《Can't Stop the Questions》


 Chapter 1: Game Day

    October 2029, Venomous Agendas High. The football team''s offensive players are arrayed in the locker room, looking at video footage of the past game from this week''s opponents. They do so prior to boarding the bus for their game against the Washington-Marion Charging Indians in Lake Charles. Pablo, the starting tight end as a sophomore, watches intently as the VAs are in a tight football spot, unlike in mathletics or quiz bowl. The TV screen is also next to a board full of Xs and Os for various plays.


    "Going into this game, we sport a three-five record, and we have two games left to play. If we''re lucky, we can get into the playoffs as a wildcard, but we must start winning games for even that to be a reality!" the football head coach warns his team.


    "Pablo, the opposing strong safety can put you in a world of hurt, so be careful when tackling him on the rush. Be ready to close in on the offensive linemen if that happens" the offensive coordinator tells the tight end.


    I don''t need to be reminded of my role on the passing play: protect the wide receiver, or step in if he can''t catch the pass, Pablo keeps to himself before the coach introduces the main points to watch out for from the Charging Indians'' defense.


    And, as per usual, while his teammates blast music on the bus to Lake Charles from their phones, several of them attempt to do what homework they can with the limited time they have on the bus to do these. And it''s not always obvious with the volume of the music being blasted on the bus to do so.


    By and large, the players take turns to blast the music, and the football players who actually blast the music have varied tastes. However, the coaches, irritated by the players blasting the music a little too loudly, start resenting the players as the bus enters the Lake Charles'' city limits:


    "Enough! Please have a little respect for those players who study or do homework on the road!" the head coach screams in the direction of the players who blast the music at the back.


    "Don''t we have the rest of the school year to study, after the season ends?" the player blasting the music, a defensive tackle, retorts.


    "Yeah, we only have one week left to our season!" Finn, a defensive end, joins the chorus of arguments.


    "Did you guys forget about the need for us to get good grades to get even the slightest shot at football scholarships?" Pablo counters, as he is about to finish one problem set.


    "Pablo''s right. Even one quarter can mean the difference between getting a scholarship and not!" the offensive coordinator retorts to Dayton, the defensive tackle blasting the music.


    "Exactly! The odds of getting even a Division II scholarship are long, and even then you will need to play the best football of your lives for the rest of your high school careers!" the defensive coordinator adds to the comment on academics.


    The defensive coordinator lays down the facts regarding the odds of getting a football scholarship, as per usual for when players disrupt their teammates'' studies when riding the bus from and to games.


    "Even if you were good enough as players to make it to college football, there remains the matter of being academically eligible to play, as well as get into college! This is where grades come in, guys!" the head coach screams after the defensive coordinator rattles off the stats.


    By and large, NCAA course requirements overlap with TOPS ones, the head coach muses while he deals with the unruly players who blasted the music. Once that is done, and the VAs'' bus is parked in Washington-Marion''s parking lot:


    "The Charging Indians may think that, because of our three-five record to their six-two one, we''re weak, but we must exploit their overconfidence and win this game on the road!" Pablo tries to rouse his teammates before they get dressed to play the game.


    "Yeah, getting an early lead is crucial to do so!" a wide receiver comments next to him.


    Then comes the defensive tackle who last blasted the music in the bus. "Venomous! Agendas! Venomous! Agendas!" he blares as the team enters the visitors'' dressing room to dress for the game.


    The VAs make last-minute adjustments to their lineups going into the game, as they dress into their white-and-purple away uniforms. As visitors, the VAs enter the field first, with the home announcer introducing the teams.


    "Welcome to tonight''s football game at the Robert Lavergne Jr Memorial Stadium! The visitors, the Venomous Agendas!" W-M''s home announcer yells in the PA system.


    After the VAs'' turn arrive, they see the Charging Indians making their grand entrance onto the field, with a trumpeter sounding the charge. The Charging Indians charge across the field, under the cheers of the crowd.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Charging Indians!"


    The referee makes the coin toss at center field, which determines who starts the game on the offense. Heads, the Venomous Agendas start the game on the offense, tails, the Charging Indians do. And... heads.


    "Assume shotgun formation!" the VAs'' offensive coordinator blares, and the 11 starting players get into position for the first down, with the running back and Valter, the fullback  being on each side of the quarterback.


    The first three downs result in gains, but together, they don''t amount to the required 10 yards for getting another first down. We''re on fourth and six, that is, we are on our final down before the turnover on downs and we need to advance 6 yards to get a first down, and I can feel like the opponent is trying to force us to punt, since they probably think us punting is better than facing a blitz, Pablo starts thinking before the play is called. When the play is called, the VAs'' quarterback realize what''s happening and, threatened, he wastes no time passing the ball to the wide receiver on Pablo''s side.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    As the ball flies in the air, Pablo tries his best to dodge the opposing defensive line. He narrowly manages to evade the opposing strong safety. And, feeling an opposing cornerback is closer to the ball than the free safety, makes a beeline for the cornerback on the strong side.


    The tackle Pablo makes on the opposing cornerback gives the VAs'' wide receiver a few seconds of respite. Even when the opposing free safety tries to intercept the wide receiver, Pablo screens the WR as the Charging Indians'' FS charges towards the VAs'' WR. Which leads Pablo to countercharge the FS. And the VAs'' WR to get booed louder with every yard he carries the ball.


    However, the opposing strong safety is back for revenge from behind. Even so, the wide receiver passes the ball to Pablo, feeling the pressure. And then Pablo clutches on to the ball as he edges closer to the goal line. The opposing SS forces him to trip, but this play makes the VAs gain nearly 40 yards.


    Oh well, the early lead may take longer to materialize than I hoped, Pablo muses as the VAs start a new set of downs within field goal range of the Charging Indians'' goal line.


    On this new set of downs, the VAs take 3 downs to try scoring a touchdown with 12 yards left to go, but they fail all attempts, even losing some yardage on the third down. However, even with the lost yardage, the VAs'' offensive coordinator still feels like the kick is the only way for them to score the first point. Or more specifically the first 3 points.


    By halftime, however, the VAs are in the lead by just 3 points, and the head coach has all 45 VA players assembled in its dressing room.


    "Remember that college scouts tend to go to playoff games more than they do regular season games. We might have had a good first two quarters, but we need to be consistent in the last two quarters if you are to harbor any hopes to play football in college!" the head coach harangues the VA players. "The Charging Indians will be hungry, and out to take back the lead in the third quarter!"


    "Also, in football, as in the classroom, junior year is a critical year for those planning to go to college!" the defensive coordinator adds to this. "For those juniors here, you only have one and a half game left, so make it count!"


    All season, the defensive coordinator kept telling us that we needed to earn certain grades and play well during junior year. As a tight end, I was made to do both offensive line and wide receiver jobs at times, Pablo muses while listening to the coaches'' remarks for the second half of the game before taking the field again.


    Speaking of the second half of the game, the VAs play their best football all season; however, the Charging Indians'' defense is such that it''s the VAs'' turn to be trailing by four points. There''s less than a minute to go, and, while the VAs forced the Charging Indians to eat a turnover on downs, they themselves are at risk of eating one of their own. Here they''re on fourth and sixteen, meaning they lost 6 yards on the first 3 downs. We MUST score a touchdown here! Pablo has a painful reminder of what''s at stake since the scoreboard is on his side.


    The VAs'' second-string quarterback feels like the risk must be taken for the VAs to stand a chance this late in the game. As soon as the down starts, he passes the ball to the wide receiver on the strong side. However, what makes this pass a Hail Mary is the high chance of interception.


    Which makes Pablo lurch into action as he dashes towards where he believes he will be able to catch the ball. However, because the opposing starting SS is winded, the second-string strong safety is put in. And Pablo doesn''t think much of running past that SS, who instead goes after the VAs'' WR.


    Yet, as he runs towards where he believes the ball will be, as soon as he closes in on that place, he leaps to catch it. Under the furious eyes of the opposing free safety. Feeling the free safety hot on his tail, as well as the cornerbacks, Pablo dashes for twenty yards. But by the time the free safety can catch up to him, he''s already at the goal line. Too little, too late for the Charging Indians.


    "Venomous Agendas touchdown!" the announcer shouts in the PA system.


    The rest of the team comes out to celebrate their victory on the field after the customary conversion is scored right after Pablo scored the touchdown. Now that the VAs are 4-5, their playoff hopes are still alive.


    "The good news is that we have the best post-pandemic season already. The bad news is that we still need to win one more game to make it to the playoffs" the head coach announces to the team. "If you still have energy left, please do what homework you can on the bus, and without blasting loud music on the way back home.


    The defensive coordinator then turns to Pablo. Obviously, he played his best game all season, but Pablo could feel something is amiss. Especially when it''s not the coach he deals with most.


    "Pablo, it appears you played your best game of the season. However, while football has been a positive to you, I''m afraid you can''t rely on football to play in college. Past tight ends I saw make it to college played every game like you did tonight, or better"


    "What do you mean, I can''t rely on football to play in college?" a confused Pablo asks the defensive coordinator. "It''s not about grades, and I still have one season to step up my game!"


    "If you still want to play football in college, your only hope would be walking on a Division II or play for a Division III school, and I generally don''t recommend walking on a college team" The DC then turns to the best two VA defensive players, Dayton and Finn, who both blasted the music on the way to Lake Charles. "This also goes for you two!"


    "Sorry, but the DC is right. The competition is very stiff to play football in college, and there''s a lot of tight ends around the world" the offensive coordinator sermons him in turn.


    Ouch. That''s not going to work. There has to be another way to get to college; however, I should keep playing football even if I can''t play it in college, the cold, hard truth hits Pablo like a ton of bricks, as it hits the defensive players who blasted the music to disturb the other players doing homework in the bus earlier tonight.


    "No music for you two in the bus next week!" the DC sermons these two players before they all board the bus.


    Upon returning home from that game, Pablo returns to tell his parents about what happened during that game. He starts telling them about how the VAs are still in the running for the football playoffs. However, the real kicker is the following:


    "The coach told me that I can''t rely on football to go to college! And I was playing the best football of my life! What else can I do, other than keeping my grades up and do well on the ACT next year?" Pablo is at a loss for what to do to find a new way forward.


    "Honey, last year, you only picked football. You should get another activity, and preferably not another sport, for the rest of the year" Pablo''s mother tells him about a possible course of action.


    "Your older brother played long snapper and still managed to do FFA as well as get a B in AP Chemistry" Pablo''s father reminds him. "You ought to consider an academic team; FFA gained Rule of Two status last year!"


    I am not sure FFA (Future Farmers of America) is for me, or really, any of the academic teams. They all seemed too intellectually intense for me to take part in, especially mathletics, Pablo is reminded of what could prevent him from joining more activities. Like band and theater auditioning taking place twice a year. And yet, he knew FFA is open entry, like quiz bowl and debate, but people rarely joined any of these in the middle of a semester.


    And yet, he can''t help but think of what the wildcards are made of, should the VAs lose next week''s game against South Beauregard. It is possible for a 4-6 team to be in the playoffs, but the 4-6 teams are the ones who need wildcards. And that carries some uncertainty.

 Chapter 2: Group Project

    The following week, in AP Biology, taught by Warren, the quiz bowl coach, the group project is announced for the quarter.


    "Your group project for the quarter is about a public health issue, explaining the biological principles behind it, as well as providing research support for any solutions you put forward, and the logistics of implementing these solutions, too" Warren starts the explanation of the group project in front of the class. "For the group project, given the complexity of the notions being tackled, I see it fit to form teams of four for this quarter''s project, as opposed to two for labs"


    With Warren, we have no control over team composition, Pablo seems to be shaking in his seat prior to the announcement of teams for this group project. And prays that he won''t be with anyone among a certain set of students, whom he knows will make the whole team''s life harder, or at least no more than one among that set. However, he also takes notes about what is expected of teams going for this.


    Questions about the scope of the project are flashing in some students'' minds. By far the most common about the content of the project relate to the geographic scope, since prevalence and solutions are tied to it in the minds of those asking questions about it. Pablo raises his hand, but asking a different kind of question to his teacher:


    "If it turns out, at some point during the quarter, that a student is dropping the course, or wants to ask to change a teammate that has caused issues to them, how would that be handled?" Pablo asks the teacher.


    "You''re asking about two different things. No extensions shall be given to a team if a student drops the course, but should conflicts arise over the project, you must notify me immediately" Warren answers him, before moving on to the next student question.


    After all the common concerns of the students are addressed, it''s then that Warren puts the names of the 7 teams in this section on the screen.


    "One thing I might have forgotten about is the deadline. The project is due at the end-of-quarter final" Warren informs the students in his class.


    Let''s see: I''m assigned to a team with Audrey, Natalie and Tyler. My biggest concern about this team is Audrey. Not that she can''t pull her weight, but she''s on the basketball team for crying out loud! Being on the team is a lot of work for one-third of the year, and said third starts two weeks from now, Pablo tries to get a mental feel for how the team will mesh for the next two months in that course. They meet with each other during the time allotted to get contact information and decide on a topic.


    "Before we begin, I say that we should have Audrey handle the introduction and conclusion since she won''t have time to contribute much due to the demands of the basketball season" Pablo opens the discussion.


    Natalie and Tyler both suggest topics such as drug abuse, gaming addiction, teenage pregnancy as well as obesity, while remaining mindful of not talking about homosexuality as a public health issue. However, Audrey just quietly takes in what the others have to say.


    "What about teenage mental health?" Audrey suggests to her teammates.


    "This is far too broad a topic. The other topics Natalie and Tyler both suggested all have mental health dimensions" Pablo comments. "Do you have any idea of how you can narrow the topic down?"


    "Sorry if I was too broad, but what I''m talking about is the pressure to perform academically pushing students to attempt suicide" Audrey follows up on her suggestion.


    "Just be cautious of making sure that we don''t delve too much into academic pressure as a risk factor for other health problems. Eating disorders, for one" Natalie advises caution.


    "Yeah, we should address risk factors, but Pablo''s right. It''s a risk factor more so than a public health issue in its own right" Tyler comments on Audrey''s suggestion.


    "I think we should do eating disorders, and Audrey should do either introduction and conclusion, or do the overview of the issue" Pablo adds to this discussion of potential topics.


    This group project feels very health-focused for an AP Bio group project, Audrey keeps to herself, while she realizes that she already has her teammates'' contact information from past extracurricular encounters with them. And same goes for the other three: after all, they all knew each other for years, and since elementary school.


    Yet, they belonged to different grades, which is common in AP classes, and, for some, it seemed to be the only way to meet kids in different grades outside of extracurriculars. Like the other two. They start scheduling a new meeting for the group project, which is to take place at the home of one of the members:


    "When are you guys available to meet?" Audrey asks her teammates to share their availabilities.


    "Friday night is off-limits to me; it''s our season closer against South Beauregard" Pablo makes his objection known.


    By far Pablo has the most timeslots blocked off, since this week''s football practices take place after school. The other two''s blocked off timeslots overlap with Pablo''s, so they must meet later at night.


    "We''re going to meet at my home after Pablo''s practice tonight" Audrey announces to her teammates, before they register eating disorders as a topic for this term''s AP Bio group project. "Understood?"


    "We still need to decide who does what, so we know clearly what we will do tonight" Pablo retorts to them. "I volunteer for risk factors"


    "Because my schedule will get a lot more hectic two weeks from now, I will do the overview of the issue" Audrey locks in her part on the project.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "Policy solutions for me" Natalie adds.


    "Treatments for me" Tyler closes this designation.


    I can''t do a whole lot of coursework this week, Pablo seems to be a little concerned about how much, if any, work he can get done, and he feels like the outcome of this game against South Beauregard will determine when he will be able to focus on coursework more. If we go into the playoffs, sure, it will mean more football and people in town will be happy, but even football players must still study and work in class to keep playing.


    Once the football practice ends, he promptly notifies his parents that he will be doing the AP Bio group project at Audrey''s home. Upon arriving at Audrey''s home, he''s clearly the most tired of the team, since, for the season closer, drills intensify to be sure that the VAs will be ready to play the most crucial game of the season. Not to mention last to arrive. The Google Drive folder for this project is already given out to the people on the team via SMS.


    "Finally, you''re here, and we can start working on this group project, as well as do any AP Bio homework" Audrey tells the team, while her AI-powered research is running for an overview of eating disorders, is underway.


    "Remember, guys, relying on AI alone is not going to fly, even if it was appropriately cited!" Natalie, a junior, warns her teammates, while Pablo reads the preliminary overview of eating disorders, as a public health problem as well as its biological bases, in search of risk factors.


    "Also, please keep risk factors, treatments and policy solutions specific to the issue we pick!" Pablo sermons his teammates as he starts researching risk factors himself, using AI because his energy is a little low.


    Of which the most obvious ones specific to eating disorders, to Pablo''s eyes, are sports performance pressure and unrealistic beauty standards. However, some of the less obvious risk factors (to him) include Type I diabetes, but when he comes across some material mentioning family history of eating disorders, he is also reminded of the rest of the material of the day. Genetics.


    "Does anyone else come across genetics as a component in dieting disorders?" Pablo asks his teammates, who are also busy working on their respective parts.


    "Yes, since Type I diabetes has a genetic component, as does metabolism" Tyler answers him, as he tries to understand what his own research suggests.


    "Not really for me, since genetics does not come into play in policy solutions" Natalie feels left out of the discussion on the genetics of eating disorders.


    They keep discussing not only genetics, but also how does that affect treatment of eating disorders, either directly or indirectly through other health conditions that affect dieting, such as lactose intolerance. Because they realize that sometimes, behind a history of dieting, there may be other underlying diseases. And it''s then that everyone put their files in the Google Drive folder.


    "I''d say, we''re making good progress, but we should also do our assignment for that course, too. Then we can go back to working on the project" Audrey tells the team, as she starts working on the genetics assignment.


    "I get it, it''s because of you that we''re doing the group project this early" Pablo then yawns, letting his fatigue show.


    But then, as the other three do their AP Bio assignments, Pablo seems not to contribute as much on the genetics assignment as he did on the group project. Too tired to contribute much of anything, he falls asleep on his host''s couch. However, his nap doesn''t last that long since his teammates wake him up once they get closer to the end of it.


    "Wake up, Pablo!" Audrey wakes him up.


    "What''s... happening?" a confused Pablo groans, still feeling some pains due to the drills he undertook earlier. However, said pains didn''t seem to impede him in working on the risk factors of eating disorders earlier.


    "Everyone else has finished doing their AP Bio homework and returned home. You didn''t even start!" Audrey leaves some notes on the table for him to use for completing the homework. "Do you want something?"


    "Maybe a cup of coffee..."


    Once Audrey makes him a cup of coffee, and Pablo starts drinking it, he starts doing more on the genetics homework, starting with alleles, and how they relate to genotypes and phenotypes. Additionally, a Punnett square is his to do after he answers questions about genotypes and phenotypes. Good, good, Audrey seems to be on the lookout for signs that Pablo might be struggling to do one thing. Yet, he appears to be taking longer than the others to do his homework but isn''t otherwise struggling.


    After Pablo finishes his homework, slower than he would have liked because the coffee hasn''t kicked in as he hoped, Audrey makes some comments on his work on unrealistic beauty standards as a risk factor in eating disorders:


    "Pablo, I can''t help but notice that you might have gone into a lot of detail of what made these beauty standards unrealistic, and how to tie that into people''s usage of social media..." Audrey sighs, when she looks at the list of body parts that are most commonly photoshopped with AI Pablo came up with, by gender.


    She''s far bulkier and taller than these girls who come up in discussion of unrealistic beauty standards as a risk factor in eating disorders. But that doesn''t mean she''s ugly! Pablo''s thoughts seem to drift away from eating disorder risk factors and to Audrey''s physique.


    "When people compare themselves to what they see on social media, especially those who use it a lot, it''s common to feel like they are too fat, or they are ugly in some way even when they don''t see themselves as too fat" Pablo took his time to formulate a response to her.


    "Am I too fat for you?" Audrey, spurred by these remarks on fat perception, asks him. "Sorry if I ask this of you, maybe I shouldn''t have, it''s just this group project making this topic surface in my mind"


    "Of course not" Pablo answers her in a low voice. "Basketball keeps you healthy"


    "And same with you in football, I guess... you do get hit some, but you need to exercise some to play on the team"


    "Thank you for the coffee"


    I wonder how our teammates feel about body image; we talked about that as a risk factor for eating disorders earlier, but Audrey is the first person I got a chance to discuss what it means to her, Pablo reflects on this little exchange just before he leaves Audrey''s home after spending a good portion of the evening with her on that group project.


    When Pablo returns home, his parents confront him about what took him so long at Audrey''s home, around the dinner table.


    "Pablo, what took you so long?" Pablo''s father asks his son.


    "My teammates took forever talking about unrealistic beauty standards as a risk factor in eating disorders!" Pablo answers in a raspy voice and feeling a little tired and hungry after a football practice. "And they see fit to add genetics into the project! However, we had to do a lot of work now because one of my teammates plays basketball and, when basketball is in season, she can''t do as much work in class as she would now"


    "Right until this week, it was the reverse: you had your friends do more work and you only did small chunks of work here and there because of football!" Pablo''s dad comments on his ethic. "The defensive tackle and defensive end both rubbed off on you!"


    "Yes, I know, Dayton and Finn are bad influences, but they aren''t in the same grade as I" Pablo retorts. "In the off-season, all I did with them was some strength training last year! And football is very draining when in season! Speaking of which, it may very well end this Friday as it may end a month from now! Everything depends on this week''s game"


    But more realistically, I don''t expect us to make it past the second playoff round, and we might win the first playoff round if were lucky, even if we won this week! He keeps to himself before taking a painkiller pill.

 Chapter 3: Quiz Bowling Trouble

    Now that the VA''s girls basketball season calendar is released, Audrey checks it against the quiz bowl calendar. It seems like there is only one basketball game this season that could conflict with quiz bowl, but it''s only a few weeks away, and against the Peabody Lady Warhorses in a traveling tournament.


    The following morning, Audrey emails Warren not to ask for help about the group project, but for something else altogether. It''s about quiz bowl conflicting with basketball. Which also makes Audrey email Kent, the basketball coach, about it.


    ---------------------


    Dear Kent,


    I notify you that I have a scheduling conflict between the basketball game against the Peabody Lady Warhorses and the LQBA Fall Invitational South on November 17. I''m afraid I won''t be able to get to Peabody in time for the game from LQBA Fall Invitational South at Archbishop Rummel.


    Please advise on any measures that should be taken and which one I should attend.


    Audrey


    ---------------------


    Upon receipt of the email, Warren responds that, while he can afford to lose Audrey, the A-team''s special topics player, for a tournament, she''s on the hook to find a replacement player for the B-team if so she wishes. Because the B-team''s special topics player will move up to the A-team for it. This is the second time since there is even a quiz bowl team here where I need to call in reinforcements for reasons other than a player quitting the team, Warren starts to feel like it''s the 2024 LQBA Winter Invitational South all over again, where he needed a history/social studies replacement player for it because Sadie was playing at an inter-state debate tournament on that week.


    Oh boy. I''m not sure who I should ask, much less who will my teammates ask. The big barrier to overcome to get anyone to play quiz bowl is the game''s reputation for intense intellectual requirements. However, for us, a special topics player is simply a player who either does not seem to have a specific strength or whose strength lies outside of the core topics. This means I don''t need to worry about what they''re good at, Audrey ponders who will respond, while posting on her social media accounts about the VAs asking for help for the LQBA Fall Invitational South. The question is: who could possibly want to play quiz bowl who isn''t already on two teams subject to the Rule of Two? I guess Pablo is my choice of last resort and that I will ask him only if my quiz bowl teammates fail to get anyone to play.


    During quiz bowl practice, Audrey begins by looking at the responses on her social media accounts. At this point, there seems to be no takers to play at LQBA Fall Invitational South. However, she knows her teammates are busy with their own lives at school and they don''t seem to think about quiz bowl affairs during school hours. This announcement is like dropping a hammer on them:


    "OK, guys, I understand you were busy during school hours, but not only, until late January, I won''t be able to be there at quiz bowl practices as often as I did, but for the LQBA Fall Invitational South, I won''t be able to play at all!" Audrey announces to her quiz bowl teammates.


    "Audrey, did you already try asking your friends before telling that to us?" Myriam, the quiz bowl team captain, asks, while she is busy placing a bet on a horse race in her mother''s name.


    "There just isn''t a whole lot of people who could be willing to burn one of their two Rule of Two allowances for just one tournament!" Scott, another A-team member, tells her about the other major obstacle to get new players to play mid-season.


    "That said, better tell us now!" Warren intervenes in this quarrel, while they think long and hard about possible reinforcements.


    Tyler does band and FFA, so he can''t play. My basketball teammates might have a smart friend or two, but I got no response from these people. Natalie? I guess, I can always try to ask her via texting... Audrey''s thoughts turn to who she could ask, not expecting much from anyone. My basketball teammates are of no help because that basketball game is what will make me miss this tournament! "Are you free to join the quiz bowl team until LQBA Fall Invitational South? It does not engage you to anything afterward" she texts Natalie, her face turning red with despair, while her quiz bowl teammates get told no pretty rapidly.


    "In my experience, it''s pretty easy to tell who will not play for sure" Caleb, the temporary special topics A-team player, adds to this discussion while calling upon his classmates for help. "Sure, that eliminates the majority of the student body, however, quiz bowl''s reputation for intellectual intensity is well deserved!"


    "We can''t get yet another mathlete! We already have one on each squad!" Myriam adds to this cacophony of comments before the first drill begins.


    "Fingers crossed that Natalie accepts..." Audrey sighs before the first drill begins.


    "Guys, just because we earned a HSNCT berth at Tal Atkins earlier this month doesn''t mean that we should rest on our laurels!" Warren warns his teammates. "Especially Caleb, who will practice with the big team until the end of the LQBA Fall Invitational South! As for you, Audrey, you will moderate drills whenever you can be there at practices until then!"


    People who worry about the GPA component of TOPS will usually be unwilling to play. This means that nearly everyone who could be viable quiz bowl prospects would have 3.5 or higher, Caleb reflects on who he could target, shortly before the first drill begins for the A-team. Right there, this eliminates around seventy percent of the student body. At the same time, perfectionists aren''t a good fit on the buzzer.


    With the best B-team player keeping score, Audrey is then made to read the questions for the remaining 6 players (4 middle schoolers and the 2 B-team players left) in their own drill, split in two 3-player squads.


    ---------------------


    Meanwhile, Natalie acknowledges Audrey''s call for help, but has mixed feelings regarding the quiz bowl team. The quiz bowl team... I guess Audrey believes enough in me to play, after all, most of my interactions with her revolves around AP courses. I guess it makes sense to start with people she knows do well in these courses. But did she ask me for quiz bowl help because she couldn''t find anyone else? I might have heard about how good VA quiz bowl is for years, it''s all-subject and that it''s intellectually intense to play, but no more than that, Natalie wonders who else she could ask for quiz bowl help that hasn''t already eaten up their extracurricular allowance under the Rule of Two. And yet, she''s busy weighing possible public policy responses to eating disorders as a public health problem, and then moves on to other homework.


    She then watches a few clips from past VA quiz bowl games, even though most clips available are from high-profile games, such as quiz bowl-State or the HSNCT, so she gets a better feel for how the game is played.


    ---------------------


    Back at the quiz bowl practice, Audrey could tell the people in her drill are distracted by this entire issue of having to find a replacement for her at the LQBA Fall Invitational South. After the drill ends, she has another idea, which she feels could save her, and the team, a few headaches for the next tournament:


    "If any middle schooler here can volunteer for the LQBA Fall invitational South, with the coach''s permission and the parents''..." Audrey confers with the coach.


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    "Personally, I would want to see a middle schooler find a replacement player for the middle school division of LQBA Fall Invitational South before I can allow a middle schooler playing on the high school division''s B-team" Warren grins when addressing Audrey''s idea to get help for quiz bowl.


    Audrey then turns to the middle schoolers. "You heard the coach: if you can get someone else in middle school to play at the LQBA Fall Invitational, and get the parents'' approval for it, you will then decide who will go on to play with the high schoolers"


    But, as the drills continue, while the high schoolers get their requests for quiz bowl aid rebuffed at every turn, the middle schoolers get no response. Presumably because they think quiz bowl is too much work they''d rather not deal with. And yet, the coach knows that, if push comes to shove, they may need to leave the B-team undermanned. We can''t afford to leave the middle school team undermanned because we haven''t earned a MSNCT berth yet, Warren feels forced to act on this situation because of a lack of reserve.


    At the end of the practice, Warren warns the players about the gaping hole down the B-team and gives a deadline to fill it.


    "You have until next Tuesday to get a new player for the LQBA Fall Invitational South!" Warren warns his players.


    ---------------------


    For the rest of the week, she keeps an eye on potential prospects for the quiz bowl team, but she still juggles between her coursework, strength training for basketball, as well as quiz bowl. Upon completing the week''s coursework on Friday, she faces the grim reality: her quiz bowl teammates had no viable prospects and Natalie didn''t respond.


    She pokes Natalie again by text message: "I know it has been a few days, but you didn''t answer me about quiz bowl!"


    "Sorry, but I have the food drive to organize" Natalie responds back by text.


    Shoot. My best prospect is thrown out the window. However, I can''t blame her; she probably feels like organizing the food drive is a better move for her than playing quiz bowl for a tournament, Audrey feels like she is running out of options. Especially since Myriam''s words regarding a major constraint that could take out a remaining prospect or two right out of the gate rings in her mind: We can''t get yet another mathlete! Which means no more mathletes. And causes her to cry, and then makes her question what impact under-manning the B-team would have on its performance at the tournament.


    "What would happen if we''re short a player for the LQBA Fall Invitational South?" Audrey starts sobbing because she feels this situation is partially of her own doing. "Would that mean we are going to miss having a second squad at the HSNCT?"


    "Honey, what makes you think that we''re going to have two teams in the top fifteen percent at the LQBA Fall Invitational South, if we can fill the final position on the B-team for it?" Audrey''s mother asks her.


    "The fourth player could bring in knowledge the other three players may lack!" Audrey keeps crying, while explaining the reason why she wants to fill that hole down the high school''s B-team for that tournament. "I''m not taking that for granted, though"


    However, that night, Audrey''s family is attending the season closer against South Beauregard, and the VAs sell out all 4260 tickets for that game, knowing this game carries playoff implications for them. South Beauregard, on the other hand, is already assured of a playoff berth.


    In the VAs'' locker room, the coach makes one last, brief speech before they enter the field under the watchful eyes of the band, and the strategic aspect already covered in previous drills this week:


    "This is it: the final game! For the first time in ten years, the Venomous Agendas can earn a playoff spot! Show them the Venomous Agendas fear no tackling!" the head coach harangues the players, even though, 10 years ago, one would have talked about the Jennings Bulldogs instead of the VAs.


    And the VAs fight tooth-and-nail on their home turf to secure their playoff berth. Pablo appears to play mostly as he did last week, and so do the DT and DE who kept disturbing the rest of the team when studying in the bus all season.


    Yet, in the final quarter, the VAs have a 2-point lead over South Beauregard, and they are on the defense. However, South Beauregard hasn''t been that great on field goals, and are twenty yards out. And, positioned at the goal line, the VAs'' free safety stands ready to catch the ball.


    And... the free safety narrowly misses the catch and falls on the ground after the missed catch. The ball narrowly clears the goalpost, causing the VAs to lose the game, and possibly a playoff berth, by a single point.


    By then, Audrey gets a new opportunity to meet with Pablo, with more comments on the progress of the AP Bio group project, at the exit of the locker room.


    "Pablo, I made additions to my own part in the AP Bio group project. Would you please review the new stuff and, if necessary, adjust your part?" Audrey asks him, seeing that he''s visibly down.


    "Because of this goddamned free safety, these Golden Knights stole a playoff berth from us!" Pablo screams, while also crying. "All you have to say is that I should look at the extra stuff you added to the group project?"


    "All is not lost. On Sunday, we will know who will get the wildcards. But until then, please focus on your schoolwork" Audrey tries to console him.


    "Easy for you to say, but you know the consequences of the VAs getting into the football playoffs for me!" the tight end keeps crying. "I was playing the best football of my life lately, I really hope it hasn''t been for nothing!"


    ---------------------


    On Sunday morning, those VA football fans, regardless of how fanatical they are over football (in the past two weeks, the fair-weather ones came out of the woodwork), tune in on the local media outlet of their choice, awaiting the release of the Division II Non-Select football playoff brackets. And... the VAs didn''t make it. Audrey decides to call Pablo:


    "I know the time isn''t right for this, but... you''re the quiz bowl team''s only hope!"


    "What do you mean, I''m the quiz bowl team''s only hope?" Pablo, still under the shock of learning that VA''s football team didn''t make it to the playoffs, asks a distraught Audrey.


    "Could you please join the quiz bowl team, at least for the next tournament, on November seventeenth in Metairie?" Audrey makes her request to the tight end, almost begging to him. "Just do this for me, please?"


    It doesn''t make any sense! Why is it that the quiz bowl team is unable to get reinforcements when they need it? And Audrey seems to be implying not even Natalie could do it! Why me? There are smarter kids than I who didn''t eat up their Rule of Two allowances! Audrey''s request sends him into a tailspin.


    "Why me?" Pablo''s confusion is clear in his voice. "What made the debate team unable to use its reserved quiz bowl spot? Also, really, I''m not that smart!"


    "My quiz bowl teammates looked high and low across campus, and unfortunately, a lot of debaters just don''t use their brains the same as I do! A lot of people feel like it''s not for them somehow!" Audrey answers him. "You seem able to hold up to the pressures of the game!"


    "Fine, I''ll go ask my parents! I''ll call you back later, see ya!"


    And that certainly includes a couple of kids smarter than even him, the basketball player ruminates, while Pablo hangs up the phone to ask his parents permission to join the quiz bowl team.


    "Mom, dad, I was invited to join the quiz bowl team; they really needed help!" Pablo tells his parents, still under the shock of the VAs not making the playoffs. "Can I play quiz bowl?"


    "I''ll let you play quiz bowl on one condition: you have to play for the rest of the season!" Pablo''s mother informs him.


    "The quiz bowl team must really have exhausted their options for them to take a chance on you! That, or you have a crush on a player!" Pablo''s father comments on Pablo being invited to play on the quiz bowl team. "When is your first tournament?"


    "November seventeenth, in Metairie" Pablo answers them.


    "I don''t expect much, but colleges will want to see people do more extracurriculars and perform consistently" Pablo''s mom warns him. "And you must give us the entire schedule of practices and tournaments; you said your first tournament is in Metairie so please notify me about tournament start times"


    "The quiz bowl team has given you a chance; please, don''t squander it! These quiz bowlers might think little of you at first, especially since, more than any other sport, football has a reputation for dumbing down players" Pablo''s dad sermons him.


    But at the same time, Pablo is still a better student than a lot of the people on the football team, and I can actually see it being a game of elimination for the quiz bowl team to get help, Pablo''s dad ruminates while it''s clear to their son that he has their blessing to play.


    Now that Pablo has his parents'' blessing to play quiz bowl, he then calls Audrey back.


    "I accept. I will go play on the quiz bowl team. However, my parents would prefer that I play the remainder of the season" Pablo proceeds to tell her.


    "Now, listen carefully: if you want to play quiz bowl for the rest of the season, beyond that one tournament, you must earn the respect of the rest of the team. Here respect is earned by work ethic and in-game performance, as well as treating your teammates with respect" Audrey warns him.


    Much like life on the football team, really; there, too, respect is earned with work ethic and in-game performance. That''s perhaps why most players seemed to tolerate the DE and DT blasting music in the bus, Pablo sighs, while he receives an email from her containing the team''s schedule for the season, practices and tournaments, as well as links to quiz bowl training material. I have my work cut out for me: I''ll be spending the rest of the quiz bowl season with seven or eight kids I feel are all smarter than I am. Not that I''m dumb by any means, he realizes that he has a lot of work to do to earn his quiz bowl teammates'' respect.

 Chapter 4: Expedited

    Pablo then proceeds to spend the rest of Sunday to explore a little bit the resources given by Audrey to familiarize himself with quiz bowl. He also attempts to complete what he deems to be his part on the AP Biology group project, based on the extras started by Audrey, and gives out notes for Natalie and Tyler for their parts based on the work of the other two.


    The following Monday, during the AP Biology lecture, Warren checks on the various teams'' progress status at the very start of the class. He doesn''t spend very long with each team though.


    "What progress has been made last week?" Warren asks Pablo.


    "We spent a night to make our research and analysis of the topic, and we all made some fine-tuning later in the week, so I believe it will be finished by next week" Pablo reports his team''s status. "Oh and by the way, I''m going to play on the quiz bowl team..."


    "Pablo, I want you to see me after class about quiz bowl" Warren, while satisfied by the rapid progress made by his team, instructs him.


    Now that''s rapid progress! A lot of teams are a lot slower, Warren keeps to himself, before moving on to another team.


    "I did a favor to you by joining the quiz bowl team" Pablo whispers in Audrey''s left ear, before turning to his teammates in the group project. "Now, I strongly believe it would be in our best interest to finish the project by next week, and hopefully tonight! I''ll even offer to host it at my home, same time as last time"


    "Good. I can''t wait to get over with this project" Audrey is relieved that at least someone on this team understands that their lives are going to get more complicated going forward.


    "It seems like the other teams didn''t do nearly as much as we did. However, rushing the way Audrey and Pablo want will only lead to disaster!" Natalie warns them.


    "Of course not, Natalie; we can spread out our fine-tuning time, and only make small adjustments as needed once the big work is done. That''s how we will prevent the disaster from happening" Tyler keeps arguing, while he thinks that fine-tuning will take the form of an introduction, conclusion and bibliography.


    As they start getting into mitosis and meiosis, as well as how they play into genetics, there''s one question that Natalie is itching to ask when Warren explains that both mitosis and meiosis involve replication of genetic material.


    "What happens if errors are made in DNA replication?" Natalie asks.


    "That''s a mechanism for genetic mutations to occur, especially when errors happen at random" Warren explains to them. "More on that topic will be covered in a few weeks"


    And also carry implications for protein synthesis, Audrey is then remembered a tossup in freshman year on this very topic.


    When the lecture ends, Warren gets to speak with Pablo about quiz bowl.


    "It''s the first time I ever had a football player playing quiz bowl. You''re probably aware of the intensity of intellectual requirements of quiz bowl, and for this reason, don''t expect to have success in quiz bowl right out of the gate. Nevertheless, quiz bowl will benefit you in your coursework. And, of course, several quiz bowlers will be tempted to believe that football players won''t be able to amount to much on the buzzer"


    "Beyond reading past quiz bowl questions and using Protobowl, how else can I improve in quiz bowl?" Pablo asks the quiz bowl coach.


    "Audrey gave you the most effective ideas. If you realize that you''re weak in one area, then you can try writing questions on that area"


    For each Myriam, who actually had some success in quiz bowl right out of the gate, there are several who take months to be serviceable, Warren wonders what to expect from Pablo.


    Because there is no quiz bowl practice today, Pablo notifies his parents that he will have the team come over to finish the AP Biology group project tonight. He also finishes his homework upon returning home. And, of course, resumes his reading of old quiz bowl packets, with priority being given to more recent packets as appropriate.


    However, right after dinner ends, Pablo prepares four bags containing Halloween candy his family didn''t distribute for trick or treating. I know how draining basketball practices are, so I hope that Natalie and Tyler will both appreciate that Lagniappe I am about to give them, he muses while he knows that Audrey''s basketball practices begin when the regular football season ds.


    And, unlike last time, where there was no music being played, he plans to use some soft music that might help them relax. When they arrive to Pablo''s home...


    "Hi Pablo" Audrey greets him, her energy level being a little low.


    "Here, have a bag of candy" Pablo hands her a bag of candy.


    "My part is essentially finished. I''ll be honest, though, I didn''t look at what Natalie and Tyler did over the weekend yet" Audrey opens her laptop to start looking at what these two did, before opening the bag of candy.


    "I didn''t either because I believe their parts depended upon mine"


    While Audrey eats her bag of candy, Natalie and Tyler both arrive at Pablo''s home. He also gives them their bags of candy.


    "OK, everyone, let''s review what Audrey and I added during the previous week. It will be very helpful for you to not only finish your parts, but also start thinking about an introduction and a conclusion" Pablo opens the meeting as well as the files.


    Tyler then copy-pastes everyone''s parts onto a master file. To his horror, he realizes that the project had become much longer than they would have liked, and the risk of having the appendices dwarf the main body is real, even if they are able to determine what should be in the main body vs an appendix.


    "We can''t play around with the margins, nor the indentation" Tyler complains, while they start thinking of ideas to cram more content within the parameters given to them, and ensure they have enough space to write a good introduction and conclusion.


    "Font? Spacing?" an annoyed Natalie asks her teammates.


    "I think word choice can save you a few lines here and there" Audrey starts reviewing where people might have used words that are too long where a shorter word could do the same job.


    And they realize, in their quest to squeeze precious space out of their project, that wording is a little inconsistent from a student to another. So not only they must ensure that they''re more consistent in their wording, but they must also ensure concision and coherence.


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    "I kept hearing about how some of you guys were too wordy..." Pablo''s mom is visibly startled by the team''s noisy attempts at squeezing the most out of their page budget, before getting to him. "What could you guys have so much to say about... eating disorders?"


    "Mom, it''s not about my part or Audrey''s. We need to make sure all parts flow between each other, and everyone can say what they feel is necessary. While AI is useful in the early stages, as well as for proofreading..." Pablo retorts while his teammates are still trying to squeeze lines out of the text.


    The group keeps arguing about whether they can afford to change a word in a paragraph if it meant it could save them a line later down the road. Or maybe even cut words here and there if they aren''t directly quoted.


    However, it''s understood that whoever oversees a given part will make the final decision regarding word changes in that part. And this exercise amounts to a group exercise in beta reading.


    Oh boy, they finished doing it with Audrey''s part, now it''s my turn! Pablo has a shiver sent down his spine when he and his teammates start reading his own part for freeing up space after the consistency and coherence phase is over. Of particular interest to them are paragraphs where the final line is not very long and there''s a potential to save a line.


    "Look, Pablo, is it directly quoted?" Audrey asks him, pointing to a specific point she deems savings are achievable.


    "Yes" Pablo answers her friend.


    "Can you cut down part of a quote by putting an ellipsis within brackets? If you''re quoting two or more propositions directly, but comes from the same original source..."


    Bulbs light up in the other 3 students, and they start double-checking their quotations if they come across this situation. And they are going through another round of desperate attempts at saving lines, believing that every line counts. Outside of bibliography and appendices, but even then, appendices are also subjected to the same treatment. Especially tantalizing to them is when an opportunity to save a page with only one line on it presents itself in the appendices.


    "I think we might have covered a little too much ground. Think of what you feel is important to understand your part, and then we can resume this!" Tyler begs his teammates.


    Even with the ellipses within brackets, even with choices of words, they realize after spending over an hour squabbling over edits to the project, however, they can only trim so much fat without losing its substance.


    "We spent so long cutting the fat off our paper, now we need actually write the introduction and conclusion!" Pablo sermons his teammates.


    "Yeah, there comes a point where we did everything we could to save lines, it''s clear now what we will be using them for!" an exasperated Natalie retorts, while she has one last issue to raise that could result in space savings. She then turns to Pablo. "Wouldn''t Type II diabetes also be a risk factor for eating disorders? If so, can you leave out Type I?"


    "The source I used is a research paper that specifically studied eating disorders in patients with Type I diabetes, so no, I can''t leave out Type I" Pablo answers her, and then sighs, showing signs that he''s weary of editing.


    Compared to trimming the project''s main body and appendices down to size, writing the introduction and conclusion is a cinch. Once that is done, they use their favorite AI proofreading tool to, well, proofread before they can actually call it a day on this project.


    "Before we submit this work, I would like all of us to proceed with one final review. I''m doing all of us a favor by pushing you to get the work done this early in the cycle, but you may not have realized it yet" Pablo makes one last request of his teammates.


    "What do you mean, you''re doing us a favor?" Tyler asks him, failing to see what favor is made by doing the work early. "I would have expected you to have done more in the following weeks than in the beginning, Pablo!"


    "Yeah, Tyler, this is not doing you much of a favor, since FFA and band are year-round commitments, unlike football or basketball!" Natalie starts to vent her frustration at the project''s pace, which she now feels is way too fast for her. "Or theater and the student newspaper for me!"


    For group projects of this size, it''s normal for those who put in the work to feel emotional attachment about it. Sometimes you do stuff in the heat of sessions like these that you might regret later, and I certainly did so in the past, Natalie ruminates, while Audrey feels the urge to answer her junior teammates.


    "You think of us both as having only seasonal commitments? Pablo is on the quiz bowl team now! I am a quiz bowler, but it''s true that football is more seasonal than what we all do!" Audrey responds to Natalie, feeling her blood boiling.


    "On top of that, since I am new to quiz bowl, I need to get more familiar with the game!"


    The other two gasp, upon hearing that Pablo is playing quiz bowl. "If there''s anyone on the football team who can play quiz bowl, it''s you!" Tyler shouts in Pablo''s direction.


    On-field intellect isn''t wholly derived from off-field intellect, but the coach made the smartest kids on the team play QB or TE if they wanted to play on the offense, LB or SS on defense, depending on their physical qualities. Nevertheless, me playing quiz bowl will surprise a few people at school, Pablo starts to think about who else on the football team could have played quiz bowl.


    "To be fair, there are forty-five players on the football team. And I am not alone on the football team in taking AP courses or otherwise do well in class! Maybe you interacted with other players who would have been poor fits for quiz bowl, though" Pablo adds to this.


    "Who else on the football team do you think could have played quiz bowl?" Tyler asks him in anger.


    Pablo then lists three more players, a QB, a LB and a SS, while Audrey seems to be doing the final review on her own.


    "Guys, please, stop!" Audrey pleads with her teammates. "We just need one last review to double-check our project!"


    "All right, but promise me that we won''t have another meeting regarding this project!" Tyler begs Audrey for her to put an end to the group project.


    Whereas they spent over an hour earlier to fix issues with the content, and squeezing sufficient space to get a proper introduction and conclusion, here double-checking would only net them a few minor fixes. Which, out of fatigue, they all seem to readily accept.


    "You seem to squeeze us like lemons! This is one of my most unpleasant experiences of group projects in my life!" Natalie screams, while she hastily picks up her supplies to leave Pablo''s home.


    "You can count yourself lucky because everyone has been pulling their weight here!" Audrey surmises that Natalie was used to cover for her teammates in the past.


    Once Tyler leaves Pablo''s home shortly thereafter, but takes more care in packing up his supplies than Natalie did, the two are on their own, opening their bags of candy.


    "Now that''s what I call a Lagniappe!" Audrey looks at the candy in her bag, starting with the licorice strand.


    "I guess, it''s my turn to brew coffee! You did it last time, I will do it today!"


    And then Pablo brews four cups of coffee, while remaining mindful of how his parents like their coffee: black. Which means that they will be the ones putting in milk and sugar in theirs. Once the coffee is ready, he lets Audrey pour the milk and sugar as she feels like it.


    "It''s nice to drink coffee and eat candy when your mind feels a little beat up!" Audrey quips while she pours the milk and sugar in her coffee cup. And is about to finish the licorice. "Thank you for caring about me!"


    "You''re welcome"


    Once Audrey has poured hers, Pablo starts putting in milk and sugar into his own coffee. His coffee is still a little strong, however, and Audrey starts noticing it in the smell. Perhaps it''s the strength of the coffee, or just the two of them being brought together as they submit the group''s project, but they feel like said project could set in motion a change in their friendship.


    "I might have known you for years, and somehow... it feels different from how we lived our friendship in the past. However, it''s a little early for us to think about whether it can actually become more than a friendship" Pablo confides in her.


    "You''re right, it''s premature. But, at the same time, you understand why I felt in such a hurry to get the project done, why, in Natalie''s words, I squeezed the team like lemons tonight"


    "Yes, your season opener is this week"


    "Because of my basketball season, here, I''ll link you to our season''s calendar" Audrey then texts him a link to the VAs'' final girls'' basketball schedule for the season, complete with score sheets and team stats.


    She then follows that up with texting him the link to VA''s page on NAQT''s system, where he can follow all the VAs'' quiz bowl stats, including his own progression as a quiz bowler across tournaments whenever NAQT creates his page. And Audrey''s as well, since she previously took part in tournaments.


    He then proceeds to bookmark all 3 web pages on his cellphone. In the past, we never really cared about the performances of each other, we kind of knew where each other stood academically and in sports but not in detail. So I wonder what pushes her to give me her stat pages, Pablo also proceeds to give her the link to his football stat page. And he writes the title page, the table of contents and submits the group project in the team''s name.


    "It''s a little late to give me access to your football stat page, but thank you" Audrey then packs up her supplies to return to her home. "See you tomorrow!"


    "You too!"

 Chapter 5: Trial of Fire

    The following day, he gets an email from Warren inviting him to a special training session in the morning, where he''s given an overview of the rules of quiz bowl. Shoot! Instead of being there for my conditioning training session, I have to do quiz bowl training before class! What would I hope to accomplish by playing on the quiz bowl team? Beyond parental pride, and college applications, obviously, a Pablo stricken by self-doubt is secretly questioning why he would even play quiz bowl. Reading quiz bowl questions is one thing, but knowing what to expect from questions is not enough.


    When he arrives at school, he goes directly to Warren''s office as he prepares the buzzer for the introduction to quiz bowl. And a few sample questions from past tournaments the VAs attended, by difficulty levels.


    "Welcome, Pablo. To begin, tossups are worth ten points, or fifteen if you answer early enough, or power. You have three seconds to answer once you buzz in. Also, if you answer incorrectly, buzz in first, and do so before the question is read in full, you will incur a five-point penalty, a neg five..." Warren explains the rules of quiz bowl to him, as well as what bonuses are, and games usually ask 20 tossups.


    At first, the tight end feels a little shaky on the buzzer, since reading packets is not the same as playing. That, even though the clues are given out in describing order of difficulty. And the first question is a question of one of the most important games in VA quiz bowl history.


    "The answer was Kim Thuy" Warren tells him the correct answer to the first tossup.


    "Are questions always this hard?" Pablo asks, while failing to answer it.


    Why did I even join the quiz bowl team? Do I really have what it takes to play with three of the smartest kids on campus? Pablo starts questioning his choice of playing quiz bowl.


    "No. This was the winning tossup of the first state championship, so you have a better idea of what playing at quiz bowl-State will feel like, if you make it to the team for State" Warren then skips to the next tossup. "The fall of Smederevo on June 20, 1459, marked the full conquest of this country by the Ottoman Empire. The Anti-Bureaucratic Revolution was an event that led to this country breaking away from Yugoslavia. The Pannonian Plain covers its northern third. For ten points, name this country whose capital is Belgrade"


    "Serbia" Pablo reluctantly answers after being read the question in its entirety.


    "That was a question at the HSNCT"


    And more specifically a question the VAs missed against DCC three years ago, causing their elimination. He reads bonuses, and Pablo realizes that question categories are random.


    I might be jittery now, but I need to see with whom I will play, Pablo ruminates. I wonder how that is going to help me go to college, since I can''t rely on football, or at least solely on it...


    After school, there comes his first practice with the VAs'' quiz bowl team, Pablo trembles like a leaf, especially after his practice with an overview of quiz bowl before class that made him a little wary of playing.


    "Please welcome Pablo, he will play on the B-team at the LQBA Fall invitational in two weeks as our special topics player. Now, he''s not like the classical quiz bowlers we had here up to this point, as he played tight end on the football team" Warren introduces Pablo to his quiz bowl teammates.


    "Did we scrape the bottom of the barrel to get a replacement player?" Myriam asks, finding it hard to believe that the football team would designate one of their own to play quiz bowl.


    "You have a long way to go!" Josiane, the middle schoolers'' special topics player, comments on Pablo''s origins. "However, everyone has to start somewhere, so make your experience of your first tournament count!"


    "Yeah, Pablo, don''t go around thinking you can neutralize an opposing player in quiz bowl the way you can in football!" Scott jeers at him. "Has your brain sufficiently healed from your latest concussion to play quiz bowl?" his voice betrays some sarcastic undertones.


    "I will show you all that football players can play quiz bowl!" Pablo shouts, but his new teammates seem to make thins uncomfortable for him. "Don''t go around thinking that my sport dumbs me down!"


    Pablo is then grouped with his other 3 teammates for the LQBA Fall Invitational, in the absence of Audrey, off at a basketball practice. But already the A-team doesn''t make him welcome, and they only spent a few minutes with him. It''s my freshman football season all over again, only with football replaced with quiz bowl, Pablo gets into position for a drill with a mixture of middle school and B-team high school players.


    "For ten points each, answer these questions on exoplanets" a substitute teacher is made to read the bonus in a drill.


    Shoot! I know nothing about exoplanets, other than they orbit other stars the way Earth orbits the sun, Pablo seems like he can''t answer anything on this bonus.


    During the practice, he realizes that Josiane may very well be right, and that he has a lot of ground to cover. And that, even though they aren''t necessarily the best, the other players still manage to buzz in much more often than he did. And answer more often than he does in bonuses, too.


    Yet, near the end of the drill, after failing to answer anything, tossup or bonus, Pablo, after hearing about transcription errors, buzzes in:


    "mRNA!" Pablo answers after buzzing in.


    "Fifteen" the substitute teacher rules.


    "Is that it? You answered a grand total of one tossup for the entire drill?" Nadine, the B-team arts and literature player, asks him, almost as to belittle him.


    "Give me a break! It''s only a week since I started playing, I have to start somewhere!" Pablo retorts to his fellow B-team player.


    There''s no way I can last the rest of the season on this team if I don''t improve as a player! I could only have read so many packets in a few days'' time! Pablo feels his blood rising to his face, and his face is turning red.


    "If you want to win buzzer races, you must have an answer primed in your mind if possible!" Warren gives some advice to him. "Also, please keep in mind that quiz bowl is not school, even though it might be of help for school! You''re not graded in games, and being able to determine when you don''t know stuff is important, too! If you find yourself missing a lot of questions in specific areas, you should focus your studying in these areas"


    "That''s a lot of things you have to study for!" Nadine yells at Pablo as his mood is visibly deteriorating.


    And he starts getting more headaches, too. As he realizes he has a lot of holes in his knowledge base, he comes to a grim realization: between here and the tournament, he can''t improve that much, so he must find a way to improve on what his current teammates don''t know. Or to at least learn more about what he feels is most realistic to learn as much of the quiz bowl canon as he possibly can by that date.


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    "So here''s the goal for you, Pablo: average ten PP20TUH at the LQBA Fall Invitational South and start with regular sets on the Quiz Bowl Packets Database. Do card, and also review older material in class as necessary"


    "Considering that we are in the most academically competitive environment in southwest Louisiana, you''re going to have your work cut out for you!" Caleb feels like Pablo will struggle a little bit, and then chuckles.


    Nadine... I didn''t interact with her much, but I have her in another course! Maybe I can ask her for help in that class, or for quiz bowl, if Audrey can''t help me! And I have the feeling that she won''t be able to help me as much as she would have liked! Pablo makes a mental note of when to access other players. And I only read a handful of sets over the weekend, he is reminded of the sheer number of packets he could read. And, of course, endure more quiz bowl drills before he could actually read more question sets.


