division for other schools with 350 or fewer students in their top three grades. 

Houston may face familiar foes in Rosemont, as Fair Grove, Skyline (from Urbana) and Weaubleau will also be attending.

HHS returns with some nationals experience. Haslett, Hinkle, Kelly, Kincaid and Leighty played the 2025 Small School National Championship Tournament. Tyler Kelly played in the 2023 tournament.

About quiz bowl

Quiz bowl is a competitive, academic, interscholastic activity for teams of four students. It is the national version of the game that is often locally called Scholar Bowl. Quiz bowl teams use buzzers to answer questions about science, math, history, literature, mythology, geography, social science, current events, sports and popular culture. The matches feature a blend of individual competition and team collaboration, since no individual player is likely to be an expert in all subject areas.  

Participation in quiz bowl both reinforces lessons from the classroom and encourages players to develop new intellectual interests.