    "One question, coach: is this representative of the teams we will be playing later this month?" a confused Pablo asks him before the final drill starts for high school players.


    "If you''re talking about the drills with the B team mixed in with the middle school team, I say it would be middle of the pack" Warren tells him in front of his new teammates.


    I will need to study a lot just to survive on the team until the end of the LQBA Fall Invitational South, Pablo has a shiver down his spine as the middle schoolers are now on their own because the substitute teacher is gone. The high schoolers are then assembled for one last drill.


    "Here it is: a scrimmage game between the A and B teams!" Warren announces to them.


    "Pablo, it might feel a little bizarre to you but sometimes, to improve, you need to get blown out. However, better get blown out now, in a practice, than in a tournament!" Scott makes his opening remarks about the drill.


    The two teams are arrayed and get read questions about a wide range of topics, as usual for quiz bowl. However, Pablo quickly realizes that he barely scratched the surface of what is truly needed to do well on the buzzer.


    And yet, he takes a risk that bewilders everyone in the room on a geography tossup:


    "The Punch-up in Piestany took place during the World Hockey Juniors staged in this country in 1987" Warren reads the first clue of this tossup as Pablo buzzes in.


    "Czechoslovakia" Pablo answers.


    "Fifteen"


    How could I somehow get this one right, when I struggled to even buzz in on all other questions today? Was I lucky in my packet readings? Pablo keeps questioning himself, believing that him powering this question is a matter of luck. Beginner''s luck.


    But then it so happens that Nadine brilliantly answers all 3 bonus parts attached to this tossup because it''s an arts and literature bonus.


    Darn it! Am I even going to survive on the quiz bowl team until this tournament? Pablo starts hyperventilating before the next question cycle starts.


    "Timeout..." an increasingly nauseated Pablo asks Warren at the end of this bonus.


    "Just go home for today. This practice has been a real roller coaster for you..." Warren gives his instructions to him.


    Once Pablo gets out of the room the practice takes place, his dizziness makes it more difficult for him to move, as he trembles to get to the nearest bathroom. Headaches start to mount at every step, and he feels the urge to vomit. He is also suddenly reminded of panic attacks endured by his football teammates in past games as his stomach starts to hurt him. And, lumbering towards the toilet, he groans, and he feels the need for rest.


    Then comes his time to vomit in the first available toilet. As much as he would have liked to feel relief through vomiting, there''s only so much vomiting could do.


    "How am I going to play quiz bowl if I can barely answer one tossup per game?" Pablo screams from his toilet stall and starts crying as well. "This is so not the image of quiz bowlers this community sold to us for years!"


    He keeps babbling incoherently about how this practice makes him feel incompetent, about whether he should even keep playing quiz bowl, or even about what it would take for him to pull some semblance of weight on the B-team. That, knowing everyone else on it is still, in his mind anyway, in the top-5-10% of their respective classes.


    At this point, Pablo took so long to get to the bathroom, vomit, and drink from the fountain that, once he gets out of that place, he comes across Nadine, who finished the drill.


    "Now that you''re on the quiz bowl team, you will be known as a smart kid, and all the expectations that come with it" Nadine tells him, while he is trying to calm down.


    "As a football player, the spotlight might be on me, so to speak, for one-third of the year, but you make me feel like quiz bowl will get me into the spotlight for the remaining two-thirds of the year?" Pablo asks about the social implications of playing quiz bowl.


    And Audrey''s basketball practice ends more or less at the same time as Pablo''s quiz bowl practice. She overhears Nadine talking about how Pablo''s life is expected to change now that he''s playing quiz bowl, and her ears perk up.


    "If you perform academically at the level people usually imagine quiz bowlers to perform at, people will be more tempted to cheat on you" Audrey warns her friend.


    And certainly on Nadine''s level or mine. I won''t mince words, the quiz bowl team is very top-heavy academically, Audrey can tell on Pablo''s face that he''s wracked with self-doubt over a quiz bowl practice.


    "I guess, I now have a better idea of what I need to practice for quiz bowl. There''s only so much I can learn only by reading past sets!" Pablo sighs. "Even if I prioritize more recent sets!"


    "You must also ensure that you''re in the right head space to make the most out of studying. You''re probably familiar with this concept as applied to games, though; after all, even as a tight end, the mental pressures of football don''t spare you" Audrey adds, while Nadine leaves the scene. "Just don''t focus solely on quiz bowl, will you?"


    "It''s probably nothing new to you, it''s just that, during football season, football tends to crowd out academics" Pablo points out, and then sobs. "I was barely able to answer one tossup per packet in practice..."


    "You''re new to quiz bowl, and I started out in middle school, which eased me into the high school game. Also, you''re coming from farther out than I did. But right now, you must do something other than quiz bowl practicing. Maybe you can resume reading more packets once the panic attack subsides"


    When football is in season, people were more forgiving to me academically; they accepted an academic hiccup as the price to pay for playing football. However, Audrey has a point. I knew all 3 people I will be playing with at LQBA Fall Invitational South were very good students, Nadine, but also Lilina and Gerard, whom I also knew for years, too, despite not interacting much with them, Pablo is still shaking when it dawns upon him that AP Bio is one of the courses he does best in. And yet I''m not starting from scratch.


    "Just do your homework for now" Audrey advises him before he leaves for home and buckles down to do his homework for the day.


    "Thank you, Audrey, for setting the record straight" Pablo realizes that his homework for the day covers topics such as history and language arts.


    Upon returning home, he still feels some lingering doubts over his first quiz bowl practice. And he wonders whether it has been a huge mistake for him to play quiz bowl. However, he hasn''t technically burned his second allowance for the year yet, since students can, under the Rule of Two, leave any Rule of Two-subject team at any time if they didn''t compete (or perform in the cases of band and theater).


    His parents pick up on his mood changes when they return home.


    "Pablo, it seems like you''re not like your usual self. What happened?" Pablo''s dad asks him in the middle of him doing his history homework.


    "I now realize that I have a long way to go to make it in quiz bowl" Pablo starts crying, before he could explain the entire thing.


    "Give yourself some time, it''s not instant" Pablo''s dad sermons him.


    Audrey then texts him the link to the LQBA Fall Invitational South''s logistics information. Such as the updated start time.


    "Dad, I know it''s a bit early to tell you this, but the tournament is at eight AM on November seventeenth"


    "Oh boy, to get there in time, we''ll need to leave this town by five AM, no thank you. Please tell me once the team will have figured out the transportation arrangements" Pablo''s father instructs him. "Now you have a better idea of what language arts and social studies will be useful for: quiz bowl"


    With that said, he goes around and ask his quiz bowl teammates over text messages for more details about where to meet and when so they can get to the tournament, and then he goes back to reading different sets of quiz bowl question packets.


    And boy is there a lot of packets to choose from; however, he starts re-reading his class notes in language arts and social studies, both from this year and last year, in hopes of gleaning knowledge he could use in quiz bowl. Last year, I might have had some relatively good grades, but I mostly crammed the material. Now I need to revisit it, and then I can resume reading these older packets, he keeps to himself while he waits for his teammates'' response.

 Chapter 6: Implicit Costs

    Pablo ends up studying a good fraction of the night, as he waits for his teammates to get back to him for transportation information. And not only that, but he makes a grim realization as he studies for the test. I think it''s best for me to keep quiet about quiz bowl at school until this tournament ends, or else I''d be paying an implicit cost I''m not ready to bear yet. I won''t be able to hide quiz bowl any longer once I attend the LQBA Fall Invitational South!


    Speaking of social studies, the teacher announces the following at the beginning of the World History course:


    "Next class, we will have a quiz on the Age of Discovery and the Renaissance" the World History instructor announces to the class. "This unit ends roughly with the founding of Jamestown as far as this course is concerned, so we''re going to cover the late stages of the Age of Discovery today"


    In class, they cover the Dutch, English and French wanting in on the New World, since they feel left out of the loop by Portugal and Spain. And they also started playing the colonization game later, too. Also, religious matters were part of the rivalries between these five countries, and several religious wars were fought during the Renaissance.


    "On the topic of religious wars in Europe, wasn''t the Mayflower''s voyage a consequence of these?" a student asks, hand raised.


    "You''re about a week in advance"


    Hehe: now I have an opportunity to take in as much material as possible in this area of history! Pablo furiously takes notes on the topics of the major events of the late stages of the Renaissance, as well as the motivations to go from exploring and staking claims on new lands, and then colonizing them.


    "Knowing what happened in Europe and in the Americas during this period is one thing, but what happened elsewhere in the world during that timeframe? Especially since the Portuguese and the Spanish encountered peoples elsewhere" Pablo asks about another facet of the Age of Discovery he feels could come up in quiz bowl.


    On that topic, he briefly mentioned that China and Korea were locked into war against the Japanese during that time (Imjin War) and the Age of Discovery planted the seeds of European domination over other parts of the world, but no more than that.


    "Let''s backtrack a bit. Last week you talked about the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation; what made wars of religion so virulent?" yet another student asks in class.


    "We have a lot of ground to cover, but the short answer is that, in the Christian world, the Church provided public services back then that would today fall under government services, such as education, healthcare and public assistance"


    "Is this going to be on the test?" one of those annoying students asks the teacher.


    "Yes, as would any other question asked by the students in class whose answer is relevant to understanding the material"


    That student might not be the most motivated in the world, but a lot of students keep quiet, with the questions being dominated by two camps: those who are struggling and those who are not satisfied with what''s said in the lecture.


    Once the lecture ends, and the bell rings, Pablo doesn''t hesitate to text his B-team quiz bowl teammates, all of them asking to have lunch together. And Audrey, too, because he knows she has the same World History instructor, but is on the A-team.


    They all wait in line, lunch money at the ready, to get their lunches and then eat around the same table. It''s around the lunch table that Audrey reveals that she has brought some of her own Halloween candy leftovers for the B-team to eat.


    "Audrey, you shouldn''t have!" Pablo tells her upon receipt of the candy.


    "Two nights ago, you gave me, and your parents, some painkillers..." Audrey tells Pablo, but is interrupted by Pablo.


    "Painkillers? I didn''t give you painkillers when we completed the AP Bio group project!" Pablo vehemently protests. "I gave you coffee!"


    "And yet, drinking coffee that night did help relieve the pains from basketball practice!" Audrey explains why she even talked about painkillers. "I owe you for that night, and I''m just repaying that favor"


    "Ballista, do you always drink coffee as a painkiller?" Nadine asks the basketball player.


    I wonder if Nadine started calling me Ballista in a quiz bowl context because of me playing basketball or because of my last name... Audrey starts wondering, while having her mouth full of the candy she brought for everyone.


    "Even though it''s for a tenth-grade course, I feel like other quiz bowlers on the B-team could benefit from reviewing for our World History quiz on Friday" Pablo, in a desire to make back for what he views as poor performance at the previous practice, decides to turn this lunchtime into an impromptu practice.


    For Lilina, as the history and social studies player on the B-team, this amounts to a refresher, but then stuff comes up none came across other than on a quiz bowl packet: the Treaties of Tordesillas and Zaragoza, the witch hunts, the specifics of the complaints levied against the Church by Martin Luther, the Ottoman wars in Eastern Europe, and so on, so forth. Yet most of the review seems to be factual in nature...


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    "As much as playing quiz bowl is about answering questions devoid of context, we all know that short-answer questions, on class quizzes and tests, might require you to explain your answer, and use relationships between concepts" Audrey explains to her fellow quiz bowlers, feeling that something is wrong.


    "So why did European kings seek new routes to the Indies?" Pablo asks his teammates.


    "The closure of the Silk Road''s overland route" Lilina answers.


    "Which was caused by the capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453" Nadine adds to this conversation.


    And, in the limited time they have left to eat, the five quiz bowlers exchange information about Renaissance arts, literature, and scientific discoveries, the role of the Council of Trent in the Christian Counter-Reformation... at which point Pablo asks a question about getting to the LQBA Fall Invitational South.


    "I wonder whose parents will drive us to the tournament" Pablo asks his teammates. "My parents won''t, and we will need to leave this town by five AM the day of the tournament"


    The cat is now out of the bag. I hope that, by showing that I''m proactive, I can win my teammates'' respect, and that I can actually get some progress made towards both the World History quiz and the stated objective of scoring at least one tossup per game, Pablo ruminates as the other 3 quiz bowlers ask their parents via text messages if they can drive the team to Metairie on November 17.


    "Sorry, but we won''t get an answer until tonight" Gerard points out to him.


    "I get it, your parents are busy right now. However, better get an answer before it''s too late" Pablo is left wondering when will the other 3 get back to him.


    However, another of his football teammates has something to ask of him about the World History quiz in the hallway, one period later:


    "Pablo, it''s about the World History quiz on Friday" the second-string center comes to him.


    "Let me guess... you want to sit next to me for the quiz? Or is it about studying?" a puzzled Pablo asks the center, whom he knows isn''t the best at social studies.


    "Studying? Is this quiz cumulative?"


    "No. Just Renaissance and the Age of Discovery"


    I wonder if anyone else would let me sit next to them for the quiz that I can trust, the center starts thinking of various people in their section and who could let him cheat. And that the scope of the quiz is narrow enough to make his own studying more precise. Then again, I don''t want to sit next to the same person over and over.


    "And yet, we''re supposed to support each other, on and off the field!" the center retorts, wondering what''s best for him.


    "You might want to read a variety of sources; the best ones cover a specific topic within that time period" Pablo gives him a hint to study. "And don''t hesitate to ask questions to other people you know, including but not limited to the teacher, or even me"


    Ouch. During the football season, that guy always sat at the back of the room in tests, Pablo feels dread just thinking about who the center could possibly ask to sit next to. Now I think I have a better idea of what forms these implicit costs take. I''m sure Nadine, Lilina and Gerard are used to paying these costs. And probably Audrey, too. At the same time, is getting closer to Audrey, or even to college, via quiz bowl, really worth all that I''m enduring right now? I can''t rely on football alone, but was quiz bowl the right choice? She might be a nice girl, or otherwise appreciate that I''m proactive with her, it''s just a little early.


    Once again, Pablo feels like he has a lot on his mind, and, as he gets his homework done that day, he just wants to vent the pressure he already feels before the first tournament begins.


    "You put yourself far too much pressure on a world history quiz!" Pablo''s mom warns him. "Or even your first quiz bowl tournament!"


    "I''m not sure quiz bowl is for me, honestly. Before I started playing quiz bowl, I didn''t feel the pressure to get good in class, much less to feel like people could start cheating on me in tests and quizzes!" Pablo complains about his predicament.


    "Don''t give up on quiz bowl yet! You can''t base your opinion of the game only on practices and how your life at school has changed!" Pablo''s mom sermons him.


    "You asked me to see the season through; how am I to do so if I can''t earn my teammates'' respect! Playing on the quiz bowl team comes with its own set of academic and social pressures I don''t have in football!" Pablo keeps screaming.


    And I was never made to feel like I had to supply others with cheating, but I wonder if Audrey was made to feel that way, too... she''s the one whose absence from this tournament made me play quiz bowl, she''d probably have a better idea of whether it''s just me or it''s common across quiz bowlers, Pablo then storms away from his mom and then proceeds to call Audrey about how he feels about his early days as a VA quiz bowler.


    "Audrey, there''s something seriously wrong with me. These past few days, it has gotten so much unhealthier than just a panic attack during practice, and I''m confused about something specific"


    "What is it now?" the basketball player asks him, not sure to pinpoint the issue.


    "Is it normal for quiz bowlers to feel like others decide where they sit in the room for tests based on where you sit?"


    "Yes. The problem, Pablo, is that, by playing on the quiz bowl team, you''re thrown into a world that''s foreign to you. That was why you weren''t my first choice for the reserve" Audrey retorts.


    Damn it, I guess Natalie was her first choice to fill in for her on the quiz bowl team, but why did she have to tell me I wasn''t her first choice now? Pablo ruminates and doesn''t realize that he is doing it constantly by now.


    "What do you mean, it''s a world I''m unprepared for?" a confused Pablo asks her. "As a football player, people cared a lot more about my playing ability and only cared about my grades to the extent they determined whether I was able to play!"


    "For all these years, you might occasionally have been able to get good grades, especially when football isn''t in season. Good enough to be allowed to take AP Bio, remember?"


    "I was able to fly under the academic radar until now because of my football position! I could get good grades, like you said, but without having my social identity tied to these! No one outside of maybe other footballers would have asked me to help them cheat on a test!"


    "The difference being that I was known as a smart girl among the town''s kids even before middle school, so being asked for help and even cheating regularly is natural to me. You, on the other hand, while you''re much closer to me than to..."


    "Yeah, I know, the DT and the DE"


    "If I had to make a guess, I''d say you aren''t in the top ten percent, but definitely in the top quarter of the class. Sometimes you have no choice but to answer their calls for aid" Audrey warns him.


    "By now you know how intense the pressure is to conform to a certain image as a quiz bowler, and you''re implying you fit it from the get-go"


    "Next time, Pablo, that someone asks for help in class, just take it easy and do so to the best of your ability. Now, you should resume your studying for the LQBA Fall Invitational South"

 Chapter 7: Sleepover

    Thank you, Audrey, for your assistance, Pablo resumes studying for the tournament for which Audrey requested help.


    After the World History quiz on Friday, in which the center football player sits on Pablo''s left, the B-team players finally got their answers as to whether their parents could drive them to the tournament.


    "Do you have answers to whether your parents can drive us to the tournament next Saturday?" Pablo asks his teammates at the start of the practice.


    "It appears that mine can''t" Gerard answers them.


    "Mine can''t either!" Lilina states, matter-of-factly, about their predicament.


    "Luckily, my parents can drive to New Orleans, but they want all of us sleeping at their place next Friday" Nadine''s answers raises Pablo''s eyebrows.


    "Now that we solved that issue, we can go back to practicing" Pablo adds.


    "One more thing: for next Friday, keep your homework for the long road trip to New Orleans and back" Lilina comments on what to do on the road.


    "Please, give Pablo a chance to contribute on every question!" Warren warns the teams for the drill.


    For this drill, moderated by Audrey, Pablo''s group is in the position of trailing by 70 points and there are 2 tossups left to go. Last time, it was either I power or I don''t even buzz in, he muses while the first tossup begins. The first tossup is a question in an area he''s still not comfortable with in a quiz bowl context, so he lets Josiane answer it.


    However, on the bonus part, the first bonus seems to be about some sort of drug.


    "Opioids!" Pablo answers that bonus part.


    "Prompt on opioids" Audrey feels like Pablo hasn''t been specific enough.


    "Fentanyl" he answers about the opioids.


    "Criminal organizations used the China White variety of fentanyl to make counterfeit versions of this drug" Audrey continues reading the bonus.


    "Oxycontin" Pablo keeps answering this bonus.


    It''s a little too early to tell, but I think Pablo is on the right path, Audrey makes a mental note of where she feels Pablo is on the learning curve. To her eyes, he seems to be where the potential for gains is greatest, and the more the season goes, the slower the progress.


    After this drill ends, Pablo texts his parents about sleeping at Nadine''s place next Friday, along with the rest of the B-team. For which he needs to have a talk with his parents long before it takes place, around the dinner table.


    "So Nadine''s parents want to have your squad sleeping at their place on Friday night?" Pablo''s father asks his son, to make sure he understands the arrangement.


    "Yes, they feel like it''s going to make the squad''s life easier on Saturday morning" Pablo explains to his parents.


    "I guess, better sleep at another quiz bowler''s home than at some of your football teammates''; I think your quiz bowl teammates are more responsible" Pablo''s mom then texts him a list of supplies he ought to prepare for the sleepover.


    For the next few days, Pablo decides to intensify his studies in hopes that he will reach his target of averaging one tossup per game at LQBA Fall Invitational South.


    But on Friday, he packs his football home jersey, his toothbrush, laptop and pants as appropriate for quiz bowl on top of what he would normally carry for school. As a result, his backpack is full.


    When he meets Audrey at the weight room that day:


    "Good luck at the LQBA Fall Invitational South!" Audrey wishes on him.


    "And likewise with you against the Warhorses!"


    This is the first round of this tournament. If we win on Saturday, we will be playing the winner of the Iota-Lacassine game on Monday, otherwise we''re going to play its loser, Audrey starts thinking of what she gave up on the LQBA Fall Invitational South for. And fingers crossed that Pablo will actually pull some weight there.


    After the practice ends, the B-team then goes to Nadine''s home, where they are going to eat dinner with her parents. As gumbo bowls are prepared for the whole family...


    "Mom, dad, this is Pablo, our rookie on my quiz bowl squad..." Nadine introduces him to her parents.


    "How do you feel about playing quiz bowl?" Nadine''s father asks him.


    "It has been stressing me out like crazy for weeks, since it forced me to study far more than I used to! But I want to give quiz bowl a chance, at least for college" Pablo answers them.


    Once the dinner ends, for the first time since the football season ended, he could finally get to play a video game as a group. On a console.


    "Finally, a break from studying and schoolwork!" Pablo sighs, as he starts playing the video game Nadine picked for the group.


    Sure, they have fun gaming, but they couldn''t do so for that long since they know they need to go to bed early to ensure they could be awake in time to attend the quiz bowl tournament at the other end of the state.


    But because the game they''re playing is not a game Pablo intends to play regularly, he does not harbor any hard feelings about him not being able to play much; however, Nadine is by far the best at that particular game. When Nadine''s mom gets to the living room...


    "You guys must be in bed by ten PM..." Nadine''s mother warns the quiz bowl squad.


    "Where will I sleep tonight?" Pablo asks Nadine''s mom.


    "On the sofa-bed. Same goes for Gerard, too"


    And Lilina would sleep on Nadine''s bed, too. But then Pablo goes for the shower first, and then back to the living room. Before he falls asleep, Pablo prays for different things, facing the cross in the living room:


    "I pray that I will be able to perform well tomorrow at the quiz bowl tournament, but also that doing well both in quiz bowl and in class will make the social pressure more bearable!" Pablo makes his prayers. "Amen!"


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    "Study smarter, not harder! But once you get used to the studying regimen required to get straight As, or at least as close to that as you can get with your first-quarter grades... you will want to keep these grades up!" Nadine tells both boys on her squad.


    "I guess, quiz bowl takes care of the studying regularly part" Gerard sighs before taking his shower. "Sure you can mix schoolwork and quiz bowl training; however, remember what the coach told us earlier: quiz bowl is not school! Yet, the higher your GPA, the less room for error you will feel like you have in coursework!"


    "I might not need to have perfect grades per se, and neither do the people on the squad!" Pablo makes his observations.


    Pablo goes to sleep just as Nadine returns to her bedroom. And the other 2 players go to sleep just a few minutes after the other.


    By 4 AM the following day, alarm clocks go off and they all awaken to loud music, thanks to Nadine''s mom blasting heavy metal music she grew up listening to.


    Which makes Pablo groan, since he was not used to wake up this early on Saturdays. And have back pain. Audrey said she was using coffee as a painkiller, so I may as well use it as such, he starts awakening, waiting on the coffee but knowing they all eat cereal. A little hasty, sure, but better than nothing.


    And they all get dressed accordingly, with any pain relief coffee could provide being a little slow to come, but better than nothing.


    As per usual, they all do their homework on their way to Metairie. Not always easy when the roads aren''t always the best maintained, however, the quiz bowlers all managed to get their homework done for the weekend.


    Over two and half hours later of driving in the night, the team is a little hungry; they are given granola bars to eat before the tournament begins. It''s only then that the team reviews the field of the tournament.


    Because it often happens that tournaments have no-show teams, but this time around every team in the New Orleans region is competing: Jesuit, Benjamin Franklin, Archbishop Rummel, Mt. Carmel, Haynes and Mandeville.


    "Remember: just because we earned a berth for State at Tal Atkins doesn''t mean we should slack off here!" Warren warns his players upon arriving at the tournament site, with the A-team in tow, and checking in his teams.


    Meanwhile, Pablo starts meeting with new people from schools he would never have played against in football, to the extent he could do so in the limited time he has before the tournament begins. It seems like these quiz bowlers feel a little off sometimes. As if some of them took to quiz bowl because it''s the main, or perhaps only, place at their respective schools where they can be themselves... And yet they seem awfully open to meet anyone new to quiz bowl, Pablo thinks, while he collects contact information from players whose schools he knew the VAs can''t play football against. I trained like crazy for the past two weeks, I can do it, I just need to focus on the questions.


    Just before the schedule assignment is given to the teams, Myriam makes her way to Pablo and warns him:


    "As much as other players make you feel like PPG is the main way to gain their respect, it''s not the end of the story" Myriam warns Pablo before the B-team goes to its game room.


    And then he starts trembling again, not having time to ask what Myriam means by that. I ought to ask her about what else is there to earning the respect of my fellow quiz bowlers other than practicing with the aim of getting higher PPG or, as NAQT calls it, PP20TUH, Pablo makes a mental note.


    Once the first game begins, the moderator starts by announcing the competing teams:


    "This is round one at the 2029 LQBA Fall Invitational South. From Jeff Davis Parish, we have Venomous Agendas B, from Jefferson Parish, we have the Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies. Good luck to both teams, and here''s tossup one:" the moderator working the game announces.


    Scott told me that, if we want to qualify both squads to the HSNCT, we need to have both teams finish in the top 3 here, Nadine ruminates while Pablo, seated next to her, trembles in fear. However, Nadine buzzes in a little before the power mark:


    "Ballista!" Nadine shouts.


    "Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about the College of Faith system"


    As nervous as he is, Pablo tries to take deep breaths as each bonus part is read to them. His ears perk up when he hears about the sporting consequences for the colleges that played them at the time. He answers a little early, shaking from his nervousness.


    "Non-countable opponents?" Pablo answers in a tone that could cast doubt on his answer.


    "Ten. As non-countable opponents, the College of Faith schools struggled to get other colleges to play this type of games to fund their athletic operations" the moderator keeps reading.


    "Guarantee games!" a much more confident Pablo answers on the final part.


    As far as I read past sets, I know questions on topics like the College of Faith aren''t common. Just because I can contribute on this bonus doesn''t mean I can keep doing this for the rest of the game, Pablo reflects on this bonus as the second tossup is read.


    So all game long, Pablo''s knowledge seems to be a little low and people buzz in before he could get to a point where his knowledge could allow him to do so. Nadine, Lilina and Gerard seem to score more than he did, and he only seemed to contribute on the bonuses the VAs manage to earn.


    By the time tossup 20 comes around the corner, the Yellow Jackets (i.e. Haynes'' players) are in the lead by 25 points, but Pablo has yet to score a tossup. Everyone is shaking in their seats, knowing that any misstep by either side can possibly cost them the game.


    "Tossup number twenty..." the moderator signals the start of the final tossup-bonus cycle.


    Normally, this kind of questions is for either Lilina or Nadine to answer, but they signal that they don''t know the answer, Pablo''s blood pressure goes through the roof when this tossup about Persian architecture is being read.


    A Yellow Jacket buzzes in, presses the buzzer by accident, but feels obligated to answer once the buzz registers. "Pasargadae"


    "Neg five"


    Shoot! It''s all down to us now! However, even answering this tossup correctly is not the end of the story! Pablo keeps shaking in his seat and struggles to resist the pressure to buzz in. However, the previous clue that tripped up the opponent was related to the answer''s function as a royal palace.


    He could feel like both girls on his side are still unable to answer this question, but he tries to recall if anything remotely close to the description given by the clues could be found in the packets he read.


    "For ten points, name this Persian brick vault which marks the site of the Sassanid capital"


    The clock is ticking on this clue, and Pablo''s memories are being used at full speed. Feeling he must buzz in a pinch, he presses the buzzer, thinking that, by doing so, he''d be buying himself three more seconds.


    "Answer?" the moderator asks him, two seconds after he buzzes in.


    "Taq... Kasra?" Pablo answers, again lacking confidence.


    "Ten"


    "Yes! My first tossup!" an exuberant Pablo shouts upon scoring this tossup.


    Pasargadae was an Achaemenid capital, a bulb lights up in Lilina''s mind about how the opponent could have dropped the question.


    As for the bonus, the VAs'' B-team score one part correctly and one part incorrectly, so going into the final part, they are tied. The final part is then read:


    "Repulsion of these particles are crucial in determining the shape of molecules" the moderator reads the final bonus part.


    "Valence electrons!" Gerard answers this final bonus part.


    "Twenty on the bonus, and Venomous Agendas B wins, two hundred eighty to two hundred seventy!"


    And VA B, while not exactly playing at the same level as VA A, is still decent. However, their HSNCT hopes are dashed on the final preliminary game, taking them down to third in their pool, thanks to their 3-2 record. And hence VA B finds itself in the first playoff consolation pool, along with five more teams. The B-team then stops caring about the standings, since they no longer mattered to them.


    However, into the first consolation playoff pool, in the afternoon, Pablo gains more confidence on the buzzer. He buzzes in, and also negs, a bit more than in the beginning, causing his PP20TUH to hover around 10, and not scoring any power. Yet he doesn''t tremble as much as he used to.


    In the final game, he managed to score one tossup, but is still a little below the goal of 10 PP20TUH his coach gave him. He feels like his own survival on the team depends on reaching this objective, during this game against Kinder, their "neighboring parish" rivals.


    "Tossup sixteen: This play''s titular characters made two gentlemen unhappy, and pose their valets as noblemen" the moderator reads as Pablo buzzes in.


    "Les Pr¨¦cieuses Ridicules!" Pablo answers the question.


    "Fifteen!"


    For the rest of this game, I abstain from answering tossups until everyone else signals they are unable to answer. Yet, somehow, I buzzed in on this question before Nadine or Lilina did, Pablo realizes that, by powering this question, he brings his PP20TUH up to 11.


    After the tournament, Warren asks him how he feels about playing the game before they return home.


    "Now that you played at this tournament, how do you feel about playing quiz bowl?" Warren asks him.


    "I feel a little bit nervous at times, especially in the beginning, when I didn''t know what to expect, but scoring my first tossup was a watershed moment to me!" Pablo answers his coach before texting to Audrey about his experience of the tournament, right as the basketball team hits the road to Peabody Magnet for their game.

 Chapter 8: Hoops

    On Monday morning, Audrey meets with Pablo in the weight room. Obviously, they have a lot to tell each other, especially when Pablo had his first sleepover with the quiz bowl team.


    "A shame you missed that game against Peabody; if only you were there for this buzzer-beater!" Audrey tells him about the main highlight of the game.


    "Did you score that buzzer-beater?" Pablo asks her.


    "Yes. I scored ten points in that game. But every ninth and tenth grader on the basketball team kept asking me for help with their homework! Granted, not everyone for the same things, but still"


    "Of course you would be asked for help! Your hoops teammates know how smart you are! But better this than getting bullied! Some of our quiz bowl opponents try to befriend people on other teams because they feel quiz bowl..."


    "In a sense, better attend VA than some of our opponents'' schools. Quiz bowl is still a new world to you; surely you have realized that some players play it because it''s the only place they can be themselves at their respective schools!"


    Like South Lafourche or Kinder. However, many quiz bowl-playing schools are magnet or private schools, Audrey pauses before asking him about a different aspect.


    "How does it feel to sleep at your teammates'' place?"


    "Honestly, they are able to have fun without having trivia on their minds. They''re nicer than I initially believed. If you may excuse me, I will need to go to the principal''s office for the morning announcement!"


    "Me too, but don''t go around thinking that we''re dating yet"


    When the pair has finished putting their classroom clothes back, they go straight to the principal''s office, knowing they don''t have much time to deliver their teams'' morning announcements.


    "The VAs'' quiz bowl A-team took first place and the B-team finished seventh at the LQBA Fall Invitational South last Saturday!" Pablo then hands off the PA system to Audrey, and gets to his classroom.


    "As for the girls'' basketball team, we won over Peabody sixty-three to sixty-two with a buzzer-beater! And we advance to the second round of the Acadiana Classic, playing Lacassine tonight!" Audrey delivers her announcement on behalf of the girls'' basketball team.


    If we win against Lacassine tonight, we''ll play the winner of the game between Oberlin and Eunice, but they play on Tuesday, Audrey can''t help but think about the implications of tonight''s game, while going to her class with the other sports teams delivering their morning announcements, if any. I hope he realizes that, by playing with people like Nadine, or even me, he might gain some intellectual drive. I think him playing at LQBA Winter Invitational South next month is pretty much a given.


    After the first period, Audrey meets with Pablo again.


    "You know that, since you started playing quiz bowl, we started doing more things together. And not just quiz bowl practices or weight training. Just so you know, I am allowed to give out two free tickets for any home game. Do you want a free ticket for tonight''s game?" Audrey asks him.


    "I''ll think about it" Pablo looks at his agenda, as well as the schedule of VA girls'' basketball games. "I mean, yes, and you probably saw me play once or twice during football season"


    "The season closer actually"


    We''re both athletic, and, even though her thighs are pretty thick, basketball obliges, she feels healthier than girls I keep seeing on social media, Pablo glances at her, before giving her a link to an emulator for the video game Nadine played during the sleepover party. Then he can think of the basketball game for which Audrey sent him a redemption code for a free ticket.


    "Maybe playing quiz bowl wasn''t so bad after all, and that I only had my inexperience to make me as neurotic as I have been in the past few weeks" Pablo explains to her, while he''s about to confess something quiz bowl-related. "I still have a long way to go, but I feel dumb around other quiz bowlers sometimes"


    "You don''t have to be perfect" Audrey tries to console him while he''s about to cry.


    "I know I am not perfect, since I only scored a measly eleven PP20TUH at this tournament"


    "How many PP20TUH did I score in my quiz bowl debut in middle school?" Audrey asks him.


    "Certainly more than eleven"


    "That''s vague, but correct"


    She then whispers him the exact number. But, after school, he returns home to finish his homework for the day, and then starts reading more past quiz bowl sets, a little bit older than the sets he read to prepare for the LQBA Fall Invitational South. Here goes nothing, Pablo sighs while reading a tossup on romantic poetry.


    At night, he realizes that people bought more tickets than usual because the girls'' basketball team is one of the VA community''s only sources of athletic pride these days. And really, post-pandemic; while the rest of the parish recovered relatively quickly from the pandemic damage to sports, VA, on the other hand, struggled for years in the athletic arena.


    As he makes his way to the gym, he comes across Tyler, who''s carrying his borrowed drumsticks to the game.


    "I guess the band performs during that game, either at start or at half-time" Pablo sighs.


    "Both, but you must have realized that not everyone on the band performs at any given game, not even football" Tyler explains to him. "For tonight''s game, there are four of us. Me because my girlfriend is playing, the first chair violin and trombone. And Virginie, a trumpeter"


    Obviously, football games have the most musicians performing, but even then, not every musician performed at every game, Pablo''s bulb lights up in his head.


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    "That seems a little strange to me the conductor allows people to choose which sports games to perform at" Pablo asks his AP Biology classmate about band. "However, the band has two yearly concerts for everyone"


    "I would say that it''s not so problematic because of the hectic schedules of some musicians, like me" Tyler explains to him before he gets into position for the national anthem.


    Speaking of national anthem, for the game, the girlfriend of the drummer performing at this game sings it at center court. Pablo reviews the VA roster for this game on mobile before the principal announces its participants.


    "Welcome to the quarterfinals game of the Acadiana Classic, pitting, from Jennings, the Venomous Agendas, against, from Lacassine, the Cardinals. Best of luck to both teams" the principal announces the participants right after the national anthem ended.


    The VAs'' national anthem singer, Heather, is facing off against the Cardinals'' center to start the game. She wins the faceoff and dribbles in an attempt to get past the opposing power forward. And then she passes on to Audrey, who shoots the ball mere moments later.


    "The Venomous Agendas scored the first two points!" the principal shouts in the PA system.


    The crowd gets noisy, and play resumes with the Cardinals running back into the VAs'' zone, with the ball in their possession. As they attempt to pass, the away team gets the ball intercepted by Taylor, the VAs'' point guard, who promptly returns into the offensive zone.


    Once in the offensive zone, Taylor is joined by Carrie, the small forward, to whom she promptly passes. Feeling threatened, Carrie attempts a three-pointer. As the ball travels towards the hoop, the opposing players are drawn to it. They try to intercept it, but the Cardinals narrowly miss it. And the attempted three-pointer is narrowly missed, too.


    By then, Heather positions herself to catch the ball as it bounces off the hoop. Once the ball is in her possession, she leaps towards the hoop and, as she stretches her arms, lets go of the ball once it''s sufficiently high above the hoop. And scores another 2 points.


    After that play, the Cardinals get the ball, and then race to the VAs'' hoop by passing the ball around. Susan, Lacassine''s shooting guard, attempts a three-pointer of her own, which hits the board and then enters the hoop. The VAs'' lead is then reduced to one point.


    Near the end of the first quarter, about seven minutes later, however, the VAs are looking to tie the score, and Audrey, a power forward, is awarded a free throw attempt, since, pressured by the opponent, she was fouled in a failed attempt to throw a three-pointer.


    It''s still early in the game, but because I just failed to put the three-pointer in, I must put in the free throw! A focused Audrey takes a deep breath before taking the free throw she''s awarded. And... into the hoop it goes, much to Audrey''s relief, scoring her third point of the game.


    "End of the first quarter, the game is tied eleven to eleven" the principal announces with one eye on the scoreboard.


    It''s obvious the game is more defensive than the last one, a sweating Audrey muses while she reaches for her bottle of drink on the bench.


    For the second quarter, both teams steal and intercept the ball even more than in the first quarter, leading to even less scoring.


    "It seems like we have been unable to provoke fouls from our opponents" Audrey complains about what she perceives as a liability for the team. "On the other hand, we can''t take too many fouls ourselves!"


    "Yeah, letting the opponent take too many free throws is a bad idea" Heather comments on the implications of being provoked into fouls by the opponent.


    "We can''t always use the same strategy for the entire game!" Charlotte, the shooting guard, retorts.


    "All right, by changing how we act with the ball, we can catch the opponent off-guard and then we can provoke fouls!" Audrey tells the team, who then gets more specifics of what to change from Kent.


    Meanwhile, Pablo keeps studying for his other courses, such as Algebra II and, of course, AP Biology. Sure there are other girls on both teams I could find pretty, it''s just that Audrey appreciates me for my proactivity and how willing I am to make an effort for her, he thinks of her while he realizes that she scored 5 of the 19 VA points in the first half of the game.


    But even the changes made by the VAs only made it so that speed is the order of the day now. Especially on offense. Which makes everyone playing more tired, and faster. And, obviously, both teams are making more substitutions.


    "This game can go either way, ladies, so don''t let up!" Kent shouts while the opponent eats a fifth foul for the third quarter.


    "We must keep provoking fouls! One more foul and we enter the bonus!" Audrey, now substituted for another power forward, tells her teammates in a somewhat tired voice.


    Tyler, from his position in the second-floor bleachers, realizes that the VAs are being taken more free throws, especially when the Cardinals, when on the defensive, increase the physicality whenever the VAs get close enough to shoot the ball. It seems like the VAs are throwing more free throws in this game than they did in all previous home games this season! He sounds an incoherent tune as a bonus call after Cora, the second-string point guard, scored her first point of the game.


    So, for the last 2 minutes of the quarter, the VAs get free throws for every new personal foul committed by the Cardinals in the third quarter. By trailing, the Cardinals'' state of mind is deteriorating, their frustrations causing them to resort to more violent means to prevent the VAs from reaching the basket. Sometimes they get possession of the ball and might attempt to score, but this strategy didn''t result in a whole lot of points.


    And each new free throw they give away only seems to make things worse by repeated chants of Venomous! Agendas! accompanying each VA free throw.


    And yet they take solace in the fact they only need to endure 2 minutes of being "in the bonus" before the quarter ends. At the end of the third quarter:


    "End of the quarter, the Venomous Agendas are in the lead, thirty-eight to thirty-two" the principal announces to the crowd.


    For the final quarter, of course, the second stringers start the period in an attempt to have their starters rested enough for the final 4 minutes of the game. Just before the 4-minute mark arrives, the VAs hold on to their lead acquired by making the opponent eat fouls.


    "For the last four minutes, I''d say, Heather should be the one trying to provoke the opponent into fouling" Audrey tries to come up with a plan to hold on to the lead.


    "Why me?" Heather complains about this role in this strategy.


    "The Cardinals hope to gain possession of the ball on a missed free throw, and then go for whatever field goals then can score. You''re pretty good on these, so it would make this plan an expensive proposition for them"


    But then it doesn''t seem to make the Cardinals try to bank on failed free throws as much. They reduce their reliance on fouling to gain possession of the ball, preferring to block and steal the ball without fouling instead. Which, of course, makes the game less painful to watch to some. But at the same time, Lacassine just feels like this nightmare is turning against them. Especially after they entered the bonus zone faster in the final quarter than on the third. However, this prompts the VAs to try to run out the clock without fouling.


    It''s not the best basketball game in the world, but for much of the game, people kept quiet in the stands, so I could still study for quiz bowl some, Pablo has his eyes fixated on the scoreboard''s clock, right behind Tyler, who only signaled the start of the bonus zone during the final quarter. At the end of the quarter...


    "The Venomous Agendas win, fifty-two to forty-six!" the principal announces, and the musicians then leave for the band room. "They advance to the semifinals!"


    Pablo, too, is getting down to the VAs'' locker room, waiting for her quiz bowl teammate. Until then, he keeps trying to write a bonus question on his cell phone. Once Audrey emerges from the locker room...


    "Oh Audrey, even though it''s not the best game in the world, at least you played well. It''s your teammates that made the most to make the opposing strategy fail" Pablo comments about the game to her.


    "Thank you. This means we have two more games to play, spaced two days apart, we''ll play in the semis and then one more game based on the semis'' result" Audrey explains to him, a little short of breath.


    "If we want to give gifts to each other for Christmas, don''t forget about the Black Friday or the Cyber Monday, but that''s ok if you don''t have a gift ready by then"

 Chapter 9: Shopping

    Much to the chagrin of VA''s basketball fans, the flashes of brilliance displayed in the quarterfinals of the Acadiana Classic prove to be a flash in the pan. The VAs incurred two losses in a row and finish fourth. However, lately, VA''s girls'' sports tended to perform better than boys'' basketball since, while VA''s girls'' sports are still underfunded, their opponents tend to put less money into girls'' sports.


    As a quiz bowl practice ends, two weeks after the Acadiana Classic ends, the high school B-squad, now with Caleb playing, gets a briefing for the LQBA Winter Invitational South the following week:


    "For the LQBA Winter Invitational South, no one will play all the games. Substitutions will be made as appropriate during or between games" Warren tells the five B-team players.


    "On what basis will substitutions be made?" Pablo asks the coach.


    "The matchup between opposing teams, as well as your own in-game performance"


    We didn''t use substitutions for years, with Audrey back into play, Caleb is back down to the B-team. For instance, if an opponent is weak, or weakest if the opponent is globally weak, in arts and literature, Nadine will be benched. But Pablo will be benched if the opponent is strong all-around, Warren keeps to himself when the training session ends.


    Then, after the quiz bowl practice, Audrey and Nadine both invite him to do their math homework together.


    "So we want to know when the power loss due to friction is the same as that of drag" Nadine then proceeds to ask a question to the other two. "Is mu a variable to solve for?"


    "No, Nadine. Mu is held constant, kind of like your slope in a linear equation. On the other hand, drag is proportional to velocity, so we''d have D equal to C times V" Pablo explains to his teammate on the B-team.


    "But how do these things relate to the power losses they cause?" a confused Nadine fumes against the lack of information on the problem statement.


    "The power loss is simply force times velocity, in which case we can multiply both equations by V" Audrey, drawing upon her knowledge base, answers Nadine.


    And then we''d have mu times V equal to C times V squared, Nadine proceeds to write down the rest of her solution, meaning the power loss of each is equal at either 0 or mu/C.


    "This reminds me of car trips for some reason" Pablo comments on the solution.


    "Speaking of car, I just got started learning to drive" Nadine tells him.


    Since none of them are taking physics, they don''t suspect that what the problem calls mu is actually weight-dependent, and C is partly a reflection of an object''s geometry. And, once the problem ends...


    Now that I am known as a quiz bowler across town, the parents of my football teammates in middle school or ninth grade kept asking me to tutor my football teammates, or their younger siblings, if any, and pay me to do so, Pablo is realizing that some of them have a lot of catching up to do in class. Especially if they want to keep playing next year, or play another sport. Natalie and the other regular tutors of the team must have a lot of tutoring requests by now, especially when finals are closing in...


    Like, on Friday night, Finn''s little sister asks him for help. However, her parents ask him to meet with her not at their home, but at Walmart.


    "I wonder why you wanted me to meet with her here" Pablo asks her parents.


    "It''s about sales taxes. It would be more appropriate for her to learn about sales taxes when shopping than at home" Finn''s father answers him before turning to their youngest daughter. "Pablo has arrived to help you about taxation"


    Finn''s little sister is several years younger than Pablo is, or, for that matter, her brother, and then shows him an item she would love to put on her wish list for Christmas.


    "I''m Pablo, you probably heard about me from your brother, I apologize for not having asked your name earlier, because I only interacted with your brother at school and in football, never with you" Pablo asks her name.


    "Olivia"


    "First things first: how much does this cost?" he asks Olivia about a swimsuit''s price.


    Olivia pulls out a swimsuit that appears to fit her diminutive frame from the racking, with the price tag still attached.


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    "Forty-four ninety-five" Olivia, a sixth grader, answers him.


    "Good. However, if I may, to calculate taxes on a calculator or a cellphone, it would probably be simpler to use the multiplication button"


    "Why use the multiplication button?"


    The real reason has to do with composite interest, but Olivia is too young to even start learning about it; that''s a pre-calculus topic as far as VA is concerned. These past few weeks made me tutor kids, and this is advanced stuff for elementary school. Probably paying me to babysit her, if you ask me, since her parents are busy with their own shopping, Pablo starts thinking about why he''s even tutoring Olivia in pre-algebra.


    "I''m a little lost. How am I to use the multiplication button to calculate taxes?" Olivia rolls her eyes.


    "You first need to convert the percentage to a decimal number. Step one: move the decimal two spaces left; what''s the sales tax rate here?"


    "Four point forty-five percent?"


    "That''s only the state tax. You need to tack on an extra five percent for the parish tax"


    "Nine point forty-five percent then..."


    She whips out her cell phone, then is left wondering whether she wants to know how much she''d pay in taxes, or how much she''d pay overall.


    "OK, so now I have zero point zero nine four five; what''s next?"


    "What do you want to know?"


    "How much I''d be paying total"


    "In that case, add one to that number, press multiply and then the parentheses to add all the prices of the items you want to buy that are taxed" Pablo explains to her. "Now you should have a better idea of how to calculate the total cost of a shopping basket"


    Our teacher isn''t the clearest in the world, Olivia realizes that she''d rather have a clear idea of how to do so before starting assignments on the topic. And she asks questions about what a shopping basket is, as well as what''s exempt from sales taxes.


    "That comes out to forty-nine dollars and twenty cents" Olivia gets an answer for the total cost of the swimsuit.


    "If the swimsuit costs too much for you, what else would you have wanted that''s cheaper?"


    The pre-teen girl is brought to another area of the store, away from sporting items. By this point, they take note of the various prices of the items they feel they each need or want. While so many feel like girls would be swayed by stuff such as flowers or jewelry, I personally feel otherwise. I might still have time now, but I''d rather focus on what friends and family need. Yes, I am grateful for Audrey and my quiz bowl teammates, but my life has changed a lot since I started playing, he reflects upon the changes in his life when Dayton''s parents recognize him in the electronics section:


    "It seems like my son heard several times about how quiz bowl made you more distant from the rest of the football team!" the defensive tackle''s father can''t help but notice how rapid that has been.


    "I mean, football lasts for only one-third of a school year. They are free to do whatever they want for the final two-thirds, even play quiz bowl! And it forces me to study, but at the same time parents of other football players have asked me to tutor their younger siblings lately!" Pablo explains himself. "For pay"


    "I would never have, in my life as a VA fan, imagined football players to be study machines of the kind able to play quiz bowl!" Dayton''s mother appears belatedly surprised by Pablo suddenly appearing on the town''s intellectual radar, while Olivia slips past Dayton''s parents.


    "If you could please excuse me..." Pablo then looks for Olivia in the electronics section, and repeat the same process with her, but with a different item, again of her choice.


    Olivia checks out various gadgets in the electronics section when Pablo was busy with the DT''s parents, taking note of various prices. And later calculating the after-tax prices of each item.


    But then se takes him across the store, making Pablo wonder if anything in the store could interest anyone he knows as Christmas gifts. And based on whether they need it, if so, on what level. Especially obvious when he goes into the pharmacy section, when the pre-teen girl checks out over-the-counter medications. Right next to her are painkillers. Painkillers? Damn it, Audrey, while she might need to use painkillers after basketball practices, or games, claims she drinks coffee as a painkiller! Pablo starts thinking.


    "Let''s review the various prices you noted, before and after tax" Pablo tells her when re-doing all her calculations by himself. "For now, I think I should go look for ground coffee. It''s not all about you, or really not all about anyone in particular"


    Pablo then takes Olivia into the grocery section, straight to the shelves where ground and instant coffee are stocked.


    "Why did you take her back here?" Olivia''s father asks Pablo about why he took her to the coffee shelf.


    "There''s another facet to taxation that I believe is important for her to learn. What''s taxable and what''s not" Pablo defends himself.


    "The most important non-taxable items are groceries, motor vehicles and utilities" Olivia''s dad adds to this discussion. "Do you think she has gotten better in dealing with sales taxes?"


    "Yes, she is getting the hang of it"


    Pablo is then handed a $20 bill and promptly puts it in his pocket, while looking for ground coffee to buy for his parents, according to their coffee tastes. And also his quiz bowl teammates on the B-team.


    I can consider my gift to Finn given out. Dayton would be better served with powdered protein shakes than coffee though. Yet I don''t think protein shakes, chocolates or coffee would be something I feel Audrey should get for Christmas; she helped me ease into this quiz bowl world populated by straight-A students, so I think I should give her something that lasts longer than a bag of coffee (or painkillers as she calls it), or even powdered protein shakes, he pauses to think about what to buy to other people in his life for Christmas with the tutoring money. But what could I possibly give her that doesn''t break the bank, or that I could afford to obtain her before Christmas? I get it, people will ask for tutoring more next week or the week after that, however.


    And then he spent an entire week''s worth of tutoring sessions ($20 per hour being the going rate to get a quiz bowler to tutor younger children in town) to get these seven gifts, six bags of coffee and one canister of powdered protein shakes, as well as gift boxes or bags appropriate for these. Which, upon his return home, he promptly packs these items in, and keeps these in his bedroom.

 Chapter 10: Subapalooza

    For the following week, everyone on the quiz bowl team keeps studying for their respective tests, and often in conjunction with quiz bowl. And all quiz bowlers had their share of parents wanting them to tutor their kids, at least in their areas of quiz bowl specialty. Only, this time around, for the LQBA Winter Invitational South, there are 3 parents driving players to the tournament on top of the coach.


    On Saturday morning, at 7 AM, Audrey''s mom comes to Pablo''s home, with her own daughter and Myriam already onboard. As with last time, the tournament starts at 8:30AM, with check-in time at 8 AM; however, the tournament takes place in Eunice, which is about forty-five minutes away, as opposed to almost three hours for the previous meet. For this purpose, he loads the bags of coffee for the B-team in his backpack, along with his laptop and other materials he uses to study and do homework on the road.


    "Good luck, honey!" Pablo''s mom gets him to his teammate''s car.


    When in the car, in the back seat, he can''t help but notice that Myriam is placing bets on horse races at the other end of the world.


    "Myriam, how the hell can you even wager on horse races anyway? You''re too young to be betting on horse races!" Pablo yells at the quiz bowl captain.


    "I can''t bet in my own name. To the eyes of the law, I''m betting in my mom''s name" Myriam answers him.


    Since I am in my fourth year of serving a six-year, state-wide ban from on-track betting, dad made me bet on horse races in my mom''s name, and I inherited his bankroll in full when he got arrested, Myriam struggles to tell him the whole truth about her horse betting habits.


    "I hope you''re not betting on horse races in class or when on other schools'' premises!" Audrey formulates her wishes to Myriam.


    "Of course not. I only bet at home and in the car" Myriam answers her teammate.


    But they don''t even drive a full kilometer away from Pablo''s home that they hear the brakes squeal every time they brake. Now I know what to buy Audrey for Christmas. I really hope the brake pads in her family''s car can hold out until then, Pablo muses, while also realizing that replacing brake pads typically means replacing the brake fluid, too. However, he feels like it''s not his place to tell her about the brake problems, since he feels like it will ruin his plan for the holidays.


    Upon arriving at Eunice High, they see several of the same teams competing as at LQBA Fall Invitational South, namely, all the Southwest Louisiana teams, as well as all the Lafayette-area teams. It''s then that Warren assembles his B-team players, but he can''t formulate a plan for who plays when until he receives the preliminary schedule. Audrey and Pablo meet each other before going with their respective teams:


    "Good luck, Pablo" Audrey wishes him before meeting the A-team with Myriam.


    "Thank you"


    "You barely broke ten PPG last time, I hope you''re going to play better this time!" Caleb jeers at him upon arriving with a bunch of middle schoolers in tow.


    When said schedule arrives, Nadine, Lilina, Gerard, Caleb and Pablo are then assembled for one final meeting before the start of the tournament.


    "For the first game, we''re going to play Hanson Memorial. They''re not known to be regulars in quiz bowl so Pablo, you''re going to start this game" Warren then turns to Lilina. "However, you won''t be playing this game since it appears that, together, Pablo and Caleb will be able to handle history and social studies just fine"


    "Fine, I hope Pablo has studied some for this tournament" Lilina sighs while she sits on the bench for that game.


    Meanwhile, the A-team is in a different pool, and will be mostly left to their own devices for the preliminary rounds. As with last time, the tournament has teams split into three pools of 6 teams.


    When the first preliminary game starts against Hanson Memorial, there are times where Pablo feels the urge to buzz in. The first impulse happens on this clue:


    "Richard Hofstadter argues that this concept is a social class response against political elites" the moderator reads the clue in question.


    That author''s best-known book is called Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, Pablo''s mind springs into action, while reminded of one of these hundreds of quiz bowl packets he has read over the past few months.


    Pablo then buzzes in. "Anti-intellectualism!"


    "Fifteen" the moderator rules, then reads the preamble to the bonus VA B then earns by this power.


    Then Warren gets lucky, because Hanson Memorial proves to be a little weak in history and social studies. Yet Pablo manages to score a total of three tossups before tossup 15, which is by far his best game in his quiz bowling career up to this point.


    "Tossup fifteen: During the Napoleonic Wars, this city..." the moderator starts reading the tossup, while VA B is clearly pulling away from Hanson Memorial.


    Crap... Gerard signals that he doesn''t know the answer. And I don''t either, Pablo signals that he doesn''t know the answer, leaving Nadine and Caleb to answer, with the latter having answered two tossups during this game.


    However, new clues also cause Nadine to signal to Caleb that she doesn''t know the answer either. Yet, with the power mark being exhausted...


    "A bossa nova song, Garota de Ipanema, is named after a neighborhood of this city" the moderator keeps reading clues, and Pablo sees signs that the opponent is about to buzz in.


    Ouch. I can''t let the opposition get away with this! I must buzz in! Pablo''s body shakes when he sees a Tigers (i.e. Hanson Memorial) player about to buzz in.


    "Sao Paulo" Pablo answers while there are two clues remaining.


    "Neg five" the moderator rules, before continuing to read the question. "The Christ the Redeemer statue is on a hill overlooking this city. For ten points, name this Brazilian city best known for its carnival"


    "Rio de Janeiro" the Tiger answers.


    "Ten"


    Unfortunately for VA B, the Tigers answer all three bonus parts correctly on this question. Which prompts Warren to call for a timeout.


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    "Timeout!" Warren shouts in the direction of the moderator, before turning to Pablo. "Pablo, you''re benched for the final five tossups. Lilina, here''s your turn to play in this game!"


    "Yay!" Lilina then sits on the chair that was Pablo''s before the timeout was called.


    I cost VA B 45 points by buzzing in too early! Fingers crossed, Lilina, that you will be able to make up for the mistake I made! Pablo mopes in silence behind Lilina''s back. But even then, VA B holds a 105-point lead over Hanson Memorial when Lilina starts playing.


    Yet, Lilina scores a power to make up for Pablo''s earlier failure two tossups later, after hearing a clue about the circumstances surrounding the treaty:


    "The ratification of this treaty by Japan led to the assassination of Prime Minister Inukai in the May Fifteenth Incident" the moderator read the second clue.


    Lilina then buzzes in. "Naval Treaty of London"


    "Fifteen" The moderator then reads the bonus to VA B.


    I guess, Pablo did improve somewhat, gotta grant him that, Lilina sighs upon being unable to contribute on the resulting bonus, which is a science bonus. Nevertheless, the bonus is answered correctly and in full.


    ----------------------


    Meanwhile, VA A is locked into a final-tossup showdown between them and Baton-Rouge Magnet, and Baton-Rouge Magnet is in the lead by 30 points. Stay focused, Audrey; I got this, but this is nothing new to me, Audrey ruminates as she hears the clues being disgorged.


    "Final tossup: the Fej¨¦r Theorem states this series converges uniformly towards the function it represents" the first clue is given out to both teams.


    Normally, this kind of questions is Myriam''s to answer, but you never know who can answer it, Audrey signals that she''s unsure of her answer to her teammates.


    "The Fourier transform is the equivalent of this series for non-periodic functions" the moderator working that game reads the next-to-last clue of this question.


    Which makes both girls on VA A as well as a Baton-Rouge Magnet player locked in a buzzer race, all of whom feel that it''s just a question of who presses the button faster. Myriam groans as she clenches her fist on the buzzer, presses it and she blushes as well.


    "Fourier series!" Myriam responds, and then releases the pressure on the buzzer.


    "Ten"


    While, by the time VA B faces the final tossup, they hold a 150-point lead over Hanson Memorial, and therefore wins no matter what, VA A, on the other hand, needs to score all 3 bonus parts to win their game. It feels like VA A faces their strongest opponent first.


    By this point, VA A scores the first two bonus parts, and all 4 players are trembling when the final bonus part is read, knowing the entire game can be decided here and now:


    "Pantalone wore the titular clothing of that series of books revolving around four teenage girls wearing the same pair of it" that moderator reads the final bonus part.


    "The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants!" Audrey answers this bonus part.


    "Thirty for the bonus, and Venomous Agendas A wins, three hundred thirty to three hundred twenty" the moderator announces the final score.


    ----------------------


    Outside the game room where VA B played their first game, won by a 180-point margin, VA B is about to play the host institution. What Warren knew about that institution in quiz bowl forces his hand for the second game.


    "Now, it''s your turn, Nadine, to be benched. Their greatest weakness is arts and literature" Warren announces to the B-team.


    By rotating players in and out across all 5 games in the prelims, Warren ensures that everyone on the B-team remains relatively fresh because he knows that playing optimally needs a certain amount of energy.


    For game #2, Nadine is benched for about seventy percent of the game, Gerard is benched for game #3, and Caleb for game #4 as a result of him underperforming in game #3, causing VA B to narrowly lose to Catholic (Baton-Rouge).


    When prelim game #5 rolls around for VA B, Warren has some bad news for Pablo, despite the clear improvement he displayed since the LQBA Fall Invitational:


    "If we win this game, we might be able to send both squads to the HSNCT. So, unfortunately, even though you have improved as a quiz bowler since last time, this means that, to get the best chance at winning this final game, you will be benched, Pablo"


    "Oof..." Pablo sighs, and remains outside the game room for the fifth VA B prelim game.


    But if both VA A and B finish in the top three, we will need to raise money for the rest of the year for both squads to attend, Warren keeps quiet about the implications of having 2 squads attend the HSNCT. While VA A finishing in the top 3 is certainly doable, VA B doing the same is a lot more complicated, even more so if we want both squads to finish in the top 3.


    So while Pablo isn''t playing, he refrains from trying to assist his teammates, and instead looks at his stat line for the tournament.


    He then just shops around for brake pads and fluid for the car Audrey''s father drove to Eunice on his phone, while his teammates are fighting tooth-and-nail to clinch second place in their preliminary pool, since Catholic is virtually assured to finish first unless they collapse.


    And yet, after, in Warren''s mind, Nadine has outlived her usefulness for the game since the final literature tossup and bonus were heard, he calls for a timeout.


    "Timeout!" Warren then opens the game room''s door, looking for Pablo. "Pablo, you''re going to play; Nadine is taken out of the game"


    "What?" a surprised Pablo asks Warren before putting his phone away.


    "There are four tossups left, and we need to protect a lead at every step; Nadine is of no use anymore!"


    Pablo reluctantly gets seated where Nadine used to sit and finishes the game. Fingers crossed that I can actually answer any of the 4 remaining tossups, Pablo feels like he must prove that the substitution was worthwhile. However, even when he fails to contribute on the last 4 cycles, VA B wins nonetheless.


    "I feel like the coach is doing substitutions like crazy, and doesn''t know why he''s substituting players sometimes!" Nadine vents her frustrations at being substituted out of the last preliminary game.


    "The good news is, both squads are in the top bracket for the playoffs. The bad news is, every substitution counts from now on" Warren warns the B-team.


    It''s then that Pablo takes out the bags of coffee from his backpack to give to the other players on the B-team, feeling he''d have no other opportunity to do so before Christmas, since everyone on the team, except for Audrey, will mostly study in the coming week.


    And yet, none of his teammates on the B-squad have opened their gift bags just yet. They just put these gift bags in their backpacks.


    "You''re in the same pool as I for the playoffs; good luck in the top pool" Audrey makes her wishes known to Pablo.


    "Thank you"


    While, as expected, VA A is either first or second, VA B, on the other hand, intensifies the substitution game and takes the most underperforming player out of the game at half-time. By the three-quarters mark of each game, another substitution is made. I know substitutions carry some risks, but in quiz bowl tournaments, substitutions allow for better management of player energy, Warren muses as VA B goes into their final playoff game with a 2-2 record.


    "This is round ten of the LQBA Winter Invitational South. From Jefferson Davis Parish, we have Venomous Agendas B, from Orleans Parish, we have Benjamin-Franklin. Best of luck to both teams, here''s tossup one..." the moderator starts the game with Pablo benched.


    It appears that game is fought tooth-and-nail and, with one lass tossup to go, VA B is trailing by 20 points and Caleb is showing signs of fatigue.


    "Timeout" Warren calls for one last substitution that he made a little too late.


    For one tossup, the coach wants to take me out of play? Caleb''s face turns red when he''s getting substituted for Pablo.


    "Tossup twenty: In Egyptian mythology, entering this mythical location requires crossing as many as twenty-one gates" the moderator starts reading the question, upon which their HSNCT hopes depend.


    Gerard signals that he doesn''t know the answer, which means either Lilina or Nadine would be likely to be left to answer it. Or Pablo if he was lucky.


    "Eligibility to this location was determined by weighing the heart against an ostrich feather" the moderator keeps reading, locking Pablo into a buzzer race against an opposing player.


    "Field of Reeds" the opponent answers after Pablo proved too slow to buzz in.


    "Ten"


    After this loss, Caleb screams at his coach, blaming him for a poor substitution.


    "You shouldn''t have taken me out of play! We could be at the HSNCT by now!" an angry Caleb turns red.


    "That was pure bad luck!" Warren defends himself.


    "Bad luck? Easy for you to say that it was pure bad luck!" Caleb is about to pick a fight with the coach over this substitution during the last game.


    "You couldn''t predict what the next question would be about!" Warren responds to him, seeing his angry player. "What''s unlucky is that it had to happen under the worst circumstances possible"


    "You know what? I leave this team!" Caleb makes his decision, angry that his coach made a mistake in a key game.


    Upon hearing of Caleb''s departure, the other B-team members, however, wonder how the rest of the season will play out without Caleb, and without substitutions.

 Chapter 11: Love at Center Court

    As per usual, the quiz bowl team does not hold practices during the end-of-semester exam season, so all remaining players'' lives are dominated by studying and tutoring others. Like Pablo with the younger siblings of football players, or Audrey with the younger siblings of basketball players (irrespective of the gender of the basketball player; she tutored younger siblings of both boys'' and girls'' basketball players this year).


    At the end of the AP Bio final, which is their last final exam of the season, Audrey and Pablo meet each other under a tree. Audrey can hardly contain her nervousness:


    "I think these past two months have been hard on you. You have grown much closer to me during this time, and I remember clearly your early days on the quiz bowl team, you have grown as a quiz bowler as well" Audrey harangues him.


    "While I study more than I used to, I''m knee-deep in a world I still don''t know very well. As a quiz bowler, I feel like I am pressured to fit a certain image and to provide academic aid if needed" Pablo starts crying. "And I''m lucky that the pressure I have to perform in quiz bowl isn''t that intense, unlike yours!"


    "It''s part of the stuff you don''t understand yet about quiz bowl seasons: while, obviously, the higher we place at any given tournament, the better to the eyes of the public, what really matters to the public is twofold. You seem to think the competitive pressure is on the A-team because it''s the squad competing at quiz bowl-State and the HSNCT, and the onus is on us to get those berths. However, it''s only true early in a season, because we tend to clinch these berths at our season opener, and then there''s only the social pressure until a week or two before State" Audrey explains to him.


    "I guess the town does not expect us to earn a second HSNCT berth" Pablo adds to it, but feels like she spoke for too long. "But stop beating around the bush please!"


    "Pablo, do you want to go see me play on Monday night? I''ll even give you the ticket as with the game against Lacassine!"


    "Of course, I would!"


    Kinder, Eunice, Hanson Memorial are all teams the B-team defeated, and they all qualified for quiz bowl-State, Audrey then feels like a weight is taken off her shoulders, while Pablo looks up the VAs'' girls basketball schedule. And VA is playing Eunice at home on Monday night.


    After a harrowing exam season, where Pablo managed to earn over $200 tutoring middle schooler siblings of football players, it''s finally time for him to buy what he deems appropriate for Audrey as a Christmas gift.


    "Please, let me go shopping! I promise it will be quick and we will be back home soon!" Pablo pleads with his parents on Wednesday night.


    "You will have to tell me where beforehand" Pablo''s dad warns him. "Look for what you need and nothing else!"


    After cross-checking what he deems to be appropriate for him to give her, that is, a whole set of brakes (pads, rotors and fluid) for her family''s car, he tells him which shop has the best prices for each item. Even when he restricts himself to the car parts dealers in town, he finds out that no single shop is cheapest for all 3, and he plans to save on costs. And yet, he has better prices by buying pads and rotors as one set.


    "Let me get this straight: you plan on gifting us new car parts?" Pablo''s dad gasps upon hearing about where his son plans on shopping.


    "No, it''s not for me, it''s for my girlfriend. She might be new to you as a girlfriend, but you know her for years"


    Audrey... she seems like a good girl, she has her priorities straight, unlike some of her hoops teammates, Pablo''s dad seems to have an idea of who Pablo could consider his girlfriend.


    "When in doubt, give practical gifts to your loved ones" Pablo continues.


    "So, to you, it seems like the more the other side needs what you want to give them, the better, especially if that something is essential to the recipient, assuming you know what makes that gift essential to the recipient" his dad answers him. "But I guess, some girls prefer jewelry, chocolates, clothing or cosmetics"


    Luckily for them, there just aren''t that many people visiting the car part shops in town, so the gift proper is already taken care of as fast as they could.


    Upon returning home, he wraps the two components of the gifts: the pads and rotors first, and then the bottle of brake fluid. Which he keeps into his closet once he''s finished wrapping these.


    And, once he has wrapped up the gifts, he can then catch up with the girls'' basketball team after this traveling tournament the VAs lost in semifinals. So while the VAs faced a variety of opponents outside of this tournament, the VAs end up not having the best record in the district. Nevertheless, with their 8-6 record as of today, VA still appears to be on track to make it to the girls'' basketball state tournament in February. Shoot! Their next game is Friday and is played on the road at LaGrange.


    By Monday afternoon, however, he checks on his grades for the second quarter, and... wow. Straight As for the quarter. Even in AP Bio. To his eyes, he feels like he''s edging closer to being fully accepted into this rarefied world of high achievers that''s quiz bowl, but some work remains to be done.


    "Woohoo! We got an A in the AP Bio group project!" Pablo texts Audrey about the group project grade, even though they submitted it several weeks before the deadline.


    "Good. I''m happy for the team" Audrey answers back, before going to VA for tonight''s game against Eunice.


    Upon arriving at the game that night, with his gifts for Audrey taking up almost the entirety of his backpack, Pablo can''t help but notice several things: first, Natalie seems to be dating the star defensive tackle, and waiting in line for the concession.


    "Sorry to disturb, but for how long have you been dating Natalie?" Pablo asks Dayton.


    "Maybe just a few weeks, give or take" Dayton answers him, while he buys her a little snack from the concession, as well as one for himself.


    "Please forgive me for this question, I was very busy with quiz bowl on my side after the season ended" Pablo then moves on to find his seat as allotted for the game.


    And then comes his quiz bowl teammates on the B-team, who are all seated on the first row, and some band musicians are on the sidelines in front of them.


    "Let me guess, you''re here because of Ballista?" Nadine asks him while she''s seated.


    "Ballista? Who do you refer to as Ballista?" Pablo asks her, a little confused as to why some basketball or quiz bowl player would even be nicknamed Ballista.


    "Audrey. She''s the one who got you to even play quiz bowl in the first place!"


    This season, Audrey seems to be good for about 8-10 PPG on average on the court. So I expect her to start the game tonight, and I hope it won''t be a foul-fest like the Lacassine game, Pablo looks at the teams taking up positions on the court, with Heather holding the mic to sing the national anthem at center court, as per usual during home games. And the drummer she calls a boyfriend on the sidelines.


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    "Welcome to this Christmas'' Eve girls'' basketball game, pitting, from Jennings, the Venomous Agendas, and, from St. Landry Parish, our long-standing basketball rivals, the Eunice High Bobcats!" the principal announces the game''s participants after the national anthem ends.


    And, interestingly, Eunice is one of the few pre-pandemic VA sports rivalries to have survived the pandemic, along with Iowa and Kinder, one of Dayton''s parents starts thinking about the history of VA rivalries upon announcing the game.


    The game begins with a faceoff at center court, and the Bobcats gain first possession. As the visitors, wearing the green jerseys, advance towards the hoop, they feel pressure to shoot prematurely and their 3-point throw attempt fails, by the ball going above the backboard. This results in the ball going out of bounds because the ball ends up behind the backboard.


    Which means the VAs, wearing white (even though most VA fans in the assistance wearing VA clothing wear the purple-and-green) have possession of the ball, and have eight seconds to cross the half-court line. Taylor inbounds the ball, passes it to Carrie, who dribbles the ball across the half-court line, and then passes it to Heather. Heather lays up and throws the ball, scoring two points.


    However, even though the game is relatively close, with both teams having "fouls to give" in the first quarter, Audrey inexplicably provokes the opponent into hooking her by the end of the first quarter while throwing the ball.


    "Ballista! Ballista!" Nadine chants.


    And Pablo, along with the rest of the quiz bowlers, follows suit while Audrey goes through the motions of the free throw. The crowd goes wild once the ball goes into the hoop, thus scoring her first point of the game.


    In the dying seconds of the first quarter, the Bobcats fail to score any additional point. It seems like the Bobcats have my number tonight, I don''t know why... Is there any Bobcat playing tonight that has a relative playing quiz bowl? They didn''t play at Tal Atkins, and I wasn''t playing at Fall South, nor did I play them at Winter South... It doesn''t make any sense! Audrey ruminates while she sits on the bench between quarters.


    "It seems like the opponent has been focusing a little too much on me; they put their fastest players to cover me" Audrey laments to Kent.


    "Obviously you feel like you''re dead weight, but you''re not: if their fastest player is used mostly defensively, this means we have the advantage of speed on the offense" Heather explains to her about how, despite Audrey scoring only a single point, the VAs are in the lead by one measly point after the first quarter.


    "Ballista? What''s a ballista anyway? I kept hearing that word on the last free throw!" Charlotte asks her teammates.


    "My quiz bowl teammates call me like this whenever I do free throws! But, for real, a ballista is a giant crossbow"


    "Stop the chatter! The second quarter is about to begin!" Kent shouts over the talk about the ballista.


    Agility is the order of the day for me if I want to be more than a magnet for opposing players! Audrey struggles to think of how she can clear some space for her to maneuver to either get or throw the ball.


    Back in the stands, Pablo and his quiz bowl teammates watch the game with Dayton and Natalie behind them.


    "Ballista definitely feels more agile now than in the first quarter" Pablo comments on changes in Audrey''s game as Audrey, still feeling somewhat threatened, dribbles to a position she deems more favorable, and the VAs are trailing by one point early in the second quarter.


    "Yet ballistae weren''t exactly agile weapons" Natalie retorts from behind them.


    "You probably think of those ballistae in video games, the big ones shooting spears" Nadine adds a comment on what she feels is a misconception about ballistae.


    Natalie must be thinking of a ballista''s traverse and elevation, Nadine keeps quiet about these aspects of artillery, not wanting to appear to know too much.


    And yet, Audrey manages to regain the lead for the Venomous Agendas by shooting a three-pointer. That''s more like it... she starts thinking while Carrie is on an intercept course for the Bobcats'' ball carrier.


    Despite all the best efforts of the VA squad, by half-time, their lead is still relatively small, as both teams played with the intensity of the Division II Non-Select state championship (in which both schools'' postseasons would be should either make the playoffs).


    "This is half-time, and the Venomous Agendas are in the lead, thirty to twenty-six" the principal announces before a 15-minute break begins.


    As the VAs retreat into their locker room, Audrey smiles in the direction of the quiz bowlers in the stands. And Pablo is clearly visible to her right.


    "You played well in the second quarter" Pablo tells her as she passes by him.


    "Thank you"


    By the end of the fourth quarter, however, because Audrey is too tired to keep playing, the substitute power forward is put in to play. She receives the ball from Cora, and, feeling threatened by the Bobcats, who attempt to hold on a two-point lead, attempts a three-pointer. She didn''t score a three-pointer all season, fingers crossed, Audrey struggles to cross her fingers upon seeing her teammate shooting the ball during the dying seconds of the game. And the ball is about to hit the rim when the buzzer sounds, only entering the net afterward.


    "And the Venomous Agendas win, fifty-six to fifty-five!" the principal announces, with every VA player bursting onto the court.


    "Way to go! Your first three-pointer of the season!" Heather, facing the second-string power forward, bumps her fist.


    And some people in the stands, too, such as Heather''s boyfriend. And Pablo as well, his backpack on his back. Once Pablo gets to Audrey at center court, with many fans still leaving the gym:


    "It might be a little premature for me to tell you this, but... I love you" Pablo confesses his love to her.


    "Me... too" Audrey tells him in a tired voice.


    The pair proceeds to kiss each other, but the resulting kiss is a little awkward, and not the least because she kisses him in front of some of her basketball teammates, or VA fans.


    However, once the kiss ends, Audrey gets some water, while Pablo waits for her at the exit of the locker room. I wonder who my football teammates are dating, or the other quiz bowlers; if Dayton can date Natalie, then surely Nadine can date, like, Ethan, the starting strong safety, maybe even Finn; some of my teammates tended to break up often. Which is why I don''t worry about my teammates'' dating status until I see it. However, I know not everyone on the football team hits on girls as if they were in a football game!


    And yet, Pablo is blushing once she finally emerges from the locker room. He gets both packages out of his backpack.


    "The time has come for me to give you my Christmas gift to you. It comes in two parts, however" Pablo then hands over both packages to Audrey.


    "How cute..." Audrey then unwraps the smaller package, revealing a quart of DOT4 brake fluid.


    And then comes the turn of the larger package, containing brake pads and rotors for the car they went to LQBA Winter Invitational South in. I guess better this than jewelry, flowers or chocolate; I might have understood gifting flowers if you were a gardening kind of person.


    "I know enough about cars to know that you should replace the fluid at the same time as the pads and rotors, so I am sure the whole family will appreciate it, and not just you" Pablo explains to her.


    "Our family didn''t drive much after the tournament. Speaking of brakes, nothing will brake our love..." Audrey responds.


    "And then your heart is your engine" Pablo does his best to remain in the theme of cars.


    As Audrey hugs him, she feels more attuned to her own body. Her heartbeat seems to be going up for a few seconds until the hug ends. Physically speaking, he''s right. My heart is my engine. And then my blood flow is my drivetrain, so I feel like my heart is doing my body''s heavy lifting sometimes.


    "It feels good to hug you, but we shouldn''t do it for too long" Pablo whispers her.


    "I understand that, sometimes, be it for quiz bowl, schoolwork, and in other areas of your life, you need to deal with other girls. However, now that we''re dating, I expect you to make sure that you don''t interact with other girls more than you absolutely need to"


    "At least you understand it''s inevitable, and not just because of quiz bowl and group projects. And the same in reverse for you. If you''re worried about me cheating on you for either Lilina or Nadine, it''s complicated. I feel like you might not have the same worries depending on whether you fear that I will cheat on you academically or romantically"


    "You''re right in that the romantic aspect must be considered separately from academic cheating. Both are damaging, and I don''t need to remind you of how"


    "Some of them took to romantic cheating because they feel it''s their only way out of an abusive relationship, while others might feel like cheating academically because they feel their backs are against the wall" Pablo talks about what can push someone to cheat.


    "The difference between you and other boys that were interested in me in the past is that you accept me for what I am, and not for what I can do for you"


    Don''t worry about romantic cheating, Audrey: Lilina and Nadine, while they''re both smart enough for me, and likewise for a lot of the underclassmen playing football, for some reason, they feel off to me, Pablo runs down the reasons why he doesn''t feel drawn to the other underclasswomen on the quiz bowl team, without going into much detail. Nadine feels... fake somehow.

 Chapter 12: Operation Holy Begging

    Before they leave the campus, Pablo has an idea for the rest of the season:


    "My love, since LQBA Winter Invitational South made everyone in town believe that it''s realistic to have a second squad qualify for the HSNCT, better get started now! We''re going to beg money at church!" Pablo tells her about how they''re going to fund the quiz bowl team getting VA B to the HSNCT.


    Audrey then proceeds to email Warren, who''s busy grading AP Biology finals, about her begging at church, while she''s open to implementing more ideas. Also, she attaches her remaining schedule of basketball games.


    Upon receipt of the email, the quiz bowl coach starts formulating plans in his mind. The math team is probably not going to go very deep in the playoffs this year. If we want to schedule quiz bowl exhibition games during either math games or basketball games, we need to ensure that we can charge higher prices, and secure our opponents. However, the math team is essentially paying the bills of all academic teams, and the funding priority goes to the first squad at the HSNCT, then the MSNCT, and then a second HSNCT squad. I guess I could always try scheduling DCC if possible...


    "Since you''re Catholic and I am not, we will be attending different masses at different churches" Audrey points out to him. "Double the begging, double the money. And we shall attend the HSNCT together"


    "Our best bet is going to be the ESA Cade Cane Classic. Operation Holy Begging is go"


    At the same time, they ask their respective teammates which holiday masses they will attend, if any, with instructions for begging money at church.


    Upon returning home from the basketball game, Pablo asks his parents about which Christmas mass they plan on attending.


    "Since my teammate is attending the midnight mass at Our Lady Help of Christians, is it possible to go to Immaculate Conception, or to attend the ten PM one if you still want to go to Our Lady Help of Christians?" Pablo asks his parents about Christmas mass attendance.


    "Why do you want us not to attend the same mass as your other teammates?" Pablo''s dad asks him.


    "It''s for quiz bowl fundraising. Since it became realistic for us to get a second squad at the HSNCT, we estimated it would cost about three grand to go, but we need to rotate the beggars. Myriam already picked the midnight mass at Our Lady Help of Christians" Pablo explains to his parents.


    And he realizes that Audrey is Pentecostal, Lilina is Baptist, and, for most people on the quiz bowl team, attending Christmas mass is mostly a convenient venue for begging, er, raising money for them to go to the MSNCT or HSNCT. Even if I put all remaining spending money into the HSNCT fund, it''s still a lot of money to beg, Pablo starts thinking about being a beggar at mass, which he knew was the only time where begging at church made any sense. For which he hastily labels a piggy bank HSNCT money and the piggy bank is carried in his mother''s handbag.


    "Wait a minute... are you saying the B-team could attend the HSNCT?" Pablo''s mom asks him about his role on the quiz bowl team.


    "To be fair, the linchpins of the B-team are Nadine and Gerard... I scored about in the high-teens at LQBA Winter Invitational South, in which we finished fourth" Pablo explains to his parents as they get to the 10 PM mass.


    "Don''t discount Lilina. She might be a ninth-grader, the same as Gerard, but she has good upside" Pablo''s father advises him on his way to the Christmas mass.


    At church, he only has a few minutes to go beg money according to his plan. Upon arrival at the church, Pablo''s mom hands the piggy bank to him so that he can start begging for money to attend the HSNCT.


    "Please, parishioners, can you spare loose change for the glory of God?" Pablo hollers in front of churchgoers, piggy bank in hand. "God wants the Venomous Agendas to field two teams at the HSNCT!"


    Churchgoers line up to give a few pennies, nickels, dimes and even quarters, but few gave more than a few dollars'' worth of loose change. As the mass starts, he then circulates the piggy bank around the pews, and the family is seated at the very back of the church. Some of them simply have no loose change at all, others empty their loose change, as the Reverend Father delivers his sermon.


    Nearly two hours later, Myriam arrives at church to take over the duties of begging for HSNCT money. A few moments before the midnight bell tolls:


    "Please, let me be clear, Pablo. I accepted to take part in Operation Holy Begging only because betting on horse races is too volatile for me to use for fundraising!" Myriam explains herself, whispering in his ears, so that no one else would know about her gambling habits.


    "Amen" Pablo prays before leaving the church with a full piggy bank in tow.


    Knowing Myriam, she will card and read old quiz bowl sets between two wagers on horse races, or solve math problems from older tournaments during that span, Pablo feels like he should pay attention to his mom as she carries the much heavier piggy bank in her handbag.


    He then receives a text message from another A-team player: "Holy Beggar, just because you pull your weight outside the game doesn''t mean squat if you can''t play well"


    What''s the meaning of this? Am I nicknamed Holy Beggar like Audrey would be called Ballista in basketball games? This is making my head spin... Pablo seems to be more confused before he can even think of counting the money in the piggy bank. I might have improved some at Winter, but apparently my role in Operation Holy Begging is not enough to earn their respect.


    But then Lilina sends another text message about Boxing Day. "We should be begging for money during Boxing Day around the main shops of the town. But not inside the shops themselves unless you want to be bagging"


    "That piggy bank is heavy! Let''s count how much money there really is" Pablo''s mother starts emptying the piggy bank and sorting coins by denomination.


    Meanwhile, Audrey begs for money at the First Pentecostal Church, also passing off the VAs qualification to the HSNCT as the work of God, but rather than to mention anything about quiz bowl directly, she just begs for money "to continue the unfinished works of God". As with Pablo, she, too, mostly collects small, loose change. However, she is too busy with the mass to realize that Lilina wants to proceed with phase 2 of Operation Holy Begging during Boxing Day. Until the end of the mass anyway. And because the First Pentecostal Church is much smaller than Our Lady Help of Christians, the basketball player doesn''t actually collect a whole lot of money. And neither do her teammates at other Christmas masses.


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    At dawn, it becomes all too clear to Pablo as well as Myriam just how little does phase I of Operation Holy Begging actually netted the quiz bowl team, after they ask everyone else about how much they collected by begging money during Christmas mass.


    "Myriam, we were only able to get $600 of loose change by begging at church last night" Pablo texts Myriam.


    "What to do next?" Myriam asks him.


    "Either we keep begging money around shops tomorrow or you bet on horse races to fund the remainder"


    Oh boy, already that, since my dad is in prison for embezzling money to buy Lacassine a thoroughbred, mom made me bet on horse races to supplement her income and, since, to the eyes of the law, mom is the one betting... Pablo seems to make me feel like I should bankroll the quiz bowl team as well? Myriam sighs, as she doubles down on a wager before it''s placed. Without her mother noticing anything about Myriam betting $600 on a daily double taking place at a hippodrome on the other side of the world. If I win this daily double, maybe I can get Lilina to call off the second phase of Operation Holy Begging! An ecstatic Myriam starts daydreaming about what winning the daily double would imply, before being cut short by a painful reminder of the suspicions that suddenly being able to bankroll a second HSNCT squad would arouse while reading a practice set from an old. No, but let the other 11 execute Operation Holy Begging!


    During Christmas, however, they start doing what they couldn''t when school is in session. Such as Audrey playing the emulator Pablo gave her after LQBA Fall Invitational. And Pablo doing the same, too. Or Myriam intensifying her betting activities.


    But by noon, Pablo calls Audrey to discuss her involvement in phase 2 of Operation Holy Begging.


    "Lilina believes that we can beg outside of certain shops, such as the supermarkets, Wal-Mart and the town''s strip malls on LA-26" Pablo lays out what Lilina has in store, in a tone that .


    "Lilina believes we can beg for money while everyone else is going to spend theirs?" Audrey gasps, upon hearing about Lilina''s idea. "If we''re going to be begging during Boxing Day for HSNCT money, we may as well do it together; it will be more bearable"


    What a brazen wench! If she was even more brazen, she would probably auction off the rights to cheat on her on a per-test basis. However, I think I have a better idea than begging outside of shops on Boxing Day: a GoFundMe page that we will keep open until, well, the opening day of the HSNCT, Pablo then starts reading about how to start a GoFundMe for getting the VAs at the HSNCT.


    "I think starting a GoFundMe page is more appropriate to beg for HSNCT money than begging outside shops, and then we''ll use our own social media to share the link to it across town" Pablo explains to his girlfriend, while reading the instructions.


    "Not even a GoFundMe page would suffice. We can''t rely on a single source of funding" Audrey points out while Pablo is busy setting up the GoFundMe page for the VAs'' quiz bowl team.


    Their coach, on the other hand, feels like he should coordinate with the math team to get the quiz bowl team to host their games either before or after the math games (depending on when potential opponents can play them) on the same night. And field "cold calls" to schedule opponents for such online games, starting with schools VA played against in past HSNCTs. In Warren''s mind, if he could successfully schedule opponents, then the math team can charge an extra dollar per ticket for a doubleheader.


    However, the Math Madness spring season starts in mid-February, so if they want to play before then, the arrangements might change. And also that quiz bowl would be subordinate to mathletics, since the math team won''t know for more than a week in advance who or when they will play.


    And that proves to be a major headache for him, even when his players are busy begging money across town, some of them even attempt to get local businesses to sponsor quiz bowl. Presumably some of the very shops they have been begging outside of.


    Speaking of begging, Lilina decides to bag groceries and place a piggy bank of her own next to the supervisory station of the self-service cashier island of that grocery. As with Pablo before, she clearly labels it HSNCT money. But this time around, Lilina nets more than mostly loose change.


    "Could you please spare some change to help Venomous Agendas quiz bowl?" Lilina''s hollers are heard across the self-service cashier island, while she bags a customer''s groceries.


    "Quiz bowl? Did you guys qualify for the HSNCT already?" the customer asks her.


    "Yes, we earned our berth at Tal Atkins in October. And the middle school squad earned its MSNCT berth at LQBA Fall Invitational South. You thought we needed to place at a certain level at State, did you?"


    "I just didn''t expect it to be this early in the season"


    Lilina receives a link on mobile to Pablo''s brand-new GoFundMe page, which is also shared on the football and basketball teams'' social media pages (both genders in basketball''s case) by Pablo and Audrey respectively. The Holy Beggar must be led to think that there are too many beggars at masses for phase 1 to be viable in the long run, so he takes to online begging once he realized that he couldn''t keep begging at masses, Lilina seems to think upon receipt of the link.


    And yet, the football team, in Pablo''s eyes, is simply an advertising platform for begging, as far as Operation Holy Begging is concerned. No quiz bowler actually expected much from parents of football players to donate much towards quiz bowl. However, they know about how long it might take, as well as how far afield they might be able to get donations from.


    Speaking of which, the first GoFundMe donation arrives via some ghost from VA''s quiz bowl past. Marcia. A past collegiate quiz bowler for the UPenn Quakers, and also the top scorer on the first VA squad competing at the HSNCT, and she donates $200. And also, because the VAs are the only team across southwest Louisiana to even compete at the HSNCT, much less the MSNCT, a handful of donors from other SWLA parishes even donate a few dollars.


    So while the pair is posted outside the CVS pharmacy, wearing the VAs'' purple-and-green uniforms of their respective sports, bagging for the customers, they do so with the blessing of the owner. And with an eye on the GoFundMe campaign. That''s a lot of cosmetics being shopped today! Pablo can''t help but notice the sheer number of customers buying cosmetics on Boxing Day. One of these customers recognizes him from the Christmas mass he attended two days ago.


    "Holy Beggar, what drives you to beg at the pharmacy today?" one of these customers asks him. "Don''t you have any shame in begging money on Boxing Day?"


    "And yet when you are spending money left and right, you seem to have forgotten that this year, we are going to carry the entire region''s hopes in quiz bowl!" Pablo retorts to the accusations of what seems to be a parent of a football player. "Football only lasts for a third of a year, quiz bowl is year-round"


    "I don''t have any loose change left, and that''s a shame..." the offensive guard''s mother tells him, before she passes in front of Audrey, two cashier stations away.


    "Here''s your chance to support VA quiz bowl, larger than life!" Audrey hollers in the direction of the next customer at her cashier station.


    Hours pass and a handful of customers ask the same old questions about VA quiz bowl. About where VA stands, both regionally and state-wide, or even about what quiz bowl even is to some.


    At the end of what they deem to be a shift of begging money in a pharmacy, they leave it with their respective piggy banks being much heavier than when they arrived.


    "Begging around town is one thing, but we need to train to do what we beg all this money for..." Audrey sighs, feeling a little tired of begging money by bagging, before they return home. "And, on top of that, I have another basketball game in two days"


    "Yeah, I did enough begging for the last three days to make me hold off on further begging until New Year" Pablo also sighs, while putting the piggy bank in his backpack.

 Chapter 13: Back to the Football Team

    After the holidays end, and the VAs return to class, one of the sophomore football players meets with Pablo before class in the locker room.


    "Fuck! Tomorrow is the deadline for the World History extra credit, and it has to do with the consequences of the French and Indian War in North America" George, an offensive guard, complains after the end of the morning weight training session. "Since you''re playing quiz bowl, Holy Beggar, surely you understand what to do" George starts begging to help him, and then sobs. "Can you please help me?"


    "I didn''t do it either. I think we can get it done tonight, but we''re going to need every footballer taking World History to get this done" Pablo breaks the news to the offensive guard. "We will need to stay after school. However, as helpful my own girlfriend could have been, she is away at a basketball game tonight"


    The problem is that Pablo grew distant from the football team after the season ended. He did next to nothing with us, not even academically, forcing us to rely on our girlfriends to get academic help in a pinch, George reflects on the consequences of Pablo playing quiz bowl on his football teammates. And obviously, some of us struggle to hold on to a girlfriend.


    In the meantime, since Pablo is reminded of the VAs playing on the road today, he first asks Audrey by text whether he can get Nadine to help him with World History extra credit.


    Audrey''s answer comes quickly. "I trust you can work with Nadine without turning it to an opportunity to cheat on her" she texts with an implicit subtitle of romantically or academically.


    "That sucks; your girlfriend is clearly a brain" George sighs.


    "There''s about a dozen of us taking World History on the football team and I can''t do everything alone" Pablo retorts. "If you rely solely on AI to get the paper done, you won''t understand anything"


    "What do you mean, I won''t understand anything if I just use AI to get the paper done?" George asks him.


    "If you just enter the question as a prompt in ChatGPT, you might get a serviceable paper, but AI is otherwise a black box, especially if you use the output as-is. There''s a reason why the French and Indian War was chosen for the extra credit"


    "Why?" another user of the weight room, also taking World History, asks both footballers.


    "Because of its importance in understanding what led to the American Revolution" Pablo explains to the other two. "I won''t go into detail right now, though I am doing this because I did next to nothing with the football team after the season ended"


    And Louisiana, during the French and Indian War, saw next to no fighting, but I have the impression that we need to talk a little bit about the French and Indian War in Louisiana as well, Pablo starts thinking about the paper as it relates to the writing. He then contacts the other footballers in the World History course about whether, and who they could bring as well, to get the extra credit done. And boy did some of them need it.


    He then realizes that a few of them already finished it, namely, Ethan. And those who need the extra credit most accepted to come, since some of them need to keep an eye on the no-pass, no-play, or any other GPA target. 2.5, 3.25 or 3.5 typically. Not many of that subgroup even plan on having other people in tow. Of these people, he knew most of them are in a relationship, but their love interests are often unremarkable academically or otherwise in no position to help them on this assignment.


    And it turns out that Nadine already submitted the World History extra credit as well, so she won''t go to this meeting over it.


    "Nadine can''t come, damn it! Time for plan B: Lilina" Pablo then texts Lilina about asking for help on homework about the French and Indian War and later turns to George. "Don''t go around thinking that I''d be cheating on Audrey for Lilina!"


    Technically, I wouldn''t be cheating on Lilina since she isn''t enrolled in the course. Fingers crossed that Lilina will accept, since it''s right up her quiz bowling alley, Pablo muses as he gets ready for his first course of the day.


    When the teammates who need most the extra credit are assembled, with Lilina and a footballer''s girlfriend being present.


    "Before we begin, I would like to apologize for me being absent for the football team during the past two months. Even during the finals season, when you needed me most" Pablo harangues his teammates.


    "Hi, I''m Lilina, a teammate of Pablo in quiz bowl, you might not know about me because I''m a freshman here, but some freshmen on the football team could know about me" Lilina introduces herself to the others.


    "We still had our tutors and other friends" George points out to him. "I forgive you"


    "The starting point for all of us for the holidays'' extra credit in World History is the loss of New France by, well, France during the French and Indian War" Pablo lectures his teammates, while Lilina takes it from him later.


    "Yet, even though New France surrendered in 1760, the portion of New France west of the Mississippi River was ceded to Spain in 1762, and the rest to Great Britain in 1763. While this split had consequences for Louisiana up until the Louisiana Purchase, the Spanish needed to be mindful of the influx of Acadian refugees" Lilina adds to this lecture.


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    "I fail to see how the goings-on in Louisiana made it important in understanding the American Revolution; as you said, Louisiana fell under Spanish hands" George, reminded of the goal of this extra credit assignment, fumes at both facilitators.


    And yet, it opened most of his football teammates to the wider context, and the aims of each nation in North America going into the French and Indian War (known in Europe as the Seven Years War). Because they realize the teacher ignored almost entirely what was happening in Europe when the French and Indian War took place. And it was symptomatic in how the very extra credit was formulated.


    "So you''re both saying that the French and Indian War was the start of a war that spilled over into Europe as well" the girlfriend of the left linebacker in attendance gasps upon hearing about the aims of each nation at war.


    "That was going off tangent, but while the British were victorious, it cost the British government a fortune, and so was holding on to their gains. Which led to the British levying new taxes in the Thirteen Colonies and angered the colonists" Pablo adds to this lecture, while the others start searching for more information to supplement what the two just told them about the French and Indian War.


    After some digging, they then learn the other contentious item that arose from the French and Indian War was the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which held lands in reserve for the Native Americans. And residents of the Thirteen Colonies wanted to settle westward, which is a fact Bart, the left linebacker in attendance finds unsettling, for reasons he doesn''t delay in voicing to his teammates.


    "It seems like our teacher said nothing about how Native Americans were belligerents in the French and Indian War, other than both French and British had some tribes behind them" Bart complains about how the teacher covered that aspect of history.


    I guess, it''s not a given that Audrey submitted it, not that she needed it to keep her A in World History, Pablo wonders whether his girlfriend submitted the World History extra credit as he helps footballers with it.


    They all put these explanations together, with one paragraph per aspect, into their respective essays. To some, it almost feels like Lilina and Pablo are spoon-feeding them an essay and then some sources at the end of each aspect covered, interrupted by questions from others.


    "Yeah, each side was supported by Native Americans, but what was the point to give exclusionary rights to Native American tribes?" George asks the two facilitators after they learn about the Royal Proclamation of 1763.


    "The British were afraid that the tribes who supported the French during the French and Indian War would remain hostile. They essentially bought peace with them that way" Lilina answers him.


    I feel like I had no choice, and same with some of my teammates, but to go there and listen to these two talk about history, because of no-pass, no-play; they were busy shoring up their academic positions in other subjects, George sighs, feeling that the sooner the footballers (and the LB''s girlfriend as well) can finish the extra credit work, the better for them. My ex was the kind of person who could have helped me here, though.


    But then even Pablo sits down to process everything he and Lilina just told the others about the impact of the French and Indian War in North America, and what impacts these will have in the leadup to the American Revolution. And, of course, they end up sharing their bibliography with their preferred resources on each part of the issue.


    "Thank you for taking the time to get the extra credit done" Bart tells Pablo.


    As the others use their AI tools on their laptops for proofreading, Pablo follows suit, and fine-tunes the resulting essay. However, Lilina is the first to leave.


    "Goodbye, see you next time, Pablo!" Lilina then leaves the room to return home and do her regular homework.


    And most of the other footballers also leave the room soon thereafter, after submitting their extra credit essays, to get their remaining homework done as well, whose deadlines aren''t as early. Only remains Pablo and George.


    "Holy Beggar, are all girls on the quiz bowl team like Lilina?" George asks him after his teammates left, because he doesn''t want to publicly admit that he might be eyeing Lilina, feeling like it''s too premature.


    "There''s only one aspect I can say that they are all like her: intellect. What do you mean, then? Personality? Looks?" Pablo asks the offensive guard, since George feels like B-team quiz bowlers can fly under the social radar. That he might not even have known about Lilina as a quiz bowler, or forgotten about her as such.


    "Joy..." George sighs, sarcastically. "I guess, personality"


    Because even I could tell that Lilina doesn''t look like Audrey at all, and not the least because Lilina isn''t as beefy or tall as Audrey, George''s mind conjures a side-by-side comparison between the two girls he personally interacted with who are on the quiz bowl team.


    "I would love to continue this further, but we still need to do our homework for our other courses" Pablo reminds him of the coursework at hand.


    This time around, however, they seem willing to at least try to get the work done by themselves. And only ask each other when they run into issues. George seems to have had more issues than Pablo did. Geometry mostly. But once the last of these issues is resolved:


    "One more thing: as a tutor, Lilina is likely to be of use to you in social studies, maybe English. If she''s taking Geometry, then Geometry, but she never discussed math homework during quiz bowl practices. Are these areas where you most need help?" Pablo asks George.


    "Why?" an annoyed George asks back.


    "Just so that we''re aware, please be mindful of what a tutor is good at before using one. Some people will resort to using tutors because of the social aspect they won''t get from any other source of academic help. If you ever think of dating Lilina, or anyone else for that matter, please be mindful of your girlfriend''s needs, too. It''s not just about what you hope to get from a relationship, but also what she hopes to get from it, too"


    "Their needs can change on a whim"


    Damn... if I''m careless with Audrey, even with basketball on her plate, I might find myself unable to address a new need for her, Pablo starts worrying about how their budding relationship will survive, and what pitfalls can befall him.


    "Yes, there might be a way to keep it working when something unexpected happens, or when you differ in significant ways, but both sides need to communicate clearly what their expectations are before they can commit to a relationship, and even during one"


    "It''s just that I don''t always know how to tell things to girls" George retorts, feeling that Pablo gave him a lot to think about life in a relationship.


    "That, unfortunately, I can''t help you with. I knew girls were complex people, but beyond that, respecting them as people goes a long way. However, if you feel like Lilina is someone you''re interested in to ask for academic help..." Pablo is about to give Lilina''s contact information to George.


    "Sure, Holy Beggar" George just waits for Pablo to give Lilina''s contact information to him.


    Speaking of begging, after Pablo gave Lilina''s contact information to George, he checks on the team''s GoFundMe campaign on his phone before returning home to train more in quiz bowl for the ESA Cade Cane Classic. Marcia is still the highest donor at $200, but the VAs obtained a few hundred dollars more from across the region.

 Chapter 14: Third times the charm?

    Life goes on and Audrey''s family car brakes have gotten fixed shortly after the holidays ended. So two weeks later, Pablo goes to Audrey''s home on Friday night, so he can go to the ESA Cade Cane Classic on Saturday morning. Before they go to bed, they are about to kiss each other again.


    "It''s not often that we kiss each other, after all, I am the one with the busy schedule, for the second third of the year, but I think we''re due to do so again" Audrey then prepares herself mentally for a kiss.


    "It has been weeks, but I feel like basketball has a good chance of making the playoffs, so all this hard work does bear some fruits after all" Pablo has a quick glance at VA''s girls'' basketball schedule for the season.


    "Let''s not forget about quiz bowl and how I feel we may have been putting the cart before the horse... Holy Beggar!"


    "What do you mean, my love?"


    "For the past month or so, we kept begging money in preparation for getting a second squad at the HSNCT"


    It''s just that the math team is not as good as it used to be. And certainly not with two quiz bowlers in tow. When we were in middle school, I kept hearing about how the math team bankrolled all academic teams here at VA. Now quiz bowl must shoulder more of the financial burden than it used to, Audrey muses, while she receives an email from the coach. Detroit Catholic Central wants to host a double-header of a show, the first part being a Lincoln-Douglas debate round, with their coaches judging, the second being three quiz bowl games: A vs A, B vs B and middle school vs C. Next week, on Thursday.


    "Remember when I said our best bet to accomplish this is the ESA Cade Cane Classic?" Pablo asks Audrey, while she is still deep in thought.


    "The field is large. Its final size is twenty-four teams, so we both need to finish in the top four for this to happen" Pablo checks against the tentative field.


    "I''m confident Lilina and I have improved enough to make it to the top-four here. Time to kiss, I guess..."


    As the two kiss each other, their quiz bowling worries melt away, and they feel this kiss is more pleasurable here than their previous one at center court, since here, they have actual intimacy. But once the kiss ends:


    "Last time, we kissed at center court, and we had dozens, if not hundreds of people seeing us kiss each other as they left the fieldhouse. It made me feel a little uncomfortable then" Pablo recounts his experiences of kissing her. "This kiss feels so much better"


    "Thank you. It seems like you finally opened up to the world of intimacy, and that I''m more than just a brain or a basketball player" Audrey points out before going to bed.


    The following morning, the pair awakens early, and Audrey seems to feel more pain than Pablo did upon getting out of bed.


    "I''ll go brew some coffee, how much milk and sugar do you want?" Pablo asks his girlfriend about the coffee before he brews it.


    "The painkiller takes time to brew, when you will be done brewing it, I will be back to put the milk and sugar myself!" Audrey then tells him where the ground coffee is.


    Audrey being in the bathroom, Pablo, on the other hand, prepares four cups of what Audrey calls a painkiller. He also grills some whole-wheat bread so that they can use whatever spread they want on it. Peanut butter for both quiz bowlers.


    And, of course, the teenagers are ready to go earlier than the parents, they eat cereal together to supplement this hasty breakfast. Fortunately, they are done with their homework for the week, and can''t help but think of the opponents they will face.


    Once they get ready to leave for the Episcopal School of Acadiana, southeast of Lafayette, the couple is seated at the back of the car, and Audrey''s mom picks up Myriam, who''s seated at the back left, next to Audrey, and Gerard, who''s seated at the front.


    "Hey, Audrey, how do you feel about this tournament?" Myriam asks her, after placing a bet on yet another horse race held at the other end of the world.


    "I''m more worried about the B-team than the A-team, especially since the field is now statewide. You have Caddo Magnet, Neville, Anacoco, LSMSA, and Leesville to watch out for, too, all of whom earned berths for State at LQBA Fall or Winter Invitationals North" Audrey tells her teammate.


    "Just earning berths for State is one thing, but the real threats among the names you mentioned will be Caddo Magnet and LSMSA" Myriam makes herself clear to the other pax.


    "I wonder how these two schools stack up to those we played thus far" Pablo asks from across the car. "Like Benjamin-Franklin, against whom we lost a HSNCT berth at Winter"


    The foursome keeps discussing the various strengths and weaknesses of the teams he didn''t face yet, but the other three quiz bowlers did since they competed at Tal Atkins, and he didn''t.


    And, of course, Pablo is the first to notice the difference between riding this car to LQBA Winter Invitational South and now in braking. Much better.


    Upon arriving at the Episcopal-Acadiana campus an hour later, they face their coach, with both teams around him.


    "Today, you understand what it means for the B-team: finishing in the top-four. All this begging of the past month will be used for something if we get there. Next week, don''t worry if the questions asked during the fundraiser games are harder than usual, it''s because of our designated moderator" Warren harangues his team.


    "Who''s our designated moderator for next week?" Lilina asks her coach.


    "Marcia" Warren answers his player. "No time to tell you about who she is now, though"


    This is my chance to prove, once and for all, that I belong here, on the quiz bowl team. During the past three months, I was made to feel like I was inferior in some way to my teammates. Despite a quarter of straight As. I begged money at church and launched a GoFundMe campaign for the quiz bowl team, Pablo reflects on what he feels he still needs to do to earn his teammates'' respect.


    Especially since he can still subconsciously feel like, even though he did everything in his power to earn their respect, he isn''t fully accepted by his teammates yet.


    As with previous tournaments, VA A and VA B are placed in separate pools and seeded accordingly. But then they realize just how grueling this tournament is going to be: a whopping 12 games, 7 morning preliminary games and 5 playoff ones.


    Three hours later, going into game 7, VA A is first in pool 1, while VA B is second in pool 3. We won''t let one game get in the way of a HSNCT berth, especially since the team currently in third place is virtually assured to win their matchup against Anacoco. We lose this game, no HSNCT for us, Pablo appears to be shaking going into their final preliminary game. Well, the whole team does.


    Also, VA B''s opponent for this game, LSMSA, is at the top of the pool going into the seventh game, so they know it will be rough.


    "This is round seven of the ESA Cade Cane Classic. From Jefferson Davis Parish, we have Venomous Agendas B, from Natchitoches Parish, we have the Louisiana School of Math, Science and the Arts. Best of luck to both teams, here''s tossup one..."


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    Focus, Pablo. We won''t let this stupid game stand between us and quiz bowl glory! Or going to college even! Pablo is consumed by parasitic thoughts as soon as the first tossup starts.


    "General Bagration died of wounds as a result of defending redoubts bearing his name in this battle" the moderator keeps reading the question as the power mark approaches.


    Bagration? What even made Bagration so important to this battle anyway? a confused Pablo signals that he''s not ready to buzz in. However, Lilina does so immediately.


    "Borodino!" Lilina answers after buzzing in.


    "Fifteen" the moderator rules before reading the preamble to this bonus.


    This game remains somewhat close, but Pablo managed to buzz in only once in that game until, by tossup 19, an opportunity to put the game out of reach of LSMSA presents itself. With the VAs in the lead by a measly 10 points, to win the game here and now, they need to score at least 40 points on this tossup cycle.


    "Tossup nineteen..." the moderator gives both teams the first clue, to which no one buzzes in. And, much to everyone''s chagrin, they miss the power mark. However, the first clue past the power mark makes several players'' minds lurch into action: "The main classes of reaction mechanisms for this process are step-chain and chain-growth"


    I wonder where I could have read such things, but these sound like a chemistry kind of thing, and pretty advanced at that, Pablo reflects on what he could possibly know that could help him answer the tossup, but he feels an irresistible need to buzz in, just after the For ten points cue.


    "Poly..." a nervous Pablo hesitates a little bit. "Poly...merization?"


    "Ten. For ten points each, please answer these questions about the symphonies of Beethoven"


    Nadine, on her lonesome, answers the first two bonus parts correctly, but the third part seemed a little more cryptic to her. As the moderator starts disgorging the clues given in the final bonus part:


    "An instrumental arrangement of the Ninth Symphony''s fourth movement chorus was adopted as an anthem by what entities?"


    They feel like the tensions between the players are rising, with Gerard giving up on the bonus first. Which leaves the other 3 to think of an answer. However, their failure to conjure an answer within five seconds forces them to endure one last tossup of stress:


    "Time, Council of Europe and European Union, twenty for the bonus. Final tossup"


    Once again, the VAs plan on taking advantage of the fatigue and tensions that arise from cornered Eagles (i.e. LSMSA players) on this final regulation tossup by pretending to press the buzzer, hopefully causing another one to buzz in early and answer incorrectly. Pablo is the player designated to do so.


    "Cat''s Cradle" the Eagle player answers after buzzing too early to his taste.


    "Neg five" the moderator rules, while the VAs wait for the FTP cue. After said clue is read:


    "Slaughterhouse-Five" Nadine answers after the tossup is read in full.


    "Ten"


    "We skip the entire bonus" Lilina announces to the moderator.


    "And that''s the game. LSMSA two hundred ninety-five, Venomous Agendas B three hundred fifty"


    When VA B leaves the game room, the preliminary standings for pool 3 are released on a scoreboard in the tournament''s control room as well as in the school''s cafeteria. At this point, LSMSA and VA B are tied for first place in pool 3 and therefore both advance to the top playoff pool. They also keep an eye on pool 1 before they dine.


    And... as they expected going into the playoff round, VA A is also in the lead. Yet, for some reason, pool 4 has one game taking longer.


    Warren approaches the B-team at the conclusion of pool 4''s final game:


    "Guys, you made it to the top pool. However, finishing in the top-five of that top playoff pool is not going to be easy" Warren warns the B-team. "This is going to amount to playing five games against teams like Benjamin-Franklin, LSMSA, Jesuit A, and so on"


    The other two teams are Caddo Magnet A and, of course, VA A.


    "Of which, ideally, we need to win four of them, but we can pretty much forget about winning against VA A" Pablo sighs.


    "The one I believe we can win against out of the following is LSMSA. The others are a tossup. Don''t be nervous and we might just be able to score the required number of wins" Nadine points out to them.


    Audrey, returning from the game room, comes over to Pablo. "Good luck to you all"


    "Thank you then"


    And, of course, they mingle with players from the northern part of the state, and the amount of attention given to the VA girls is just crazy. Especially considering that Lilina and Nadine are both much better than a lot of other non-VA girls in this tournament, and collect a lot of contact information.


    But while the B-team feels like they have the momentum going into the playoffs, after winning against Jesuit A in the first game, they know better than to bank on their opponents'' misogyny. Especially when the dreaded game against VA A was played.


    Yet, somehow, VA B maintains a 2-2 record going into game 5 of the playoffs.


    "We can do it, keep it up!" Warren tells them before the game begins.


    "Hopefully it won''t be a repeat of LQBA Winter Invitational South..." Pablo sighs, a little tired of playing quiz bowl, while his teammates get seated.


    "This is round five of the ESA Cade Cane Classic playoffs, pitting, from Caddo Parish, Caddo Magnet A, and, from Jefferson Davis Parish, Venomous Agendas B. Good luck to both teams..."


    Now we know how it will really feel to be competing at State, or the HSNCT. For months, the coach kept talking about it, and had us train with the same materials as the A-team, Nadine starts reflecting on her experience of playing quiz bowl at this tournament.


    However, unlike Jesuit A, where VA B won by exploiting Jesuit''s misogyny-induced arrogance and overconfidence, here they could feel like the opponent seems to underestimate VA B by virtue of the team being, well, a B-team. And Caddo Magnet already secured their HSNCT berth at Tal Atkins, same as with VA''s first berth.


    Yet, here, with one tossup to go in regulation time, the VAs are trailing by 35 points, and it''s a time when everyone is on the edge of their seats. VA B''s HSNCT hopes lie on this cycle:


    "Tossup twenty: Helen Lewis identifies a long tradition of defining women in opposition to one another as the architecture of this tendency" the moderator reads the final tossup.


    I shall show these... Mustangs that it''s not because I am a ninth-grader girl that I can''t play quiz bowl! An energetic Lilina stands ready to answer the tossup as soon as she buzzes in.


    "Misogyny!" Lilina shouts.


    "Fifteen" the moderator rules, before the last bonus arrives.


    The VAs start answering questions about computer memory. Gerard answers the first part correctly, but after the team gets the second bonus part wrong, everyone starts feeling like they must answer this bonus part correctly to just stay afloat, much less win.


    "CPU stalls increase in frequency when the following happens in either the cache memory or the main memory" the moderator reads the final bonus part to VA players who are clearly on the verge of suffering a panic attack.


    "It must slow down a CPU" Nadine starts speaking.


    "Memory filling up takes longer to fetch from" Gerard adds to this.


    As the clock ticks on them, Lilina and Pablo both seem to struggle to think of anything corresponding to this description. Yet, Pablo is suddenly reminded of yet another quiz bowl question he read weeks ago on that topic.


    "Memory leak!" Pablo announces the VAs'' answer to this final bonus part.


    "Twenty on the bonus, and we have a tie, three hundred ten in all" the moderator rules while preparing the supernumerary questions.


    The A-team, having won their final game, makes haste towards the room where the B-team is playing theirs. Everything boils down to the next 3 tossups now, a nervous Audrey ruminates while getting seated. A HSNCT participation will definitely help him get into college.


    And it appears easy for the audience to forget they are dealing with VA B, and not VA A. And certainly when the first tossup is about film.


    "This film introduced filmmaking techniques that are used in sports journalism to this day" the moderator reads just before the FTP clue. Which locks Nadine into a buzzer race that she loses.


    "Olympia!" a Caddo Magnet player answers after buzzing in.


    "Ten. Second overtime tossup..." the moderator then proceeds to disgorge clues.


    Everyone in the room seems to be shaking, especially when the VAs are, once again, trailing. They feel like the next 2 tossups are equally many "do-or-die" moments for them, and they must answer both correctly to win. Nadine, however, wins the buzzer race.


    "Nineveh" Nadine answers, her buzzer hand shaking under the stress.


    "Ten. Third overtime tossup..."


    Thus far, these sound like the roles of hormones in medical conditions. However, I''m not sure of what, Pablo keeps thinking about what the answer could be.


    "Diagnosis tools for these medical conditions include the SCOFF questionnaire" this game''s moderator reads the second clue, oblivious to the buzzer race looming in the horizon.


    By then Nadine signals she doesn''t know the answer, but Pablo is reminded of the content of Audrey''s part in the second quarter''s AP Bio group project.


    On the other side of the moderator, the Mustangs'' science player wonders what the SCOFF questionnaire could possibly be used for. Both science players, as well as Pablo, appear ready to buzz in at any moment.


    Yet, with the clock ticking on them, Pablo is about to lose control over his buzzer hand. He slams the buzzer...


    "Eating disorders!" Pablo yells across the game room.


    "Fifteen, and that''s the game. Venomous Agendas B win, three hundred thirty-five to three hundred twenty!"


    "Congrats, Pablo! I knew you would be able to lead VA B to a HSNCT berth!" an overjoyed Audrey comes right off her seat to hug him.


    "This is unreal! Who could have thought, other than you, that some group project could prove key to winning a HSNCT berth... Ballista?" Pablo asks her before the awards ceremony begins.


    "Holyyyyy Beggar! Holy Beggar, Holy Beggar, Holy Beggar!" Lilina starts chanting in a loud voice.


    Begging for money, online, at church or otherwise, has finally proven us right, Warren starts thinking of what Operation Holy Begging is supposed to accomplish, upon hearing about Lilina chanting "Holy Beggar" all over the place.

 Chapter 15: The Comparison Game

    The parish media starts making comparisons between players on the B-team and past VA quiz bowlers as soon as the tournament ends. Yet, they only have four days between now and the scheduled double-header against DCC, held remotely. The teams will play each other from their home venues: Novi, MI for DCC, and, of course, VA.


    Also, in the days to follow, Pablo gets more attention than he ever got in the off-season up to this point. Especially when Pablo scores the final tossup in the game that secured their second HSNCT berth. On Monday, before class:


    "Bravo, Holy Beggar, you made it!" Natalie tells him, with Dayton next to her.


    "I got to go" Pablo then waits for the time to deliver the morning announcement.


    The morning announcement winds up being a real doozy, but the girls'' basketball team goes first. Which means Audrey delivers her part of the announcement first.


    "On Sunday, the girls'' basketball team lost its game against Lake Charles Prep, fifty-one to thirty-one" a down on her mood Audrey announces to the student body before going to class.


    Then comes the boys'' basketball team, who won against St. Louis Catholic on the road, 46-40. And soccer, whose boys'' team lost 0-2 against Washington-Marion and the girls'' team tied 2-2 against South Beauregard. Finally, the turn of the quiz bowl team arrives:


    "At the ESA Cade Cane Classic on Saturday, the quiz bowl A-team won the tournament, while the B-team finished fourth in a field of twenty-four. As a result, the Venomous Agendas earned a second HSNCT berth!"


    Up to this point, townsfolk only seemed to care about the B-team quiz bowlers if their kids needed help academically. But now that I made it to the HSNCT, the onus is on me to keep my grades up and perform on the buzzer, even though I won''t be going to State, Pablo seems consumed by his thoughts. Going into the HSNCT, the locals will hear about the following names more, especially in the lead-up to it: Nadine Fauchoux, Lilina Ortiz, Gerard Dupuis and, of course, I, Pablo Medina.


    And then several quiz bowlers whose parents are unable to attend Thursday''s fundraiser show start giving their customary two tickets away, at first recess.


    "Would you like to go to the quiz bowl game on Thursday? We''ll play our big rivals, DCC" Lilina asks bystanders.


    "DCC? What''s a DCC?" George asks her, not knowing anything about academic rivalries.


    "Detroit Catholic Central. They''re our biggest rival in nerdy things!"


    I feel like these people over in Novi asked for a debate round to be played before the quiz bowl games because debate is their cash-strapped team, Lilina then reads the article in the newspaper about comparisons between past and present VA quiz bowlers after handing him a ticket to the game. She then proceeds to auction off the other ticket.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Like Nadine drawing comparisons to Anna, Myriam being compared to Im¨¦lie, Pablo being compared to Florence...


    By the time quiz bowl practice happens, on Tuesday, the coach makes an announcement to his players:


    "Going forward, high school players, I feel like you should read collegiate sets. They''re a bit more dense, and feature more arcane clues, but if you plan on playing quiz bowl in college, you will find it useful" Warren then adds a caveat. "There are also fewer sets to wade through"


    "Since the program of the night features a debate game, I might be wondering how good the debate team is" the A-team history player asks the coach, since the debate team is flying under the radar.


    "Just because DCC is competing nationally in debate doesn''t mean they''re better than we are. In debate, they are all-in on Lincoln-Douglas, and Michigan is a notoriously weak LD state" the A-team literature player comments on DCC as a debate team.


    Their history against us in debates is that they kept losing games against us, but each loss appeared to increase in profile vs the last, the A-team literature player has memories of his older sibling playing on the debate team resurface.


    "One more thing: the parish is paying for the transportation costs to the HSNCT under the form of a minibus, so our fundraising targets are now lowered. Finally, everyone will get a taste of collegiate questions in two days" Warren turns to the middle schoolers. "Even the middle schoolers"


    "What do you mean, we get a taste of collegiate questions?" Josiane asks, worried that collegiate questions would be too much for her and the middle school team.


    "People watch us do what the audience cannot" Myriam comments on middle schoolers playing college packets. "Don''t worry about the crowd: because, as with math games, people will be mostly powerless over the questions"


    While the coach conducts drills using past packets submitted by teams VA alumni played on, for ACF (Academic Competition Federation) collegiate tournaments, they all realize how big of a difficulty jump that is. (With power marks added roughly halfway through a tossup)


    Even when the middle schoolers are treated to the packet containing Cornell D''s 2025 ACF Fall half-packet, and yet, that was one of the easiest packets for that very tournament. Whereas the middle schoolers were regularly powering in tournaments, such as the LQBA Winter Invitational South, here they can barely answer tossups before the FTP mark.


    At any rate, no one powered nearly as many questions as they used to, not even Myriam, when both high school squads are playing the packet containing Tulane''s half-packet for the 2029 ACF Regionals in a drill. Once the practice ends:


    "Now that you proved yourself to our eyes, we must give you the respect that''s due" the A-team history player tells Pablo. "I apologize for being a little condescending towards you"


    "I accept"


    And then Pablo turns to Audrey, feeling like a lot has changed since he started playing quiz bowl. Both with her and in his life outside the game.


    "Before I started playing quiz bowl, I would never have thought about playing at the HSNCT. I would have imagined that I would have remained on the B-team for the rest of my high school career. That the pressure on me to study would have consumed me" Pablo confides in her. "If you told me three months ago that we would both be playing at the HSNCT, I wouldn''t have believed it"


    "To the rest of the town, we are the brains, but I wonder if that is getting the better of you, or of, say, Lilina or Nadine" Audrey adds. "But it does help you in class"


    Speaking of Lilina and Nadine, their brains are wonderful machines, and... mine, too. I could more or less say the same of everyone on the team, really. Yet, I wonder if there''s anyone in town who would dream of playing quiz bowl for VA the way girls in town dream of becoming mathletes, Audrey, triggered by this mention of player growth, seems to space out for a bit.


    "Yet we haven''t met our fundraising targets yet. Hopefully this game will help us meet them" Pablo comments, while checking on the GoFundMe campaign''s status.

 Chapter 16: Marcias Return

    For the next two days, both high school teams start reading the latest in college quiz bowl packets, while the experience of being read college packets made Warren turn to "regular-plus" high school packets for middle schoolers.


    But when the fundraiser begins on Thursday night, in a packed auditorium, many a VA fan attend in an attempt to see what they regularly hear about but never really saw first-hand, since VA never hosted a debate tournament, and they almost never watched quiz bowl either.


    In Novi, however, the DCC fans in attendance are puzzled as to why they have rivals at the other end of the country, and why either Detroit Country Day or Cranbrook would have refused to play online exhibition LD games the way VA does tonight. With Marcia hosting online.


    "Tonight''s show features, first, the Lincoln-Douglas debate game. For the Venomous Agendas..." the principal names VA''s LD player, and then explains the basics of LD to a crowd that''s mostly clueless about it, other than VA playing it.


    "I am Marcia, as the host, I will be the head judge for this game" She then states the topic for this game, which is simply the LD topic for January-February. "Heads, VA argues on the aff, tails, DCC will argue on the aff"


    And... wow. DCC might have fielded its best player in the game, the one who won the LD state championship (or what passes for one), VA''s player seems able to hold her own despite not being projected to represent Louisiana at Nats, while still being a decent debater nonetheless. However, the game is still close.


    In both schools, people seemed to treat this game as a breath of fresh air, especially given how debates were treated in media. And drawing enough people in both towns to net them a few hundred dollars for their respective teams. However, it''s clear as day to Marcia that VA draws a much bigger crowd than DCC.


    When the debate game ends, Marcia announces the result...


    "That was a close game. And the winner is: DCC!" Marcia announces as she readies the packet for the middle schoolers'' game against DCC C, while the principal announces the middle school roster for that game.


    That packet is actually from the latest Penn Bowl, one of the early regular-plus sets on the collegiate quiz bowl schedule. And man that''s rough to watch for all parties involved. Even considering that Marcia''s experience of moderating quiz bowl games came from past Penn Bowls.


    Rough even for DCC C, whom Warren believed up to this point that the middle school team, codenamed VA C for the purposes of this card, could play against and still hold its own.


    But what made it painful to play is that both teams needed to wait until the FTP clue to buzz in on a good chunk of tossups. Such as on this one:


    "For ten points, name this type of force applied to objects in rotation" Marcia reads.


    Josiane then buzzes in. "Torque"


    "Ten" Marcia then proceeds to read the bonus VA''s middle school team earned.


    Not even that made the fans of either team feel like they should keep watching. There just didn''t seem to be any power until late in the game but it''s clear that both teams are in way over their heads playing on the 2029 Penn Bowl packet #1.


    "Scholasticism!" DCC C''s literature player answers.


    "Fifteen"


    Lilina gave me this free ticket so I can watch two teams struggling to answer paragraph-long questions? The LD game was already painful enough, but here both teams are struggling, George starts feeling like he''s getting tired, as he''s sitting right next to Dayton, who also doesn''t seem to make heads of the questions. When the middle schoolers'' game ends, the score is announced:


    "And that''s the game. DCC C one hundred and sixty-five, VA C one hundred twenty" Marcia announces the final score.


    It really isn''t our night... Josiane ruminates, while she is expected to be one of VA''s best players at the MSNCT.


    "It''s up to us now, but I can''t blame the middle schoolers for losing on a collegiate set" Nadine warns the B-team players, before the principal announces the players on both teams.


    For some reason, the crowd goes wild when Lilina and Nadine both get on the stage, but Gerard seems to lack charisma. Even Pablo seems to have more charisma, but that''s mostly because so many in town knew him primarily as a tight end.


    "Holy Beggar!" Dayton shouts in the crowd.


    "Venomous! Agendas!" Tyler starts shouting even though the band doesn''t perform today.


    The atmosphere is a little down in VA''s auditorium, even with the B-team girls drawing lots of attention. And so many in the crowd cross their fingers to see, perhaps, the B-team able to do better than the middle schoolers, who were thrown into the deep end. And even win against DCC B.


    "Are questions always this hard in quiz bowl?" Dayton asks Marcia, feeling that something is amiss.


    "No. This is a lot harder, and this is the kind of questions that can come up in events used to qualify for college national championships; actual high school quiz bowl isn''t that hard. The reason why I picked Penn Bowl packets was because just sticking to high school sets would limit what players get out of quiz bowl"


    Everyone on the B-team is a little nervous because the spotlights are on them, especially after losing both the debate game and the first quiz bowl game.


    "Tossup one" Marcia signals the start of the game played between the B-teams.


    As with packet #1 earlier, here, since the B-teams play on packet #2 of the same Penn Bowl set, everyone is dumbfounded by the earliest 2 clues, first about the ecclesiastical history of the answer and then about Taposiris Magna being a ruined town on the former shore of the answer. When the power mark approaches...


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "Lake Mariut!" Lilina buzzes in.


    "Fifteen" Marcia rules, dumbfounding the crowd, when the VA fans seem bewildered that they can power such tossups after all.


    It''s not just more obscure clues, it''s also more obscure answer lines, too, Audrey reflects on this entire experience of other VAs playing on the Penn Bowl set, and what awaits her about half an hour later.


    However, here, it wasn''t like a MSNCT team facing off against a third-string team of a high school powerhouse. It''s a tight game, despite the questions being perhaps a little on the hard side for college regular-season quiz bowl, and harder than they expect from the HSNCT.


    And yet, well past half-time, VA B has an opportunity to carry the game out of reach of DCC B, as they hold a 20-point lead as of tossup nineteen.


    "Tossup nineteen: Black smokers are a natural occurrence of this state of matter on Earth" Marcia reads the first clue of the tossup.


    Ugh... what''s a black smoker? A confused Pablo wonders as the second clue about an application of the answer is read to powerless audiences, both in Novi and at VA.


    As the power mark is fast approaching, everyone starts thinking furiously about clues that, up to this point, seemed to decrease in difficulty only slightly. And, once they fail to power it:


    "Baron Charles Cagniard de la Tour discovered this phase of matter through his cannon barrel experiment" Marcia reads past the power mark, when Gerard buzzes in.


    "Supercritical fluid!" Gerard shouts.


    "Ten"


    The game is not over yet, we need to answer two of the three bonus questions correctly, and victory is assured, Pablo ruminates as Marcia reads them the bonus. It turns out that the first part is actually the hardest part and, as such, VA B doesn''t convert it. The second part proves the bonus equivalent of an FTP clue and, as such, they handily convert it.


    "Baroque" Nadine answers the question in earnest.


    "This Spanish writer was known in Baroque times for his ability to mass-produce plays" Marcia reads the final bonus part.


    Normally it''s the job of either Nadine or Lilina to answer these questions, but they signaled that they don''t know the answer, Pablo is thrown into a loop, while the clock is ticking on the VAs. It doesn''t make any sense! Their knowledge holes seem a little... random at times.


    "Lope de Vega" Pablo answers the final bonus part.


    "Twenty on the bonus, tossup twenty" Marcia reads the final tossup as the VAs'' lead increase to 50 points.


    The Shamrocks (i.e. DCC players) start panicking when they see that both teams are unable to power the question. However, as they get well past the power mark, one of them buzzes in without intending to, causing Lilina to lose a buzzer race against DCC B''s history player in that tossup.


    "Peoples of the Sea" DCC B''s history player buzzes in.


    "Ten..." Marcia then starts reading the final bonus of this game.


    Too little, too late for DCC B, Audrey keeps to herself as the Shamrocks somehow convert 2 bonus parts of their own, whereas the previous teams rarely converted more than one part per bonus. As the second game ends...


    "And that''s the game. DCC B two hundred thirty-five, VA B two hundred fifty-five" Marcia announces the final result.


    "You might not be the best quiz bowler in the world, but you''re clutch" Audrey tells Pablo after the final result of the second game is announced.


    "Thank you" Pablo tells her as he leaves the stage. "Good luck for this game"


    I''m still the worst player on VA B, Pablo feels bittersweet about this game because the game had clues that are too hard for most and his girlfriend is about to play the next packet in the latest Penn Bowl set. While the parish pays for transportation to Atlanta, it''s only a small fraction of the total cost of HSNCT attendance the parish is really saving us.


    The principal starts introducing VA''s A-team players in alphabetical order of last names as they prepare their buzzer apps. "Myriam Gency, Audrey Halista..."


    And then, as with the game between the B-teams, the game proves tight. However, not even the A-teams feel like this set is appropriate for them. Nevertheless, they keep trucking along, enduring tossups whose clue obscurity far exceeds what they were used to.


    "Third-wave feminism takes this concept into account, noting the lack of attention paid to it by earlier feminists" Marcia reads the first tossup of packet #3 past the power mark.


    Earlier feminists were mostly white and cisgender. These clues scream intersectionality to me, since it feels like you need to add race, gender identity and socioeconomic status at a minimum, Audrey thinks before buzzing in.


    "Intersectionality!" Audrey shouts.


    "Ten" Marcia rules before reading the bonus VA A has earned.


    And yet, this game feels as close to a clash between the two teams would feel like at the HSNCT as is feasible with a collegiate regular-plus set. By half-time, DCC scores a power against the VAs, one word shy of the power mark:


    "Its construction revealed serious issues about French cultural policy in the..." Marcia reads the tenth tossup before being interrupted by DCC A buzzing in.


    "Pompidou Center!" DCC A''s arts and lit player buzzes in.


    "Fifteen"


    It''s only half-time, we might be trailing now, but we must not panic, Audrey muses, while DCC answers this bonus. By the end of the bonus, and, with it, half-time, VA A is trailing.


    Nine tossups later, VA A is still trailing by the same margin it began the second half. We won''t let DCC get away with the game! Myriam starts burning with rage going into the tossup, feeling that victory is within the VAs'' grasp.


    "Final tossup" Marcia signals both teams as she starts reading it.


    All we have to do is to power the tossup, or answer it correctly plus one bonus part, Audrey seems to be crushed by the scoring implications of this tossup. However, since the first clue seems to reference a research paper, no one on either team appears willing to hazard a guess.


    The words appear to be ticking on both teams as clues progress and get easier. Still the third clue makes both teams a little uneasy, but not as much as the first two. Yet, the power mark passes them by, before the following clue is read:


    "When a cell can no longer perform this function, it may enter either senescence, apoptosis or uncontrolled cell division" Marcia reads the first clue past the power mark, before the FTP on it.


    Apoptosis? Isn''t that some cell suicide triggered on some signal? What kind of signal, probably under the form of an enzyme, would then be sent? Audrey starts thinking of AP Bio material, while Myriam signals that she isn''t ready to buzz in. The other two VAs playing give up. Uncontrolled cell division might happen with genetic defects, Audrey is then locked in a buzzer race with DCC A''s science player.


    "DNA repair!" Audrey scores her only science tossup for the game.


    "Ten" Marcia rules.


    As of right now, the VAs are tied. All they need is to answer one part correctly in this bonus and they can win the game in front of their own fans. In the meantime, Shamrock fans start praying that the VAs donut (i.e. fail to answer any bonus part correctly) the game''s final bonus.


    As for the bonus itself, it feels as if the VAs are stumped on the first two parts, and they are making prayers of their own. That the final bonus part turns out to be the easiest part on this bonus. And certainly Pablo, too. And the more religious VA fans as well.


    And they all know that, as much as topics can be distributed in any order, bonus part difficulty can also be distributed in any order. As the clock ticks on them to answer, Myriam feels forced to answer the final bonus part.


    "Death of a Salesman!" Myriam screams in the nick of time, and as if she was venting her anger towards Marcia.


    "Ten for the bonus, and that''s the game. VA A wins, three hundred to two hundred ninety" Marcia announces the result.


    What players on DCC C, the middle school team, and Pablo as well, only start realizing is that playing quiz bowl to crowds that size would happen only in the later rounds of the HSNCT (and maybe the MSNCT for the middle schoolers). It dawned on them that nearly every quiz bowl tournament was played to crowds the players could count on their hands.


    The principal receives a text message from the secretary, who''s in charge of the financial aspects of the show, about the amount of money raised from it.


    "Now that we have received confirmation that our revised fundraising target is met for the HSNCT, thank you and have a good night" the principal closes the show.

 Chapter 17: Valentine Playoffs

    On February 11, the Monday after the basketball season ends for both genders, the basketball teams are assembled in the band room. Which is full because several players of either gender invited some of their friends to attend the playoff bracket release session. Including Audrey and Heather.


    The boys had little hope of playing in the playoffs, thanks to their 8-18 record for the season, and 2-4 in district play. On the other hand, the girls wind up posting a much better record of 16-10, and 4-2 in district play.


    "For those in their first season of playing basketball for VA, for playoff purposes, we are in division II non-select" Kent explains to both teams, and their guests.


    Some of the guests don''t understand what select and non-select mean, or even how teams are seeded, but they all understand that the higher seed will have home advantage. But once the boys'' playoff brackets are released, and the Division II non-select one appear on the band room''s screen...


    "We didn''t make it, boys" Kent breaks the unpleasant news to the boys'' team upon release of the bracket relevant to VA.


    The boys'' basketball players then leave the band room, along with their guests. As in band practices, Tyler takes up position where a drum set is, ready to roll drums when the girls'' bracket is about to be released. And the seeding, too.


    "And the Venomous Agendas will begin the girls'' basketball Division II non-select state tournament..." Kent begins announcing with Tyler rolling the drum. "At home, with the eleventh seed, we will be playing Franklin Parish!"


    With that, Kent starts writing an email to the principal with all the details of the bracket, as well as start selling tickets for the first-round game against a new opponent from the other side of the state, held on Valentine''s Day, immediately.


    This is the coda of our basketball season. Games are held on Thursdays and Mondays, so Leesville, next Saturday, won''t interfere with the state tournament. But since the first round is held on Valentine''s Day, I''d better have a gift at the ready for him, should he choose to attend the game, Audrey starts thinking of what she could give him on Valentine''s Day.


    Pablo, who sat next to Tyler during that meeting over playoff brackets, wastes no time making plans to buy his beloved Audrey something he knows would supplement her intake of analgesics, a.k.a. coffee. So as soon as he could finish the assignments for the day, he could then go buy that item in question and not worry about it.


    I guess, I didn''t give much to him other than coffee when he came over to my home prior to quiz bowl tournaments, or for group projects. After all, for Christmas, he gave me and my family a full set of brakes for the car; however, I don''t think he has needs that expensive. I didn''t give him anything for Christmas, and I must give him something for Valentine''s Day as well, Audrey, too, starts thinking of what to give him for Valentine''s Day on her way out of the meeting, where they were told about what to watch out for against Franklin Parish.


    She then comes across Ethan talking to Nadine, who, in the past few weeks, suddenly became much higher profile among the student body because she''s playing at the HSNCT. And Lilina, too, but people assume she''s dating George for some reason.


    "Oh Nadine, do you want to be my valentine?" the starting SS asks Nadine.


    "I''ll think about it"


    He''s not alone in asking me for being my valentine, but people know I''m not in a relationship, Nadine has some surface thoughts related to Ethan asking her to be his valentine.


    But Audrey, too, needs to get to shopping for her own Valentine gift to him. And a belated Christmas one on top of that. Before she leaves the premises to do so, she then texts her parents. "I''m going to shop for Valentine''s Day"


    And, while her parents give her a list with a few items she should buy for groceries, she goes for these items first, and then look for the gifts to buy her boyfriend.


    As it turns out, the first item is fairly straightforward: powdered protein shakes. But the second item gives her some headaches. A basketball? A football? He might play sports for VA, but as a quiz bowler, he knows there''s more to school than just sports! But then he never seems to read anything not required for either school or quiz bowl, so maybe some book could do the trick, she sighs, while she''s suddenly reminded of the busy lives of her opponents.


    About how they never seemed to read anything outside of school or quiz bowl (if a quiz bowler). And yet, she struggles to choose a book she feels would be of interest to him and that fits within her budget. And the clearance shelves would be full of older titles of any genre, even non-fiction, so she stops considering whether it would be of any quiz bowl use to him. I guess, he won''t complain, she sighs while she picks a book from the clearance shelf.


    By Thursday morning, however, the game against Franklin Parish has sold out and, at $5 each, it''s a significant contribution to the team''s finances. Pablo meets with his football teammates planning on attending the game.


    "Quiz bowl might have had its time under the spotlight, but I bought Nadine a ticket to tonight''s game" Ethan gossips with players such as George and Dayton.


    "And I did the same for Lilina!" George exclaims, while Dayton adds yet another declaration of buying tickets for his sweetheart, Natalie.


    "Why date quiz bowlers?" Finn asks George and Ethan. "Ask Pablo how he feels about dating a quiz bowler!"


    "Dating Audrey, because of her busy schedule, means I must cherish every moment I do spend with her, be it at quiz bowl practices, tournaments or even for coursework" Pablo answers his football teammates. "If you end up actually dating Lilina or Nadine, you will realize that soon enough"


    "They''re far too smart for you two" Finn directs his words at George and Ethan. "Why did you suddenly start courting them?"


    "I can date whoever I want, understood?" George retorts to Finn. "Lilina is, yes, a very smart girl, she seems nice to me"


    Since Pablo can feel like this conversation about his football teammates'' choices of girlfriends is about to degenerate, he steps away from them. Especially Finn, who also thinks he can''t handle the cold, hard truth, and leaves also.


    But, during quiz bowl practice, to which he goes without Audrey since the basketball team holds one final practice before the big game, Pablo realizes that Gerard has brought a box of chocolates, and with a valentine in tow.


    "Happy Valentine''s Day everyone!" Gerard wishes, while opening the box of chocolates, before turning to his valentine.


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    And several quiz bowlers brought their valentines to the practice as well; some of those who didn''t, well, had their love interests at other practices.


    "Now, several of us have valentines who aren''t students people would usually associate with quiz bowl, so I ask that you please treat your teammates'' valentines with respect" Warren warns his players. "For today, Pablo, you will practice with the A-team"


    And, of course, some of these valentines are made to either keep scores or to moderate quiz bowl drills. Obviously, since most of them seem a little bewildered by the verbiage of some of the tossups in practice packets, they are a little slow in reading the questions.


    As such, it seems like the B-team has the whole practice spent in pairs, with George keeping scores and Ethan reading the questions. And Josiane moves up to the high school B-team for today''s practice, with the middle school valentine being assigned to practice with the other middle schoolers.


    At the end of the practice, Pablo doesn''t hesitate to ask a question to the two girls on the B-team because their sudden rise in popularity might induce some changes in them. Here it seems like there are few things that can get girls under the student body''s spotlight here like qualifying for the HSNCT. Such as competing at the AIME or Vans Math Contest for mathletes, Pablo is reminded of just how different it is for VA girls compared to how it is for a lot of VA''s opponents on the buzzer.


    "Lilina, Nadine, how does it feel to you, now that your popularity has skyrocketed as a result of the B-team qualifying for the HSNCT?" Pablo asks the two girls.


    "Before the ESA Cade Cane Classic, we were known for being smart girls, but we were, you know, playing second fiddle to the eyes of the student body" Lilina explains herself. "But really, we''re back at square one because we competed at the MSNCT, and, in middle school, I was a star among middle schoolers"


    "I was overshadowed for a year and a half. I played with Myriam in seventh grade, in eighth grade, Audrey and Caleb were forced to share playing time because of Audrey playing basketball. By ninth grade, however, I was no longer the literature star I used to be" Nadine explains herself. "So it''s just, as with Lilina, a return to what we enjoyed in middle school"


    "I guess there''s the brains component and the performance component to your popularity. You make me feel the performance component is bigger than the brains component; however, I am in no position to question your intellect" Pablo sighs, while facing the two.


    Which makes Pablo check against VA''s past middle school quiz bowl records and the role his current teammates played back then. And man did VA take the middle school quiz bowl world by storm, by having the middle school quiz bowlers practice mostly as they do today. Twenty-first at their first MSNCT three years ago, eighth in 2028, thirteenth last year.


    After these two girls get out of the room, Pablo meets up with Audrey near the locker room prior to the game.


    "Happy Valentine''s Day" Pablo then starts hugging and kissing her before he could even get his gift out of the backpack.


    Hmm... this is a much better kiss from him than when we had this kiss at center court! Audrey starts thinking, while kissing him, and waiting until the end of the kiss to unpack her gifts to him prior to the game.


    When she finally does, the protein shakes come to no surprise to him, but the second one makes him yelp.


    "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? Did you pick books based on answer lines in quiz bowl tournaments?" Pablo asks his girlfriend about the gift.


    "I''m surprised you even remember that book coming up in a quiz bowl tournament! The scope of quiz bowl is so vast it can make other people shy away from playing, even if they were able to handle the intellectual intensity of the game!" Audrey retorts to him.


    "But thank you nonetheless" Pablo answers while taking out his own pack of protein shakes from his backpack.


    They hug each other again before Audrey steps back into the dressing room prior to the game. Also, the fieldhouse is packed, especially since it''s one of the few good things out of VA athletics these days. The band comes out in full for this reason.


    "Welcome to the first round of the 2030 Division II Non-select LHSAA girls'' basketball state tournament, pitting the twenty-two seed Franklin Parish Patriots against the eleven seed Venomous Agendas!" the principal announces the contestants. "Now, for the national anthem, sung by Heather Campbell!"


    Heather takes position at center court to sing the national anthem, as usual for VA girls'' basketball home games. And then the first face-off begins, with the VAs gaining first possession. The center then dribbles the ball while being forced to evade opposing players before she can attempt a field goal. Which narrowly misses, but Audrey picks it back on the other side of the board, and then shoots, resulting in the VAs scoring the first two points.


    Then Franklin Parish dribbles the ball across the court, then, pressured by Carrie and Taylor, makes a three-pointer attempt that missed not only the hoop, but also the board, causing the ball to go out of bounds.


    At half-time, VA is in the lead by six points. With George on Pablo''s left and Ethan on his right, they start discussing potential opponents of VA going into the second round.


    "Let''s see: as of right now, the game between Livonia and Minden is wide open and we''ll play its winner" Ethan comments with his phone set to watch for that other game.


    "Who would you rather have VA play?" George asks the other four.


    "In what sense?" Nadine asks him. "Athletic or financial?"


    "If it was about the money, Livonia, but as for strengths and weaknesses on the court, I would rather play Minden" Pablo answers his friends.


    "Either way, while this game might be winnable, we will need to fight tooth and nail from this point onwards" Lilina adds.


    And then the five realize that Audrey and Heather have been VA''s best players for the first half, but they''re winded. These two are benched for part of the third quarter, and, since their bodies are sweating, they chug some energy drinks while they catch their breaths.


    Then comes the turn of Charlotte a few minutes later, about halfway through the third quarter. The Patriots then feel like they can get back into the game as they keep playing their best players, but even the opponents fall prey to fatigue as they feel like the second-string VA players might not be able to resist defensively.


    By the end of the third quarter, the Patriots close the gap to a single, measly point, but in the fourth quarter, the now-rested Audrey and Heather are put back into play.


    Early into the fourth quarter, the opponents'' fatigue catches up to them, as they start committing more fouls than they used to, as a result of their diminishing mental energy. However, it happens that, on this particular foul, the Patriots inadvertently attempted to cause Audrey to trip and fall over, as the Patriots are trailing by two points and Audrey missed the resulting field goal attempt, giving her two free throws.


    "Ballista! Ballista!" Nadine starts chanting as Audrey takes the first free throw.


    And... the first free throw goes in. The second free throw is met with boos from the Patriots'' second stringers. Yet, on the second FT, the crowd also starts chanting Ballista, ballista while Audrey focuses on making the second FT. Which narrowly hits the hoop and then goes into it.


    "What''s a ballista?" George asks Nadine about ballistae, even though it''s the first time Audrey was awarded a free throw all game.


    "A ballista is a giant crossbow" Nadine answers George as Audrey answered her teammates earlier in the season.


    The VAs go in the final 2 minutes of the game with a 4-point lead. Seeing the game slip away, the Patriots make a last-ditch attempt to either bait the VAs into fouling or, barring that, attempt as many three-pointers as possible. However, scoring two 3-pointers prove to be insufficient since the VAs end up scoring four more points of their own by this point. As the horn signals the end of the game:


    "And the Venomous Agendas win, fifty-eight to fifty-six!" the principal shouts into PA.


    The crowd bursts out of the grandstands, especially Pablo and Tyler, the boyfriends of two of the VAs'' starters. Both of whom played a pivotal role in VA''s win. But this time around, both couples kiss and hug each other at center court, and not just Audrey and Pablo.


    Meanwhile, other couples in attendance fan out to find other places to kiss each other, while being mindful of not being too close to another couple when doing so. And there just are a lot of couples attending that game tonight, like his football teammates who have other quiz bowlers for valentines. Or Dayton and Natalie.


    "We have received confirmation of VA''s next opponent on Monday: we''ll be playing against the Livonia Wildcats!" Kent takes the mic from the principal after the results are in for the Livonia-Minden game. The coach then turns to the players once they are done kissing their love interests. "For the game against Livonia, the main player to watch out for is "The Latvian", or simply Aija; the Wildcats otherwise lack depth"


    "Coach, why is Aija called "The Latvian"? What, or where, is Latvia anyway?" Heather asks Kent, not suspecting that Latvia is a southeast Baltic country, and therefore Latvian is a nationality.


    Kent draws a blank, and Audrey is somehow the only one on the team capable of answering Heather''s questions.

 Chapter 18: Algebraic Distress

    February 15, 2030, Venomous Agendas High. With the girls'' basketball team advancing to the second round of the state tournament, the town feels like their hopes are still alive. That VA can hope to go deep in the state tournament, which no team has done post-pandemic.


    The following day, Audrey delivers the afternoon announcement, regarding both the quiz bowl team and the basketball playoffs.


    "Tomorrow, the quiz bowl team will attend the Leesville High School Spring Tournament. And let''s not forget about the game against Livonia on Monday, whose tickets are now up for sale!" Audrey announces before returning to her classroom.


    Oh boy, Audrey will have a busy life in the coming few days. I ought to ask her about her exam schedule when I''ll meet with her next, and maybe, you know, study if possible. However, I think that, going into the playoffs, she will be subjected to more training sessions, even on the weekends, Pablo muses upon hearing about the implications of VA''s girls'' basketball team going deeper into the playoffs.


    But since Pablo isn''t in the same Algebra II section as Audrey, he starts taking the test for that course. The teacher passes around test copies to everyone, face down.


    "Begin!" the Algebra II teacher orders.


    What awaits students is multiple-choice questions formatted and structured much like ACT test items about probability and statistics. And he is reminded of how fortunate he is compared to some of his football teammates almost with every item on the test. While, of course, he is no mathlete, and neither are his football teammates, he doesn''t find the material hard. However, since there are no questions of that style in quiz bowl, he feels differently about this material vs other subjects coming up more often in quiz bowl.


    He then takes mental notes of what items his teammates could be struggling with, believing their struggles not to be uniform.


    However, as he progresses through the test, he loses track of who could struggle where. If I want to help my football teammates taking Algebra II, I may as well go over the whole chapter with them, and not try to help them piecemeal! Pablo tries to discard his mental notes of who could struggle where on the test.


    When he finishes the test early, the teacher lets him go to the library until the bell rings, as with just about anyone else who finish early. However, he can only meet with Audrey during recess.


    "Since you''re not in the same section as I for everything, I might be wondering what tests you have left. We might study together on the way from and to Leesville if neither took it"


    "Algebra II, World History, AP Bio, English" Audrey answers him.


    "I have the other three still left to go, but I''m done with Algebra II for a while"


    Pablo then attempts to remember who, among his teammates, is in Audrey''s Algebra II section. Which amounts to juniors since no other sophomore football player is accelerated in math.


    "One more thing: I might be wondering who else is on the football team with you in your Algebra II section..."


    Somehow, Audrey seems to remember the positions footballers in her Algebra II section play more readily than their names. Presumably because they tended to keep quiet in that course, and/or they didn''t interact with Audrey much in an academic context.


    The starting left wide receiver, Valter, the starting fullback, Orson, and the starting strong safety, Pablo then sets out to message them on their phones to schedule a meeting after class with these players regarding, well, Algebra II. And then notify his parents about both the after-school meeting with his football teammates and the sleepover at Audrey''s place later.


    After the school day ends, Audrey gets to the basketball practice, while Pablo meets with not only the starting WR, RLB (VA ran a 4-3 defense this season) and FB, but also everyone else on the football team who didn''t take the Algebra II test on probability and statistics yet.


    "I called this meeting for a reason: I want everyone here to play next season. However, please keep in mind no-pass, no-play, and we cannot afford to lose anyone here because of Algebra II" Pablo opens the meeting.


    "I have an idea: someone supplies the answers to the test and hides the answers in the bathroom on Monday morning" Finn explains to them.


    "Finn, who do you have in mind for an answer supplier? Pablo?" Valter asks, his tone of voice becoming aggressive.


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    Various names are thrown around for supplying the answers, and several players rant about how useless the material will be to them later in life. The one thing they agree upon is the need for the supplier to have done well in that class, but no more than that.


    "Do you remember what the long questions are? For the multiple-choice questions, the correct choices are enough for our purposes" the starting left wide receiver asks Pablo.


    "Before I can tell you anything about the long questions..." Pablo is interrupted by Ethan.


    "I ask you to have whoever is in a relationship to plant a copy of the answers in the girls'' bathroom as well. I don''t want to be sexist or anything, it''s just that you need to consider who will go to the bathroom during a test" Ethan, the starting strong safety, places his request to his teammates.


    "Is your girlfriend ready to do this, Ethan?" Finn asks him sarcastically, about to laugh.


    "Nadine might be able to, but it''s not a given. What about you?" Ethan asks Finn back.


    "Carrie sure as hell would be a poor supplier for answers on a math test" Finn answers him. "On top of that, she''s preparing to play Livonia on Monday"


    "You want to make this work, please position yourselves at the back, and we shall peek the answers whenever possible, once whoever goes to the bathroom comes back" Heath, the starting right linebacker, adds information.


    "You know what? We attempt to solve the long questions on our own, then we will run our answers by Nadine and her quiz bowler friends on Sunday..." Ethan asks, before grabbing his phone to ask his friends in Pablo''s section about the test items.


    Pablo then reviews the subject content of the long questions with the footballers, while he waits for Ethan''s friends in Pablo''s section to supply them with the long questions. Finn remains passive, while everyone else works hard, including Pablo, upon receipt of the long question statements.


    Meanwhile, at basketball practice, the team is briefed on their next opponent.


    "As we all know, we will be playing Livonia, and it turns out that, last night, Aija had the best game of the season. Sure, because of the Wildcats'' lack of depth, the focus will be on neutralizing Aija while we are on the defense, by either making pass options not viable or screening her. However, do not foul her: Aija is dangerous on the free throw" Kent harangues the team in the locker room.


    Joy... I will need to screen Aija if Heather can''t do so, Audrey sighs, realizing that, on the defense, Heather and herself had the biggest assignments in past games.


    "Yeah, Aija scored a buzzer-beater against Minden, and Minden fell prey to their overconfidence!" Heather''s mouth opens wide.


    "I guess, I should slip past Aija on the offense..." Carrie, her face a little down, is a little worried about how Kent seems to overestimate Aija just because Aija had her best game as a Wildcat last night.


    "That''s a little weird to me, but is she an exchange student? If so, was she recruited by Livonia specifically for basketball?" Cora, the second-string point guard asks Kent, sensing an opportunity to neutralize Aija.


    The statement from Cora makes Kent roll his eyes, not believing his players would even resort to that sort of tricks to gain a competitive advantage. Or, to the eyes of Cora, level the playing field.


    "The problem with that option is that LHSAA is too slow to act, and there''s no guarantee that evidence can be found for Livonia''s staff even having contacted Aija about basketball while she was still in Latvia" Kent explains to the players, while the practice schedule for the weekend is released.


    "I''m afraid I can''t make it to the morning practice tomorrow because I have a quiz bowl tournament that will last until late afternoon!" Audrey''s face shows signs of apprehension.


    "That''s OK, there are four more practices until the game, it''s not the end of the world" Kent responds to her before the drills begin.


    One on Saturday night, two more on Sunday and one on Monday morning. They know that Aija isn''t going to be easy to deal with, and nothing is to be taken for granted, so they intensify the drills with a mix of starters and reserve players on each practice squad.


    Once the basketball practice ends, Carrie''s joy of playing with the ball visibly ends along with it and is consumed by her upcoming Algebra II test. Audrey notices something being amiss with Carrie:


    "As it stands now, I need help in Algebra II!" Carrie laments, feeling the weight of having to learn probability and statistics so she can stay afloat to play basketball.


    "Carrie, I get that it''s a magical moment for you because you feel like the state tournament is going to be the highlight of your life as a VA, but I wonder sometimes if you put too much weight on the state tournament in your life. Don''t let the state tournament forget that you''re still a student first and foremost!" Audrey harangues a Carrie about to cry. "However, as I told the team earlier, I won''t be able to help you on Saturday. If you want my help to study for Algebra II, it would be either tonight or on Sunday after basketball practice!"


    Pablo is probably busy helping his football teammates with Algebra II right now. Maybe Natalie could help her if her only available timeslots happen to be during the quiz bowl tournament, Audrey weighs her options to help Carrie study for Algebra II, considering her call for help. Unfortunately, Carrie asking for help is rather telling. She never asked for help much for coursework unless her back is against the wall.


    "I''ll ask other people I know for help. If, by Sunday, I still don''t feel confident enough, with the people I ask, then I''ll go back to you" Carrie sighs, while combing her friend list for possible helpers at this point.


    But it occurs to Carrie that some of her friends might be struggling in other subjects and need help of their own, and her array of options appears to decrease. However, she doesn''t feel like it''s appropriate for her to provide academic aid to them for now.


    "I guess, I have no choice, I''ll go with you for tonight!" Carrie brings her head down, oblivious to what Finn and his teammates are doing for all other Algebra II sections that have yet to take the test.

 Chapter 19: Lottery Ticket

    When the basketball practice ends, Audrey comes to the room where Pablo and his teammates have been studying for Algebra II. Not only did the footballers go over the long questions that they used, but they also answered a few sample multiple-choice questions in ACT style on probability and statistics.


    "Thank you, Pablo. Now we have a better idea of what we need to work on" a grateful Ethan then walks away, with a string of multiple-choice answers and the test''s long questions on hand.


    Pablo then turns in Finn''s direction. "If I may, don''t look at the solutions without attempting the problem yourself first!"


    "Oh..." a surprised Finn then rushes to the exit, and then kisses Carrie when he gets to her. "Good luck, Pablo, for this... quiz bowl tournament!"


    Pablo then blushes. "For once that you have been nice to me about quiz bowl!"


    Audrey arrives as Finn and the other football players leave. "Speaking of quiz bowl, some of our teammates are already at my place. Namely, Gerard and Nadine"


    The juniors on the quiz bowl team are much more preoccupied with studying for the ACT, and they do so at Myriam''s place, Audrey muses while she picks up Carrie alongside Pablo. He knew Carrie in passing, but he never interacted much with her. Maybe in the weight room sometimes but no more than that.


    When the trio arrives at Audrey''s home, they are arrayed in the dining room, ready to tackle sample probability and statistics questions.


    "Carrie, here are some questions from past years'' tests on the topic of your test on Monday" Pablo shows her the long questions of the Algebra II test, knowing that Ethan, Finn et al tucked away the answers to the multiple-choice questions.


    The first question is about the odds of winning a lottery. However, they don''t realize they are solving for a real lottery.


    "OK, if we have a six-digit combination that wins you the jackpot, drawn out of forty-nine digits, what''s the probability of winning the jackpot?" Pablo asks Carrie about the odds.


    "Are the digits drawn with or without return?" a confused Carrie rolls her eyes.


    "Did you ever see anyone play a lottery, or a lottery being drawn?" Audrey asks Carrie in hopes of getting her on track to answer.


    "No? My parents might have played, but they never showed me the tickets!" a confused Carrie starts wondering what lottery tickets even look like.


    Pablo then looks up a ticket for the lottery in the question on his phone. He shows the blank ticket to Carrie:


    "This is the ticket of the lottery in the question. To play the lottery, you need to pick six digits, but can you pick the same digit more than once?" he asks her.


    "No?" Carrie answers, her tone of voice leaving traces of her insecurity.


    "So now you know where to start!" Audrey''s eyes are now turned to Carrie''s screen.


    Carrie starts multiplying what she feels are probabilities of a certain digit being on her ticket. So her worksheet shows 1/49 times 1/48, and so on until all six digits are accounted for. At the end of this stage, she checks her answer against the solution.


    "Ouch! My answer is far lower than the solution!" Carrie starts wondering what went wrong in solving the problem.


    "There are two questions you should be asking when solving probability problems with combinations. Pablo only hinted at one of the two questions, the other being whether the order of items in a combination is important. Does it matter in which order the digits are drawn?" Audrey''s patience nosedives.


    To this question, Carrie draws a blank. However, she feels like the second question would be wrong if the first one is since it''s about the expected value of playing a lottery.


    "Try to imagine how it would be to play a lottery. If you bought a lottery ticket, the receipt would show your combinations in ascending order. The question then becomes: is it important in which order the digits are drawn or not?" Pablo asks a visibly annoyed Carrie.


    "I give up..." Carrie laments.


    "It''s too early for you to give up! I''ll even show you a lottery draw! I think it will help you understand!" Audrey then starts a video of a lottery draw.


    The other two quiz bowlers in the house start watching the draw video. Then it becomes clear to everyone in the room, even the other two quiz bowlers, that it really doesn''t matter how the digits are ordered in the draw. So long as the digits in the winning combination are all drawn in the end.


    "When you draw the first ball, there''s a six over forty-nine chance that one of the numbers you play will be part of the winning combination, then five over forty-eight..." Audrey explains to her basketball teammate what it means.


    "There are intermediate prizes for those who don''t win the jackpot, but calculating the probability of winning any of these intermediate prizes is deemed too difficult for you guys over in Algebra II somehow" Gerard looks at the question his teammates are helping Carrie getting through.


    The second part of the problem is about the average per-ticket outcome incurred by people playing the lottery, given a prize structure and a table of probabilities. The jackpot''s probability is intentionally left blank.


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    Here the jackpot is $5 million, and the prize for 2/6 being a free ticket which, for the purpose of the question, is the same as winning $3. There are two sub-questions, and something doesn''t sit well with them:


    "Why is it that the second sub-question is asking for intermediate information required to answer the first sub-question?" Audrey asks the guests, her mouth wide open.


    We all had the experience, one day or another, of being asked about things that are out of logical order on assignments or tests. It seems to be the first time it happens this year in Algebra II this year, though, Pablo seems to be a little... perplexed, while he looks at Carrie trying to solve the problem.


    "Think of what is being asked as a weighted average!" Pablo tells Carrie, while Gerard and Nadine get out of the living room. "The weights of the average are the probabilities!"


    And then Carrie calculates the weighted average of lottery winnings, to the best of her ability, double-checking her calculations to ensure that she hasn''t missed anything. Once the calculations end, Carrie comes to a grim realization:


    "It seems that, on average, people win less at the lottery than they spent buying tickets!" Carrie gasps, after subtracting the $3 cost of the ticket to answer the first sub-question. "It makes me not want to play the lottery!"


    "And me neither!" Pablo quips, while he prepares a set of ACT questions in the areas of probability and statistics not covered by the long questions, along with the second long question he plans to pass off as a previous year''s test item.


    I''m not sure if dissuading us from playing the lottery is what the teacher wanted, Pablo is a little perplexed by the implications of the problem''s conclusion. However, Audrey''s dad interrupts them as they start solving the second long question, which includes a dataset of past VAs'' ACT scores.


    "I overheard you talk about lotteries. A few more things about lotteries that you might want to consider" he then talks about taxation of gambling income.


    He then talks about the tax implications of winning any sum deemed significant by the IRS, with the understanding that winning $10 or less is usually deemed insignificant for tax purposes.


    Meanwhile, Carrie receives a text message from Finn. I want you to go to the bathroom during the Algebra II test. It''s the only place at school where secret documents can be hidden without anyone noticing.


    She starts ruminating. What kind of secret documents could Finn possibly have in his possession that could be of interest to me? His parents don''t work for the government, nor in any other field where secrecy is important...


    "I think we did a lot for Carrie, I believe that we should take a break for now" Pablo sighs.


    "Yeah, I''m hungry... But I think Gerard would be a better tutor for Carrie than we would be!" Audrey can smell her parents cooking Cajun style gumbo, before turning to Gerard. "I believe you might have had some experience tutoring people in math! Maybe you should help Carrie with statistics in our stead!"


    "It''s always how it is when you''re on an academic team: people always ask you for help! But, Audrey, she knows you better than she knows me!" Gerard retorts.


    Mathletes are good at math, at least compared to their at-grade peers. However, what makes Audrey think that my knowledge of stats is enough to help Carrie get through a course intended for people two years ahead of me? Does she think that mathletics exposes me to these concepts? A confused Gerard ruminates while he feels Audrey knows, deep down, that he isn''t the best mathlete in the world, before turning to Carrie.


    "Carrie, I wonder who else you know is a mathlete. Just that, in the future, perhaps asking a different person for help might be helpful" Gerard states, matter-of-factly, how he feels about helping her.


    "Other than Myriam and you? I only heard about them by name, but no more than that!" Carrie laments, her face turning red.


    While Audrey''s parents serve 7 servings of gumbo, they take up all the space available around the dining table. Even then, space is a little tight: there aren''t enough chairs for everyone.


    "Who''s going to sit in the living room?" Audrey''s father asks the guests. "Anyone?"


    No one seems willing to eat separately from the others, so Audrey''s father resigns himself to sitting separately in the living room.


    Carrie, on the other hand, is in shock from the topics she hears around the dinner table, which are topics unrelated to basketball. And, for this reason, keeps quiet, feeling out of depth. It''s the first time these... study machines calling themselves quiz bowlers invited me for dinner! I don''t understand what they''re talking about! Finn only talked about sports and exercise with me!


    "The southern part of Livonia occupied the northern part of this country" Audrey starts reading a tossup quiz bowl question of her own writing.


    The others at the table roll their eyes as Audrey disgorges the clues, which are supposed to get easier as they are being read. First, the Singing Revolution, and then comes the clue that pushes Nadine to answer:


    "The Kurzeme Peninsula is..." Audrey keeps reading, interrupted by Nadine.


    "Latvia!" Nadine answers.


    "Fifteen"


    I was only told about Latvia yesterday, and how the star player of Livonia was Latvian; up to this point, it''s all I knew about Latvia... Carrie wonders whether quiz bowl is about that sort of obscure knowledge. I think quiz bowl is a stupid game...


    "Carrie, now you have a better idea of how quiz bowl questions feel" Audrey explains to her basketball teammate.


    "We''ll step away from the world of lotteries and into the world of... ACT scores!" Gerard announces to Carrie.


    Even though the ACT is still a year away for us, a lot of people in AP Bio are taking it, Pablo ruminates while re-reading the problem statement along with the dataset of a sample of 50 ACT scores from the past five VA classes.


    "Box-and-whiskers diagram? What''s that?" Carrie gasps, while rolling her eyes at one of the sub-questions.


    "First, start with the highest and lowest data points..." Gerard explains to her.


    "Carrie, if you dream of going to college, you will see colleges publish the middle fifty percent of admits for both GPA and ACT scores!" Audrey''s father explains to them.


    Notwithstanding that popular colleges among VAs not in the top 10% often include colleges that have automatic admission plans... Audrey''s father refers to McNeese and UL-Lafayette, but doesn''t feel like it''s a good idea to mention that to her.


    "What do the middle fifty percent have to do with a box-and-whiskers diagram?" Carrie asks.


    "The middle fifty percent are the edges of the box in a box-and-whiskers diagram!" Gerard answers her, blushing.


    "Did basketball-induced fatigue get the better of you? Especially in the past two weeks, as the race to the playoffs intensified?" Nadine asks the small forward.


    "I guess..."


    However, there''s a large number of sub-questions, four of which involve percentiles. What makes it painful to Audrey''s parents is that Carrie doesn''t seem to even remember how to use a percentile! And has to be explained that aspect of statistics pretty much from the beginning.


    And it seems like Audrey''s father adds a lot of asides about the stats aspect of college applications. Which makes even Pablo feel like a college''s admissions committee is running a lottery.


    "Woah, you''re making me feel like applying to college is going to be like playing a lottery!" Pablo yelps.


    "The colleges that actually feel like lotteries are mostly for top students!" Audrey''s father serves a cryptic warning to the quiz bowlers.

 Chapter 20: Leesville Spring Invitational

    After spending much of the night tutoring Carrie in Algebra II, Pablo and Audrey are both getting ready to go to bed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget: take it easy tomorrow, since we already earned our HSNCT berths, and also you get to play at State next month!¡± Pablo is about to kiss his girlfriend.


    ¡°Sorry if I¡¯m asking you this, but how do you feel about Carrie?¡± Audrey asks him before kissing him.


    While the kiss isn¡¯t the best kiss in the world, Pablo keeps quiet and doesn¡¯t answer his girlfriend¡¯s question about Carrie until after the kiss ends.


    ¡°I think her priorities are misplaced. I mean, she played better down the homestretch and into the playoffs, but put school on a backseat. And she was visibly happy to leave the house after she was done reviewing the math material. However, Carrie and Finn form a good couple¡± Pablo answers her.


    ¡°Before we go to sleep, could you please look at the field for tomorrow¡¯s tournament?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    One name stands out to him, since he never saw that name come up in previous quiz bowl tournaments: Livonia. However, he closes NAQT¡¯s tab after having seen the field.


    The following day, as usual for quiz bowl tournaments, they awaken early on Saturday, hastily eating breakfast, ready to endure a nearly two-hour drive through the prairies of the western Louisiana countryside to get to Leesville, well outside southwest Louisiana. And do their homework in the car. With any remaining time being devoted to reading past quiz bowl sets.


    When they arrive in Leesville, they arrive before the rest of the team, not realizing that one of the teams already in place seems to attract the attention of the other attendees.


    I knew American high schools were often omnisports club operators, but, other than academic work being in English, I was never told any more than that back in Latvia. So why did the teachers deem me a good quiz bowl fit? Aija is wondering what quiz bowl need she somehow fills for the Wildcats. In my corner of Courland, they just aren¡¯t nearly as fanatical about youth basketball clubs, which aren¡¯t operated by schools. Hockey took more social room.


    Meanwhile, a few male quiz bowlers from other teams stare at Aija because she¡¯s, well, the new girl on the block. And yet, somehow, she keeps quiet, not wanting to draw more attention than she already did.


    As the other teams arrive on-site, they quickly go through check-in and their pool assignments are released so that no school has more than one team in the same prelim pool. And seeded so there¡¯s supposed to be a balance between pools.


    ¡°Looks like we will be in separate pools for the prelims...¡± Audrey sighs, before forming up with the rest of the A-team near the room assigned to them.


    ¡°Good luck then...¡± Pablo then forms up with the B-team.


    But then, as the first round begins, the B-team is getting seated on one side of a classroom along with their opponents on the other side. As the moderator starts the first game:


    ¡°This is round one of the 2030 Leesville Spring Invitational. From Pointe-Coup¨¦e Parish, we have Livonia and, from Jefferson Davis Parish, we have Venomous Agendas B. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one: Sweden¡¯s loss of Ingria in the early stages of this war led to the relocation of the Russian capital...¡± the moderator reads, while Aija buzzes in.


    ¡°Great Northern War!¡± Aija exclaims in an accent that doesn¡¯t sound Cajun at all, more like a Scandinavian one.


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Shoot! I won¡¯t let this... Latvian bitch steal our thunder! However, if everything I heard about Aija is correct, I don¡¯t expect much from her in literature! Pablo ruminates while the bonus is a literature one, and Aija keeps quiet. And we¡¯re down forty-five points because of her! But I mustn¡¯t fool myself: it¡¯s still early.


    ¡°Tossup two: a phase of matter made up of a liquid of this property occurs in certain magnetic materials...¡± the moderator reads while the players roll their eyes.


    Everyone starts thinking about what comes next. The next clue still make the players¡¯ heads spin, especially when it pertains to its discovery in an experiment with an uneven magnetic field. As the power mark draws nearer...


    ¡°Alignment of this property in matter forms the basis of MRI...¡± Pablo then buzzes in.


    ¡°Magnetic spin!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about moneylending:¡±


    Nadine and Lilina both get one bonus part correctly apiece, and the final bonus part comes around the corner:


    ¡°In a Chapter Thirteen bankruptcy, this procedure can be used by debtors to reduce the outstanding balance of a secured loan to the fair market value of the collateral¡± the moderator reads the final part.


    ¡°Debt restructuring!¡± Pablo exclaims, in hopes of buying precious time to get to the correct answer.


    ¡°Be more specific please!¡±


    All four VA players¡¯ minds run faster as they have only 3 seconds to provide a more precise answer to what kind of debt restructuring. Because a Chapter 13 insolvency is essentially one big debt restructuring plan for individuals. Once the three seconds are up:


    ¡°C.. cramdown?¡± Pablo hesitates a bit, his body shaking while delivering what he deems to be the final answer.


    ¡°Thirty for the bonus, here¡¯s tossup three¡­¡± the moderator rules, with everyone on edge for the next question, and both sides tied.


    However, for much of the game, Livonia¡¯s lack of tournament experience has cost them, and Aija ended up scoring the Wildcats¡¯ only power. In fact, Livonia only scored a total of three tossups, the other two being scored by other players.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°And that¡¯s the game. Livonia ninety, Venomous Agendas B five hundred ten!¡± the moderator looks at the game¡¯s scoresheet, before sending it to the tournament director via email.


    How are we to earn a berth at State if we get blown out against teams like VA B? It makes me not want to imagine how playing like VA A at State would feel like¡­ Was getting Aija to play the right choice? Livonia¡¯s captain ruminates, his face down, ready to go to the next game room after the Wildcats get blown out.


    But as the rounds progress, VA B has a serious option on getting one of the top two positions of their pool, while VA A sits atop the other. Yet, for some reason, Pablo seems a little shaken as VA B goes from game to game in one part of the building.


    After three games, however, Warren harangues the B-team moments before the start of game number 4.


    ¡°You guys got three blowout wins in a row, don¡¯t go around thinking the next two games are going to be as easy as the first three games have been!¡± Warren warns the B-team before they enter the game room.


    Hard to argue with that when they played Neville and Kinder, these teams having earned a berth at State by the skin of their teeth at LQBA Fall Invitational North and South respectively. Joy: Caddo Magnet and Anacoco are the teams remaining that we have left to play, and my last game against Caddo Magnet was an overtime nightmare! Pablo shivers when he is put in to play against Caddo Magnet once again. Caddo Magnet is the remaining team that cares most about quiz bowl, they will be hungry to avenge their loss at the ESA Cade Cane Classic, which allowed us to even qualify both teams for the HSNCT.


    And this means everyone on both sides will be willing to fight tooth-and-nail to beat each other. A final before the hour to some since, to Caddo Magnet, both VA teams feel the same to play against.


    ¡°This is round four of the Leesville Spring Invitational. From Caddo Parish, we have Caddo Magnet, from Jefferson Davis Parish, we have Venomous Agendas B. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one:¡±


    And... wow. This is far tighter than the first three games played by both teams, keeping everyone on their toes. But, going into the final tossup, almost a half-hour later, VA B is 20 points behind. Everyone starts shaking, knowing that one bad move will be swiftly punished.


    ¡°Tossup number twenty: this Austrian painter...¡±


    The clues keep getting disgorged, one by one, and not even Nadine appears able to answer the tossup. Much less Pablo. How significant was his family life to his work as a painter? He starts questioning one of the clues prior to the power mark.


    ¡°Art historians believe that his use of the Nuda Veritas...¡± the moderator is interrupted as Nadine buzzes in two words after the power mark.


    ¡°Gustav Klimt!¡± a confident Nadine answers.


    ¡°Ten¡± the moderator reads the preamble to the bonus they earn.


    The Mustangs (i.e. Caddo Magnet players) start shaking in their seats, praying that VAs answer either zero or one bonus part correctly. Already that both teams are virtually assured of finishing either first or second in the pool, both sides think only of the here and now.


    Yet, the VAs drew a blank on the first bonus part. When the second bonus part is read:


    ¡°Chemical reactions giving rise to a loss of enthalpy give off this kind of energy¡± the moderator reads and Gerard answers immediately after the end.


    ¡°Heat!¡±


    ¡°Thermal energy is caused by this type of motion..."


    And the game boils down to the final bonus part; everyone shakes in their seats, with several players¡¯ heart rates rising. The Mustangs keep praying while the final bonus part is read.


    ¡°Vibration!¡± Gerard answers the last bonus.


    ¡°Twenty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Caddo Magnet two hundred ninety-five, Venomous Agendas B three hundred five!¡±


    Half an hour later, both VA teams sit atop their respective prelim pools. Pablo rushes towards Audrey as they try to get lunch:


    ¡°Try to guess against whom I played¡± Pablo asks Audrey, while leaning a little on her.


    ¡°You played against a lot of different opponents this season, so there isn¡¯t much that can really surprise me with in-state opponents¡± Audrey answers.


    ¡°Aija; she sounded very different from other female quiz bowlers I played against this year, probably some exchange student¡±


    From what little I heard about foreign exchange students, often exchange students are high achievers, among whom quiz bowlers are regularly drawn. But Livonia playing quiz bowl? I know nothing about Livonia other than Aija plays for them and we¡¯re playing hoops against them on Monday, Audrey then brings herself to look at the tournament¡¯s preliminary stats on the Quiz Bowl Resource Center. So not only Aija is their best basketball player, she seems to be their best quiz bowler, too, albeit on a very inexperienced team, more or less like a Latvian version of myself, Audrey ruminates while she lets the implications of Aija playing quiz bowl sink in. If, by some miracle, Livonia earns a berth for State, despite posting a 2-3 prelim record.


    However, going into the playoffs, the last round of VA B is played against LSMSA, and both teams go into it with a 1-1 playoff record.


    ¡°We might have beaten LSMSA at the ESA Cade Cane Classic, we can do so again here. Just focus on the questions and we¡¯re going to be fine!¡± Pablo harangues his teammates going into the game.


    Once again, they find themselves in a situation where VA B are trailing with one tossup to go, by 30 points this time. By then VA B awaits the final tossup.


    ¡°Final tossup: The titular character of this play disrupts the Pope¡¯s banquet by stealing food and boxing the pope¡¯s ears¡± the moderator starts reading the tossup.


    As the clues keep getting disgorged, both sides appear on the fence for buzzing in. Why would someone disrupt the Pope¡¯s banquet that way? A Protestant perhaps? This seems a bit old for the clergy¡¯s child abuse to rear its ugly head, questions pop in Pablo¡¯s mind.


    ¡°In the early stages of the play, the lead¡¯s dissatisfaction with his quest for knowledge led him to turn to dark magic¡± the moderator gets interrupted as Nadine and LSMSA¡¯s literature player are locked into a buzzer race.


    At this point, they both press the buzzer. However, Nadine is beaten by a split-second. When LSMSA¡¯s literature player wins the buzzer race, after both players sweating in an attempt to get the answer faster than the other, all VA players start being on edge, hoping for a neg five on the Eagles¡¯ (i.e. LSMSA¡¯s) part. Pablo crosses his fingers¡­


    ¡°Doctor Faustus!¡± the Eagle literature player answers.


    ¡°Ten¡± the moderator rules.


    ¡°We skip the entire bonus¡± the Eagles¡¯ special topics player announces.


    Damn it! I lost us the game! Nadine bangs her head on the table after losing this buzzer race for a few seconds. As the scoresheet is being compiled¡­ It¡¯s not the first time we lose a game on the last tossup, she sighs, while the moderator reads the scoresheet.


    ¡°And that¡¯s the game, LSMSA three hundred twenty, Venomous Agendas B two hundred eighty¡±


    Oof¡­ during the awards ceremony, as trophies are handed out to the winners, VA A, and the runners-up, LSMSA, the tournament director announces the following:


    ¡°Congratulations to the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts for earning its first HSNCT berth in almost twenty years! Also, honorable mention to Livonia for having earned a berth to the state championship at its first tournament! Finally, the Wampus Cats (i.e. Leesville) also earned a berth at the quiz bowl state championship!¡±


    I guess, if Kinder and Neville can somehow qualify for State, while fielding horrendous quiz bowl teams, we can, too. Just playing at State means a lot to us, with or without Aija, Livonia¡¯s quiz bowl captain reflects on his experience of playing at Leesville, with Leesville also posting a 2-3 preliminary record.


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I have been faster on the buzzer?¡± Nadine starts crying.


    ¡°That¡¯s OK, we can¡¯t win all the time, we already secured our HSNCT berth last month¡± Pablo tries to console Nadine.

 Chapter 21: Cheating Off the Toilet

    On Monday morning, while Pablo comes to school to undergo strength training, he comes across Ethan, alongside a few other football teammates:


    ¡°Ethan, it¡¯s time. On Friday afternoon, you agreed to have our answers to the long questions run by Nadine and her quiz bowler friends on Sunday¡± Pablo asks the strong safety.


    ¡°Nadine forwarded our answers to Gerard, who then told me that you helped Carrie solve these problems!¡± Ethan is about to scold Pablo. ¡°Why did you help Carrie with these problems?¡±


    ¡°Audrey made me do this, and passed these off as previous years¡¯ test items! Audrey and Carrie are both on the basketball team, and Audrey was seemingly the go-to for her to ask for academic help after-hours!¡± Pablo starts feeling like he¡¯s accused of crimes.


    ¡°But yes, we have their blessing to put the answers in the toilets¡± Ethan goes to the library to print three copies of the Algebra II test answers, multiple-choice and long-answer.


    After he prints the copies of the test answers, he folds the papers and places one copy each behind a toilet bowl in the boys¡¯ bathroom and, later, the disabled¡¯s bathroom. Which has a single bowl, complete with all the trappings reserved for disabled¡¯s bathrooms.


    However, after leaving the disabled¡¯s bathroom, Ethan has some concerns in mind. I wonder if Nadine will happily plant a copy of answers into the girls¡¯ bathroom, since, even with a hall pass, I can¡¯t bank on the girls¡¯ bathroom being empty while the test is underway. Nor can I bank on any of my teammates¡¯ girlfriends being willing to do so. And Audrey doesn¡¯t hit me as someone who would do it, nor would Nadine. Maybe I should just ask my friends in that section to use the disabled¡¯s bathroom during the test, regardless of gender.


    But then Ethan goes around to ask other footballers in Algebra II on mobile, other than Finn or Pablo. Most of them being in the weight room, Pablo quickly overhears his teammates receiving the request from Ethan for help planting the third copy of the Algebra II test.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough that you and your girlfriend helped mine review for this stupid Algebra II test! Ethan had the gall to ask for help to plant the answers in the girls¡¯ bathroom!¡± an angry Finn yells at Pablo, with his face turning red, ready to get at his throat.


    ¡°Please, stop, you two!¡± Virginie, a female user of the weight room, implores Finn and Pablo, her left eye on Finn.


    Virginie makes Finn realize that he has been disruptive towards other users of the weight room. All three leave the weight room and meet outside that room after putting their regular clothes back.


    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll stop, but on one condition: if you can please hide this paper in the girls¡¯ bathroom¡­¡± Finn begs Virginie, hoping that she will accept to hide an exam answer key somewhere inside the girls¡¯ bathroom.


    ¡°If it¡¯s what it takes for you to stop yelling¡­¡± Virginie sighs, while yanking the manifest of Algebra II answers away from Finn.


    Who is she? It seems like Finn knows her, but she¡¯s neither a quiz bowler, nor a basketball player, since I never saw her at basketball games, Pablo ruminates, while wondering who she is, and how Finn came to know her.


    ¡°I wonder who she is¡­ probably someone else¡¯s girlfriend I never interacted with much¡± Pablo asks his teammate after the quarrel over planting answers to a test in the bathroom.


    ¡°Virginie. Valter¡¯s girlfriend, a year older than him¡± Finn then gives one last set of instructions to his Algebra II friends over social media on mobile about when to go to the bathroom and in which toilet stall.


    As the bell rings, and people go to their respective classes, Pablo wonders why is it that Ethan seemingly trusted Nadine for reviewing answers to long-answer math questions over Virginie. My guess is that Virginie is only a little better at math than Carrie. Nadine, while, in quiz bowl, is mostly an arts and literature player, is likely accelerated in math, too, just not in my Algebra II section if she¡¯s taking it.


    However, this time around, the morning announcement about the Leesville Spring Invitational is delivered by Scott, playing on the A-team:


    ¡°On Saturday, the Venomous Agendas¡¯ quiz bowl A-team won the Leesville Spring Invitational, while the B-team took third!¡±


    In Nadine¡¯s Algebra II section, which is going first for the day, she feels pressured to sit in the front row, but to avoid the corners. And she feels nervous since she knows a lot of other people will take seats based on where the handful few at the top will sit. And certainly Finn and Carrie, who would rather be seated next to each other, even in tests.


    ¡°The test begins now¡± the Algebra II teacher signals the start of the test.


    While Finn is burning with a desire of wanting to get the test over with, the same holds of a great many students in the section. Yet, somehow, for all the time he spent over the weekend studying for not only this test, but also the ACT, the defensive end starts having intensifying headaches only a few minutes in.


    His hand raised, he asks to go to the bathroom, hoping that the teacher will give him a hall pass so that he can go out and read the solutions that his teammates lovingly crafted on Friday afternoon for the benefit of the sections taking the test today.


    ¡°I need to go to the bathroom, please¡± he tells the teacher when the teacher comes to him a few minutes in.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your hall pass¡± The teacher hands him the hall pass, without suspecting that Finn supplements an actual need with cheating off a document planted in the bathroom.


    While Finn goes to the boys¡¯ bathroom, he tries to remember in which toilet stall Ethan planted the answer key. He frantically looks behind and underneath each toilet bowl for what could potentially look like a folded answer key. I really hope that a glimpse of the answers is enough for me because I think I shouldn¡¯t spend too long in the bathroom¡­ his stress levels start increasing.


    But when he finally locates the answer key Ethan hid underneath the far stall¡¯s toilet bowl, the defensive end sighs, while gazing the answer key for the first time. And, at the same time, taking a dump.


    Speaking of which, he feels like he only has the time it takes to take his dump to read as much as he can of the answer key to then put it back for future use by his friends and other interested parties. I need to read this carefully but as soon as this dump ends, I need to put it back, Finn thinks, while he reads the step-by-step solutions to the long problems as well as the answer choices for the multiple-choice questions.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    And, upon returning to the classroom, Finn hands over the hall pass. When he¡¯s seated again, he tries to copy down what he read in the bathroom stall, with the lottery question being done just fine.


    Meanwhile, another student leaves for the bathroom. However, since there is only one hall pass for the whole section, not everyone can go to the bathroom to get their hands on the solution.


    What¡¯s going on here? In past tests for any other course, people didn¡¯t use the hall pass as a relay baton the way people do now, Nadine seems puzzled by what seems to happen in this test, even though she has complete confidence in her answers. And not simply because Ethan made her, and her friends, run their solutions through them under the guise of ¡°previous years¡¯ questions¡±. Either the teacher simply re-used a previous teacher¡¯s long-answer questions, although not necessarily from the same previous year, or Ethan made me complicit in cheating without realizing it. Not sure what to think of that¡­


    Then comes Carrie¡¯s turn to go to the bathroom. Her turn comes later than she would have liked, but Carrie makes her turn to the bathroom quick since she only urinated without doing much with the answer key Virginie planted in the bathroom. Just glance at it quickly, but she feels relief that she still remembered how to solve the problems given to her on Friday night.


    It¡¯s then that, with the classroom steadily emptying of students who finish the test before the end of the scheduled time, Nadine leaves the room to go to the library.


    By the end of the first period, however, Nadine meets Ethan and doesn¡¯t seem very happy with the goings-on in Algebra II. Her face is glowing red¡­


    ¡°Ethan, something¡¯s not right. You made me and my friends double-check your answers to review problems, which you claimed were questions from previous years¡¯ tests! Yet these are too similar to the ones in today¡¯s test!¡± Nadine yells at and confronts her boyfriend.


    ¡°Honey, it¡¯s perfectly normal to look at previous years¡¯ tests to study for a test. I think you might have done so yourself, albeit for other courses!¡± Ethan retorts.


    ¡°For some reason, there seems to be a lot more people going to the bathroom today than in past Algebra II tests! Did people suddenly become more aware of their bodily needs? Has air quality changed from Friday?¡± Nadine keeps yelling, feeling that Ethan might have a ready-made excuse.


    ¡°Are you implying that I made you cheat? If so, Nadine, it¡¯s probably the hidden pressures of your academic performance eating you alive!¡± Ethan


    ¡°I was in no way implying that I am cheating on you, much less that you made me cheat on you. However, people wanting to cheat off me is nothing new to me, even before the B team earned a HSNCT berth! It just doesn¡¯t feel the same as previous attempts to cheat off me!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Pablo asks his teammates after hearing them argue in the distance over the math test Nadine just took.


    ¡°Nadine believes that I caused others in her Algebra II section to go to the bathroom to cheat on the test!¡± Ethan summarizes the core issue, while looking embarrassed to admit it.


    ¡°I get it, there¡¯s something fishy going on, and it might not be okay, but remember that our opponents, football or quiz bowl, also cheat on coursework, just not necessarily at the same rates, and not the same either!¡± Pablo warns the couple.


    I hear about some people at other schools having their teachers offer them exclusive extra credit assignments, but even that pales in comparison to the rumors I heard floating around some of the football opponents we played this season. Some of them even have their teachers alter grades so their star players can remain eligible to play. If that¡¯s not cheating, I don¡¯t know what that is, Pablo is painfully reminded of his own role in the creation of the answer key in the bathrooms. However, I can¡¯t report Ethan or Nadine because I don¡¯t have the necessary evidence to do so.


    All three then walk away from each other, feeling like it will degenerate if allowed to continue. He then returns to Audrey, bewildered by what this fight between Ethan and Nadine revealed to him about the study session on Friday afternoon:


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that Ethan made me supply cheating. Indirectly perhaps, but I guess, I¡¯m not cut out to be a cheating supplier!¡±


    ¡°You had three months to get used to paying the implicit costs of playing quiz bowl! And you probably know as well as I do that, in schools like ours, being a quiz bowler, irrespective of how well you play quiz bowl, means people asking you for help, and even cheat, all the time!¡± Audrey scolds him.


    ¡°And yet everything began when I helped my football teammates study for this test! I guess, one of my teammates secretly turned this into cheating! However, I have no other proof!¡±


    ¡°But enough of cheating. Do you plan on coming to the game tonight?¡± Audrey asks him, before going to take the Algebra II test herself.


    ¡°Yes, and good luck on the test!¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡± Audrey then kisses Pablo before packing up her Algebra II supplies.


    The two go their separate ways, and both Ethan and Audrey go take their Algebra II test. The latter sits in front, as per usual in tests.


    Normally, Valter sits in the back row, but for this test, he is seated on Audrey¡¯s right, on the front row, hoping that he would be able to cheat off her whenever the teacher is busy with another student in another row.


    Ethan, however, sits behind Audrey, and on her left, hoping that she won¡¯t notice him peeking on her copy while he waits for his turn to get out of the classroom.


    However, this time around, it¡¯s Valter who goes to the bathroom first, while Ethan appears to wait until Valter is done using the answer key in the boys¡¯ bathroom before asking for the section¡¯s hall pass, his hand raised.


    ¡°Sir, may I go to the bathroom?¡± Ethan asks the teacher.


    ¡°Yes¡± The teacher hands the hall pass to him, without realizing that Ethan has other aims.


    My bladder is filling up dangerously, Ethan thinks, hall pass in hand, and trying to keep his bladder in check until he can get to a bathroom. There¡¯s no telling whether I should go to the boys¡¯ bathroom, which is closer, but the copy will be a little crumpled, dog-eared even, or to the disabled¡¯s bathroom, whose copy will be pristine, he keeps ruminating while his abdominal cramps intensify as he closes in on the bathroom.


    He groans in pain at every step, making it clear that something isn¡¯t right with him, and rushing towards the boys¡¯ bathroom as if he had to prevent an opposing tight end from getting to the ball.


    Once in the bathroom, he dashes to the far stall, urinates and he then feels some pain relief. Not perfect though, as he searches for the answer key either underneath or behind the toilet bowl. Which he finds covered in dust and less legible than he would have liked.


    And he then puts the answer key back where it was, before he goes out to wash his hands, dry them and hit the disabled washroom to put his mind at ease about the long-answer questions. Because the dog-eared parts of the football team¡¯s artisanal answer key were in these parts, at least as far as the copy in the boys¡¯ washroom is concerned.


    I don¡¯t care about others¡¯ grades, so long as I keep my grades up and play next season! Ethan ruminates upon reading the pristine answer key, left where he put it earlier this morning and devoid of any traces of dirt or dust. But I mustn¡¯t dally too long here; I might be denying someone else a trip to the bathroom!


    However, he focuses on the long answer questions because he feels confident enough about the multiple-choice questions not to fret over them. So as he feels the clock ticking in on him, he, once again, puts back the artisanal answer key behind the disabled washroom¡¯s toilet bowl.


    Meanwhile, most students in the Algebra II classroom are oblivious to what Ethan is doing with the hall pass. However, that doesn¡¯t prevent the teacher from wondering what was going on in the washroom. And yet, he makes his triumphal return, with the answers from their artisanal answer key ready to be written down on his copy.


    And a few more people end up using the bathroom beyond Valter and Ethan, but Audrey still isn¡¯t convinced that any of them went to the bathroom to cheat on that test. However, she feels confident that she did just fine on her own; after all, she did tutor Carrie on Friday night.

 Chapter 22: Ballistae, Carriers and the Courland Basket

    As the visitors for tonight, the Wildcats'' girls basketball team leaves Livonia in a bus along with supporters drawn from players'' families, which includes Aija''s host family.


    In Courland, sports played no role in social life at school. Here, especially given what I accomplished for the school in the past few days, I was the center of attention, because I was the Wildcats'' best player in quiz bowl and, more importantly, in basketball. I guess, I wasn''t prepared for this in the slightest, Aija reflects on how playing her best basketball game as a Wildcat during the first round of the state tournament made her grasp the differences between her school life in Pointe-Coup¨¦e Parish vs in her hometown in Courland.


    "The Venomous Agendas appear to have a stronger front court than back court. It appears our only hope is to force the opponent to commit fouls because we can''t take for granted that Aija will be able to repeat her performance of last Thursday" the Wildcats'' coach harangues the players in the bus.


    "That''s easier said than done, coach; Aija can''t do everything on this team!" the Wildcats'' starting point guard retorts.


    "Yeah, we must protect Aija when we are on the offense, and keep our passing, as well as shooting options open!" the Wildcats'' second-string small forward adds.


    "The Venomous Agendas crushed us in quiz bowl, we must prevent that from happening on the court!" a sibling of a Wildcats player adds.


    "Don''t need to remind me!" an irritated Aija yells in the direction of that supporter.


    Meanwhile, in Jennings, as VA''s band takes up positions in the fieldhouse, several early birds also get seated in the student section, including Nadine, Finn, Valter and, of course, Pablo. As well as George, Lilina and a handful of others, most of whom wear the purple-and-green. The student section is, simply put, packed.


    In the VAs'' locker room, however, the tension in the atmosphere increases as the players get dressed in white and purple as the home team.


    "Let''s show these Latvians that we mean business on the court tonight!" Carrie tries to encourage the VAs'' players.


    "Carrie, until proven otherwise, there''s only one Latvian playing against us tonight; everyone else on the Wildcats is a bona fide Louisiana resident!" Audrey points out to her teammates.


    "You were the one who told me about how Livonia was connected to Latvia to begin with! And you did so in some sort of question with seemingly obscure facts about Latvia!" Carrie shows her lack of understanding of quiz bowl.


    "We''re not talking about the same Livonia at all! Just because their best player, the one we need to always screen, is Latvian, doesn''t mean the rest of the team is Latvian, too!"


    "Our opponents will be hungry. And they will be the underdogs, but please... don''t underestimate their other players! They will think that we act as if they are nothing without Aija!" Kent warns his players. "That line of thinking sank Minden!"


    "Which means we''ll have to force the other opposing players into shooting three-pointers!" Heather seems to have a flash.


    But when the VAs emerge from the locker room, the band starts performing the fight song, and the crowd comes out in force. And the student section seems to be the noisiest part of the fieldhouse. The principal stands at center court, while the players are on their benches:


    "Welcome to the second round of the 2030 Division II Non-Select LHSAA girls'' basketball state tournament, pitting the twenty-seven seed Livonia Wildcats against the eleven seed Venomous Agendas!" the principal announces the contestants. "Now, for the national anthem, sung by Heather Campbell!"


    Heather then gets to the principal, who hands over the mic to her. As she sings the national anthem, the game is about to start, with both teams taking up positions for the initial face-off at center court.


    With Heather and Aija fighting over the ball when the referee throws the ball in the air, the VAs start the game on the defensive, forcing Heather to screen Aija and draw her away from the two-point zone. However, Aija sees an opening to pass the ball to the point guard. Which pushes Carrie to leap forward to attempt intercepting the ball in mid-air.


    "Come on, Carrie, do more than just being a ball carrier!" Finn hollers in Carrie''s direction.


    As Carrie, well, carries the ball to the offensive zone, she passes the ball to Audrey, who shoots the ball upon receipt. The ball hits the backboard...


    "Ballista! Ballista!" Pablo hollers in Audrey''s direction while the ball approaches the hoop.


    "Woohoo! The VAs scored the first two points of the game!" Ethan exclaims.


    But then the Wildcats run across the court, with Aija dribbling all the way to center court. Heather seems to block Aija''s way forward, Taylor is covering the opposite shooting guard, and so on... Left with no choice, Aija then throws the ball from center court, in hopes of scoring a three-pointer.


    VA fans watch the ball while their favorites dash towards the basket, in hopes of catching the ball in its descent. And, as it looks like the ball is about to get into the hoop, the Wildcats fans in attendance, wearing green and yellow, start hollering all over the place. And without any coherence.


    "Latvija! Latvija!" the mother of Aija''s host family hollers, in Latvian, albeit with a Cajun accent, as the Wildcats score their first three points of the game.


    "What does Latvija even mean?" Virginie asks her, raising her eyebrows while seated behind the Livonia supporter wearing wine red.


    "Latvia in Latvian. However, it''s the only word I know in Latvian"


    The game continues as Carrie runs and dribbles the ball down the court at full speed. But she feels forced to pass the ball rather than to shoot it because Aija is blocking her "line of fire". With feints, she manages to confuse the opposing small forward and the point guard.


    "Earlier this season, Carrie was good at one thing: carrying the ball! Now she has improved her game in other areas!" Tyler comments as Heather receives the ball from Carrie.


    And Pablo watches, in front of Tyler, Heather shoot the ball while the opposing players vacate the area around their hoop. Audrey told me about how today''s opponents have no depth, yet they seem prepared to go back on the offense regardless of whether Heather scores, Pablo starts thinking as Heather throws the ball for a field goal attempt.


    Carrie and Heather are in position to catch the rebound if the latter fails to score, but the other three seem to prefer containing the Wildcats'' forward movements.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Now that the VAs are up 4-3, they are made to feel like they must fight tooth and nail for a bit. That they need to make every block or steal count. Or provoke fumbles (or the basketball equivalent of such) from their opponents if possible.


    And yet, Carrie, who, for a while, mostly carried and passed the ball, finds herself in a situation where Aija appears to force her to take the shot, a little behind the three-point line.


    "Carrier, launch the aircraft!" Finn yells at Carrie as if he was an admiral in an aircraft carrier''s CIC.


    "Carrier? Who do you refer to as Carrier?" Dayton asks Finn, furrowing an eyebrow.


    "I never saw you call Carrie, well, Carrier, even at basketball games!" Pablo points out as Carrier leaps, ball in hand.


    Carrie, feeling the clock ticking on her, pretends to pass the ball to a phantom player at the hoop, but is really shooting at it. And the resulting shot barely clears Aija''s hands...


    "Looks like the Courland Basket failed to catch the ball!" a nearby Wildcat supporter quips, which Pablo overhears.


    And, as the ball travels to the hoop, it takes its sweet time to enter it. In a downward spiral, which makes it slower to enter the hoop than Carrie would have liked. She stands ready to get the rebound, but swiftly moves away from the hoop when 3 more points are added to the VAs'' score, putting them in the lead by this amount. Once the Wildcats are in possession of the ball...


    "The Courland Basket? Is that how you guys over in Livonia refer to Aija?" Pablo asks the Wildcat supporter.


    "Aija does come from Courland... but she never seemed to talk about her life in Courland much after she was formally introduced to Livonia High''s community!"


    Taylor ends up forcing the steal from one of the Wildcats'' supporting players, and they go on the offense once more. After a few seconds of dribbling the ball, she shoots and... narrowly misses, at which point Virginie signals the end of the first quarter by blowing into her trumpet.


    The VA players gossip on the bench at the end of the first quarter:


    "Courland Basket? How did Aija go from being The Latvian to The Courland Basket?" Heather is bewildered by such a rapid change in nickname, especially since she heard the words Courland Basket late in the first quarter. "Audrey, can you tell me if Courland has any relationship to Latvia?"


    "Yes. Courland is a region in western Latvia, so the Wildcats got more specific!"


    "And Finn even called me Carrier!" Carrie exclaims, and then shrugs.


    The question being: where does she fit in Courland''s basketball circuit? I knew only that, elsewhere in the world, youth sports were handled by out-of-school clubs, but no more than that, Audrey muses while the coach disburses some platitudes and other hackneyed words about keeping up the effort in the rest of the game. About a 3-point lead being fragile.


    But, if teams are evenly matched, a basketball game will often come down to the last two minutes. And the last two minutes would then feature the most exciting basketball of the game.


    And yet, Livonia''s supporting players stepped up to the plate during the second and third quarters, keeping the game close. Of course, at half-time, some students changed seats, so Pablo''s fellow quiz bowlers, along with their love interests, are back to being seated together.


    "Nadine, if we win tonight, all remaining games will be played on the road, so no matter what happens, enjoy the remainder of the game!" Pablo tells his quiz bowl teammate.


    "We win, and we''ll then play a higher-seeded team. Not necessarily the highest seed, but the lowest seed still in play, outside of Livonia, is Pearl River" Nadine tells her.


    "And it''s not looking good for teams seeded lower than us right now... We are the closest to winning among all teams with double-digit seeds!" Ethan tells them. "Realistically, it''s going to be Wossman or Albany, and the next-closest to winning is Pearl River! No other double-digit seed still in play has any real chance to win..."


    And, going into the last ten seconds of the game, the Venomous Agendas are trailing by a mere two points. As Carrie dashes through the court, she feels the Wildcats, led by Aija, breathing down her neck. Not to mention the clock ticking on the VAs to score the final two points. She tries to evade the opposing players and that brings her close to the hoop. Close enough for her to lay up and throw the ball in mid-air a split-second before the end of the quarter.


    As Virginie rings the signal for the end of the final quarter, the ball is approaching the hoop. And... Carrie kept the VAs alive and into overtime. The home crowd goes crazy.


    "Is that a team without depth? They managed to force an overtime on the VAs!" Pablo seems a little bewildered by how the other players played better than he expected.


    "And... Pearl River lost, forty-nine to forty-five!" Ethan sighs.


    "Yeah, I get it, it means we will play Wossman on Thursday if we win tonight..." Lilina sighs upon hearing about the implications of Pearl River losing.


    Stay strong, Audrey, four more minutes and this game will end. If Aija can be beaten, of course, Pablo ruminates while both teams drink cold drinks. And feel hungry, as well as tired, too. Thirty-two minutes of intense basketball play have drained both teams. Just before the overtime begins:


    "This feels... unreal! Overtime in the playoffs! The good news is that Aija is in fouling trouble: what we have to do is provoke a foul from her!" Kent explains what the plan for overtime is.


    "If I may, she only seems to eat fouls when she either tries to steal the ball or we try to do so!" Charlotte points out.


    "Venomous! Agendas!" the crowd starts chanting when the time to resume play arrives.


    Ethan, rather than watching the game, watches a clip from the Pearl River game on his phone, and more specifically a spectacular three-pointer from almost the entire court by Pearl River''s Chinese exchange student.


    Three minutes into the overtime period, both teams are back to square one, only with six more points each. Audrey attempts a field goal, and, as Aija attempts to block it, Audrey takes an elbow hit, causing the referee to blow the whistle. And call a foul on Aija as the field goal succeeds nonetheless.


    "Ouch... This couldn''t have come at a worse time!" the Wildcats'' coach asks for a timeout.


    While the Wildcats need to rethink their gameplan because Aija has fouled out of the game, the VAs get much-needed rest before Audrey gets her free throw. Speaking of free throws...


    "Ballista! Now that the Courland Basket is pierced, the game is now yours to win!" Pablo tells in her direction.


    With Audrey missing the free throw, play resumes for the final minute of the game, where the opponent feels the pressure to score. However, without Aija, the Wildcats play much more sloppily on the defensive. Which leads to the VAs scoring four more points, for a total lead of six points.


    "And the Venomous Agendas win this game, sixty-nine to sixty-three! The quarterfinals game will be held at Wossman on Thursday!" the principal announces to the crowd, who goes crazy upon hearing it.


    "Woohoo! The VAs advance!" Lilina exclaims while Tyler and Virginie play the fight song behind them.


    However, rather than Pablo kissing Audrey at center court, Finn kisses Carrie with the whole crowd looking at them.


    "Bravo Carrie, it was your best game all season!" Finn tells her before she goes to the locker room.


    "Thank you!"


    The VAs return to their locker room, where they''re treated to a brief overview of what to expect from Wossman based on clips from earlier tonight.


    "We might be able to win against Wossman but we will have to be quick on the ball. You struggled to contain Aija tonight, and, while the other Wildcats did play better than in the regular season, Wossman is known for making fouls a core part of their strategy!" Kent debriefs the team. "At this level, talent isn''t enough anymore; we need strategy and coordination!"


    "Yeah, that did Minden in, and the playoffs sure are a different game!" Heather exclaims.


    However, the heartbroken Wildcats return to Livonia, their heads held high. They never expected to make it past the first round, so being the lowest seed to advance this year already means a lot to them. I guess, I will study more for the quiz bowl state championship during the next few weeks. I have a pretty good idea of what to expect there, based on playing the best teams at Leesville, Aija ruminates while returning to the visitors'' locker room. VA played much like these Lithuanian basketball teams, and Lithuania isn''t far from my home in south-eastern Courland!


    A tired Audrey meets with Pablo at the locker room''s exit.


    "That three-pointer in the third quarter! That''s your best three-pointer of the season, and the only one like it I saw was on a clip from Pearl River!" Pablo is about to kiss her.


    "Pearl River! We lost against them early this season because of a buzzer-beating three-pointer!" The mention of Pearl River triggers unpleasant memories in Audrey. "However, I''ll grant you that particular buzzer-beater against us was worthy of a clip!"


    The unpleasantness of the memories of that game against Pearl River fades from her mind when the kiss begins. If Pablo thinks I can score three-pointers like Huiling, that Chinese player for Pearl River the Rebels'' fanbase call the Chinese Bridge... I''m going to need it against Wossman, even though Huiling was good at one and only one thing: scoring three-pointers.

 Chapter 23: In the Hoops’ Shadow

    After this overtime win over Livonia, everyone in town starts believing the VAs can win it all this year around. That VA can be a Cinderella team.


    The following day, at school, boyfriends of VA basketball players come to him, and talk about the game.


    ¡°So the end of the fourth quarter is some of the most spectacular basketball I have seen in my life!¡± Tyler comments on the game.


    ¡°While playoffs get the best game out of everyone, I am a little concerned about the team. We won by close margins, while Wossman had to use a running clock in the last two quarters!¡± Cora¡¯s boyfriend points out.


    More specifically, Wossman got to a 35-point lead late in the third quarter. What makes Tyler think that VA can win against Wossman? Cora¡¯s boyfriend ruminates, while Pablo comments on what he thinks is necessary.


    ¡°At the very least, Audrey has three days to get better at three-pointers; I feel like, if she can become as good as Huiling in that area, or as close to that as possible in three days, we might have a chance. Wossman thinks we need to get close to the hoop to score!¡± Pablo pitches in.


    ¡°Huiling? Who the hell is Huiling?¡± Finn raises an eyebrow upon hearing Huiling. ¡°Carrie never told me about her!¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t play for the VAs, but she¡¯s the best at three-pointers I heard about! Here¡¯s the clip of the three-pointer she scored against us as a buzzer beater!¡± Pablo shows the other three the clip of the three-pointer in question.


    Which, like the clip Ethan showed him from last night, shows a three-pointer from almost across the court. With one second to go, Huiling released the ball and the Pearl River home crowd went crazy after the buzzer rang.


    ¡°I heard you talk about three-pointers! It seems like we rely too much on closing in on to the hoop! Or, at the very least, I do. However, I didn¡¯t realize it until after the game ended!¡± Audrey points out.


    ¡°If anything, Carrie is the one who can improve her three-pointers most. I¡¯m not saying that she can get as good as... Huiling at three-pointers in just three days, but if she improves on that, she will become less predictable! Aija seemed to focus a lot on Carrie last night!¡± Finn tells Audrey, while about to lose his temper.


    ¡°But yes, VA can go all the way!¡± Pablo then tells Audrey about how he feels about the basketball team.


    ¡°One last thing: from here on out, we¡¯ll play on the road. Whether you will be able to make the trip to Monroe will depend on the bus the parish will use¡± Audrey warns her love interest.


    I wonder whether my parents will want to finish work early, I will ask them after the basketball practice, Audrey muses while she has a better idea of what kind of plays she wants the team to practice before the big game against Wossman.


    So, while, generally, the town is in good spirits, teachers even tweaked tests to take advantage of the basketball frenzy, which they know won¡¯t last. Much like in Pablo¡¯s English class, where it seems like the test contains some items related to basketball and its history. Only a handful, sure, with one question or two each, but still¡­


    I wonder if the teacher made last-minute changes to the test; it definitely feels a little rushed, and it doesn¡¯t take a Nadine to see that tacking on test items like this makes it feel worse than quiz bowl packets! Already that quiz bowl packets jump from pillar to post! Pablo seems to feel like the test items are a little off compared to past tests from that course. That, even though the format of the items tend to mimic items on the ACT, either in English or in reading.


    And, of course, one of the reading passages relate to the material covered prior to the state tournament. But that¡¯s only the first part of the test: the second part of the test is an essay question about the overemphasis of sports in high school. They have 40 minutes to write what essay they can.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Why does the teacher have us question whether sports take up too much room in school life now? Why do so in the middle of a time where our sports teams actually accomplish something, especially where our opponents tend to cut corners to girls¡¯ sports first when money is short? Pablo ruminates when he tries to formulate a coherent response to the prompt about overemphasis on sports in high school. However, I don¡¯t think the time is right to talk about that with Audrey; I might hurt her feelings!


    Predictably, a lot of students tended to talk about how sports can often be the focal point of a community¡¯s life. With a twist in VA-land that quiz bowl or mathletics can generate local fervor, too. At the end of the test¡­


    ¡°For those among you who play sports, athletic glory doesn¡¯t last forever! Actually, extracurricular glory in general!¡± the English teacher warns the students. ¡°We might be riding a high now, until at least Thursday night, so enjoy it while it lasts!¡±


    ¡°For once that the academic teams don¡¯t get all the glory! During all these years, it seemed to be about mathletics, debate or quiz bowl! Especially quiz bowl lately!¡± Pablo explains himself.


    ¡°We on band faithfully provide some of our own to perform at every athletic contest played here, but we play second fiddle to the athletes!¡± a second-string violinist retorts. ¡°Arts get a weekend under the spotlight every semester, but we don¡¯t pursue arts competitively!¡±


    And those not familiar with the realities of playing on band don¡¯t realize that even second-string, or section, musicians have it rough, too, the second-string violinist ruminates before leaving the classroom.


    However, on Wednesday afternoon, after the basketball practice, where they practiced plays they didn¡¯t do much earlier in the season, Carrie receives a notification about Algebra II while in the locker room. Her body shakes a little bit, especially since she got help to study for it from within the team.


    ¡°The moment of truth: our grades for the latest Algebra II test!¡± Carrie checks her grade book for the result.


    All players taking Algebra II open their grade books on their cell phones. While Audrey, unsurprisingly, got a perfect grade, the other players taking the course, well...


    ¡°Woohoo! My first A in a math test for the year!¡± Carrie jumps for joy, almost as if she is doing a lay-up, not realizing that she cheated.


    ¡°Eighty-two percent for me!¡± Heather announces to the other two. ¡°However, I took the test on Friday¡±


    ¡°Heather, do you know who to ask for help? The season will end, sooner or later, and we¡¯ll go back to being ordinary students once the season ends!¡± Audrey warns her teammates about the rest of the year.


    ¡°I was more focused on studying for the ACT!¡± Heather retorts.


    ¡°Can you just stay strong for one more day? Please?¡± Charlotte pleads with the three, about to cry.


    The three players freeze in place, and then they know there¡¯s one big game left to play at a minimum. However, Audrey¡¯s right. Even if we won against Wossman and the next game after that... the season will end next week at the latest, Charlotte thinks.


    ¡°Looks like Wossman sold out the game and we aren¡¯t going to get anyone in!¡± Kent announces to the team. ¡°This means we¡¯ll ask for a minibus from the parish to get from and to the game in Monroe¡±


    ¡°Oh crap...¡± Audrey sighs, realizing that she can¡¯t bring Pablo over to the game.


    Which leads her to text Pablo, not realizing that he¡¯s studying for the HSNCT. ¡°Sorry but I can¡¯t take you to the game in Monroe; Wossman sold out the game!¡± And also gives him the link to the Monroe radio station covering the game.


    I¡¯m sure that Audrey would have wanted me to follow the game in whatever way possible. I understand this game means a lot to her, and to her teammates, too, as well as the sacrifices the team must endure to even get to the state tournament. Which is why I didn¡¯t see her outside of recess. I could always ask Finn and Tyler whether they want to tune in on the game. Especially since their girlfriends are playing. However, I am left wondering what grades Ethan, Finn and Valter got in Algebra II, Pablo doesn¡¯t hesitate to text these two about the game. ¡°I wonder if you would like to tune in on the game tomorrow night¡±


    Speaking of Valter, he tells Pablo about his Algebra II grades via text message. ¡°This is my first A in an Algebra II test¡±


    But then Ethan asks Pablo to come as well, which he promptly accepts, along with Nadine. Then come other footballers, such as George, Dayton, Valter and so on, so forth. That¡¯s a lot of guests for which he asks his parents permission to host for game night.


    ¡°Mom, dad, can I have my friends come over for tuning in on the game tomorrow night? Wossman sold out the game today and no one can make the trip to ¡®Monroe!¡±


    ¡°Do any of the guests plan on bringing in some food?¡± Pablo¡¯s mother asks him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to ask them¡­¡± Pablo sighs, and then asks his friends who can bring food to game night.

 Chapter 24: Support at a Distance

    The answer from Pablo¡¯s friends is quick: most of them can¡¯t bring food. However, Ethan might be able to.


    ¡°There¡¯s one person who can bring food to this party. Ethan. You know him as the strong safety, and he¡¯s dating one of my quiz bowl teammates!¡± Pablo answers his mother¡¯s question about food.


    ¡°Just make sure the person bringing in food doesn¡¯t bring in drugs as well¡­¡± Pablo¡¯s father warns his son.


    ¡°And then¡­ Venomous! Agendas! May my girlfriend go all the way!¡±


    Pablo then texts the guests about not bringing in alcohol or drugs to his home tomorrow. He then goes back to studying, but at the same time, the prospect of VA taking out one of the post-pandemic powerhouses of Louisiana girls¡¯ basketball on the road keeps him excited for tomorrow night. Especially since Audrey starts the game.


    Which is what virtually everyone in town talks about tonight. Especially with a story in the parish newspaper as well as on parish radio talking about that game as if it was the quarterfinals of the March Madness. When Pablo comes up to Audrey at school¡­


    ¡°One more thing, Pablo. It will probably be the last time we¡¯ll see each other before the big game¡± Audrey tells him, in position to kiss him.


    ¡°Speaking of the game, I want you to know that, no matter the outcome, no matter how well you played in that game, I still love you¡± Pablo then proceeds to kiss her.


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave immediately after school, since Monroe is a three-hour drive from here¡± Audrey tells him after the kiss ends.


    ¡°Good luck then!¡±


    But then, around dinner time, the guests start arriving. First, Ethan and Nadine arrive with a large pot containing a dish. Then come Finn, Valter, Virginie, Tyler, Dayton, Natalie and finally, George and Lilina, in that order.


    Once all the guests have arrived, Pablo starts serving a warning about the latest tests.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy I got an A on a math test for once¡­¡± Finn tells the other guests.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lilina asks him, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°Did you get an A because the teacher saw you as being at risk of not being able to play next season?¡±


    ¡°While I did get help before the test, and I asked questions to the teacher by email last weekend, it¡¯s not what you think!¡± Finn retorts to a Lilina who seemed to believe that the teacher gave him unfair academic advantages in the off-season.


    ¡°We can¡¯t rely on the same tricks to keep our grades up forever. Now, if you could please excuse me, I need to talk with Ethan, Finn and Valter¡± Pablo addresses the football players.


    Pablo then takes his football teammates who are in Algebra II to his bedroom, feeling like what Lilina told Finn might have made him uncomfortable. He closes the room¡¯s door after all four are in the bedroom.


    ¡°I was feeling targeted! While I knew some of our football opponents did lavish academic favors of the kind Lilina was implying I got, they usually lavish such favors during the football season, and not in the off-season!¡± Finn voices his displeasure at Lilina¡¯s words.


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that cheating the way we did in Algebra II has its limitations. We can only help so many people during a test because only one hall pass can be issued at a time. Also, mass cheating like this should only be done as a last resort!¡± Pablo warns his teammates. ¡°And we can¡¯t keep cheating like this forever!¡±


    ¡°When should mass cheating be used then?¡± Valter asks his teammate.


    ¡°Ideally never, but it¡¯s about how much people struggle in a subject and whether the issues would prevent someone from playing next season. Remember about no-pass, no-play!¡± Pablo answers Valter, with the words no-pass, no-play stinging him. And, with it, the need to maintain at least 2.0.


    ¡°But what if only one person struggles in a specific subject?¡± Ethan asks.


    ¡°That¡¯s more complicated, but they should ask for help sooner than later, like Bart, whom I helped in World History with Lilina¡¯s assistance!¡± Pablo answers him.


    How did I become the go-to person on the football team to get help with study skills? Pablo wonders how he could tell his teammates about how to approach a test.


    When they return to the living room, Ethan opens the pot full of the dish he prepared for the occasion, while Pablo tunes in on the parish¡¯s radio station for the pre-game show. About the post-pandemic dominance of Wossman over 4A girls¡¯ basketball, and the challenges that await the Venomous Agendas tonight in Monroe.


    ¡°Last time the Venomous Agendas got to the quarterfinals of the girls¡¯ basketball state tournament, in 2021 during the pandemic, the modern incarnation of the VAs didn¡¯t even exist, and the VAs were known as the Jennings Bulldogs at the time. Venomous! Agendas!¡± the radio commentator talks about the VAs¡¯ basketball history. ¡°The VAs must not rely exclusively, or even primarily, on one type of play to win tonight. However, speed will be of the essence, especially when on the defensive!¡±


    The pot reveals an awful lot of beef udon noodles with soy sauce. He even shows the group, on his phone, the recipe as well as the soy sauce he used.


    ¡°Now you¡¯ll know the real reason why Huiling was even nicknamed the Chinese Bridge in Pearl River!¡± Ethan then shows the bottle of Pearl River Bridge dark soy sauce he used to cook the noodles they eat tonight.


    ¡°First, who the hell Huiling even is?¡± Natalie asks him, furrowing a brow.


    ¡°She¡¯s a Chinese foreign exchange student at Pearl River who caused us to lose a game with a buzzer-beating three-pointer! Audrey et al practiced their three-pointers in the past two days¡± Pablo explains to the group. ¡°Bon app¨¦tit¡±


    Meanwhile, in Wossman¡¯s visitors¡¯ locker room, several VA players shake as they know they don¡¯t expect much out of the game.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°Just forget about the outcome, focus only on the present moment. No matter what happens, this was fun while it lasted. By even getting here, with the anemic VA post-pandemic sports budgets, we finally gave the sports lovers in town a reason to hope!¡± Kent harangues the team.


    ¡°We shall show Wossman that we can win, even when we don¡¯t have their sports budget!¡± Audrey shouts enthusiastically.


    And, like their previous opponents, they also go by the name Wildcats. When the VA players step out of the locker room, they are treated to the pre-game announcement by Wossman¡¯s principal.


    ¡°Welcome to the 2030 Division II Non-Select girls¡¯ basketball state tournament quarterfinals! From Jefferson Davis Parish, the eleven seed, the Venomous Agendas, from Ouachita Parish, the one seed, the Wossman Wildcats!¡± Wossman¡¯s principal announces at center court.


    The local crowd goes crazy when they hear their own team name. However, unlike VA home games, where the principal only introduces the teams, along with the parish they come from, Wossman¡¯s principal also introduces the visitors¡¯ players in alphabetical order of their last name, along with their grade and jersey number, after introducing the team. And the players parade at center court as their names and jersey numbers are called.


    Also, unlike the VAs, who don¡¯t have a cheer squad, nor band in there, Wossman does. As the game begins¡­ the VAs start capitalizing on the Wildcats¡¯ overconfidence.


    Back in Jennings, Pablo and his friends start eating Ethan¡¯s stir-fried noodles, while listening to the parish radio¡¯s broadcast of the game.


    ¡°The Venomous Agendas have the ball, Halista attempts a three-pointer¡­ yes! The VAs are in the lead, five to two!¡± the parish radio commenter described Audrey¡¯s three-pointer.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s my Ballista!¡± Pablo shouts after finishing his bite of stir-fried noodles.


    But then Natalie starts feeling like something¡¯s off with Ethan¡¯s stir-fried noodles. She doesn¡¯t hesitate to tell him about what she really thinks of his cooking.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious to me that you aren¡¯t cooking authentic Chinese cuisine!¡± Natalie voices her complaint.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anyone to realize that!¡± Ethan¡¯s face becomes red, caught off-guard by Natalie¡¯s comment. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like going into the details right now, beyond your choice of noodles: you obviously used udon noodles!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still tasty food nonetheless¡± Pablo comments, not being as picky in his food tastes compared to Natalie.


    When they finish eating the stir-fried udon noodles, the first quarter is almost over. The VAs are now trailing by three points, with less than ten seconds left to the quarter.


    ¡°Mailman steals the ball, dribbles down the court, passes to Campbell, shoots¡­¡± the radio commenter refers to Carrie and Heather by last name, in that order.


    Heather jumps and shoots from behind the three-pointer line, as the buzzer rings to signal the end of the first quarter while the ball is in mid-air. As the ball is in a downward trajectory towards the basket. The ball bounces off the backboard once before entering the hoop.


    ¡°What a buzzer beater from Venomous Agendas¡¯ Heather Campbell! Her first three-pointer of the game, tying the game!¡± the radio commenter continues. ¡°Unbelievable! The VAs are tied against one of the top teams of the state, with a three-pointer like Huiling Zhang¡¯s for Pearl River earlier this season against VA!¡±


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± Tyler keeps shouting after the radio commenter has done.


    ¡°Way to go, Carrier! You made Heather score that three-pointer!¡± Pablo adds.


    ¡°That¡¯s a far tighter game than I expected from the VAs going up against Wossman!¡± Ethan exclaims. ¡°I expected the VAs to be blown out like crazy!¡±


    Wossman¡¯s last game was played against an opponent VA won against earlier this season: Eunice, the 16 seed. Although the Eunice game was close, VA had two issues as a team in the regular season: its lack of effort consistency, and its overreliance on getting close to the hoop on the offense, Pablo reflects on what has changed for them in the regular season vs the playoffs. And starts praying for Audrey to keep playing her best during the game. Or perhaps it¡¯s because, in the playoffs, less playing time is given to second-string players.


    Meanwhile, Tyler and Virginie perform their tunes for the Spring concert, and everyone listens to them while the VAs keep playing their game against Wossman on the road. As background music, really, as they use the game to relax. To the extent that¡¯s feasible when the VAs are fighting tooth-and-nail in the second quarter and both teams make substitutions. Knowing that both teams need rested players to finish the game strong.


    By half-time, however, Wossman is in the lead, 29-28. It¡¯s not over, however, this reminds Pablo of his own English exam earlier this week.


    ¡°George, Nadine, I wonder how you answered the essay question in English about overemphasis of sports in high school¡­¡± Pablo asks the guests he knows are in tenth grade English.


    ¡°Personally, I¡¯d say that VA is much more balanced than what I¡¯ve seen in our opponents, and even our opponents¡¯ athletic expenses don¡¯t even come close to the Texan excesses¡± George answers him. ¡°Athletic mediocrity might be an acceptable price to pay since school personnel tends to put more effort into quiz bowl and mathletics¡±


    ¡°There are people who might have dropped out if not for sports. Yes, VA is perhaps the most competitive academic environment out of almost every non-magnet school in the state, and certainly the most competitive in southwest Louisiana. However, I left that out because I didn¡¯t feel like the teacher wanted us to lean on our personal experiences that much, and that was a topic that was personal to us¡± Nadine follows that up.


    ¡°Make no mistake, while, in a place like this, the school is the focal point of the community¡¯s cultural life, this place doesn¡¯t seem to care about the arts much, except maybe to the extent that arts could help non-athletes get into college, and even then¡­¡± Virginie explains herself. ¡°That said, cutting arts are a no-go since arts can still fulfill an important role¡±


    The third quarter begins, and both teams are out in force. The quiz bowlers start studying from additional quiz bowl sets, such as collegiate sets, with Nadine branching into history and science, and Lilina doing the same, but with literature and the arts, believing that, at their level, it¡¯s best to have at least some knowledge in other areas outside of what were hitherto their quiz bowl specialties. And George is also part of this study session; however, he never laid his eyes on a quiz bowl packet before.


    ¡°Why is it that some parts of the questions are bolded, and others aren¡¯t?¡± George asks Lilina about the structure of tossups.


    Lilina then goes on to explain to him about tossups and bonuses, while Pablo¡¯s ears perk up upon hearing Halista again, as the whistle is blown.


    ¡°Halista pushed the Wildcats¡¯ ball carrier to her fall¡­¡± the radio commenter tells the audience, while the Wildcat is getting back up, a little in pain.


    Ouch¡­ even if Audrey successfully prevented the opponent from shooting, the opponent must inbound the ball, Pablo muses as he then resumes his studying of past quiz bowl packets alongside Lilina and Nadine.


    Fast-forward to the last few seconds of the game, where everyone stops what they¡¯re doing up to this point. And, somehow, the VAs lead by a measly two points. With Charlotte dribbling her way to where she feels comfortable shooting, she gets the ball stolen by the Wildcats.


    ¡°Drat! They stole the ball!¡± Kent tells his players on the bench.


    Carrie and Heather both chase Wossman¡¯s ball carrier, hoping to steal the ball from her, or to block the ball after she throws it, respectively. However, with the VAs¡¯ pressure mounting on the Wildcats¡¯ ball carrier, she feels compelled to go for the three-pointer. From the center court line, no less. As she takes the shot, the ball is in the upward flight and the buzzer rings as the ball hits the hoop.


    The Wildcats¡¯ crowd goes crazy as the ball¡¯s downward spiral makes it through the net. However, the VAs realize, judging by their heads being down, that they lost, once again, to a three-pointer not unlike Huiling¡¯s earlier this season.


    ¡°And¡­ it¡¯s over. All because of a buzzer-beater in the last quarter, and it could have been us playing in the semis!¡± Kent harangues his players, whose heads are hunched.


    ¡°We came within a three-pointer of upsetting Wossman! No use playing the blame game, we all played our best tonight!¡± Taylor tries to console some devastated VA players.

 Chapter 25: Crystal Basketball

    The VAs¡¯ postseason came to a screeching halt, and they return home empty-handed. Their disappointment is clear as day when they board the bus in Monroe back to Jennings.


    ¡°That was eight of the most exciting days in my life as a Venomous Agenda; for once that we could accomplish something in the sports arena!¡± Taylor sighs.


    ¡°There¡¯s always next year, I guess¡­¡± Heather comments on this elimination.


    ¡°Easy for you to say, when you¡¯re not a senior; my life as a basketball player is over!¡± Charlotte starts crying. ¡°I spent my whole life up to this point preparing for this moment!¡±


    In years past, some players were unhappy at VA and it led to them transferring out, football, basketball incurring the biggest losses. We lost players over the years to schools like, you know, Church Point, Kinder, due to inadequate funding, or perhaps the academic pressures in some cases, the comments of the players get to the coach. So while players crying at the end of the season is normal, this is more emotional to this year¡¯s outgoing seniors.


    On Friday morning, Pablo meets with Audrey again, whose mood is visibly down. He feels like he must discuss his future with her.


    ¡°Oh Audrey, this game got to you¡­ why?¡± Pablo asks, while he¡¯s made to feel like this loss to Wossman was a major deal to her.


    ¡°If only you saw what happened last night!¡± Audrey starts crying.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t make the trip, I could only listen to the game on radio! You¡¯re making it sound like that three-pointer is even worse than freaking Huiling at Pearl River!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we might have played the three most exciting basketball games in our lives, and for some of us, we might never again live that kind of excitement!¡±


    ¡°The seniors on the girls¡¯ basketball team? I never talked to Charlotte and Taylor much, however, Carrie and Heather have one season left to play!¡±


    And this makes me want to give her a book about coming to terms with the end of one¡¯s sporting career. I didn¡¯t get to read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants much, so I might want to wait until I finish it to give her a book, Pablo starts to think of what to give her next, and when.


    ¡°And we might find ourselves in a similar situation two years from now in our respective sports! We kept our academics up, and hopefully we¡¯ll attend LSU or some higher-tier college!¡± Audrey talks about the academics.


    ¡°You still have quiz bowl-State to look forward to, and we¡¯ll attend the HSNCT together! Just not on the same squad, though¡±


    ¡°We can count ourselves lucky, that we still have our chance to get under the spotlight again a few months from now! And that we can even get under the local spotlight for quiz bowl to begin with!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the time is ripe to talk about this topic any further here in the hallway¡±


    ¡°Yet everyone here knows about this stupid three-pointer of a buzzer-beater by now!¡± Carrie scolds her teammate.


    Wossman isn¡¯t a quiz bowl-playing school, and neither is Pearl River. So there¡¯s no chance we¡¯ll play them at quiz bowl-State, much less at the HSNCT, Audrey ruminates, while she can¡¯t help but imagine how Charlotte and Taylor must feel when their entire athletic lives crashed down when the Wossman Wildcats scored that three-pointer buzzer beater in Monroe.


    These two girls are easy to spot across the hallway because they are the ones crying their tears away.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t lose just about any game! This tournament was supposed to be our swan songs as basketball players!¡± Charlotte cries on the floor. ¡°And then we lost in the quarterfinals to a team that somehow scored a buzzer-beating three-pointer!¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to play basketball in college, so I wanted my days in high school to finish with a bang!¡± Taylor then starts crying. ¡°Instead of that, it finished in a whimper, and I will never look at basketball the same way again!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone on this team will play basketball in college, unless Audrey was somehow good enough for, say, Caltech?¡± Heather comments, the latter part as a joke estimate of who could possibly play in college on this VA squad.


    And even that is not a given. The bottleneck will be the basketball talent pool Caltech will deal with. There¡¯s no telling whether Caltech will even have a better power forward attending, but it¡¯s more likely that she will hit 34+ on the ACT than her being invited to play for Caltech! Heather starts wondering for whom Audrey could possibly play in college, knowing that Audrey is by far the strongest academically of the starters and hence has more options than everyone else. The Ivy League? Maybe if she somehow becomes good enough next season to make the first all-state team in our division! Because all-state teams are named on a per-division basis. However, there¡¯s a caveat: the Ivy League is likely going to be her basketball ceiling. Heather then turns to Pablo:


    ¡°Why single out Audrey?¡± Pablo asks after overhearing Audrey¡¯s teammates talking about how important the state tournament was to them. ¡°All I knew about the other players outside the court was that Carrie is weaker academically than Audrey is!¡±


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    ¡°Exactly: she¡¯s the strongest academically on the team!¡± Heather answers him, before Pablo turns to Charlotte and Taylor.


    ¡°Knowing that we didn¡¯t enter the state tournament in the past three years, what difference would going into the semifinals have made to you two?¡± Pablo asks the two seniors.


    ¡°Pablo, ask yourself what difference it would make what round of the state tournament the football team would reach if you needed to wait until senior year to compete in the first place!¡± Taylor rebounds the question to him.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be the best player to answer the question, since I play quiz bowl as well, and I am playing at the HSNCT this year. I¡¯m just not playing at quiz bowl-State, though. Please ask Finn or any other football player dating girls on the team!¡±


    ¡°The loss in the quarterfinals, against a team which, since the pandemic, was always in the conversation for the state championship, stings because you believed that, were it not of this three-pointer, we could have won not only the game, but winning the semis and, possibly the final, would have been feasible!¡±


    ¡°You leave me no choice!¡± Audrey tells them. ¡°Even if we won last night, there would have been no guarantee that we could have won against, like, Albany! None of the other semi-finalists would have played the same as Wossman did!¡±


    ¡°However, because Wossman had at least as much talent as Albany and whoever else we could have played in the final, winning the state championship would have been at least feasible because we know we would have enough talent and coordination to make it happen!¡± Charlotte retorts.


    ¡°One last question: did you decide where to go after graduation, college, trade school, work, anything?¡± Taylor¡¯s boyfriend asks her from behind.


    ¡°No!¡± Both Charlotte and Taylor answer in unison.


    Even if it meant playing two more games as tight as the Wossman one¡­ I think my teammates will be plagued by ¡°what could have been¡± parasitic thoughts for a while, at least until they decide on a course of action about life after high school, Audrey thinks of what¡¯s going to happen to her now ex-basketball teammates, before walking away from them. I should probably cherish these memories of this state tournament myself, even though I know they differ from our last HSNCT run.


    ¡°From now until the HSNCT, we will be together at every quiz bowl practice. What about you come at my place after practice?¡± Audrey asks Pablo, right as the ring bells to get to their class.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Hopefully, at quiz bowl practice, I will stop hearing about this basketball loss¡­ Pablo sighs, even though his closeness to Audrey makes him get in contact with the other basketball players.


    Once the quiz bowl practice begins, after school, it becomes clear in the early stages of the practice that Audrey is underperforming as she doesn¡¯t buzz in as often, nor as well.


    ¡°Audrey, you missed the last two practices because of quiz bowl practices interfering with basketball. It seems like you¡¯re not performing like your usual self today¡± Warren expresses his concerns over Audrey.


    ¡°It¡¯s just the accumulation of basketball-induced fatigue, really. If this means I should go practice with the B-team today¡­¡± Audrey sighs.


    ¡°And then Pablo will practice with the A-team for today¡± Warren announces as Audrey trades seats with Pablo.


    As Pablo sits next to Scott, Scott¡¯s body is shaking, anxious to see if Pablo¡¯s self for the day is any better than how Audrey was playing. May her body get some much-needed rest; I know how it is, drilling twice a day, every day, when the state tournament was underway. Not much different from football drilling!


    Yet Pablo has hardly any in-game chemistry with the A-team, which makes him struggle to find his footing even in drills. In particular, the A-team players are thrown off.


    ¡°I really hope that Audrey is more rested on Monday then... She played such intense basketball that I can take her word for it!¡± Myriam formulates her wish, while she checks on the wagers she made in her mother¡¯s name.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you play poorly, it¡¯s that you just don¡¯t know the same things as Audrey. As much leeway as being a special topics player could give both of you, at this level of quiz bowl, making sure players¡¯ knowledge bases complement each other is critical!¡± Scott comments on his experience with Pablo.


    ¡°I get it, you were used to Audrey giving you a right of first refusal over certain topics and that I buzzed in... And it might be a little late to get you used to playing with me!¡± Pablo makes comments of his own.


    Audrey then takes him to her home. She feels like her worn-out body might need some rest. And so she lies on the couch.


    ¡°This season, the team improved a lot. And certainly you. I believe that, if you improve some, you might be able to play basketball in the Ivy League...¡± Pablo comments on the games he attended in person.


    ¡°Thank you. I might have what it takes academically to attend an Ivy, but surely you know that there¡¯s a difference between attending an Ivy and playing basketball for one! Right now, I feel more like I am headed for WUSTL or UChicago on a basketball level than playing for the Crimson! And that¡¯s if I am going to play in college at all!¡± Audrey seems to feel a little uneasy about her future.


    ¡°I am sure WUSTL and UChicago are good academic fits for you. However, you¡¯re implying these two universities are on a much lower playing standard than the Ivies!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not simply implying that, Pablo, they are Division III universities to the Ivy League being a Division I conference! Heather estimated that I would need to make the all-state team next season for me to play for an Ivy, but otherwise no one else on the current squad could be playing in college, unless, by some miracle, a community college wanted Carrie or Heather!¡±


    ¡°Heather is making me feel like CCs take the scraps four-year colleges don¡¯t want!¡±


    Is Heather delusional? Or she knows something about college basketball recruiting that I don¡¯t? However, Audrey has the luxury of approaching college recruiting without having to worry about academics. Which Carrie and Heather don¡¯t have. They can always try, but I think Heather has an academic advantage over Carrie, Pablo thinks about her teammates¡¯ collegiate prospects.


    ¡°Enough about basketball!¡± Audrey feels a little uneasy.


    ¡°All right, all right!¡± Pablo would rather comb YouTube in search of videos not related to basketball or quiz bowl, to get both to relax.


    Music of various genres, comedy videos, end up being the primary videos the couple watches together. They need to pick their videos carefully, so they don¡¯t double down on their mental exhaustion.


    So when dinnertime comes, Pablo brews Audrey¡¯s coffee (or painkiller) while Audrey cooks a chickpea salad with diced bacon, radish and onions. Or what would pass for Latvian pelekie zirni given what¡¯s available to them: chickpeas were the closest thing to Latvian grey peas to them.


    ¡°There, some strong painkiller!¡± Pablo hands over the cup of coffee to Audrey, filled with a few spoons of vanilla cream.


    ¡°Good: I didn¡¯t have your brew of painkillers for weeks!¡± Audrey then starts drinking coffee.


    ¡°Chickpea salad? Audrey, this gets me¡­ is this your idea of healthier food?¡± Audrey¡¯s father asks her, while he starts eating the chickpea salad.


    ¡°No added salt; the diced bacon was already salty enough as it is¡­¡± Audrey explains herself.

 Chapter 26: Trip planning

    ¡°Good thing that you¡¯re not completely oblivious to health!¡± Audrey¡¯s mother comments to her daughter.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Audey asks the other people around the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m indifferent, really¡± Pablo tells her.


    I guess, better him telling me the cold, hard truth than just blindly telling me platitudes out of love, Audrey can see on his body that Pablo is being truthful.


    ¡°He obviously means a lot to you, but quiz bowl-State is just a few weeks away!¡± Audrey¡¯s father reminds everyone. ¡°Surely you might want him at your side if he doesn¡¯t play!¡±


    ¡°Did you attend quiz bowl games?¡± Audrey asks her parents.


    ¡°No?¡± her parents answer, on the defensive.


    ¡°Quiz bowl games, even at State, are played in much more cramped spaces than a basketball game! Try to imagine how it would feel if everyone and their dogs at State brought their supporters under the form of parents, love interests and B-teams!¡± Audrey asks everyone in the room.


    ¡°Suffice that it would be... a lot more cramped, notwithstanding that, for some teams, just playing at State would mean a lot!¡± Pablo answers Audrey¡¯s question.


    ¡°Pablo¡¯s right. Even the most fanatical fan bases didn¡¯t have more than a half-dozen supporters on site at Leesville! The real question becomes: what makes you feel like quiz bowl teams only have fans at State?¡±


    ¡°By now you know that a school¡¯s fanbase comes out and supports its students more in the postseason than in the regular season, sports or quiz bowl. However, you also know about how quiz bowl flies under the radar at most schools, even at schools actually competing at State!¡± Audrey¡¯s father comments.


    I might imagine that most people at, say, Kinder or Livonia wouldn¡¯t know about quiz bowl-State until about a day or two before the tournament! Here everyone harbors high hopes for quiz bowl-State pretty much from the season opener onwards! And people would be disappointed if we don¡¯t medal at State, or compete at the HSNCT! Audrey reflects on her father¡¯s statement about quiz bowl flying under their opponents¡¯ radar.


    The following Monday, at the start of quiz bowl practice, the roster for State is announced. Unsurprisingly, the A-team after LQBA Winter remains together at State and into the HSNCT.


    ¡°While we can¡¯t play at State, I believe it¡¯s a good idea to go and support our team!¡± Pablo suggests his teammates.


    ¡°The question is: who among us have parents willing to drive to Natchitoches on a Saturday morning and watch the VAs play at quiz bowl-State? None of us can drive yet!¡± Gerard asks the other players.


    I am not sure if Ethan can drive, but I sure as hell can¡¯t, Nadine ruminates, while she contacts her parents to ask them if they could take the B-team to State. And more specifically at Northwestern State University.


    ¡°Ask the chaperone at State, too...¡± Lilina sighs, not realizing that chaperones are required only for schools entering more than one team when the tournament allows for it, which quiz bowl-State doesn¡¯t.


    ¡°No, Lilina, there is no chaperone at State, and often Audrey¡¯s parents did it this season. However, for the HSNCT, we will need one, but it¡¯s ok for the chaperone to be responsible for both teams. We might have that covered if the parish allows us to take a minibus from and to Atlanta, in which case the driver will be our chaperone!¡± Warren tells the B-team about the chaperone situation and then books 3 hotel rooms at the Marriott Marquis in the VAs¡¯ name, for two nights.


    A-team players also ask their parents if they can drive their own players to State. And maybe even bring their love interests, or B-team players, if space permits. They also feel like State is going to be the high point of the quiz bowl season for so many, especially for teams that can¡¯t qualify for the HSNCT, or even the SSNCT for those in the small schools division.


    Pablo even texts his parents into asking them to drive the B-team to quiz bowl-State, with the time and place they are to take the team to. As he awaits their response, they resume their practice.


    ¡°Tossup one: City planner Jeff Speck called this concept the great intellectual black hole of urban planning¡± the first clue is given in a practice packet by a person in FFA.


    Urbanism never came up as a topic in quiz bowl before! Where does this question come from? Puzzled quiz bowlers ask themselves before the next clue arrives.


    ¡°It was first observed in Long Island bridges when building two additional bridges failed to relieve traffic on the Queensborough Bridge in the late 1930s...¡± the second clue is given by the FFA member as the power mark approaches, and Lilina buzzes in.


    ¡°Induced demand!¡± Lilina answers.


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    But after the practice ends, Pablo returns home and, whenever his parents are around the dinner table with him...


    ¡°It¡¯s about quiz bowl-State. You were always there for my football games at home, but VA doesn¡¯t host quiz bowl tournaments!¡± Pablo pleads with his parents.


    ¡°Mathletics then?¡± Pablo¡¯s dad asks him.


    ¡°Quiz bowl is the only thing left we¡¯re good at this year, we¡¯re not going to go deep in the Math Madness playoffs this year, and even baseball is a wash!¡±


    ¡°You want us to go to quiz bowl-State, you are responsible for the costs of the trip!¡± Pablo¡¯s mother warns him.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll pay for the trip!¡± Pablo sighs, upon hearing about the proviso.


    Track and softball aren¡¯t that great either, but some parents of softball players refer to it as girls¡¯ baseball. I know this because Valter¡¯s little sister, Tanith, plays shortstop on the softball team and their parents kept referring to softball as girls¡¯ baseball. Speaking of which, I have to go tutor her! Pablo reflects on what other postseason opportunities VA can seize in spring.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Meanwhile, at Lilina¡¯s home, Lilina pleads with her parents to take her and George to quiz bowl-State.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to State once more, and this year, I would love to bring George with me. This season, you never attended any quiz bowl tournaments, we owe it to the VAs to at least show that we have their backs at State!¡± Lilina starts being more insisting.


    ¡°George? Of course you should bring him to quiz bowl-State with you! And you will show the opposing teams that quiz bowl isn¡¯t simply a game of nerds! He should see that intellectual pursuits can be exciting!¡± Lilina¡¯s dad then have Lilina call George.


    ¡°George, it¡¯s Lilina. I attended basketball games earlier this year because you asked me out, and also because my quiz bowl teammate is playing hoops. I would like you to go support the VAs at quiz bowl-State...¡±


    ¡°Quiz bowl? All I know about it is that you play it, it¡¯s very intellectually intense to play and VA is nationally competitive in that game!¡± George retorts.


    ¡°It¡¯s good for you to get a grip on the intellectual side of things; you can¡¯t just play and watch sports!¡± Lilina responds while she keeps talking about what makes quiz bowl exciting to watch.


    Meanwhile, Pablo visits Valter¡¯s house so that he can tutor his little sister. I love you, Audrey. I am willing to pay the bill for the whole family to attend quiz bowl-State, and maybe even bring one of the B-teamers and their love interest! That¡¯s why I am willing to go tutor siblings of footballers across town! Pablo ruminates as he rings the doorbell, ready to help the shortstop.


    ¡°Come on in, Pablo. Tanith is in her room¡± Valter guides him to Tanith¡¯s bedroom, while also announcing his visit to their parents.


    The question is: what is Tanith struggling with? Also, what makes Valter¡¯s parents think that some quiz bowler could help her, and one not far removed from the course itself?


    ¡°I¡¯m Pablo and I will help you with your problems today¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Pablo. I¡¯m Tanith; while my brother knows you, I never interacted with you much. So there are questions I seem to be struggling with in my civics course¡­¡± Tanith sighs, while whipping out the statement of the assignment.


    Oh God, an essay question about legislative gridlock. This is normally something I¡¯d rather ask Lilina or Nadine for help, or Scott even, before I¡¯d answer myself, Pablo seems to be trembling at the assignment statement. Once he regains composure¡­


    ¡°There are several aspects that need to be considered when you talk about legislative gridlock, starting with the electoral system¡± Pablo begins giving out clues, while interrupted by Tanith¡¯s question.


    ¡°How does the electoral system play into legislative gridlock?¡± Tanith asks him.


    ¡°Even that is a multilayered problem. But it begins with the primaries, with candidates more likely to win primaries often being more radical¡±


    Tanith jots down what she feels are the key ideas of the assignment. How polarization seems to reward primary candidates who are more radical, even though the voters in a given district would prefer less radical candidates.


    ¡°Woah! It¡¯s becoming clear to me now that if radicals tend to win nominations more often, then legislative gridlock is not totally bad!¡± Tanith exclaims, even though she only has a small fragment of the truth on hand.


    ¡°Good. Now that you have a thesis statement, the onus is on you to elaborate on the nuances of what makes legislative gridlock not totally bad. Notwithstanding that its impact is not the same if it happens in Baton-Rouge vs Washington!¡±


    It''s the first time I ever heard anyone, of any age, claim that legislative gridlock is not a pure negative. Everyone else seemed to believe that gridlock led to ineffectual governance, and then popular dissatisfaction, Pablo summarizes what he saw from others mentioning it, while Tanith appears to be struggling to flesh out her idea of what makes gridlock not totally bad. Pablo tries to sort out the mess of incoherent ideas:


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of moving parts, namely that Congressmen and senators have little, if any, reason to show the opposing side has any actual legislative competence!¡± Pablo comments on a main factor.


    ¡°This is not helping me with the position I wish to defend¡­¡± Tanith sighs.


    ¡°What do you mean, this is of no help? It¡¯s one of the lead causes of gridlock! However, at the very beginning, I did mention more radical candidates being more likely to be nominated, and subsequently win. Yet, with every winner, there are policy positions to defend!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect to go in depth with the dangers of political polarization, since the dangers are issue-specific!¡± Tanith retorts.


    Valter¡¯s dad goes to his daughter¡¯s room. ¡°Tanith, I heard you talk about legislative gridlock! This might be too advanced for you!¡±


    ¡°Too advanced? Are you sure that she isn¡¯t taking AP US Government?¡± Pablo asks her father, calling into question his ability to help. ¡°Perhaps the debate team is a better source of help in this area, but maybe they are too busy helping others in social studies!¡±


    Damn it! All I ever heard about the debate team came from announcements on Monday morning! They never seem to perform very well in tournaments, and yet, Pablo is implying they¡¯re sought after for help in social studies? Tanith¡¯s mind starts to drift away from thoughts of legislative gridlock.


    ¡°You said it so yourself that, with every electoral winner, there were policy positions to defend. How varied are policy positions then?¡± Tanith returns to the topic at hand.


    ¡°It can vary depending on an area¡¯s economy and population. But when a lot of special interests fight each other for the attention of legislators...¡± Pablo answers her.


    ¡°All I have to say now that Pablo didn¡¯t already say is that partisan allegiance counts for a lot in understanding political gridlock, even if legislators were not that polarized!¡± Tanith¡¯s father adds.


    Any more than that and I feel like Tanith¡¯s parents are paying me for her to cheat off me! Pablo feels like Tanith would devote some space to the negatives of gridlock and then how the sheer volume of policy positions makes it difficult to prevent it. And, finally, how it could limit the ability to push for radical agendas, or the influence of special interests. Maybe I should take AP US Government next year. However, I¡¯m a little concerned about her. While knowing when to ask for help is useful, it¡¯s not healthy to always ask for help at the start.


    ¡°Oh, thank you, I should be able to get everything in order¡± Tanith tells him, as she hands over a $20 bill, before sighing. ¡°I should be able to keep playing softball until the end of the season!¡±


    ¡°Baseball!¡± Tanith¡¯s father retorts.


    Pablo¡¯s phone then rings. ¡°I need to take a call¡­¡± Pablo then gets to the bathroom, a little embarrassed.


    And then Lilina calls Pablo about the trip to quiz bowl-State. About who could come.


    ¡°George will come, and if your parents don¡¯t come, you might come with mine!¡± Lilina tells him. ¡°Oh and we will visit Northwestern State University, too¡±


    ¡°Not that I expect my parents to come if I don¡¯t play at State. They never went to any basketball game. However, they went to every home football game I played¡± Pablo comments on his family situation.


    Pablo then breaks the news to his parents about him not playing at State, and Lilina¡¯s parents taking him to State, via text message. Their response is rather quick, and he feels like it changes the financial dynamics of supporting Audrey in person at quiz bowl-State. Now I only need to pay for Audrey¡¯s lunch as well as mine. That ought to be less expensive than taking my parents to quiz bowl-State¡­


    ¡°Since the playoffs are what the VAs need us for at State, I say we tour Northwestern State during the prelims, especially early in the prelims!¡± Lilina warns him.


    ¡°Not that we¡¯ll actually attend this place for college, we¡¯ll do this only to get a grip on what a college campus will actually be like. Or at least George and I!¡±


    ¡°Because State is a special occasion for us, I would want to eat somewhere new for lunch¡­ ideally not a major chain¡±


    ¡°Just not necessarily at the same place as Audrey and I, since Audrey is the reason I¡¯m even going to State to begin with! But one day it will be our turn to play at State!¡±


    ¡°I guess, next year¡­¡± Lilina sighs.

 Chapter 27: Keeping Up the ACT

    By the end of the week, Kent sends an email to all juniors on the basketball teams regarding ACT diagnostic testing. Especially since the juniors are the ones who most need to be concerned about that test. After all, the state-sponsored date is fast approaching, and it looms over the juniors¡¯ heads. Heather then talks to Audrey before the start of AP Bio:


    ¡°Audrey, I think there¡¯s something of interest to you¡± Heather shows her Kent¡¯s email to all juniors.


    ¡°Heather, you never asked for my help in AP Bio¡­ in fact, you almost never asked me for academic help! What is it now?¡±


    ¡°The coach invited all the juniors on both basketball teams to an ACT diagnostic test on Friday night, and we¡¯re allowed to bring in any guests we like, provided they aren¡¯t seniors!¡± Heather explains to her teammate. ¡°In fact, he even encourages it!¡±


    ¡°The ACT is a year away for me. Why is it that you feel like it could interest me? Or is it because you feel like Carrie would need my help once again?¡± Audrey asks Heather.


    Oh god, not again! Carrie, while a fantastic dribbler and ball-carrier, seems to want to be carried academically, Audrey¡¯s question sends shivers down Heather¡¯s spine upon mentioning Carrie¡¯s academic needs, freezing her in place.


    ¡°Surely you want to stay in touch with your basketball teammates even when the quiz bowl postseason is fast approaching! Spending too much time with any one group is not a good idea!¡± Heather warns her.


    ¡°Except that, for years, nearly every test in English and math contains items formatted like ACT questions. Mind you, often it¡¯s a minority¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have all the time you want to be with your quiz bowl teammates after the ACT ends! Just do this for me¡­ please?¡± Heather begs Audrey to take a diagnostic ACT test. ¡°You¡¯re the strongest academically on the team!¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Audrey sighs. ¡°Just this once!¡±


    I¡¯m lucky the FFA agribusiness team, on which I play with Tyler, is fairly low maintenance, so I can study for the ACT as needed, based on the diagnostic test results, Heather sighs before getting to her seat in the AP Bio classroom, before texting Tyler about the basketball team¡¯s diagnostic ACT. I might want to invite Tyler to the diagnostic test, too.


    And that¡¯s not suspecting that junior football players have their own diagnostic test planned, too. At the behest of their coach. A few players already have guests lined up, Dayton plans to bring Natalie in, while Ethan might want to bring in Nadine.


    However, Finn realizes that his back is against the wall. Since I¡¯m barely above 2.50, all I have to do is get a 20 on the ACT. And yet¡­ I can¡¯t even take that for granted. I guess, I have no choice, Finn sighs, and asks around for other people to take a diagnostic ACT with him.


    And soon, he finds out there is no shortage of people he can pick, ranging from baseball players to softball ones, and even other juniors without love interests. Especially people whom he knows harbors collegiate dreams. He even discusses the choice of guests with Ethan:


    ¡°And I wonder if I can take in more than one guest; if so, since I already invited Nadine, I may as well invite Pablo, too; they seem to get along pretty well¡± Ethan points out to Finn, before texting Pablo about it. ¡°I guess taking a diagnostic ACT test as a group, with people you know, makes it less stressful¡­¡±


    ¡°I get it, it¡¯s a test everyone here must take!¡± Finn points out. ¡°However, this test is a load of hogwash, and I¡¯d rather not expend any more effort on it than absolutely necessary!¡±


    Pablo, having received the invitation from Ethan to take a diagnostic ACT just as AP Bio is about to start, waits a little bit before he could decide whether to go.


    After being taught about population bottlenecks and founder effects, being caused by a sudden loss of population or starting a new population from a limited sample of the original population, Pablo is finally in position to respond to the invitation issued by his football teammates. He feels a little uneasy to be asked about taking an ACT diagnosis test a year before the actual test, and then confides about it with Audrey once the lecture ends.


    ¡°Looks like the football team invited me to a diagnostic ACT test!¡± Pablo then shows the time and place of the diagnostic test.


    ¡°And the basketball team invited me to one, too!¡± Audrey tells him.


    ¡°Both teams appear to have booked the same computer lab to do it. I may as well take the invitation and, maybe, even sit next to each other if possible¡±


    ¡°However, I wonder why is it that the administration seems to trust players on the academic teams more about ACT prep, in that the school doesn¡¯t seem to give any attention to whatever ACT needs they might have. By now, you know people on academic teams might excel in class, but because coursework doesn¡¯t translate one-to-one to the ACT, you can have someone on an academic team not perform so hot on it because they excel at anything but multiple-choice questions¡± Audrey harangues him about the practice test.


    Perhaps the administration believes that academic team players can prepare for the ACT without having to use resources not already used for all students in their classes, Pablo then responds that he will be present to take the diagnostic ACT.


    ¡°The player most likely to fit this description on an academic team would be a debater¡± Natalie comments on the disconnect between academic competitions and the ACT, while responding to Dayton¡¯s offer of taking a diagnostic ACT.


    After school, the computer lab reserved for both the football and basketball teams¡¯ diagnostic ACT is full, with Kent and the football head coach proctoring the test. They are bewildered by the sheer number of guests the juniors on these sports teams have brought in tow, with the majority of the guests being love interests of juniors, who are themselves juniors. And a few underclassmen on these teams.


    ¡°Before the test begins, let¡¯s start with an overview of the test¡­¡± the football head coach begins with the number of questions and the time they have to answer it all.


    As well as its ordering. And Kent then gives the attendees other instructions, which excludes the writing portion, since the state-sponsored date doesn¡¯t have it this year. And, before the test begins, the coaches check the calculators in use by students to ensure their compliance with ACT regulations.


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    ¡°Begin!¡± the head football coach signals the beginning of the test.


    Everyone in the room starts plugging away at questions on the screen, albeit not in the same order for everyone. Especially since the computer-based version, which juniors take on the state-sponsored window, randomizes the question order, but, in the end, everyone answers the same questions.


    It becomes clear that the coaches are much more interested in their respective players than in the guests they brought in tow. Six basketball players, twelve footballers; Audrey and Pablo are the only underclassmen taking the diagnostic test.


    The worst in all that is that, while Finn might have some academic issues earlier this year, I don¡¯t think Finn is the worst footballer tonight, the football head coach observes the 12 footballers as they answer these English questions from past ACT administrations at breakneck speed.


    As for the basketball team, it seems like two players are struggling more than the other four: Carrie and a male player. And, of course, Audrey appears to be the dominant basketball player on these tests as the diagnostic test goes on. Which goes on for hours as the coaches conduct this diagnostic test under the same conditions as the real test on the state-sponsored date. Or as close to it as possible.


    By the end of this ordeal, every test-taker has their diagnostic result, complete with subscores, and a disclaimer at the bottom of the result page. A boilerplate warning not to treat the score as official, and also about the precautions required to use the scores for test preparation.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a little late for you all to know where you stand on the ACT, but when you see some of our opponents prepare for it for much longer, these are the times where I tell myself, better late than never!¡± the football head coach harangues the test-takers.


    ¡°What do you mean, our opponents prepare for the ACT for much longer than we do? Most of our opponents only seem to care about winning on the gridiron!¡± Finn retorts.


    ¡°We would have loved to do this earlier, but the basketball season forced us to wait this long. In that sense, we were victim of our own successes on the court¡± Kent follows up, not realizing that Finn is referring to football.


    ¡°Our opponents¡¯ coaches think of the players on the field only!¡± Valter adds.


    ¡°That depends on how they spend their money. Yes, our opponents are, for the most part, better funded. However, they tend to be lenient in grading, or in extra credit, when sports are in season, and not necessarily allocate extra test prep resources specifically for athletes! I really hope this diagnostic test is free!¡± Natalie adds.


    ¡°Which opponents actually study for the ACT for more than just a few weeks?¡± Ethan asks the coach, unsure of the educational practices of their football opponents. ¡°It would be more likely that our opponents focus more on test prep for those who have an actual shot at college, or those who struggle most!¡±


    And then all 3 teams whose players took the test come together to discuss what these results imply for their preparation. People not on these teams left the computer lab before the athletes, and even then, the 3 boys¡¯ basketball players step out of the room to meet elsewhere. Then the 3 girls¡¯ basketball players.


    ¡°If only I score this for real, two weeks from now¡­¡± Heather sighs, looking at some score that¡¯s higher than 27.


    ¡°What do you mean, if you scored this for real?¡± Carrie asks her teammate, but realizes that her own diagnostic score doesn¡¯t measure up to her teammates¡¯.


    ¡°You know that, just because you get a certain score on a practice test, you may not score it for real, even if the conditions are otherwise the same!¡± Heather¡¯s face starts to turn red.


    ¡°Same here: I might get a thirty-four now, I might improve some next year, basketball or ACT!¡± Audrey adds. ¡°I have much less of a margin to improve on the ACT though¡±


    ¡°My estimate still stands! As far as you¡¯re concerned, attending an Ivy will be about getting good enough at basketball!¡± Heather voices her opinion. ¡°I¡¯m not Ivy material¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you forget about me playing at the HSNCT? I didn¡¯t attend last year, but maybe if we do well in there, it could reduce the need for me to perform on the court!¡± Audrey retorts.


    ¡°Heather, you¡¯re doing as if strong quiz bowl performance is useless to Ivies!¡± Carrie shouts. ¡°If anything, Ivies are likely to be the ones who care most about quiz bowl prowess!¡±


    ¡°Also, why do you think Ivies would be a good fit for me on a basketball level, beyond my own academic strength? What makes you think Division I basketball is for me anyway? Or what makes the Ivy League a good academic fit for me, even if I didn¡¯t play basketball in college?¡± Audrey shouts at Heather.


    ¡°Audrey, you always seemed to understand the material in greater depth than I. My grades might be relatively good, I know it¡¯s not the end of the story! And also you played your best basketball in the playoffs!¡± Heather points out.


    ¡°Or rather, we played our best basketball in the playoffs! It¡¯s not just me!¡± Audrey retorts, while feeling like Heather withheld information from her, just not on purpose.


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, even I would still be relatively strong academically compared to the rest of the pool of college hoops prospects. The average D1-D2 basketball prospect would probably lie between Carrie and me in class, Heather is left wondering if she can herself contact coaches at, say, D3 colleges, at least after the ACT results come in, believing that, while the Ivy League is out of the question for her, both academically (since she¡¯s in the 3.7-3.8 range) and athletically, maybe she could play D3.


    And yet, Heather, feeling the rift growing between Audrey and her, leaves the scene, and Carrie does the same, feeling like Heather¡¯s obsession with getting Audrey to play in the Ivy League is getting out of hand. And, of course, studying for the ACT with Tyler, too.


    ¡°I got a thirty-four on this practice test, honey. How much did you get?¡± Audrey asks him, a little dazed from Heather.


    ¡°Thirty. One more thing. While players at the HSNCT might have, for the most part, good grades, quiz bowl skill doesn¡¯t translate one-to-one to the ACT!¡± Pablo then tells Audrey.


    ¡°And not the least since quiz bowl doesn¡¯t have any math problems¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll study with you next year, after the football season ends!¡±


    And then Pablo meets up with other footballers, who take their time to digest what their practice scores mean for their studying. Like Finn, who needs to increase his score by two full points to even get to his goal of 20. The discussion turns to who they can study with.


    ¡°I think we will stand a better chance of improving if we study with the right people before the big test. However, I am not sure if Nadine is the right person to study with¡­¡± Ethan voices his concerns, despite having the highest ACT practice score of the juniors.


    ¡°If Nadine isn¡¯t right for us to study for the ACT with, then Pablo isn¡¯t either! The ACT is a year away for them¡± Valter comments on Ethan wanting to study with Nadine.


    ¡°Natalie should be considered, but she isn¡¯t available all the time¡± Dayton realizes that he has some way to go to catch up to his girlfriend.


    And it turns out that a lot of footballers have ACT practice scores in the sub-20 range, so the coach focuses on these footballers specifically. For this reason, Pablo steps out of the way and leaves the area around the computer lab. And meets with Nadine who, without surprise, performed better on the English and language sections than on the math and science ones, but only by two points. And also scoring a 34 on the practice test.


    ¡°I¡¯d say that, for the ACT, if either the football or basketball teams ask us for help, we should provide it¡± Audrey suggests the other two sophomore quiz bowlers.


    "It seems like some footballers deem us poor fits to help them study for that test" Nadine tells her quiz bowl teammates.


    "I took this practice test only because Heather dragged me here..." Audrey sighs. "Because I don''t get along with Heather anymore, If the girls'' basketball team asks for aid, I will forward the request to you. However, I am at the disposal of the football and boys'' basketball teams if they ask for ACT study help"


    "At this point, we may as well be last-resort help, but you make it sound like the basketball teams will be more likely to come to us than the football team!" Pablo deadpans the other two.


    Normally, I expect athletes, faced with this wakeup call, to have their pick of people to call upon for aid. However, whether they will actually ask for it, remains to be seen, Pablo starts thinking, before he kisses Audrey.

 Chapter 28: Slim Pickings

    In the weeks to follow, it seems like a lot of juniors¡¯ attention is devoted to the upcoming, state-sponsored ACT date. Regardless of what extracurricular activities they engage in: baseball, softball, FFA, band, you name it. And upperclassmen on the academic teams are swamped with requests for aid, be it with coursework or for the ACT.


    ¡°It seems a little weird that people ask for aid left and right. I knew there just wasn¡¯t a whole lot of people who could help, and so much demand for it... Could you do this for me, please?¡± Pablo asks Audrey before class begins. ¡°To help the football team with the ACT...¡±


    ¡°Nadine told me about how some peeps on the football team deemed you a poor fit. And... her, too. I wonder what makes me different from you two to their eyes¡± Audrey asks him.


    ¡°To be fair, it¡¯s only a subgroup of juniors on the football team that deemed us poor fits. Ethan, Finn, Dayton and Valter. However, Heath and Orson are the ones who asked you for help on the ACT, and me, too. And, surprisingly, one of the cornerbacks, fed up with how the outgoing quarterback was of no use, would rather have had Nadine helping him study than the outgoing QB!¡±


    The football team might have its pick of tutors, but the people they can call upon can¡¯t always be there for them. Not the least because football players don¡¯t always ask for help fast enough, Pablo reflects on why it has come to this. Simply put, footballers must compete with non-football players to get tutoring services, and must make do with online help until then.


    ¡°After quiz bowl practice, does that work for you?¡± Audrey asks Pablo.


    ¡°Yes¡± Pablo then responds to the request placed by the right linebacker.


    After quiz bowl practice, Pablo warns his parents as the couple gets to Heath¡¯s home. Orson is also there, awaiting the arrival of the pair. After they ring the doorbell:


    ¡°Finally! You¡¯re our only hope!¡± Heath sighs of relief.


    ¡°I¡¯m Audrey and you probably know me as either a quiz bowler or Pablo¡¯s girlfriend. Before we begin, we would like to know what work was done before, on your own or with others!¡± Audrey starts the session.


    ¡°The funny thing is that, if we stick to online help, it might tell us why an answer is incorrect, but it doesn¡¯t seem to apply from a question to another¡± Orson retorts.


    ¡°By now, you know that, on the ACT, leaving questions blank is a no-go. However, how you go around eliminating the answer choices depends on the type of question considered. In math, you can plug answers into equations¡± Pablo tells his other teammates.


    ¡°Also, if you realize you always get a certain type of question wrong, you might want to review the material associated with it!¡± Audrey explains to the duet.


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem, Audrey; we seem to get things wrong at random!¡± Heath remarks.


    ¡°We seem to need help across the board!¡± Orson confides in them.


    To Audrey¡¯s eyes, it shows these two have been using free online tools to study, which often include disjointed sets of questions and solutions to each, but no more than that. No real tracking of one¡¯s evolution in studying.


    More like they are unable to discern patterns, if any, in their mistakes, and I feel like Heath is making up excuses, Audrey starts thinking about their study habits.


    ¡°It pains me to admit it, but sometimes shortcuts are necessary. In math and science sections, if a diagram or chart is available, a clue can often be found in it, which will enable you to eliminate at least one answer¡± Audrey gives out the first clue that¡¯s applicable widely.


    ¡°There are times where I felt like I was almost running out of time. Do you have any tips that could help in reading?¡± Orson asks them.


    ¡°What has worked for me is reading the first and last paragraphs, as well as the first and last sentences of each body paragraph¡± Pablo explains to the two footballers as Orson beams with gratitude. ¡°If necessary, you can always go back to the passage when faced with a details kind of question!¡±


    ¡°Remember: you don¡¯t have much time here. So for the first drill, we will time you and, if the time you take to answer exceeds the target, then we will give you some pointers!¡± Audrey readies a set of math questions for Heath.


    Pablo helped me cheat in Algebra II, which is why I¡¯m willing to ask him for help, even though some of my teammates have reservations, Heath ruminates as the two are assigned different sets of questions: Audrey gives him some sample math questions, while Pablo gives Orson a passage with reading questions.


    The two start the drill, and boy is it painful for both footballers to get down to applying what they were told to do just a few moments ago. Much like getting hit by either one in a football game. And the tutors also attempt to answer the same questions as their tutees.


    And it¡¯s obvious their tutors finish the questions in the drills they gave the juniors faster than the juniors could complete it. They both finish their set of five questions at least a minute faster than Heath and Orson did. Which leads them to keep an eye on the clock after they are done answering their questions. And it appears the two juniors are cutting it close, very close.


    ¡°Now, it seems like building up speed, but the reading passage picked for the drill was about life as a scholarship athlete in college! A passage that was susceptible to get the interest of the tutees¡± Pablo then hands off the passage to Audrey, hoping that it will shed some light on just how intense Division I hoops can get.


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    ¡°You might be tempted, in reading passages, to look at the questions before reading, especially when the questions point at a specific part of a passage. However, the main risk is that you might misread a passage or a question, and then get a question wrong!¡± Audrey adds.


    And then the second drill begins. As Audrey starts reading the passage, she realizes that¡­ ouch. I harbor no illusions of ever playing at any level higher than college hoops. I wonder if Heather is aware of the demands of D1 basketball on an athlete¡¯s schedule? Even more so in the Ivy League, where the academic schedule can crush even non-athletes? And if I actually became good enough to play basketball in the Ivy League, I might have some interest from, like, Berkeley, Villanova, Georgetown or Notre Dame even! Or even plain old Tulane¡­ I wonder if Heather obsesses with getting me to play in the Ivy League based only on my grades and how I played in the state tournament! Audrey starts crying.


    ¡°Honey, why are you crying?¡± Pablo asks her after she¡¯s done reading the passage.


    ¡°It¡¯s now that I realize that, even if I became good enough for any kind of college hoops, playing basketball in college might prevent me from getting what I really want out of college!¡± Audrey keeps crying.


    ¡°Just give this passage to your teammates, and I will give it to mine! I understand that, as smart as you are, it¡¯s common not to know what you want to do in life at this stage¡± Pablo then emails the passage to all juniors on the football team. ¡°It¡¯s normal to want to keep options open, I am sure other quiz bowlers want that, too. I made peace with not playing football in college, and, honestly, while some people might need to rely on sports to go to college, college sports aren¡¯t what they¡¯re cracked up to be¡±


    Meanwhile, it seems like Heath is a little shaken, too, but not as much as Audrey. Not the least because, like Pablo, he accepts readily that he doesn¡¯t stand a chance in college football.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Orson asks the two, at the end of the math drill.


    ¡°These tricks might have been helpful to us, since we got four correct answers on each drill, but as I said earlier, we need help across the board. Do you have any tricks for the English section?¡± Heath asks the two.


    ¡°The correct answer will usually flow best. However, there will be times where no change will really be the best answer...¡± Pablo answers his teammates.


    And, of course, how would one approach each type of question in each section of the ACT might be helpful. Audrey seems to take a bit to clear her mind:


    ¡°If you realize that, for instance, you made mistakes more often in geometry, then it might be worth reviewing geometry!¡± Audrey seems to notice that Orson got more geometry questions wrong, notwithstanding there were only 2 geometry questions in the drill.


    ¡°What about stuff such as exponentials and logarithms?¡± Heath asks.


    ¡°That you might want to look up these things online. We might even do it together!¡± Pablo offers the two juniors.


    ¡°And all other pre-calculus stuff on the ACT! Now I know what I need most to work on!¡± Audrey has a flash in her mind.


    And probably the case for Nadine, too, as I do myself. None of us are mathletes, nor do we push the envelope in math, Pablo realizes that almost everyone not taking pre-calculus would have had at least one question wrong on pre-calculus. He then looks up what pre-calculus topics would come up in the test.


    It turns out there just isn¡¯t a whole lot of pre-calculus on the ACT other than exponentials and logarithms. More like just not a whole lot of it at all. The only other pre-calculus topic that may come up is trigonometry.


    And so the foursome start looking for resources to self-teach these two topics, which they then forward to their sports teammates. And Nadine, too.


    --------------------


    Speaking of Nadine, she breaks the news to that cornerback, Richard. About the material the regular Algebra II won¡¯t cover in time for the state-sponsored ACT administration.


    ¡°Well, Richard, are you ok with not getting a perfect math score? If not, my teammates told me there is material on the ACT we won¡¯t cover in time in class!¡± Nadine tells him, a little perplexed.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Richard gasps, upon learning of how some material for the ACT came too late in Algebra II for it. ¡°I might be ok with not getting a perfect math score, but I am going to need every little thing I can get until then, so please, teach me about these things!¡±


    Nadine starts by showing an introductory video about, first, exponentials and logarithms, as well as a common real-world application: composite interest. It¡¯s now that I wonder how this course is designed¡­ trig, exponentials and logarithms are the things that can vary among districts, states even, in when they¡¯re covered, Nadine ponders.


    --------------------


    Back at Heath¡¯s home, Heath¡¯s dad is thrown off by the two sophomores preparing a video about exponentials and logarithms, and feels like something is not right.


    ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s a good idea. I mean, they can¡¯t sniff even a twenty-seven, and I think they might not need it either!¡± Heath¡¯s dad looks at the pre-calculus questions they are using to learn trigonometry for the ACT, referring to both Heath and Orson.


    ¡°Dad, you seem to be implying that TOPS is the only real incentive we have to score high on the ACT!¡± Heath retorts to his father. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why I was forced to ask these two for help: the other tutors couldn¡¯t be everywhere at once! None of these tutors want us to just hit the TOPS threshold appropriate for our grades!¡±


    The cold, hard truth is that there just aren¡¯t a whole lot of tutors to go around, Heath thinks, while he¡¯s reminded of how online tutoring just isn¡¯t the same as in-person tutoring. Of who juniors called upon to get help: the tutors disproportionately come from the top 10% of upperclassmen.


    ¡°As relevant to the ACT, trigonometry and exponentials are going to be very basic. No trig functions, no inverse functions¡± Pablo skims a FAQ about pre-calculus on the ACT.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s not strictly true. Logarithms can be seen as the inverse functions of exponentials¡± Heath¡¯s mom retorts.


    ¡°Do you want your kid to improve on the ACT?¡± Audrey asks Heath¡¯s parents.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I am paying you two for!¡± Heath¡¯s father yells at them.


    The two juniors are then treated, like Richard by Nadine elsewhere in town, to a lecture about composite interest and how exponentials are used. And about their key properties.


    And then the foursome attempts to solve questions from past ACTs on exponentials and logarithms. The limited supply of questions on these topics make their lives a little harder than they would have liked.


    ¡°On the one hand, you want your kid to improve on the ACT. On the other, you want your kid to only hit the TOPS Opportunity threshold!¡± Orson whines to Heath¡¯s dad.


    ¡°You must realize that, even though TOPS Tech and Opportunity pay out the same amount, TOPS Tech is restricted to vocational training, while TOPS Opportunity is broader in scope!¡± Heath¡¯s mother warns the attendees, before handing out a link to a comparison chart between the four TOPS tiers.


    Now I understand why Heather obsessed with scoring a 27 or better on the real test, or why it seemed like everyone wanted a 20, 23 or 27. And it seemed pretty telling of what GPA range kids fall into based on their stated ACT targets. I guess we¡¯re told about TOPS only in junior year... a bulb flashes in Audrey¡¯s mind, before collecting $80, of which $40 is given to Pablo.

 Chapter 29: Quiz Bowl of Cherries

    After spending weeks helping athletes and their siblings, Pablo saved up some money. The Thursday before quiz bowl-State, his parents announce him the following:


    ¡°Because you spent more time tutoring athletes than you used to, we now realize that¡¯s the price you pay for qualifying for the HSNCT, two months from now. However, we never saw a quiz bowl game, so we¡¯re going to support the VAs at State!¡± Pablo¡¯s dad tells him.


    ¡°I am not going to play at State this year. However, since LSMSA hosts State, I may as well visit NSU at Natchitoches during the prelims of State!¡± Pablo explains to him what the plan is for State. ¡°And maybe even meet other quiz bowl teammates than Audrey¡­¡±


    I hope that they will understand what quiz bowl really is about. They asked me to see the season through. For most teams playing, State represents the end of the season. For us, however, the HSNCT is what we work towards. The usual suspects of the Louisiana quiz bowl circuit are going to be there: Caddo Magnet, Benjamin-Franklin, to name those who are confirmed to attend the HSNCT, Pablo reflects on what to expect for the rest of the quiz bowl season. However, I think people won¡¯t ask for help as much until finals time.


    ¡°Tomorrow night, you must sleep early because we leave early for Natchitoches!¡± Pablo¡¯s mom warns him.


    ¡°I slept over at my teammates¡¯ homes on Friday nights before tournaments! They let me sleep at midnight or even later!¡± Pablo retorts, reminded of his sleepovers at Audrey and Nadine prior to ESA Cade Cane Classic and LQBA Fall Invitational South respectively.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re lucky that your quiz bowler teammates are actually responsible students! Then again, I expected nothing less, knowing how¡­ top-heavy quiz bowl teams tend to lean!¡± Pablo¡¯s dad tells him. ¡°More mature, and, of course, smarter; that¡¯s why I allowed you to sleep at your quiz bowl teammates¡¯ homes before tournaments more readily than I would have let you sleep at your football teammates¡¯ after football games!¡±


    ¡°One more thing: we would want, Audrey and I, to eat our own things, without you, at lunch!¡± Pablo warns his parents.


    Not sure Audrey would want to eat Chinese; for some reason, it would remind her far too much of the bad memories of her playing basketball, Pablo then starts researching what restaurants he could get takeout around NSU¡¯s campus or, if time permits, eating in-room as opposed to takeout.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect the visit of NSU to last the whole tournament¡­¡± Pablo¡¯s dad sighs. ¡°We might watch a prelim game if we have time¡±


    ¡°As my teammates playing told me, what we will need our own in the game room most will be for the playoff rounds. Lilina isn¡¯t playing either, but she feels a visit is in order, too¡±


    ¡°Lilina¡­ she¡¯s in ninth grade, correct? She¡¯s a little young to visit a college campus!¡± Pablo¡¯s mom points out.


    ¡°Yes. She might be a little young for college visits, but she¡¯s one of the best ninth graders in the state¡¯s quiz bowling world. Also, she brought George in tow¡±


    Once this conversation ends, he glances at the restaurants around NSU where he could take Audrey at lunch break, and then compiles a list to forward her, while remaining mindful of not eating Chinese food. Which makes Chef Wok not viable.


    He finally gets started reading the book Audrey gave him for Valentine¡¯s Day. About four girls whose parents knew each other for years and shares a used pair of jeans that somehow fit all four despite not being the same size.


    An hour or so later, he starts getting puzzled by what he¡¯s reading. Why is it that it even appeared in a quiz bowl tournament to begin with? It might be a book about friendship, with leads my age, and some romance in it, but my least favorite pairing is definitely Lena x Kostos. I understand that any difference in lifestyle between then and now might be the result of its time of release, however. Maybe I could give it to the school or parish library; hopefully it should bring joy to someone else, Pablo struggles to contain his disgust for the book, chalking up its presence in a bonus at LQBA Winter Invitational South to an editing artifact.


    He then texts Audrey: ¡°I guess I hate the book. It just wasn¡¯t for me. Oh and if you¡¯re not going to eat at Chef Wok on Saturday, where would you want to eat for lunch?¡±


    That¡¯s okay, I guess. No book is for everyone, Audrey sighs, upon realizing that Pablo didn¡¯t like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. And it makes her revise what she could possibly give him later, knowing that other romcoms in that style won¡¯t be for him either.


    And the same is apparently true in reverse: he ought to give her something that could be of use to her on some level. A book about transitioning to life after sports, like Transition. That, even though Charlotte and Taylor would probably have more use for the book for now than Audrey would have.


    Speaking of Audrey, she takes her sweet time perusing the restaurants around NSU. ¡°What about I¡¯ve Got the Recipe?¡±


    ¡°Sure...¡± Pablo then texts Nadine and Gerard about whether they already plan on going to State to support the A-team. And visit NSU despite knowing that it¡¯s unlikely they would even attend NSU in the first place. ¡°Lilina and I are going to State to support our own folk; are you planning to do the same?¡±


    ¡°Do you have space in your parents¡¯ car? My parents refuse to go to State!¡± Gerard asks him, before asking Tanith out by text message. ¡°Tanith, would you like to go to quiz bowl-State? My teammates will even pay for the trip!¡±


    Then it turns out that Nadine already plans on going to State with her parents, as well as Ethan, in tow.


    ¡°We have 2 seats left¡± Pablo texts Gerard back, before texting his parents. ¡°Gerard could be interested in going to State, too, but he will first need to sleep over here¡±


    Pablo¡¯s mom then comes to his room, questions in mind about Gerard.


    ¡°Who is Gerard? Another quiz bowl player?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mom. I played with him at every tournament I attended this season. He¡¯s a mathlete, too. However, his parents refuse to drive him to State! Can you please let him, and possibly his girlfriend, if any, sleep here before the tournament?¡± Pablo asks his mom.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Are you sure Gerard is dating anyone? You sounded like you weren¡¯t sure, and whether I will allow him to sleep at our home will depend on his girlfriend, if any!¡± Pablo¡¯s mom imposes conditions on him.


    In the quickly shifting sands of high school¡¯s dating scene, where couples can be made or broken at breakneck speeds, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Gerard actually dates someone by now. I never saw him date anyone, and yet he¡¯s not hurting for exposure, especially not after the B-team qualified for the HSNCT, Pablo freezes in place, left wondering whether his quiz bowl teammate is dating anyone. He then asks Gerard about whether he plans to bring in anyone else at State.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to State with Tanith¡± Gerard answers him.


    ¡°Tanith is his girlfriend now, but they¡¯ll come home after the game against Crowley¡±


    ¡°I hope that Tanith will behave¡­¡± Pablo¡¯s mom sighs.


    ¡°Tanith will be tired from playing shortstop on the softball team. She will simply want to sleep and eat on Saturday morning¡±


    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll let them sleep overnight¡±


    Woohoo! Tanith will go to quiz bowl-State with me! Gerard jumps for joy and can then consider this the start of their budding relationship.


    The following night, Gerard arrives late enough that he, too, feels pretty tired. And with Tanith in tow. Pablo and his parents could tell that hard work has paid off for Tanith that night. Or at least the softball team.


    ¡°And we won against Crowley, four to two!¡± Tanith announces in a raspy voice.


    ¡°What news from the math team?¡± Pablo asks Gerard.


    ¡°The Math Madness playoff brackets will be released tomorrow night. In all likelihood we will be in Division I, but not in a high seed!¡± Gerard answers him, while waiting on Tanith to go to sleep.


    The following morning, Pablo¡¯s parents prepare the breakfast, with cherry jam as well as whole wheat bread.


    ¡°Gerard, how does it feel to play quiz bowl with my son?¡± Pablo¡¯s mom asks Gerard.


    ¡°Sometimes he¡¯s a little rash, but I can chalk that up to inexperience. I have been playing since seventh grade, and Lilina, too. However, he isn¡¯t out of place in quiz bowl¡±


    ¡°And you are...¡± Pablo¡¯s dad turns to Tanith.


    ¡°Tanith. I play shortstop on the softball team, I am in the same civics section as Gerard, he seems nice¡±


    ¡°Tanith, it¡¯s obvious to me that you are good enough at social studies to make debate worth playing, but sometimes I wonder what made you feel like the debate team isn¡¯t for you. Is it because it interferes with softball? Or is it because you feel like the academic pressure would be too much for you?¡± Gerard asks her.


    From what I have seen, debaters have more wiggle room in math and science, pressure-wise. Here at VA, quiz bowlers are pressured to be well-rounded academically. That, even though some of our opponents might have players who have a glaring academic weakness, usually specialists, Gerard reflects on the pressures Tanith would face at school was she to play on the debate team next season.


    ¡°I wonder what my parents would have to say. They always pushed for sports, and now you feel like I should do debate as well... That¡¯s a lot on my plate¡± Tanith comments.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for now. We might discuss it further in private¡± Gerard adds.


    A few hours later, they arrive in Natchitoches at LSMSA¡¯s main building. Seeing that Lilina and Nadine have already arrived with their love interests in tow, they are given the schedule of VA¡¯s games at State, middle and high school.


    And they happen to see that a girl is towering over them, ostensibly a player, and wearing a wine-red basketball jersey. Latvija. Along with the chaperone for the team she plays on. And, of course, their opponents wearing an eclectic selection of clothing, beyond Aija¡¯s basketball uniform.


    ¡°That¡¯s Aija; we recognize her from Leesville!¡± Pablo points out to his quiz bowl teammates.


    ¡°And that basketball game, too!¡± Nadine comments.


    ¡°Yes, the Courland Basket!¡± George can¡¯t help but notice Aija.


    ¡°Now, we¡¯ll need to tour the campus before we return for some of the later games on the schedule!¡± Lilina then herds VA¡¯s high school B-team, along with their Lis (except for Audrey).


    The seven people band together, along with Lilina¡¯s parents acting as tour guides, to start their campus visit with LSMSA¡¯s main building, and then go to Varnado and then Russel Hall as, for some reason, Lilina¡¯s parents have them tour the campus clockwise.


    ¡°Now I have a better idea of what a college campus looks like!¡± George quips in front of his beloved Lilina and kisses her in front of the university¡¯s iconic trio of columns.


    And they then take a photo on mobile of the couple kissing in front of the columns. Which Lilina doesn¡¯t hesitate to post on her social media before resuming the visit.


    ¡°They say college is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, provided you can attend! While this visit might not necessarily give us a good grip on what collegiate life will really be like, know, however, that there will be a lot more freedom than in high school!¡± Lilina¡¯s dad tells the seven students.


    ¡°Yes, I know, dad, I must work hard in school as well as out of school to make this work. That¡¯s why I write for the student newspaper, and same with Nadine!¡± Lilina retorts.


    ¡°I guess, a taste of college campuses is better than nothing at all¡­¡± George sighs, while the visit resumes.


    Ouch: I never read the student newspaper! No wonder I didn¡¯t realize Lilina and Nadine wrote for it! Pablo then rushes to find the online edition of VA¡¯s student newspaper on mobile, to see what Lilina and Nadine could have written for it this year.


    About an hour after the start of games at quiz bowl-State, they have finished touring NSU¡¯s campus, and return to LSMSA¡¯s main building for round 3 of quiz bowl-State. For rounds 3 and 4, they split up between watching middle schoolers and high schoolers.


    By the end of round 4, both teams are assured to finish in the top playoff pool, which gives them some breathing room. At the same time, it seems like the mother of Aija¡¯s host family is willing to discuss things with other parents of quiz bowlers. In particular, Lilina¡¯s parents.


    ¡°I really wonder why it is that teachers saw in Aija that made a good fit for quiz bowl¡­ did they see her as being more ¡°worldly¡± than the rest of the team, if that makes sense?¡± a puzzled mother of Aija¡¯s host family asks Lilina¡¯s mother.


    ¡°First, who is Aija, and second, what do you know about Aija as a student?¡± Lilina¡¯s mother asks the puzzled Wildcat fan.


    ¡°Aija is a Latvian exchange student and, for some reason, she was placed in ELL courses but is advanced in all other areas. She plays basketball, too¡±


    ¡°Normally, high achievers in her mold would be asked for help, and even cheated off them, in what they perform best in; I have this experience with my own daughter!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s weird: if people cheated off her, she never told me about it. She did talk to me once or twice about how schools here tended to focus more on being, in her words, omnisports club operators, though. The quiz bowl team seems to be the only place at school where she can be herself when not playing basketball¡±


    ¡°Sorry to intrude, but you mentioned that some players might have had difficulties fitting in at school outside of the quiz bowl team!¡± another parent of a quiz bowler mentions to them. ¡°That has been the experience of my own son, playing for Eunice¡±


    Then the 3 parents keep talking about the experience of their own children at school and where quiz bowl fits in their school lives. Livonia is shaping up to become the Cinderella team of the year, appearing poised to go into the top playoff bracket. In a way, VA is actually quite different from our opponents¡¯ schools and I¡¯m happy that Lilina is even a Venomous Agenda, Lilina¡¯s mom reflects on her opponents¡¯ experiences at school. About quiz bowl being their beacon of hope in an otherwise dreary experience.


    At the end of round 5, where the game room of their last prelim game against Southside seemed to have only VA supporters in the room, they ask each other about their experience of watching quiz bowl games.


    ¡°How do you feel about quiz bowl games now?¡± Pablo asks these two.


    ¡°We can learn a lot, but the questions can take forever to ask¡± Tanith answers Pablo.


    ¡°It can be exciting, but it takes two teams that are relatively competitive for that¡± George comments on the entertainment value of quiz bowl games.


    ¡°I feel it¡¯s much more interesting to play the game than to watch it being played¡± Ethan adds more comments before lunch time hits.

 Chapter 30: Clash of the Buzzers

    When lunch time hits, Pablo comes around and kisses Audrey, whom he could tell is happy with how VA is looking, going into the playoff rounds.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to I¡¯ve Got the Recipe for lunch, as agreed previously. I need to be back at the main hall in an hour, though, since the playoffs begin at that time¡± Audrey then looks up the directions to I¡¯ve Got the Recipe.


    Which is about a block away from LSMSA, and hence they can get the meal done in time for them to go eat there. As they get a table for two at the restaurant:


    ¡°What makes this special to us is because, it¡¯s, well, State, and the first time I¡¯m going to it¡± Pablo then looks at the menu.


    ¡°Pablo, stop; the HSNCT might not be as intimate, from what I¡¯ve heard about it, but it¡¯s an even grander stage for us, in two months!¡± Audrey tells him.


    ¡°What will it be for you?¡± the waiter asks, while a few more participants at quiz bowl-State are also getting tables.


    ¡°¨¦touff¨¦e for me¡± Pablo places his order from the diminutive recipe.


    ¡°Me too!¡± Audrey adds, before turning to Pablo. ¡°By now you have realized that we have by far the most fans at quiz bowl-State, even when that amounts to parents, love interests and the B-team!¡±


    Finally, we can be together as we deserve it, without our parents interfering. Presumably the other couples on the quiz bowl team have their own plans. Like eating on campus, Pablo then waits on the crawfish ¨¦touff¨¦e he ordered. That, knowing that it has been a while since he had any crawfish at all.


    ¡°¨¦touff¨¦e as I never ate it before! Now that¡¯s what I call a romantic meal!¡± Pablo comments on the smothered meal.


    ¡°Oh yes, I sure hope we can have another lunch or dinner with a table for two, like this, at the HSNCT two months from now!¡± Audrey formulates her wish for eating at the HSNCT.


    ¡°And ideally eating dishes we can¡¯t have at home, then¡±


    ¡°That was sweet of you¡±


    Once they both finish eating, they kiss each other just before the time comes for them to pay the bill for the two plates of crawfish ¨¦touff¨¦e. They were apparently lucky to get these for $60, taxes and tip included. Which Pablo promptly pays before returning to campus for the playoffs.


    Upon returning to the LSMSA building, the schedule of playoff games is released for the teams on the top bracket of the large schools division. Curse the Courland Basket! How could Livonia improve so much in a short month that they would somehow be in HSNCT contention? Pablo ruminates while he sees Livonia somehow sneak into the top bracket at State. As much as I would love to believe that the lowest-hanging fruit to improve is in a team¡¯s early stages, is the state¡¯s circuit so decrepit that Livonia could somehow stand a chance against the Jesuits, Caddo Magnets or VAs of this world?


    Led by Josiane, as well as Gerard¡¯s and Lilina¡¯s teammates from last year, it appears that VA is headed to victory in a middle school division that would see a very limited field, and only eight teams are playing. So Gerard and Lilina go and watch their former teammates play their final two games, with their love interests in tow, while everyone else watches the high school games. And certainly Pablo.


    The first two games he watches result in VA winning over Benjamin-Franklin and Jesuit, cementing the VAs¡¯ position as potential medal contenders. But VA¡¯s third game ends prematurely, and in a convincing win over Catholic. As the VAs are assembled around the game room for round 9:


    ¡°If the Wildcats think Aija is their ticket to the HSNCT¡­ we¡¯ll shut them out of the HSNCT, here and now!¡± Audrey exclaims.


    ¡°Even if we win against Livonia, there¡¯s no guarantee they won¡¯t finish third, and there¡¯s nothing preventing them from competing at another tournament afterward!¡± Myriam interjects.


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no telling whether Livonia would chase a HSNCT berth; most quiz bowl-playing schools in the state don¡¯t seem to be the kind to chase HSNCT berths at any cost¡± Scott retorts, knowing that most Louisiana teams feel like the HSNCT would be pointless to attend if they can¡¯t clinch a berth by State.


    ¡°Good luck then¡± Pablo wishes on them.


    For obvious reasons, and not simply because Livonia goes into round 9 (the fourth playoff round) with a 2-1 record, Aija is pumped to play that game against an undefeated VA. More than the other Livonia quiz bowlers. I lost to VA twice already in a month. First at Leesville, and then on the court! May this good-luck charm, under the form of the away kit I wore at the U17 Latvia national team tryouts, serve me well in this game¡­


    ¡°This is round nine of the 2030 LQBA State Championship playoffs, large high school division. From Jefferson Davis Parish, we have Venomous Agendas, from Pointe-Coup¨¦e Parish, we have Livonia. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one¡­¡± the moderator starts the game.


    Livonia will be hungry. But I can¡¯t let Aija get away with points that could be ours! And not simply because just playing here means a lot to the Wildcats! Audrey seems a little puzzled by the implications of the game as the VA fans, along with Livonia¡¯s chaperone, get seated. And the middle schoolers get seated, albeit a little late since everyone else beat them to the seats as the game starts.


    ¡°Aspects of this medical condition were identified in medical records dating back to fourteenth century BC Assyria¡± the moderator reads the first clue.


    Aija buzzes in. ¡°PTSD!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Stay on your guard, Ballista, no one can know everything. Just because Aija scored the first power for Livonia doesn¡¯t mean Ballista can¡¯t score one herself later! Pablo watches, powerless, as Livonia struggles with the bonus Aija earned them. Which is about literature.


    Unfortunately for Livonia, it turns out that Audrey spacing out only lasted them one tossup. The second tossup comes around and she regains her composure:


    ¡°Tossup two¡­¡± the moderator signals the start of the second tossup, and the first clue is a clue that no one seems to be willing to buzz on. ¡°The death of the main character¡¯s first proprietor causes its wife to call in her brother-in-law to help run the plantation¡±


    Audrey buzzes in. ¡°Beloved!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡± the moderator rules and then reads the preamble to the bonus the VAs earned.


    The game continues, and it has become clear as day that both sides give their all, in an attempt to medal at State. This reminds me far too much of 2024. Except the roles are reversed: the VAs were the underdogs back then, now the Wildcats are! Warren muses on the game unfolding. Aija would then be Marcia, only with mathletics replaced by basketball!


    ¡°Tossup ten: This variety of chemical reactions can occur through phosphoester and phosphoramidate bonds, as well as anhydride linkages¡± the moderator reads the first clue.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    What the hell are these chemical bonds? Aija questions herself as the verbiage of these clues doesn¡¯t seem to make any shred of sense to her. Are these bonds covalent or ionic?


    ¡°These reactions play a key role in proteins¡¯ post-translational modification¡±


    So we knew that genes were expressed as proteins, based on amino acids, but post-translational modification in proteins? That¡¯s outside the scope of AP Bio, but it sounds like stuff for which AP Bio is a prerequisite, Audrey¡¯s mind shifts to its fastest gear. And same goes for Myriam, too. However, the power mark is fast approaching.


    ¡°Two varieties of this reaction occurring in metabolic processes are called oxidative and substrate-level¡± the moderator reads the third clue, with Aija, Audrey and Myriam locked into a three-way buzzer race.


    Myriam wins the resulting buzzer race, and buzzes in. Aija shakes in her seat, hoping for Myriam to get the answer wrong.


    ¡°Phosphorylation!¡± Myriam answers.


    ¡°Ten. For ten points each, answer these questions about¡­¡± the moderator rules and then starts reading the preamble of this bonus.


    Speaking of bonus, the VAs answer two parts correctly, thus ending the first half of the game in the lead. The moderator announces the score at half-time:


    ¡°And that¡¯s the half-game. At the half, the score is one seventy for Livonia, and one ninety for Venomous Agendas!¡± the moderator signals the half-time.


    ¡°I heard the words HSNCT just before the game began, coach; what¡¯s the HSNCT?¡± Aija asks the Wildcats¡¯ quiz bowl coach.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I never heard of it¡± the Wildcats¡¯ quiz bowl coach answers Aija¡¯s question, and then sighs before turning to the rest of the team ¡°We can still win against the Venomous Agendas if we get faster on the buzzer!¡±


    The moderator then explains how placing in the top 15% at State (or really, any other NAQT-sanctioned tournament) would ensure a berth at the HSNCT, and how the HSNCT was a national championship. I guess, if we can¡¯t medal at State, there would be no point in further attempts to qualify for the HSNCT, the Wildcats¡¯ coach then returns to their seat as other players drink.


    Eight more tossup cycles elapse, and, by the time tossup 19 comes up, the VAs are up 70 points on the Wildcats. The pressure ratchets up on them, as they know that, if VA answers even one tossup correctly, they lose.


    ¡°Tossup nineteen: The current system of degrees used in goniometry traces back to this ancient Mesopotamian civilization¡± the moderator reads the question.


    By then Scott and Aija are locked into a buzzer race. I won¡¯t let this¡­ Latvian basketball player get away with this! Scott presses the buzzer like a syringe, but the moderator realizes that Aija beat him to it.


    But even when Aija buzzes in, she starts sweating, and not just because of the humidity of the game room. She feels much more pressure in this quiz bowl game than she had when trailing in past basketball games.


    ¡°Su¡­ Sumerian?¡± Aija stutters, feeling the stress.


    ¡°Fifteen¡± the moderator rules, before reading the bonus.


    Shoot! Scott has been too slow in buzzing in! By doing this, he let Livonia come back into the game! Audrey ruminates while the VAs watch, powerless, the Wildcats attempt to answer the bonus and hence close the gap.


    The final bonus part these Wildcats make the VAs nervous, not having answered the first two parts correctly. Pablo starts praying that the Wildcats don¡¯t get the final bonus part correctly because then the gap would then be 55 points, and then VA would win.


    ¡°This musical is an adaptation of Puccini¡¯s La Boh¨¨me about impoverished artists living in the East Village of New York City¡±


    But at the same time, it makes the Wildcats nervous. It might make Aija sweat, but not necessarily nauseated; on the other hand, the other Wildcats players scramble to find the answer to the bonus part for five seconds.


    ¡°Rent!¡± another Wildcat quiz bowler answers on behalf of the team.


    ¡°Ten for the bonus¡± the moderator rules.


    Oh boy, one more potential buzzer race! Aija and company start freaking out inwardly as the moderator is about to start the final tossup. We will have to play this cycle perfectly to win! the Latvian exchange student seems to realize her opponents are also nervous, too.


    ¡°Final tossup¡± the moderator signals the end of regulation questions.


    The first clue makes everyone¡¯s eyes roll. Which makes people wait for the second clue to even start making plans for answering it.


    ¡°Political causes of this phenomenon include strategic misrepresentation of projects¡¯ scope or budgets¡± the second clue is then read.


    By then, several players seem locked into buzzer races. Just not Aija for some reason. They all feel the pressure because they know the game is on the line. Scott presses the buzzer like a syringe, but Audrey and a Wildcat player also do the same. The moderator designates a Wildcat player, who was a split-second faster than the others.


    ¡°Cost overruns!¡± the Wildcat player answers.


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about coffee¡±


    Shoot! We are about to blow a 70-point lead, and now they closed the gap to 30 points? Audrey listens on her opponents as they answer the first part correctly.


    ¡°Caffeine is removed from coffee by using carbon dioxide in which phase of matter?¡± the moderator reads the second bonus part.


    ¡°Supercritical fluid!¡± the Wildcats¡¯ science player answers.


    ¡°Beyond coffee¡¯s role as a stimulant and as a laxative, caffeine is also added as an active ingredient in medications such as paracetamol. To what class of medication does paracetamol belong?¡± the moderator asks.


    The players draw a blank, even Aija. And the clock rings, signaling the end of regulation time. Yet the Wildcats haven¡¯t finished their 5 seconds of conferral.


    Are they going to score a buzzer-beater here, too? Buzzer-beaters were the bane of my lover on the court this season. Pearl River, Wossman, and now Livonia is cutting it close! Pablo starts to feel his blood pressure go up. And Aija, too.


    ¡°Antihistamines!¡± Aija hazards a guess.


    ¡°Painkillers. Twenty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Livonia three hundred thirty, Venomous Agendas three hundred forty!¡± the moderator announces the game¡¯s results.


    ¡°While Caddo Magnet and VA are virtually assured of finishing either first or second, whether we can finish in third place depends on the game between Catholic and Benjamin-Franklin¡± the Wildcats¡¯ coach states the implications of other games.


    ¡°To this all I can say is: Latvija! Latvija!¡± the chaperone of the Wildcats attempts to encourage them.


    While Wildcats quiz bowlers ask what Latvija even means, the VAs, on the other hand, go to another game room for what could well be the title game. If even VA B could beat Caddo Magnet, they can do it here, Pablo ruminates on the way to the game room.


    Speaking of the game, VA is trailing by 40 points with one tossup to go.


    ¡°Final tossup...¡± the moderator starts reading the question.


    This question seems to refer to events in romance books, as well as writing style, Scott ruminates upon hearing the clues, prior to buzzing in. However, he doesn¡¯t realize that Audrey also stands ready to buzz in, as well as the opposition. Scott presses the buzzer, as usual, like a syringe.


    ¡°Hoover!¡± Scott answers.


    ¡°Prompt¡± the moderator signals him.


    ¡°Colleen Hoover¡±


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each...¡±


    It seems like the literature editors of NAQT are more willing to include 21st century literature, Pablo is taken aback by Colleen Hoover appearing in a tossup, as well as Kim Thuy in a practice packet, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants at LQBA Winter.


    ¡°Windmills were built in the Netherlands to aid in this process by draining water¡± the moderator reads the first bonus part.


    ¡°Land reclamation¡± Myriam answers.


    ¡°Land reclamation, when used in areas poor in flat land near bodies of water, gives rise to this type of formation¡±


    ¡°Artificial island!¡±


    It¡¯s all down to this bonus part now, we can win State, Audrey starts shaking as the final bonus part begins and the clock ticks down on them.


    ¡°This artificial island archipelago was built off the coast of Dubai and...¡± the clock rings to signal the end of regulation time.


    Time to buzz in, I guess, Audrey feels the pressure of answering the bonus part and then score the buzzer-beater. Here¡¯s my chance to avenge these losses against Wossman and Pearl River on the court!


    ¡°Palm Jumeirah!¡± Audrey answers before the end of the actual bonus part.


    ¡°Thirty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Caddo Magnet three hundred fifty, Venomous Agendas three hundred fifty-five!¡±


    And then comes the awards ceremony. Top scorer, power prize, as well as the medals. Of course, the least happy campers are Livonia, whose heads are hunched over an unhappy ending to State.


    ¡°The bronze medalists, from Orleans Parish, Benjamin-Franklin!¡± the tournament director hands the medals to the Falcons, as well as the trophy. ¡°The silver medalists, from Caddo Parish, Caddo Magnet! And our new state champions, from Jefferson Davis Parish, Venomous Agendas!¡± The TD then takes a photo of the entire podium.


    ¡°Getting us to attend even two tournaments was difficult, even if we could have done so with only three hundred dollars¡± the Wildcats¡¯ chaperone points out. ¡°Even if we qualified for the HSNCT, getting there would be a financial nightmare!¡±


    ¡°I guess, no HSNCT for us...¡± Aija sighs.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t have done it without you... Courland Basket!¡± another player comments. "I guess, time to fly under the radar again..."


    Meanwhile, Pablo then goes out to hug Audrey after the ceremony ends. And kiss her, too. For so many attending State, just attending State means a lot. For us, there¡¯s the HSNCT, Pablo ruminates.

 Chapter 31: High-Wire ACT

    A week later, on Monday morning, in the weight room, Pablo meets with his football teammates. They start discussing ACT scores since they were released early in the morning.


    ¡°Woohoo! A twenty-one!¡± Finn exclaims when his teammates start arriving.


    ¡°If I may, I say this is the time to get an appointment with counseling!¡± Virginie tells Finn, knowing other juniors in the weight room would overhear her. Including Valter, and a few juniors on other sports teams.


    ¡°I wonder how long we will need to wait¡­¡± Valter sighs, while doing squats.


    ¡°That I have no idea, but it will depend on how many people will book appointments¡± Virginie tells her boyfriend.


    I guess it¡¯s first come, first serve, Pablo seems to realize that some of his teammates have their work cut out for them, and some of them struggle to see a future after graduation. That, even though they scrambled left and right to get help to study for the ACT. Sometimes you just can¡¯t have it all¡­ I wonder if my teammates¡¯ assistance has benefited Heath, Richard or Orson. I¡¯m curious to see what Ethan, Dayton scored, with Natalie helping them out.


    The opportunity will come in the locker room, shortly before the bell rings. On his girlfriend¡¯s advice, Valter sends an email requesting an appointment with counseling. They never seem to discuss subscores.


    ¡°What did you guys get on the ACT?¡± Valter asks his footballer friends. ¡°Twenty-seven for me¡±


    ¡°Twenty-nine¡± Ethan answers.


    ¡°Yeah, right, when you date a... HSNCT qualifier, you can study however you want!¡± Finn points out sarcastically.


    ¡°And I had help from those you call HSNCT qualifiers!¡± Orson adds to this cacophony. ¡°Even after learning, as they asked me, some pre-calculus, I still got a twenty-five!¡±


    ¡°Same here: I, too, studied with the same HSNCT qualifiers as Orson, I got a twenty-four¡± Heath adds his score.


    ¡°Although the coach made me get help that I wouldn¡¯t have asked for otherwise, and Carrie, too, I got a twenty-one¡± Finn breaks the news to his teammates, before texting Carrie about it.


    ¡°I guess, I am happy for you...¡± Pablo sighs while he hears about Richard and Dayton. He then turns to Heath and Orson. ¡°How does it feel to ask for help from underclassmen on the quiz bowl team?¡±


    ¡°Asking for help from the quiz bowl team is just like asking help from any other tutor. I didn¡¯t feel much of a difference between having Natalie or Audrey tutor us¡± Orson answers.


    ¡°Yeah, there are times where I had Natalie as a semi-private tutor with Finn, Orson and Heath!¡± Dayton adds.


    ¡°Both pushed us to learn new material!¡± Heath laments.


    ¡°I would love to see the face of the career development teacher...¡± Richard comments on his own ACT score. ¡°If you thought Audrey and Natalie were mostly the same as ACT tutors, you must have realized just how academically top-heavy the quiz bowl team really is! I even let Nadine tutor me!¡±


    It appears that, everywhere juniors are, they talked only about their ACT scores. And certainly during the career development course. The athletes in Heather¡¯s section are seated in the back.


    ¡°Although, at the beginning of the year, you were taught about TOPS, today, we will go into greater detail about college applications, community or four-year. About how to choose an institution to apply to. Now that you have your ACT scores on hand, please check your current GPA, and pay attention to both unweighted and weighted!¡± Steven, the career development teacher, harangues the students.


    I guess, I can be thankful for Audrey and her quiz bowl teammates: I somehow scored a 35 in both math and science on the ACT, Heather ruminates as she listens to the teacher talking about how the starting point of post-graduation life begins with these two numbers. About how scoring a 33 on the ACT is putting her in an uncomfortable position. That, up to this point, she made no real academic splash. Sometimes I wonder if I was too harsh on Audrey after this heart-breaking loss at Wossman; she¡¯s clearly the brainiac of both the boys¡¯ and girls¡¯ basketball teams. However, with this 33 on the ACT, I wonder how the dynamic will change for me at school, now that people catch wind of these stats. For better or for worse.


    And she is reminded of the harsh reality of the majority of the student body, as well as how her own reality is equally harsh, but in different ways. About how the options of so many are restricted to regional institutions, and hence a lot of what the teacher is talking about is tailored towards the local offerings.


    The teacher lists a few names, clearly the strongest students in the section on both measures, whom the teacher wishes to meet with after class.


    ¡°The reason why I asked you all to stay after class is that I believe there is one thing I should tell you now. It¡¯s okay not to attend an elite college, and a rejection from an elite college is in no way an indictment of any lack of skill on your part¡± Steven tells the top students in the section, before turning to Heather. ¡°While I saw you play, and you played well during the state tournament, I¡¯m afraid you must approach college as if you were an ordinary student!¡±


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Does this mean that I can¡¯t rely on basketball to go to college?¡± Heather asks, dreading the teacher¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Unfortunately, yes¡± the teacher realizes that he made Heather start crying.


    Even at 3.80/33, I¡¯m still not Ivy League material from an academic standpoint. However, the coach makes me feel it¡¯s not realistic for me to aim for the all-state team for next season, Heather ruminates, causing the clock to tick on her basketball life. I guess, I can always ED at Tulane if push comes to shove so long as I can maintain that 3.80¡­ or just try to look at colleges with an eye on merit aid, and not just need-based aid! Just without hoops.


    At lunch, Audrey sits next to Carrie, who, in turn, tries to comfort Heather, who¡¯s crying after asking clarification from Kent about her college hoops prospects. Unfortunately, Kent bears the same news as Steven.


    ¡°Why are you crying, Heather?¡± Carrie asks her basketball teammate.


    ¡°Because the coach told me I have no real chance at college hoops!¡± Heather told her basketball teammates.


    ¡°I guess, if you can¡¯t count on basketball to go to college, I can¡¯t either! It¡¯s not the end of the world! You still have relatively good grades, I basically have a choice between McNeese and UL-Lafayette only, if I wanted to go to a four-year!¡± Carrie retorts.


    ¡°The cold, hard truth is that we made it as far as we did in the state tournament with strong teamwork. However, Carrie is right, in that she is more or less on your level as a basketball player, at least if the Wossman game is anything to go by¡± Audrey points out, before turning to Carrie. ¡°However, I have a question, Carrie: how much did you get on the ACT?¡±


    ¡°Twenty-three. But I had to use the tutor(s) of the boys¡¯ basketball players, as well as my boyfriend¡¯s, to get there¡­¡±


    ¡°Carrie, who, other than me, did the boys¡¯ basketball players have for tutors? And Finn, then?¡± Audrey asks.


    ¡°Natalie is the only one I really worked with, other than you, because she¡¯s a semi-private tutor. Sometimes Natalie worked with the boys¡¯ basketball players, sometimes with Finn and his teammates¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with attending UL-Lafayette or McNeese. However, don¡¯t feel obligated to go to college if you¡¯re not ready¡± Virginie tells Carrie about her predicament.


    Why? Why, of all people, the person who signaled the beginning and end of quarters at home basketball games would even tell me that? Carrie shakes her head at the implications of whether she might actually be ready to attend college by graduation time. However, from the looks of it, Carrie seems to be affected the most by this talk of college readiness.


    ¡°Wait, Virginie! What does college readiness mean to you?¡± Carrie asks Virginie, as Pablo also arrives at the lunch table.


    ¡°There¡¯s more to being ready for college than just being good at school¡± Virginie answers the basketball players, both boys and girls since they sit on opposite sides of the same table. ¡°There¡¯s autonomy, emotional maturity as well as one¡¯s sense of direction in life¡±


    Say what you will about autonomy, but from what I heard around the quiz bowl circuit, there are those parents who would do everything for their child even if it hurts them in the long run. Also, I believe that Charlotte and Taylor still haven¡¯t gotten over the playoff loss, Audrey reflects on what could make someone not ready for college even though they are academically prepared. However, it makes me question how good is the ¡°quarter-buzzer trumpeter¡± in class.


    I have, like, a 2.8. It¡¯s not like I can even sniff LSU, let alone aim for the Ivy League, and possibly play in it, like Audrey, Carrie sighs, hurrying to finish her lunch.


    During quiz bowl practice, both people still hear about juniors discussing ACT scores, but there are only two juniors on the team, both of whom play on the A-team. Myriam and Scott.


    ¡°So I got a thirty-six, what I need most is performing well at the HSNCT now¡± Myriam mentions what she feels is needed most going forward.


    ¡°I feel you on the HSNCT. I got a thirty-four, I feel like anything is possible so long as we do well at the HSNCT!¡± Scott adds, while he books his appointment with Steven.


    Hopefully this will end soon. I couldn¡¯t spend even five seconds with juniors without hearing about the ACT, and whether they plan on retaking it! Pablo ruminates.


    However, all 3 teams, even the middle school one, start practicing using past collegiate sets. Such as the latest ICT Division II packets publicly available, or other sets deemed of equivalent difficulty. Such as the latest ACF Regionals, in which several past VA quiz bowlers played.


    By the end of the drill, in which so many questions seemed to require more time before people could buzz in, and, for the middle school team, waiting on the For ten points cue fairly often, Josiane voices a complaint to the coach.


    ¡°Why is it that we must drill on these sets? These sets feel far too hard for middle school!¡± Josiane questions the rationale behind using an ICT D2 packet for the drill.


    ¡°Sometimes, there is no substitute for learning from hard sets. Remember what Marcia told us at this rivalry fundraiser against DCC: actual high school quiz bowl isn¡¯t that hard!¡± Warren tells her. ¡°What sets do you think your opponents at the MSNCT use to train?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe stuff such as the sets used at high school quiz bowl-State?¡± Josiane hesitates a little bit.


    ¡°It seems like the ACT and tutoring for it has taken their toll on us playing on the A-Team. I understand that, for juniors, the ACT means a lot to you, but the B-team beating us on this drill shows the accumulation of ACT fatigue, as well as State¡± Leonard, the A-team history player, a senior, points out, while he and Audrey were the best A-team players on this drill.


    ¡°For this reason, I urge you to limit your tutoring activities until the finals season!¡± Myriam calls on the team to recenter their priorities, while placing bets on horse races in her mother¡¯s name on mobile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit unfair to blame it on ACT fatigue; Nadine and I have both been tutoring folk on it!¡± Pablo retorts, causing the upperclassmen to gasp upon hearing that lowerclassmen quiz bowlers were somehow involved in ACT tutoring, despite the test being a year away.


    At the end of the practice, Pablo feels like the day has been a little rough. He feels a little tired of the stresses of the past few weeks, so he hugs Audrey once again¡­


    ¡°Do you want to go to my home, and we will then watch a movie tonight?¡± Pablo asks her.


    ¡°And, of course, finish our homework beforehand¡­¡± Audrey answers him, too.

 Chapter 32: Semi-Private Cheating

    In the weeks to follow, Pablo seemed to have limited his interactions with the football team to what¡¯s absolutely necessary. That is, in the weight room and if, for coursework, the teachers paired him with other footballers. However, the demand for tutoring has abated some in the weeks after the state-sponsored ACT date.


    Speaking of the weight room, here players taking World History on the team ask him for help. And George, too, since it¡¯s their first final.


    ¡°We need help on the World History final¡± Bart asks Pablo, and supplies him with a list of kids, mostly football players with a love interest or two, who have also expressed interest in getting help in that course.


    ¡°Why is it that you didn¡¯t ask Audrey, me or even George or Lilina before? Maybe you feel like you had to prioritize English, math and science subjects¡­¡± Pablo asks them.


    ¡°Frankly, World History is of little or no real use¡± George answers him. ¡°Not worth the effort to learn it; you will find that a lot of people take it because they don¡¯t have a choice, thanks to state rules! Lilina and Pablo were willing to help you in World History if you needed it; you were there when you asked for extra credit help back in January!¡±


    The mention of state rules gives both pause. And more specifically the TOPS University Diploma (which is a misnomer, since it¡¯s really a college-prep curriculum), a track VA¡¯s administration tended to push on a lot of people to pursue provided graduating with a 2.5 GPA or higher is realistic.


    ¡°I¡¯m not like Lilina or Pablo; these two are study machines. I know school sucks, and I usually don¡¯t do extra credit unless I have no choice!¡± the left linebacker retorts.


    ¡°There is one thing I won¡¯t do: steal tests. However, you can ask around for past finals. I believe it would be better to study using past finals first before you go ask us to cheat!¡± Pablo warns his football teammates. He then texts his quiz bowl teammates for their plan to study for World History: ¡°Lilina, try to get George to study for World History. Audrey, the basketball teams are yours to tutor¡±


    Nadine might have had to cover Ethan¡¯s needs in this area, as well as in math, but this leaves a big hole down the baseball team. Maybe I ought to ask Tanith; she knows about the baseball and softball teams¡¯ needs in this area better than I would have, Pablo tells himself before he asks about the status of baseball players in this course. Oh wait! Nadine wasn¡¯t picky about who to help at all! She might help baseball players if it happens that baseball players ask her for aid, but Audrey is, academically speaking, loyal to basketball.


    ¡°One more thing: don¡¯t hesitate to bring whoever needs help that you might know! Doesn¡¯t matter what extracurricular activities they take part in!¡± George urges his teammates.


    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking about cheating, George, it¡¯s going to be much more restrictive than on a regular test, since all sections take it at the same time. So what worked for juniors in Algebra II won¡¯t work for finals. We can¡¯t have a section take photos of the test and then have us make an artisanal answer key for us to hide in the bathrooms!¡± Pablo warns him again.


    ¡°I guess, we could smuggle in eye charts, have someone in the section carry a laser pen and then point at the relevant letters and numbers on an eye chart!¡± another weight room user, a theater actor, suggests to him.


    My older brother once told me about how he cheated on AP Chemistry using laser pens, but he also told me that the teachers believed the method to be so unreliable they never took laser pen-based methods seriously, Pablo has flashbacks from his older brother¡¯s only real consumption of cheating on tests. But why did he talk about the specifics of how he cheated to the whole family back then? If they want to keep cheating, an artisanal answer key in the bathroom would raise alarms if too many people catch wind of it, notwithstanding that it was last used months ago in a different course.


    ¡°If you want to go the eye chart and laser pen route, I hope that you have digits and not just letters on your artisanal eye charts¡­¡± Pablo comments on what failed his older brother so many years ago, but without mentioning him. ¡°But I refuse to be the one with the laser pen!¡±


    ¡°Be prepared for people fighting tooth and nail to be seated next to you!¡± George warns the tight end.


    ¡°And the same holds true of anyone else you could ask for honest studying help!¡± He then turns to the theater actor. ¡°If you want to cheat, it¡¯s your problem! Are you sure you exhausted all your honest options? Homework security is often laxer than tests¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think, personally, people care that much about World History, so if you think positioning in the classroom is important¡­ well, I guess, I have no choice but to be seated in a front corner¡± Pablo then reads the leads he have on who could possibly want to study World History with him on his social media.


    If you told me at the end of the football season that I would become one of those kids people plan their seating arrangements around in tests, I would never have believed it then. But now I must go to the test room early, and get seated accordingly, Pablo reflects on how his quiz bowl-playing days have changed his approach to test-taking.


    The list of people who would want to study World History with him includes some people whom he feels are interested in studying with him only because of his football or quiz bowl position. More than out of any real interest for the subject matter, or the need for a certain grade in the course. Some of them don¡¯t even do extracurriculars at all. However, all of them are in his section.


    For this reason, he asks them when they are available to study for that course. Thursday after school seems to be the consensus and, for this purpose, he asks the teacher for past exams, in hopes that he could get some help to study, and potentially make these available to other students in the course.


    But then Audrey texts her back, a little late: ¡°Why are leaving me to study with the basketball teams?¡±


    ¡°Honey, we will spend a whole weekend together at the HSNCT when we¡¯re not playing! But for finals, there are people who need us more than we need each other¡± Pablo texts her back. So far, I have Bart, a theater actor, and two girls who aren¡¯t doing clubs or sports coming. George can always study with Lilina; Lilina always appeared to me as a ¡°natural¡± when it comes to social studies.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡± Audrey then ruminates about the other basketball players taking World History. At least, with Heather and me around, the second string point and shooting guards, or should I say next season¡¯s starters, take their studies seriously.


    When Thursday comes, Pablo reads the past years¡¯ finals and then starts looking for items that are recurring between school years before they can actually study for the test. Especially if they didn¡¯t appear in quizzes and tests earlier this year. Hopefully someone¡¯s parent is desperate enough to pay me for help; it would do wonders for my college budget!


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Topics such as 9/11, the Great Recession, the rise and decline of China, the expansion of the European Union and NATO, and so on were missing from earlier quizzes.


    ¡°OK, guys, beyond re-reading class notes, now is the time to ask questions about the material! I understand that the course is actually pretty shallow, but there will be a long free-response question on the final in all likelihood. The kind of thing that, you know, is more about the why events happen, as opposed to just the what, where and when¡± Pablo explains to his tutees.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not going to be of much help since the long free-response question is worth only twenty percent and the multiple-choice questions are worth sixty percent!¡± the theater actor retorts.


    ¡°May as well smuggle in notes in a water bottle: it¡¯s going to be hot and humid when the World History final rolls around!¡± one of the two girls suggests to the other three students.


    ¡°The problem with notes on water bottle labels is that you have a finite amount of space. If you feel like thirst will get the better of you, only put on the label what you struggle most to remember!¡± the other girl suggests.


    ¡°Enough! We¡¯re not here to discuss cheating methods!¡± Pablo is about to burst into anger. ¡°What is it that you struggle most?¡±


    It seems like there¡¯s a wide variety of struggle points, such as Antiquity for one of the two girls, and the start of Antiquity being the invention of writing, in the late stages of the copper age.


    ¡°Why is it that early Antiquity stages were named after metals?¡± the first girl asks.


    ¡°Antiquity is divided into copper, bronze and iron ages based on the materials used for tooling and weapons. And, with the increases in productivity that new materials meant for tooling, economies, as well as societies, became more complex and expansive, and settlements increased in size¡± Pablo explains to the first girl about the evolution of metallurgy.


    And, of course, about which civilizations were preeminent by stages of Antiquity, along with approximate dates. Like Ancient Egypt being one of the most advanced Bronze Age civilizations, Sumerians in the early Bronze Age, Akkad later on...


    But after the questions about Antiquity end, the others start asking their own questions about different concepts and eras.


    ¡°What about you make the eye chart?¡± the theater actor asks one of the girls, whom he knows is more visual arts-minded.


    ¡°Eye chart? What¡¯s an eye chart?¡± the visual arts-minded girl asks.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here, do you need an eye chart for the play, or for something else altogether?¡± Pablo asks the two. ¡°This starts sounding more like you guys want to cheat than studying for World History!¡±


    ¡°Cheating? Do you have any idea what favors our football opponents are given in class?¡± Bart asks the other attendees. ¡°Our sports budgets are nowhere near, like, Livonia, Wossman or Pearl River. They hand out academic favors to athletes like candy!¡±


    ¡°Bart, what favors?¡± the theater actor asks him, oblivious to the football opponents¡¯ academic actions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend that you don¡¯t know! Having peer tutors on hand pales in comparison to what our opponents are doing in class! Granted, they get away with more when football is in season vs not, but our opponents¡¯ players are often given an academic safety net that amounts to a cheating license in all but name!¡±


    Bart then talks about stuff such as exclusive extra credit, giving test questions to athletes if they are missing tests because of games, or even outright grade alterations, the latter being mostly a last resort.


    ¡°Bart, stop! It¡¯s your turn to ask questions about the material, not to dally around asking people to make eye charts to smuggle into the test room!¡± Pablo yells at him.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯d say I had a hard time following modern Chinese history in class¡±


    ¡°For the rapid economic rise of China in the post-nine-eleven environment, and massive infrastructure investment, they both caught poor countries into debt traps and fell into debt traps themselves! And they find themselves on the losing end of post-pandemic trade wars!¡±


    Pablo then explains what the Chinese debt traps were made of, especially in Africa and South Asia, before moving on to the trade wars and the tensions in the Taiwan Strait.


    He then texts Audrey about his discomfort about tutoring kids who want nothing more than cheat on the final. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the people I help for World History would just want to cheat!¡± He then sighs, when he sees one of the two girls design an eye chart according to Bart¡¯s specifications on her cell phone.


    ¡°Often people treat World History as a collection of dates and events with limited context at best¡± Audrey points out to him on mobile.


    However, after they¡¯re done designing a quick eye chart, the foursome resume studying for the test by revisiting what went wrong in past quizzes and tests. There¡¯s only one reason left for me to tolerate Bart at this point: he¡¯s going to start as left linebacker next season. For that, he needs to remain in compliance with no-pass, no-play, and getting caught cheating on the final will do him in.


    ¡°One last thing, Bart: If you want to start as left linebacker next season, cheating won¡¯t be tolerated, no matter what our opponents are doing! They set a bad academic example we¡¯d rather not follow!¡± Pablo sermons Bart, while the theater actor pays $50 to Pablo on behalf of the attendees before leaving the premises.


    It¡¯s tough. On the one hand, I know the education at VA is much better than I could have had at our core opponents, like Eunice, on the other, the academic pressures are crushing me! Bart starts to feel like the grass is greener on the other side of the town limits. And yet, if I transfer to, say, Eunice, I might not be able to start as left LB next season!


    And, of course, Pablo sees Bart leave the scene, which leads him to face the harsh reality of getting straight As for two consecutive quarters. Freshman year, no one would have thought I would become a cheating supplier. I might be wondering if staying on the quiz bowl team after the HSNCT ends is worth it, especially when playing at the HSNCT means the whole town knowing that I am a smart guy. And hence me being a cheating supplier. At the same time, I am wondering how solid are our opponents¡¯ cheating supply chains. VA not being very cliquey strengthens ours, yet I can¡¯t help but think about, say, Aija in Livonia or Huiling in Pearl River. About the cheating suppliers, if any, of their respective schools¡¯ footballers. Aija I know she¡¯s a high achiever, strong enough to be a cheating supplier, but Huiling? I have no idea of her academic background! For what I know, she could be drawn to basketball because she¡¯s weak academically; often Chinese athletes are either picked from a young age or are what the Chinese authorities deem ¡°at-risk¡±.


    Once this inner monologue ends, Pablo returns home and talks about the impact of playing quiz bowl on his social life to his parents.


    ¡°Since I started playing quiz bowl, I feel like people ask me to help them cheat left and right, and not just football players!¡± Pablo starts telling his parents. ¡°I am not even sure I should keep playing quiz bowl! The pressure on me to supply others with cheating will become too great if I keep playing after the HSNCT!¡±


    ¡°Football players cheating off you is nothing new. You must realize that, if you were anywhere else in southwest Louisiana, people just wouldn¡¯t make much, if any, effort in class! Much less football players!¡± Pablo¡¯s mom harangues him.


    ¡°Nadine told me about how VA is much more competitive academically than almost any other school in the state! Typically, more competitive schools tend to be more prone to cheating!¡± Pablo retorts.


    ¡°Do you really think that giving up on quiz bowl after the HSNCT would make you feel less pressured to supply cheating to others?¡± Pablo¡¯s dad asks him, in a patronizing tone.


    ¡°Considering that everyone in town expects quiz bowlers to adhere to a certain image, the question becomes: would the town¡¯s academic expectations on me remain next year, even if I abandoned quiz bowl at the end of the HSNCT?¡± Pablo¡¯s dad asks his parents. ¡°You asked me to see the season through, and never in my life would I have imagined the price to pay for quiz bowl glory to include ethical issues!¡±

 Chapter 33: Highlight reels

    The day after the finals season ends, Kent invites Audrey into his office, and not just to show her highlight reel from the basketball season.


    ¡°Audrey, I know it¡¯s three months late, but I want you to understand that I made the effort to compile your highlight reel for the season: when June fifteen comes, you then have something to show to college coaches when you start contacting them¡± Kent explains to her as he shows her the video, which contains footage from games against Lacassine, Eunice, as well as all three VA playoff games.


    ¡°Some coaches won¡¯t be satisfied with a montage of my best moments of the season. They might want to see a few minutes continuously¡± Audrey retorts.


    ¡°That sort of coaches would prefer to see clips from playoff games. I¡¯ll just leave out the buzzer beater from Wossman though¡±


    ¡°One more thing: right until the ACT scores came out, Heather kept obsessing about getting me to play in the Ivy League. Sure, I might be the brainiac of the basketball teams, and I know it¡¯s not a GPA issue...¡±


    ¡°I advise you against contacting coaches at elite colleges before you get actual ACT scores back, so you should sign up for the earliest ACT date possible. I will then contact college coaches accordingly¡±


    This means the July date, and I will even tutor the other sophomores on both basketball teams for it! Audrey thinks while texting Pablo about signing up for the July ACT date.


    ¡°Heather told me about how, for me, the Ivy League is going to be a question of playing better on the court!¡± Audrey retorts.


    ¡°Sorry, but Heather is right. Playing in the Ivy League would be a far bigger basketball stretch than an academic stretch for you. And even then, if you were playing for, say, WUSTL or UChicago, or even a NESCAC institution, it would be a crushing academic schedule, the same as if you were playing in the Ivy League. Don¡¯t fool yourself: playing for the WUSTL Bears or the Maroon is going to require approximately the same amount of work as playing for an Ivy, if we consider the athletic plus the academic work! If you want, you can always watch highlight reels from Ivy League commits. Or even commits of other Division I colleges within the same academic range¡±


    Most players who make all-state teams can¡¯t sniff even the Green Wave from an academic standpoint, and Tulane is perhaps the college whose athletic recruiting practices look most like the Ivies¡¯, Kent ruminates while he also prepares the same materials for Heather so he can send both to Tulane¡¯s coaching staff. It might be a Hail Mary, but even though I don¡¯t expect much from either, because I don¡¯t feel like Audrey is significantly better than Heather, I may as well kill two birds with one stone!


    Audrey returns home, the night before they leave for Atlanta, and invites not only Pablo, but also Heather, Carrie and the underclassmen on the girls¡¯ basketball team. And their love interests as well.


    When they arrive, there is a large number of people in Audrey¡¯s home on short notice, and she is owed a few explanations to her parents.


    ¡°We trusted you a lot for the past few months. Why is it that you invited your hoops teammates here tonight, before the start of the HSNCT?¡± Audrey¡¯s father asks her.


    ¡°The coach wanted me to watch highlight reels of Ivy League recruits and Heather kept obsessing over getting me to play in there for months. However, I feel like all non-seniors should be given a chance to see the cold, hard truth of what it takes to play basketball in college!¡± Audrey retorts.


    ¡°I understand what the basketball team means to you, so I will let that slide so long as you do what you claim¡±


    Audrey then starts looking for showcase videos of the most recent Ivy League basketball recruits. Heather might have watched some of these videos, but I didn¡¯t. And I don¡¯t expect anyone else on the team to have done so.


    ¡°First, let me preface this by saying that you already know what an Ivy League basketball recruit looks like from an academic standpoint¡± Audrey starts the session.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cora asks her.


    ¡°Ivy League colleges won¡¯t compromise academic standards just to get athletes to play for them! If you want an idea of what someone who meets these academic standards look like, you only need to look at my quiz bowl teammates! Nadine, Lilina, Myriam and so on¡±


    And then the videos start. She doesn¡¯t discriminate by position because several players can play more than one position. However, she showcases the entire Harvard Crimson women¡¯s basketball recruiting class of 2030, one by one. All three of them. And then Yale¡¯s two recruits. And the one Princeton recruit.


    ¡°They obviously have talent, but do you really think the Ivy League is representative of Division I hoops?¡± Carrie asks Audrey.


    ¡°On a purely basketball level, yes. Sure, they won¡¯t get to the Final Four, but the Ivy League¡¯s level of play is not for the faint of heart. On an academic level, definitely no¡±


    ¡°The big sports bottleneck of the Ivy League is academic. Do you think the star players of the Wossmans, Albanys of this world are all on Audrey¡¯s level academically? And Wossman and Albany both had one Division I prospect each!¡± Heather asks the other underclassmen.


    ¡°If I had to guess, no¡± the second-string center hazards a guess.


    ¡°One question: I might be wondering how I stack up to them as a basketball player. Stats aren¡¯t the end of the story on the court, and by now you all seem convinced that I am the same as them academically¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you are¡± Audrey¡¯s dad deadpans his daughter. ¡°Of course, I will be a little biased, so I won¡¯t answer my daughter¡¯s question!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Audrey. Now I have a better idea of what level we need to reach as players to make it to Division I hoops!¡± Cora sighs.


    And Wossman and Albany duked it out in the final of the state championship with one¡­ ONE D1 prospect apiece! If there were three of these on next season¡¯s VA roster, because, as good as Carrie and Heather are, they aren¡¯t D1 material, then we can go all the way, Audrey ruminates, before playing her own showcase video against Wossman in the final quarter.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Because, for everyone on the team, the last 2-3 minutes of that game against Wossman were some of the most heart-wrenching moments in their hoops lives, everyone starts crying when they relive it through the showcase video.


    ¡°For the record, I plan on taking the July ACT, and I won¡¯t pitch to anyone until I get my scores back. If you need help for the ACT, I will be there for you¡± Audrey suggests the others.


    ¡°Audrey, for months, you were told about what sets the Ivy League apart from other mid-major college basketball conferences. About the academic inclination of the programs. If you were playing for, say, UL-Lafayette, which, on a basketball level, is more or less the same as the Ivy League, you might find the athletic pressure overbearing!¡± Heather explains to her teammate. ¡°And, in a typical VA fashion, getting any VA to play in the Ivy League would show that you can have sports and brains!¡±


    ¡°You were the one obsessing over getting me to play in the Ivy League! I showed all the non-seniors the high school showcases of Ivy League basketball recruits in an attempt to motivate them on the court!¡±


    ¡°As you said before, we all played our best game that night, including you. Much like Livonia played their best basketball against us. Maybe it¡¯s your quiz bowl background, where there really isn¡¯t much of a defense to speak of, but you seem to have a few issues, especially passing and rim protection¡± Heather explains to her teammates.


    ¡°Our system attempted to mitigate individual weaknesses with teamwork based on assigning players to certain tasks. Like Heather is our rim protection person, Carrie is our ball carrier and passer, not that I am necessarily bad per se at either, but these are my relative weaknesses. Relative to these Ivy Leaguers, or to my other basketball skills!¡±


    ¡°Heather, all this seems to describe my daughter as being like Huiling but better at other aspects of offense! Or as needing a certain type of system for her to play well!¡± Audrey¡¯s dad yelps upon hearing this description.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hold you here any longer, so goodbye¡± the other players go to the nearest park and then plan on playing basketball.


    I guess, I have a better idea of what I need to work on, Audrey ruminates as she changes clothes for her away basketball uniform. Heather¡¯s idea of greatness for the basketball team is that, if no one can sniff the Power-6, the next best thing would be, well, getting a VA to play in the Ivy League. The sign that you can have both athletics and academics in the same person. For that, both top-tier academics and basketball talent is needed, and I have by far the most basketball talent of anyone at VA for whom attending an Ivy is realistic academically. No one else on the quiz bowl team would be able to make the basketball team...


    After the basketball session ends, she feels a little tired and goes to sleep early. However, she shakes in her bed, as well as turn in it as her dreams get more troubled¡­


    <hr>


    Audrey found herself in an oneiric locker room with Aija and Huiling at a basketball showcase. They both came to her to ask her help, but for different reasons.


    ¡°Please, Audrey, help me improve on my rim protection game!¡± Huiling pled to Audrey.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one I know in Courland who could help me with either the SAT or ACT, so can you please help me study for it?¡± Aija then handed her contact information for study.


    ¡°Huiling, I have the impression you¡¯re asking this of me because you had issues with your previous program at Pearl River!¡± Audrey tried to reason with Huiling.


    ¡°Not really, just that if I can¡¯t get my defensive game in order, all the offensive abilities in the world won¡¯t matter anymore!¡± Huiling started crying in a heavy Chinese accent. ¡°And same goes of the ACT!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not the best person to help you with rim protection. I need help in that area as well! Just not the same as you!¡±


    I feel like both Aija and Huiling are going to need help in English and reading. However, Huiling makes me feel like there are so many question marks about Chinese youth sports, Audrey ruminated while the Chinese shooting guard wondered how she was going to work on defensive skills, knowing that offensive skills are easier to work on by oneself than defense.


    ¡°I would never have played against players who actually have skillsets as complete as even yours back in Handan. Sure, there might be good players, but they always seemed, in my hometown anyway, to be good at specific things¡± Huiling explained to her.


    ¡°When VA played against you, you seemed to be good only at three-pointers, but that was early in the season!¡± Audrey retorted.


    ¡°The good thing about American high school sports is that you still get an education while you play sports. In China, whether you can play sports at a competitive level and, if applicable, which one, is essentially determined for you at a young age¡±


    ¡°Huiling, you seem to be implying that Chinese sports training camps only provide sports training¡­¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ quite. However, the sports school I attended has some serious academic problems that would make Pearl River look good¡±


    From what I¡¯ve seen, the longer athletes stay in the sports school system without making it to pro sports, the worse off they will be once they get out, so in a way, playing for Pearl River is really a way for me to prevent such a grisly fate, Huiling ruminated on her life as an athletic prospect in Handan. Also, it seems like Chinese sports culture emphasizes piecemeal skill development the way it isn¡¯t here.


    ¡°I guess¡­ we may as well practice defense together!¡± Aija suggested to the other two basketball players.


    The three practiced defensive plays as warmups prior to being assigned to teams for sample games, in hopes of catching the eye of college coaches, and everyone played two quarters apiece.


    The roster of scouts present at that showcase included coaches from Harvard, Yale and Princeton, for whom only Aija and Audrey were deemed of interest since the others were apparently too weak academically. And Tulane¡¯s coach, too. They were playing in the same game, which felt like a repeat of the second-round game at VA, in that it was a tight, exciting game, and with the two on opposing sides.


    To Aija, that showcase felt much like the U17 Latvia national team tryouts¡­ only with the stakes being college scholarships instead of spots on a national team.


    At the end of the game, the Ivy League coaches in attendance asked to meet with the pair, and tell the two the cold, hard truth about whether they were Ivy League material on a basketball level. Princeton¡¯s coach appeared ecstatic towards Aija:


    ¡°On behalf of the Princeton Tigers, I hereby extend you an offer to join the team starting in the 2031-2032 season, contingent on academic requirements being met¡± Princeton¡¯s coach solemnly told Aija.


    On the other hand, Audrey seemed not to have garnered any interest from Ivies. Meanwhile, Tulane¡¯s coach seemed to have a different discourse with Audrey:


    ¡°Right now, you¡¯re not the priority for the team, but if other power forward prospects end up either falling short academically or playing elsewhere¡­ because Tulane is committed to keeping Louisiana talent in-state, you may consider walking on the Green Wave¡±


    Shoot! The AAC is, in basketball, a Power-6 conference, and replaced the Pac-12 as such when the Pac-12 collapsed; walking on the Green Wave for basketball is not a good idea! Walking on a Power-6 team means working like crazy for little to no playtime! I may as well play quiz bowl for the Green Wave if I was going to Tulane on some combination of academic and need-based scholarships! However, at ivies, whether you¡¯re a walk-on or a regular player makes no financial difference! No more than it would at WUSTL or UChicago¡­ The oneiric Audrey mused and kept to herself before her real self awoke to a heightened heartbeat.


    <hr>


    ¡°Now I can¡¯t seem to decide what place basketball will hold into my educational future anymore!¡± Audrey cries after awakening.


    Audrey¡¯s cries awakens her parents. ¡°Could you please put basketball aside for this weekend? You¡¯re going to play at the HSNCT, and, if the VAs play well at the HSNCT, you won¡¯t need to worry about where basketball fits for college as much!¡±


    ¡°If all you wanted was to attend a college up to Tulane¡¯s level, just winning quiz bowl-State and competing at the HSNCT would have meant a lot, coupled with your role on the basketball team and tutoring. But I have the impression that you want to aim higher than even Tulane¡­¡± Audrey¡¯s father adds in an attempt to defuse the situation.

 Chapter 34: Send-off

    On Friday morning, the quiz bowl team¡¯s designated bus and driver, along with the coach, are parked at the school¡¯s parking lot. This year¡¯s send-off takes on a particular significance in that VA has two squads competing at the HSNCT and shares the same bus. Especially since they catch one last glimpse of their favorites, bearing with them the hopes of the entire region at the HSNCT.


    ¡°We finished thirteenth at the MSNCT two weeks ago, here¡¯s to hoping we can do better at the HSNCT this year around!¡± Warren tells the quiz bowl team, in front of hundreds of VA fans.


    ¡°Good luck, and may this postseason be fruitful!¡± Tanith wishes Gerard as the eight players are about to board the Atlanta-bound minibus with their baggage.


    And the parish newspaper takes a group photo of all 8 players along with Warren just outside the minibus, with Audrey front and center. The story would then be published on the newspaper¡¯s website and the parish radio also takes advantage of the event:


    ¡°Warren, this year is the first year with two Venomous Agenda squads at the HSNCT. How do you feel about there being two squads this year? Did that change the team¡¯s preparation?¡± the volunteer journalist asks Warren.


    ¡°Not really, except that some drills involved groups from both squads as opposed to pairs from the A team. However, there is one player on the B team that¡¯s a stranger to quiz bowl postseason, Pablo, who joined the quiz bowl team because one of the regulars couldn¡¯t make it to a tournament¡±


    The journalist then turns to Pablo. ¡°Pablo, how do you feel about your life on the quiz bowl team?¡±


    ¡°I struggled at first, both as a quiz bowler and in my social life. Initially, other quiz bowlers didn¡¯t take me seriously because of my role as a tight end on the football team, while football players started to see me as a go-to person for academic help. And I started feeling the pressure to become a straight-A student, too!¡± Pablo explains to the journalist. ¡°I wasn¡¯t prepared for the pressure, and only Audrey here made me able to make it through!¡±


    The love interests of quiz bowlers, except for Audrey and Pablo, all kiss their loved ones. Be it Ethan, George, Tanith, but it seems like Audrey is the only one on the A-team whose romantic status appears to be stable. In fact, she paid no attention to their romantic lives, and neither did Pablo. I wonder who could Myriam possibly end up dating next season, or Scott? The A-team history player is a senior and hence I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he broke up last month.


    And, after the players¡¯ baggage is stowed at the back of the minibus, they start getting underway, under the eyes of the town¡¯s residents. At which point Pablo and Audrey kiss each other while seated on the third left row.


    However, as they ride the bus to Atlanta, while everyone else read collegiate quiz bowl packets as appropriate for their skill level, Pablo asks some questions to Audrey about what to expect of the HSNCT.


    ¡°The HSNCT is new to me, I would like to know how, other than the size and field of the tournament, it¡¯s going to differ from any other regular quiz bowl tournament¡± Pablo asks her.


    ¡°The main thing to remember is that, unlike regular quiz bowl tournaments, where teams are seeded and placed into round-robin pools accordingly, at the MSNCT and HSNCT, power-matching is in effect, and it¡¯s done via a system of cards. The winner takes the higher card (i.e. the one with the lowest number) at the end of the game and plays the next opponent accordingly¡± Audrey explains to him.


    ¡°Did you play at the MSNCT?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The only one here who didn¡¯t, other than you, is the A-team¡¯s history player. Finished twenty-first in seventh grade, eighth in eighth grade, but the biggest boost came when Scott was replaced by Lilina; our weaknesses in history at the time were fairly large¡±


    ¡°So why is it that we seemingly never heard about the MSNCT in town? Or at least not as much as the HSNCT?¡±


    To that, Audrey draws a blank. Yes, the town¡¯s sociocultural life revolves around VA, but the only thing she could think of is that the ¡°brains¡± supporters in town seem to care more about high school quiz bowl because of the ¡°support others doing what you personally can¡¯t¡± factor.


    ¡°Pablo, quiz bowl was overshadowed by debate that year we finished eighth at the MSNCT, because Chantal won it all in international extemp!¡± Lilina explains to him. ¡°And it was the year where VA didn¡¯t qualify for the HSNCT!¡±


    Sometimes, I wonder what could have been in 2027-2028 if Anna didn¡¯t transfer to Kinder. Sure, Anna was stronger than anyone else playing back then, but Myriam was strongest in math and science. Oh well, it meant more attention to middle school quiz bowl after State that year, Warren ruminates on the fate of VA quiz bowl that year, after hearing about the year where VA didn¡¯t qualify for the HSNCT.


    And it¡¯s then that Pablo receives confirmation of Bart¡¯s World History final grade by text message. ¡°Woohoo! C+ in World History and I shall play next season!¡±


    Which pushes him to check on the final grade for the course, too. And, of course, he can thank these eye charts as well as the laser pen users for ensuring that people in the class passed the course. He then asks George about his World History grade, while telling about his own grade in that course.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Audrey, the World History grades are now out!¡± Pablo whispers in her ear.


    ¡°We both got As; what would you expect? That, because of me being the special topics player, I can afford to randomly shine or choke on tests?¡± Audrey retorts.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be the brainiac of the basketball teams if you actually had random dry spells or flashes of brilliance! However, I would be surprised if Nadine didn¡¯t get an A¡±


    ¡°Exactly, Pablo¡± Nadine tells them from the next bench over.


    ¡°And you must realize that, since there is only one section of AP Bio this year, I had to ensure that everyone taking it would be able to get their grades on time for the HSNCT! Same goes for the health and nutrition electives, too!¡± Warren warns his players upon hearing about how other grades were released. ¡°If anyone here is taking AP Bio, your grades are out!"


    ¡°Not that no-pass, no-play has been a real issue in quiz bowl, but other people subject to no-pass, no-play could be taking these courses¡± Myriam comments on who could possibly take AP Bio.


    Time to check on AP Bio! Pablo ruminates, while both Audrey and Pablo have their sports teammates check on their respective final grades in classes. And he realizes that he has 3 straight quarters of straight As. That contrasts with freshman year to him, but that sort of grades is commonplace in middle and high school quiz bowl. And certainly when one talks about M/HSNCT-caliber teams at non-magnet schools.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear that, academically, you have grown a lot. It goes to show how important having the right friends really is to succeed¡± Audrey confesses to Pablo.


    ¡°Yes, I have improved as a quiz bowler and as a student. However, I feel like the others would have been strong enough to get the B-team to the HSNCT without me. I¡¯m still the worst player on the B-team, but at least I¡¯m able to pull some weight on the team now¡±


    ¡°I love you, Pablo¡­¡± they kiss each other once again, before resuming their reading of collegiate quiz bowl packets.


    If Nadine is that strong, I wonder what happened for the B-team to always fall short of a HSNCT berth last season, Pablo then have questions surface in his mind, which he didn¡¯t find the courage to ask Audrey about. But when lunch time comes, in Biloxi, the opportunity arrives to ask these questions at the lunch table. With Nadine seated across from Audrey.


    ¡°Please excuse the stupidity of the question, but what made the B-team of last year unable to earn a HSNCT berth?¡± Pablo asks both girls.


    ¡°Last season, we had no real science specialist on the B-team, the closest thing we got was Caleb. And the history player we had then is now playing with me on the A-team. For him, the HSNCT is going to be a swan song¡± Audrey explains to him.


    ¡°And, of course, even middle school quiz bowl stardom doesn¡¯t translate into instant high school quiz bowl success¡± Nadine tells him. ¡°Whatever middle school quiz bowl stardom really means, anyhow¡±


    In middle school, I was a nationally-ranked literature player. If For ten points, fix this community could be believed, my best rank was ninth. And Lilina was in the top-5 history players nationally among seventh-graders back then, and I really hope neither Lilina nor I would collapse on the big stage this weekend, Nadine ruminates before Pablo asks her a question about their pasts.


    ¡°I might be wondering what drew you to quiz bowl...¡±


    ¡°When we were in fourth grade, VA¡¯s first HSNCT participation captured the hearts and minds of the town for a weekend. Growing up, I idolized Marcia, Im¨¦lie, Anna, as I started believing that maybe I could one day play quiz bowl as they did¡±


    ¡°I was good at math, too, but I was pushed towards basketball in elementary school because of my size. Because I feel like focusing too much on one subject would hurt me, I turned to quiz bowl as soon as I could play it¡± Audrey reminisces about that aspect of her childhood.


    ¡°You are still good at math, Audrey. To me anyway¡± Pablo, triggered by Audrey implying that her math talent has vanished, tries to comfort her.


    ¡°Pablo, if you compared me to other VA athletes, you¡¯re right. If you compared me to what I feel is necessary to be a mathlete for VA, I am not that strong¡±


    ¡°Never in my life as a quiz bowl coach would I have imagined that kids in town would even dream of playing quiz bowl for the local high school the way boys would dream of playing football for it!¡±


    And then the grades of their friends come back up, ranging from Heather somehow earning an A in AP Bio to Finn and Carrie both getting a C+ in Algebra II. The pair both sigh of relief when they see that all the key teammates they will call upon next season will be able to play their sports.


    Warren then announces the logistics of getting the people at home to follow both teams at the HSNCT:


    ¡°Since NAQT rules prohibit third parties from filming games at the HSNCT, our bus driver can only liveblog games¡±


    ¡°Which games would NAQT film?¡± Pablo asks the coach.


    ¡°Usually one per round, and we¡¯re assigned the morning session. To be filmed, and hence livecast, in the prelim rounds, a team needs to be playing in the grand ballroom, and that¡¯s random. In the playoffs, however, high seeds tend to be filmed more because the grand ballroom is usually reserved for high seeds¡±


    VA was filmed twice at the HSNCT: TJHSST A in 2024, and DCC A in 2026, as well as once at the MSNCT, in 2029, Warren keeps to himself.


    ¡°I had a bad dream last night: I had the impression of being worthless on the court because the Green Wave basketball coach only offered me to attend Tulane as a walk-on! Even in dreams, I told myself that I may as well play quiz bowl for the Green Wave if I was going to attend Tulane!¡±


    ¡°As much as Heather is complementary to you on the court, she is a bad influence on you off the court! She seems to have planted the idea that basketball was worth playing in college only if it helps you attend a higher tier of college, academically speaking, than you would have without!¡± Pablo retorts.


    ¡°I am not fooling myself. I know just how long of a shot it really is to make any kind of living from basketball, so the best anyone on the team can hope for is to use basketball to attend a higher level of college¡±


    ¡°Same goes for football, and even if Finn or Dayton got offers to play in college, I am not sure this strategy would be practicable for them¡± Pablo adds.


    ¡°Just take it easy until we arrive in Atlanta, will you? Remember that the HSNCT is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so make the most out of it¡± Audrey then hugs Pablo.


    And somehow, I have the feeling we will qualify again. Maybe even on the same squad, but I can kind of feel like a few people on the A-team might not have the best motivation in the world. Especially Scott, but I can kind of feel like Myriam is at risk of flaming out next season, Audrey¡¯s mind ruminates about what next season will hold for them.

 Chapter 35: Preliminary Pool

    After they arrive in Atlanta, they park off-site, arrive at the hotel and then check-in. Warren gives the instructions to the players about rooms after getting the room keys:


    ¡°Adults will sleep in one room, boys in another room, and girls in a third room¡± Warren tells his players as they get off the minibus.


    It¡¯s so not going to be like the MSNCT, where players were all in one room at the Hyatt Regency O¡¯Hare Chicago because there was only one squad, Lilina ruminates while she waits in line to collect the girls¡¯ room key cards.


    Once they make it to their rooms, they take the opportunity to do stuff other than studying or quiz bowl-related activities. Much like Audrey and Pablo going to the hotel¡¯s outdoor pool.


    ¡°It would do us no good tomorrow and Sunday if our bodies are out of shape. Yes, quiz bowl is a mind game, but if your body can¡¯t take it, your mind won¡¯t function properly when it counts the most!¡± Audrey tells her teammates before she leaves the room.


    ¡°And then I will go on the weight machine!¡± Myriam announces to the other VA girls.


    A few moments later, the pair arrives at a crowded pool and they face the cold, hard truth. They need to stick to what competitive swimmers call the ¡°gutter lane¡± if they want to swim laps. That is, the edge of the pool.


    Even then, the gutter lane is crowded enough to put a limit on the speed at which they can swim. I can¡¯t swim any faster in this pool! Pablo starts feeling the frustration of being slowed down to a crawl in the pool, but doesn¡¯t show it any more than Audrey does.


    The athleticism of the two make other attendees of the pool forget they are dealing with HSNCT participants. After swimming for what feels like forever to them, having overtaken a few more people in the lane, despite having swum only a dozen laps... an opposing quiz bowler brings them back to their reality as they get off the lane:


    ¡°I wonder if you have relatives playing at the HSNCT...¡± an opposing quiz bowler asks them.


    ¡°Relatives?¡± Pablo asks the opposing quiz bowler. ¡°I¡¯m playing at the HSNCT!¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡± Audrey adds.


    ¡°I knew quiz bowl was difficult to recruit for, but your school had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to get four people to play!¡± the opposing quiz bowler smirks, believing quiz bowl to have a poor reputation at VA, not knowing how it really is for quiz bowl at VA. ¡°Good luck, you¡¯re going to need it!¡±


    Time to use Heather¡¯s obsession to my advantage! Audrey seems to be a little¡­ off. Like these insinuations make her want to lash out at the opposing quiz bowler.


    ¡°I get it, the competition is stiff here, but because my basketball coach kept implying that I am the brainiac of the team, he referred me to the quiz bowl team as far back as seventh grade!¡± Audrey refers to Kent here. ¡°And it goes to show that playing basketball doesn¡¯t interfere with quiz bowl!¡±


    I wonder what kind of school that is, if their resident sports teams¡¯ brainiacs can somehow carry them to the HSNCT¡­ or are they on their sports teams because they are in desperate need to keep the team-wide academics afloat? The opposing quiz bowler questions why the couple even plays quiz bowl, as well as what kind of school VA is. That, even though he doesn¡¯t know they are VAs.


    ¡°How did you imagine quiz bowlers to be?¡± Pablo asks him.


    ¡°Given the demands of high school sports, which often means travel teams, camps and year-round conditioning, I just didn¡¯t expect athletes to play quiz bowl!¡±


    Now I have a better idea of what these D1 prospects were doing in high school! Audrey has a flash in her mind about the high school lives of Division I prospects.


    And she is reminded of the academic index rules of the Ivy League for some reason, as she sits on a poolside chair: The academic index is, in first approximation, 20 times your GPA plus your SAT superscore, or the SAT equivalent of your ACT superscore, divided by 10. Heather would probably be ecstatic to play for an Ivy, but with her academic record, this means that she would be in the ¡°low¡± band, i.e. between one and two standard deviations below average. Bump that one more band for me... and that¡¯s assuming I can even score the 34 I got in practice. And yet this means that, the lower your AI, the better you need to be as an athlete to play for an Ivy. Curse Heather! On the other hand, maybe I can play in the Ivy League after all! I am going to need the following, however: take the maximum of 4 AP courses next year, get a 35-36 on the ACT, improve my rim protection.


    ¡°You¡¯re by far the most stacked girl on the quiz bowl team. Then again, you¡¯re poised to get captaincy of the basketball team!¡± Pablo comments on Audrey¡¯s body. ¡°But lately it seems like your basketball talent has fueled your collegiate insecurities¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s weird that you don¡¯t have any, or you¡¯re doing your best to hide it. I understand that your grades aren¡¯t perfect, but now that you climbed into the top ten percent...¡±


    ¡°If our ACT scores are strong enough, maybe we can attend the same college together provided we can both afford it¡±


    ¡°Depends on where we plan on applying, but it¡¯s a little premature. Just focus on playing the best quiz bowl of your life, and go with the flow¡±


    It¡¯s a bigger maybe than it would be for, say, Finn and Carrie, because, at a lot of these fine colleges, unless we both attend Tulane, it¡¯s not a given that we will both get in, Pablo is reminded of what Audrey¡¯s parents told him. And, obviously, a strong showing at the HSNCT will help them both.


    But then they return to their respective rooms, and he¡¯s reminded of what makes the other girls on the quiz bowl team different from her. And not just their bulk and height: Audrey easily towers over nearly every VA quiz bowler, male or female, and Pablo is more or less the same height.


    The following day, after they get breakfast, they are assembled for one last meeting prior to the card pickup.


    ¡°For you, Pablo, you should set aside any implications of HSNCT performance for your future. It¡¯s the first time you¡¯re playing on the national stage, don¡¯t be intimidated by the lack of familiarity with the opposition. So please, pick up the B-team¡¯s card¡± Warren invites the tight end to pick up the card.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± the A-team¡¯s history player starts hollering.


    VA B¡¯s card, going into game 1, is the 113 card. And their first game is played on a high floor. The foursome go to the elevator, and VA A rides the same elevator to get to their game, played in a hotel room, too. However, VA A gets off before VA B. And Audrey and Pablo wearing their purple-and-green basketball away uniform and football home uniform respectively.


    When VA B arrives to its game room, on a high floor, they find themselves playing in a room that¡¯s almost identical to their own, only with a table installed and a few more chairs on each side.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°This is round one of the morning prelims at the 2030 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This game pits the one hundred thirteen card against the two hundred fifty-five card. From Louisiana, we have Venomous Agendas B, from Wisconsin, we have Sheboygan South. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one¡­¡±


    I wonder if Sheboygan South is using load management, in that they will let their guard down because VA B is, well, a B-team. Load management is probably more destructive than mongering rumors about who¡¯s playing on a team, as Marcia did when VA first played at the HSNCT! Thomas, the team¡¯s bus driver, a parent of a VA quiz bowl alum, ruminates while the first tossup is read.


    ¡°Under Catherine II¡¯s failed Greek Plan, this Russian statesman was promised the throne of Dacia as part of a greater plan to partition the Ottoman possessions in Europe¡±


    Ouch. I knew that Russians fought the Ottomans on several occasions, but never did I hear about any partitioning plan of the Balkans! Lilina starts thinking, before the second clue is read.


    ¡°As the favorite of Catherine II, he gained control of the guberniya of Novorossiya¡± the moderator reads the second clue before Lilina buzzes in mid-clue.


    ¡°Potemkin!¡± Lilina answers.


    ¡°Fifteen¡± The moderator then reads the preamble of the bonus. ¡°This element is used to disinfect swimming pools¡±


    ¡°Chlorine¡± Pablo answers.


    ¡°Chlorine is held responsible for the destruction of this atmospheric layer¡±


    ¡°Ozone¡± Gerard answers the second bonus part.


    ¡°The ozone layer both protects against, and is sustained by, this band of electromagnetic radiation¡±


    ¡°Ultraviolet¡± Gerard answers again.


    ¡°Thirty for the bonus, and here¡¯s tossup two¡­¡±


    Thomas is bewildered by what they see as a VA B blowout against a team that is seemingly unable to use load management properly. Like this tossup near the halftime mark:


    ¡°In this poem, Archbishop Ubaldini is condemned to be endlessly devoured by Count Ugolino, whose death he ordered in life¡± the moderator reads while Nadine buzzes in.


    ¡°Divine Comedy!¡± Nadine answers.


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about voter behavior¡±


    Ouch: this is not going to go well. We qualified for the HSNCT by placing second at Wisconsin Spring, and here we are at the HSNCT, getting blown out like crazy against VA¡­ B? a Redwing (i.e. Sheboygan South) player ruminates after the Redwings failed to answer a single tossup for half a game.


    After failing to answer the first bonus part, which was also the hardest, VA B tries to redeem themselves in the second part:


    ¡°This phenomenon occurs when electoral maps are redrawn to a party¡¯s advantage¡±


    ¡°Gerrymandering!¡± Pablo answers.


    ¡°By stacking votes in favor a party, gerrymandering causes an increase in that type of vote¡±


    ¡°Wasted vote!¡± Lilina answers.


    ¡°Twenty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the half. Score?¡± the moderator asks the scorekeeper.


    ¡°Venomous Agendas B three hundred forty-five, Sheboygan South nothing¡± the scorekeeper announces to both teams before the half-time break.


    Sheboygan South, on the other hand, even though they already lost the game, still hangs on to notions that it can still score something. Already that, going into the final tossup, VA B has a whopping 570-point lead. ¡°Can the 2030 VA B beat 2025¡¯s VA team and win by a margin greater than 530 points?¡± Thomas tweets, referring to the 2025 game against Lisgar, also a game #1 at the HSNCT.


    ¡°Final tossup¡­¡±


    But somehow, the final tossup had to fall into an area some people in the quiz bowl world call trash. An area that, for VA, has been the most unpredictable.


    ¡°In 2023, it was announced that minors were no longer eligible to be nominated for these awards, causing an award to be awarded to itself¡± the moderator reads the question.


    Here¡¯s my chance to buzz in and finally score some points for the Redwings! The Redwings¡¯ arts and literature player muses, while pressing the buzzer like a syringe.


    ¡°Golden Raspberries!¡± the Redwings¡¯ arts and literature player answers.


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Shoot! I only knew the Golden Raspberries rewarded the worst of film, but no more than that! Pablo ruminates, wondering why is it that Nadine seemed unable to answer this question. And yet, at least the Redwings got some bonus questions right.


    ¡°Twenty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡± the moderator asks the scorekeeper.


    ¡°Venomous Agendas B five hundred seventy, Sheboygan South thirty-five¡±


    As the first game of the A-team ends, Warren texts Thomas with the result of the A-team¡¯s first game.


    And Thomas texts, in turn, the parish radio about both games¡¯ results, so that, back in Jefferson Davis Parish, the people who happen to be tuning in on the parish radio can stay up to date on the VAs at the HSNCT without having to rely on the HSNCT Companion App.


    <hr>


    And at the home of one Cindy, a first grader in town, who¡¯s eating breakfast with her parents:


    ¡°Our beloved Venomous Agendas both win their preliminary games at the HSNCT! VA A wins over Berwick, five hundred twenty to one hundred twenty-five, while VA B wins over Sheboygan South, five hundred seventy to thirty-five! This is shaping up to be the best VA quiz bowl team since Im¨¦lie five years ago!¡± the parish radio anchor announces on air.


    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s quiz bowl?¡± Cindy asks in a whiny voice.


    ¡°Quiz bowl is a trivia game, whose questions start off hard, and then get easier as more clues are read¡±


    Cindy¡¯s parents are then bombarded with questions about VA quiz bowl. First, the past performance of VAs at the HSNCT, then who Im¨¦lie is, and what made her so special to VA¡¯s quiz bowling history. (And Tulane¡¯s, too)


    ¡°One day, I will be playing at the HSNCT!¡± Cindy exclaims. ¡°I want to be like them!¡±


    ¡°For now, all you can do is try to determine what you want most to learn about. Then we¡¯ll encourage you to develop your passion¡± Cindy¡¯s father advises her.


    From what I saw in past quiz bowlers, ever since VA even started playing quiz bowl during the pandemic, quiz bowlers were often drawn from smarter kids, and it seems this community starts training them at ever-younger ages. In the pursuit of quiz bowl glory, as in sports, something seems to be lost in the fanaticism we display towards our youth: the cost our kids are made to pay, Cindy¡¯s dad reflects on the risks of pushing kids too hard.


    <hr>


    Back in Atlanta, however, both VA squads are playing their next game on the same floor. And both blew their opponents out like crazy.


    ¡°Pablo, don¡¯t expect the rest of the prelim games to go the same way as the game against Sheboygan South. The longer VA B¡¯s winning streak, the tougher opponents get¡± Warren warns him.


    ¡°I should have told you earlier, Pablo. This is called power-matching and, in quiz bowl, it¡¯s reserved for national championships¡± Audrey tells him on his way to his game room.


    And then some observers see in Lilina and Nadine the dominant forces behind VA B¡¯s strong showing in the first two rounds of the prelims, so much that they¡¯re both in the running for the freshman and sophomore rising stars respectively, since these two girls are clearly the best VA B scorers.


    Now it¡¯s clear that feeding us with a steady diet of ICT D2+ packets has borne their fruits. And, of course, Penn Bowls from Marcia¡¯s time at UPenn, ACF Regionals and Nationals sets played by VA alumni, Pablo ruminates, going into the third round of the prelims, played in yet another hotel room on a different floor.


    This winning streak lasted VA B a total of four games, and the same goes of VA A as well. Both teams go undefeated into round 5, but then comes this snag to VA B:


    ¡°This is round five of the morning prelims at the 2030 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This game pits the twenty card against the forty-two card. From Louisiana, we have Venomous Agendas B, from New York, we have Hunter A. Best of luck to both teams¡±


    With VA B trailing by a mere 20 points by the end of regulation time, Hunter A appears poised to win. And yet, no one on VA B seems to be giving up as the last tossup is read:


    ¡°Final tossup: British regulations require manufacturers to fireproof objects made with this material¡±


    Ouch. This is not going to go well. Law, much less foreign law, is seldom an area to clue a science tossup with, Pablo ruminates, while neither team appears willing to buzz in on the first clue.


    ¡°In 2010, FINA banned swimsuits made of this material¡± the second clue is then read, while Hunter A¡¯s science player buzzes in.


    ¡°Polyurethane!¡± Hunter A¡¯s science player answers.


    ¡°Fifteen¡± the moderator rules, causing VA B to hunch their heads.


    Pablo starts praying not so much for the outcome of this game, but for their next opponent to be more manageable than Hunter A has been.


    ¡°Twenty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡±


    ¡°Hunter A three hundred eighty, Venomous Agendas B three hundred twenty-five¡± the scorekeeper announces.

 Chapter 36: Dates and visits

    After two more grueling rounds of quiz bowl, VA A and VA B finish with 6-1 and 5-2 records respectively. Before they go out for lunch, Warren announces the following to their players:


    ¡°It pains me to admit it, but even though Saturday night is not the best time to visit a college campus, we will tour Emory after dinner. After all, Emory seems a realistic choice for all of you to attend, and maybe play quiz bowl for them!¡± Warren tells the VA quiz bowlers.


    ¡°Why tour Emory at night?¡± Scott asks the coach. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to tour Emory during the day?¡±


    ¡°In the summer, Emory does not have nearly as many students on campus on Saturdays, regardless of whether it¡¯s at day vs at night¡±


    Oh boy. I wonder if I can realistically attend Emory, assuming I stay a straight-A student, and Audrey to play basketball for them. Or Heather, for that matter, Pablo is reminded of the cold, hard truth of Emory when Leonard, the A-team history player explains what kind of grades and ACT scores are typical of Emory admits.


    ¡°As I will attend Emory next fall, I will be our tour guide tonight at Emory¡± Leonard explains to the students.


    ¡°Until then, what about we eat lunch and we then go to the College Football Hall of Fame?¡± Pablo explains to Audrey. ¡°I¡¯ll even pay for your ticket provided you have your student ID!¡±


    ¡°In which case I will pay for the lunch¡± Audrey tells him while everyone else went their own way to get their lunches.


    And, as such, they don¡¯t feel like eating at Sear, no more than High Velocity is going to be for them. For months, neither ate Asian food of any kind and, as such, they go to the Pacific Rim Bistro. Upon entering the restaurant, they find it full of HSNCT participants, many of which came from the coasts.


    ¡°Here¡¯s our opportunity to eat what we never had a chance at home!¡± Pablo tells her when they get seated in the restaurant.


    And yet, we know that Asian players are much more common in quiz bowl than in basketball or football. Fingers crossed that Audrey has gotten over the loss at Pearl River... Pablo is reminded of the players on opposing teams and how the demographics differ wildly from basketball to football or quiz bowl.


    After a while, the time comes for them to place the order:


    ¡°Chicken Panang curry for me¡± Audrey places her order.


    ¡°Tom Yum soup for me¡± Pablo orders his meal, too.


    ¡°How spicy?¡± the waiter asks both.


    ¡°Hot¡± both people tell the waiter.


    These meals make their mouths heat up and drink iced water. I guess, it¡¯s good to eat new meals once in a while, but Panang curry isn¡¯t something I would eat regularly. No more than I would eat pelekie zirni regularly either... Audrey muses about what she¡¯s eating. Pelekie zirni might be good if I wanted chickpea salad.


    ¡°Thank God that we aren¡¯t playing games this afternoon! Hopefully this will subside by tomorrow morning...¡± Pablo still feels like his mouth is on fire.


    Poor Audrey! Even chugging iced water only dented into her sensation of burning! Pablo then hurries up eating his Tom Yum soup. And yet, by doing so, he feels his hunger has been cut, having eaten less than half of his bowl before he feels full. That¡¯s even hotter than the hottest chili con carne I ate in my life!


    ¡°Are you OK, Pablo?¡± Audrey asks him, under the not-so-nice looks of other diners, while he feels like his blood is turning into molten metal.


    ¡°No... Please pay the... bill! I¡¯m out of here!¡± Pablo¡¯s pains intensify with a half-eaten bowl of Tom Yum soup he¡¯s struggling to eat.


    For about $50, the pair hurries up to pay the bill and then gets out of the restaurant.


    They then proceed to go to the College Football Hall of Fame by foot, where they have their student IDs at the ready. The box office attendant asks them some questions upon checking their purple and green student IDs:


    ¡°Venomous Agendas... High?¡± the attendant is taken aback by the school name on their student ID cards, suspecting these are fakes.


    ¡°We play at the HSNCT, our school is real; NAQT would never let us compete if our school was fake!¡± Audrey pleads with the attendant, whipping out her cell phone and showing the Jefferson Davis Parish School Board¡¯s site.


    ¡°Where the hell is Jefferson Davis Parish?¡±


    ¡°Southwest Louisiana¡± Pablo answers the attendant. ¡°It¡¯s what people in other states call a county¡±


    The two blush upon seeing the attendant questioning them about VA as if their student ID cards were counterfeit. That, even though they knew that its name would uniquely identify VA. The attendant then asks them for additional state-issued ID.


    But only once they provide additional ID could the attendant issue tickets with the student discount. Pablo then pays for the two tickets as soon as he can get confirmation of the student discount.


    The couple sticks together, and begins their visit of the museum with a wall of helmets. Hundreds of teams are represented from every conference, every division of college football.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s a lot of football teams!¡± Pablo exclaims upon seeing a three-story high wall of helmets, with no two helmet being the same.


    ¡°Often people not familiar with football seem to think the key players are the quarterback, and then running backs and wide receivers. They would forget about everyone else, even though we both know no single player can do everything on their own¡±


    ¡°Time to hit the playing field, I guess¡­¡± Pablo sighs, still feeling a little off from Tom Yum soup.


    The playing field contains several spaces dedicated to specific football drills, such as a regulation goalpost and agility drills. And Pablo blazes through what feels like a slalom course, followed by a kicking attempt.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°You always acted as if you couldn¡¯t use football as a vehicle to get to college. But you have some talent¡± Audrey tells him before attempting the same drills herself.


    On the gridiron, Audrey reminds me of a much taller version of Addy Edwards; she played wide receiver at VA when I last heard about her. Audrey would probably be a good WR, CB or FS; I have seen our opponents field players whose WRs, CBs or FS end up playing basketball as well, Pablo reflects on where Audrey would have fit on the VAs¡¯ football depth chart if she swapped quiz bowl for football.


    ¡°Talent? I might have agility, but my lack of consistency, both on the gridiron and on the buzzer, has hurt me some¡­¡±


    ¡°Pablo, I saw you play at that game against South Beauregard. I really mean what I said about the athletic talent you have¡±


    ¡°In quiz bowl, I guess I could have counted myself lucky to play with Nadine and Lilina. They are consistent players, poised to become the town¡¯s stars next season. We can cover for each other¡¯s inconsistencies in quiz bowl, which hasn¡¯t been the case in football this season!¡±


    Then the pair moves to another exhibit of the museum: the fight song karaoke. The system allows the users to pick which college¡¯s fight song to sing along, and, predictably, because Heather made Audrey obsess over playing in the Ivy League, Audrey picks an Ivy at random to sing its fight song. The Yale Bulldogs¡¯.


    ¡°Your turn, Pablo¡± Audrey tries to encourage him, but he freezes in place, unsure of which fight song to sing.


    Pablo is reminded of the cold, hard truth: he feels like he should start narrowing down what he wants in a college. Especially when his grades started going up this year, partially because of his involvement in quiz bowl.


    ¡°I guess, I could always sing the Green Wave¡¯s fight song¡­¡± Pablo sighs. ¡°Not that I would be playing for the Green Wave¡±


    As he sings Tulane¡¯s fight song, he realizes that his singing is a little awkward, but he didn¡¯t mind Audrey being an awkward singer either.


    ¡°It¡¯s now that I realize why Heather is singing the national anthem at VA home girls¡¯ basketball games. She has the most singing talent on the basketball team¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess... You can¡¯t be good at everything, and Heather sure as hell wouldn¡¯t be a good quiz bowler, even a math and science one, because she excels at multiple-choice questions, but lacks curiosity¡±


    Then the couple moves to the next exhibit, the ESPN College Game Day Desk. Once they get to the exhibit, Pablo takes on the role of a play-by-play commentator, with Audrey being the color commentator.


    ¡°Welcome to the Yale Bowl for this game between the Yale Bulldogs and the Tulane Green Wave. We all know that Tulane plays in a higher division. However, because both teams are held to similar academic standards in recruiting, this game has the potential to be competitive, especially since Yale has the home field advantage tonight¡± Audrey starts talking about some simulated game between them.


    ¡°For Tulane to win tonight, the Green Wave will need not to overuse pass or rush¡±


    The American, in which Tulane plays, is not a Power-4 football conference, and the Group of 6 (the Pac-12 was relegated to it) isn¡¯t necessarily much stronger than FCS ball, Pablo is reminded of the cold, hard truth, even though he knows that Green Wave fans often feel like Tulane is, on an athletic level, much like an Ivy but with athletic scholarships. They are then treated to a simulacrum of a Tulane-Yale football game playing out on a screen in front of them. Which doesn¡¯t last very long, just a few downs. They act as though they were on TV.


    ¡°How do you feel about this aspect of college football?¡± Pablo asks her.


    ¡°By now you know that, the higher the academic requirements, the farther afield colleges must look for players. It won¡¯t be like LSU, where the majority of players will be Louisiana residents, or at least the biggest chunk of the roster¡±


    ¡°Oh I get it, communities won¡¯t necessarily hold the same attachment to a college team as they would a high school one because of the need to go far afield to fill a roster¡±


    ¡°That, even though LSU is by far the biggest name in Louisiana college sports, and certainly football...¡±


    Speaking of LSU, the two learn about the place of LSU among the greatest players in college football history. About LSU being one of the most esteemed football programs of the nation, but not consistently on the level of Notre Dame, OSU, Michigan or Alabama. About what made these players great. And also about how dominant the Ivy League was in the early days of the game.


    ¡°It seems like people value offense more than defense in football. There just aren¡¯t nearly as many inductees playing defense in any capacity¡± Pablo points out. ¡°Yet this season¡¯s VA football stars played on the defensive line!¡±


    ¡°It seems like sports often run in families. Heather¡¯s older brother played DT, yours played long snapper, Carrie¡¯s older brother also played basketball and dated Chantal...¡± Audrey tells him, triggered by an exhibit talking about a hall of famer¡¯s family involvement in sports.


    ¡°I vaguely heard about Albert when I was in middle school, but I never interacted with Logan much. I knew him by name but that¡¯s it¡±


    However, I wonder just how awkward it would have been for Logan to be dating ultra-brilliant Chantal when he wasn¡¯t anywhere near her intellectual level; for years, she was one of the town¡¯s resident geniuses, Pablo is reminded of just how aggressively parish media covered Chantal, and the whole debate team along with her, back then.


    And, of course, this trip to the College Football Hall of Fame gave them a lot to think about. About life trajectories of ex-college athletes. About how some of them might have trouble adjusting to life after sports. Because they have come to realize that, in football and basketball, star players may not always transition well to the next level.


    ¡°As much as success in high school sports doesn¡¯t guarantee you anything in college sports, I might be wondering about the long-term benefits of playing quiz bowl¡± Pablo sighs.


    ¡°Speaking of quiz bowl, this place is about to close. And yet we learned so much about the evolution of the game as well as the players¡¯ life trajectories after graduation, as well as life off the field¡± Audrey has Pablo dash to the exit.


    And then the others went their separate ways in the meantime. When they get together for their visit to Emory, they ask each other where they have been, before boarding the bus to get them to Emory¡¯s campus.


    ¡°I went to the World of Coca-Cola!¡± Gerard exclaims in front of the other players.


    ¡°We simply went to other quiz bowl games¡± Lilina and Nadine both tell the others. ¡°We will return to the HSNCT next year, we can always do sightseeing then!¡±


    ¡°I kept tabs on the wagers my mom placed on horse races, so I couldn¡¯t really do as much as I would have liked¡± Myriam adds.


    ¡°Myriam, are you sure that you weren¡¯t the one gambling on horse races online?¡± Leonard asks her.


    ¡°My mom paid for all of us to be here and even eat food we couldn¡¯t have at home! She gambles almost as a second job!¡± Myriam answers an irritated teammate.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t forget about us begging money?¡± Lilina refers to Pablo and herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s only the second time I came here. The first time was with my oldest child playing as a special topics player¡± the bus driver tells them.


    ¡°Oldest? Who are your younger kids?¡± Warren asks him as the bus leaves the parking lot in which it¡¯s parked. ¡°They never took AP Bio!¡±


    ¡°Paige is my youngest daughter. She was very much not a quiz bowler. Anyway, the reason why I chose to drive the team here is because no other driver on the parish¡¯s payroll has relatives who play, or played, quiz bowl¡±


    She could barely clear a 3.5, which made her feel like she just didn¡¯t have what it takes to play quiz bowl for VA. My oldest son, however, attended Whitman College on the back of his HSNCT participation, the bus driver ruminates on his children¡¯s dealings with academia as he drives the team to Emory, as he did some six years prior.


    But then they tour Emory into the evening after having eaten at restaurants around the university. However, unlike NSU two months ago, for the underclassmen, the novelty of visiting a college campus has worn out for them.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok to aim for Emory and the like. Remember, guys, however: grades, ACT scores and quiz bowl success aren¡¯t everything!¡± Leonard warns the players, especially Myriam and Scott, for whom it¡¯s pretty apropos.


    ¡°If you actually end up attending Emory or other colleges of that caliber or higher, you will go from an environment where you were used to operate in a rarefied world because of your intellect, to a world where everyone will be like you! Maybe the HSNCT will help you soften the blow somewhat, but nothing should be taken for granted!¡± Warren issues another warning.

 Chapter 37: Race to the Playoffs

    On Sunday morning, the Venomous Agendas resume play, and the VAs are in the thick of the race to the playoffs. By now VA A is virtually assured of finishing in the top-100, while VA B has to win at least one game. In the elevator to their next game:


    ¡°Look at this: it seems like we¡¯re anointed the future of VA quiz bowl in ways not even our MSNCT run together would have had!¡± Nadine comments to Lilina, with the latest parish newspaper story released on the HSNCT.


    ¡°And FTPFTC! Pre-HSNCT, they placed both of us among the top underclassmen in the nation!¡± Lilina responds to her teammate.


    On the football field, I am the star on offense. On the buzzer, I am just secondary scoring. I¡¯ll never rise to stardom in quiz bowl, because Nadine and Lilina both overshadow me, but maybe it¡¯s for the best: high school sports stardom puts you under the spotlight for one-third of the year, quiz bowl stars are under the spotlight year-round. I can tell our core players are under immense pressure, but even I know that a good special topics player can make a difference, Pablo ruminates, not knowing what FTPFTC even is.


    ¡°Focus, everyone, and then we will play this afternoon!¡± Pablo tells the other 3.


    VA B¡¯s eighth prelim game is also played on a high floor, as some other games were yesterday. As they get seated, with Warren being their chaperone for even-numbered games:


    ¡°This is round fifteen of the Sunday prelims of the 2030 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This game pits the fifteen card against the forty-two card. From Louisiana we have Venomous Agendas B, from Minnesota, we have Wayzata A. Best of luck to both teams, here¡¯s tossup one:¡±


    Florence shall be avenged! She caused the VAs to lose against Wayzata A, and hence get eliminated from the playoffs, but Flo was still a decent quiz bowler. However, the school staff mostly remembers her for her chronic debate underachievement, Warren keeps to himself as the first clue results in no one buzzing in.


    ¡°This phenomenon, in the X-ray band, is used to look for crystalline structure¡± the moderator reads as Pablo buzzes in.


    ¡°Diffraction!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡± the moderator then reads the preamble to the bonus the VAs earned.


    We won against the VAs six years ago, we can do it again here today! Wayzata¡¯s coach watches, powerless, the VAs answering the bonus parts as they come.


    ¡°A Streetcar Named Desire mostly takes place in this Louisiana city¡±


    ¡°New Orleans!¡± Nadine answers the bonus part in earnest.


    ¡°New Orleans is famous for this style of jazz music in the early twentieth century¡±


    ¡°Dixieland!¡± Nadine keeps answering.


    ¡°Thirty for the bonus, and here¡¯s tossup two¡±


    The first clue proves very obscure, so obscure that none of the VA players could even dare buzz in. And the pressure is on both teams to answer on the next clue. In short, VA makes Wayzata feel like victory will require them to score as many powers as possible.


    And even powering questions won¡¯t be the end of the story here! Lilina ruminates as the reading of the tossup¡¯s second clue looms over everyone¡¯s heads.


    ¡°During the Trieu Dynasty, this city was the capital of the Kingdom of Nanyue¡± the moderator reads the second clue before Wayzata¡¯s history player buzzes in.


    ¡°Panyu!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡± the moderator rules, before giving out the preamble of the bonus Wayzata earned against VA.


    Ouch! That was Lilina¡¯s kind of question to answer. Fingers crossed that we get the next tossup; it¡¯s still early in the game, Nadine ruminates while she anxiously awaits the next tossup. However, she knows, based on her experience at the MSNCT, that opposition gets harder as one racks up wins.


    And yet, in Warren¡¯s eyes, this game gives him the feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Presumably because even the first Wayzata-VA game six years ago had good back-and-forth play, too.


    As with their first game six years ago, going into the final tossup, the VAs hold a ten-point lead over Wayzata. However, the only difference is the stakes are lower. And not just because both teams go into it with 5-2 records. Here winning the game means qualifying for the playoffs, rather than eliminating the loser. However, they know it¡¯s not the end.


    ¡°Final tossup: Baudrillard argues this process transformed Los Angeles into a hyperreality¡± the moderator reads the first clue to players rolling their eyes.


    Hyperreality? What makes Los Angeles a hyperreality? Nadine scratches her head, not suspecting that it may not even be a literature tossup at all.


    ¡°Charges of this process were levied against Venice when Venice started imposing entry fees in 2024¡± the moderator starts reading the second clue as the power mark draws near on this tossup.


    What kind of process could Venice be charged with by imposing entry fees to enter its city limits? Venice is, yes, one of the most important tourist destinations of Italy, but still¡­ Pablo starts ruminating about the implications of charging an entry fee to enter the city. Yet everyone is frantically trying to find an answer to this tossup. Wayzata¡¯s players feel like they must power or not buzz in at all. As they buzz in:


    ¡°Gentrification!¡±


    ¡°Neg five. Historical centers of cities began to gain characteristics of theme parks under this process¡± the moderator keeps reading past the power mark.


    But then it locks Lilina and the opposing special topics player into a buzzer race, especially when that clue sheds light on the previous one. Here¡¯s our chance to carry the day and go into the playoffs! Lilina then slams the buzzer, ready to answer.


    ¡°Disneyfication!¡± Lilina answers.


    ¡°Ten. Pencil and paper ready¡± the last four words send dread towards the VA players who, because of Gerard¡¯s mathletic background, give him a right of first refusal over PPRs.


    We almost never heard a pencil and paper ready bonus, maybe once every five or six packets, Pablo realizes that there will at least one question requiring calculations. As the second bonus part begins:


    ¡°In a lake, algae bloom double in size every day, and it takes forty-five days to cover the entire lake. How long did it take to cover half the lake? You have ten seconds¡±


    ¡°Forty-four days!¡± Gerard answers.


    ¡°Algae blooms often cause die-offs of water fauna because of the depletion of this element¡±


    ¡°Oxygen¡± Pablo answers.


    ¡°Thirty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡± the moderator asks the scorekeeper.


    ¡°Venomous Agendas B three hundred eighty, Wayzata A three hundred twenty-five¡±


    ¡°Woohoo! We made it into the playoffs! We have one prelim game left to win!¡± Warren exclaims in front of the B-team. ¡°And Florence has been avenged!¡±


    ¡°What happens if we win another prelim game?¡± Pablo asks the coach, not knowing the inner workings of the HSNCT.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Then the playoffs become a double-elimination tournament. We¡¯ll be in a separate bracket until we lose one game¡±


    ¡°But why did you mention Florence being avenged in this game? What did she do, what history did she have against Wayzata?¡± a puzzled Nadine asks the coach.


    ¡°Flo only took part in two quiz bowl tournaments, but, as a quiz bowler, she is mostly remembered for causing a spectacularly Pyrrhic loss in the HSNCT playoffs, six years ago, against Wayzata, causing the VAs to finish twenty-fourth¡±


    And costing Louisiana its first top-20 at the HSNCT in 20 years at the time, too. However, VA clearly dominated the post-pandemic Louisiana quiz bowling world, 4 state titles, three top-15s at the HSNCT, potentially a fourth top-15 if VA A makes it this deep this year, Warren keeps quiet about VA''s place in Louisiana''s quiz bowl history.


    VA B has a half-hour break, during which VA A is playing its eighth game. Having won against Barrington A, VA A feels the pressure ratcheting up on them to keep winning, now that they are in the winners¡¯ bracket. Especially when teams going 8-2 or better into the playoffs have first-round byes. And yet, their respective ninth prelim rounds are played simultaneously. On the fourth floor of the Marriott Marquis.


    ¡°Focus everyone. Now that we made it into the playoffs, we don¡¯t need to pressure ourselves as much¡± Pablo tells his teammates going into round 9.


    ¡°Winning even one of the next two games would mean a lot to us!¡± Nadine adds.


    In middle school, I could do my thing and I could fly under the radar. However, with the amount of attention lavished on the high school by the town¡¯s residents, not sure I can handle being in the spotlight year-round, especially if we go deep in the playoffs. Obviously, for college, the deeper, the better, but with Trillian poised to become the Caitlin Clark of mathletics, I can fly under the mathletic radar next season. Was I playing anywhere else, I would keep flying under the radar, Gerard ruminates while he keeps hearing about his teammates pushing as hard as they can.


    ¡°This is round seventeen of the Sunday prelims of the 2030 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This game pits the ten card against the fifteen card. From California, we have Mira Loma A and from Louisiana, we have Venomous Agendas B. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one¡±


    The first tossup begins and... wow. Everyone is on edge since it seems like the obscurity of the clues has markedly increased. This no longer feels like the HSNCT anymore! This is even harder than Penn Bowl or ICT D2 packets! Pablo ruminates, while a clue that feels straight out of ACF Nationals, with obscurity to match, is thrown to, well, every team playing this round, across both hotels.


    Already complaints about lack of difficulty consistency are being made to NAQT regarding this edition of the HSNCT, and the plaintiffs cover a wide cross-section of the field. Plaintiffs include DCC, Hunter, TJHSST at the top end, and even bottom-feeders like Sheboygan South, who, despite going into this round with a 2-6 record, still hangs on. However, the second clue seems to be a little more palatable to the players:


    ¡°Thoreau bemoans the lack of sophistication in the literature popular in Concord in this book¡± the moderator reads the second clue, which seems to decrease pretty starkly in difficulty.


    Nadine buzzes in. ¡°Walden!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡± the moderator rules.


    Shoot! Here I am, at the HSNCT, clearly playing second fiddle to Lilina and Nadine! They are the ones poised to become VA¡¯s stars on the buzzer for the next three and two seasons respectively! Pablo ruminates while he seems to be more useful on bonuses than on tossups. Like this one:


    ¡°This variety of activism seeks to use social or political justice causes for personal financial or political gain¡± the moderator reads the bonus part.


    So while some activists are deeply passionate about the causes they advocate for, their supporters, on the other hand, might have ulterior motives. This bonus part is about this kind of activists, Pablo starts thinking about it, believing that it¡¯s his chance not to be overshadowed by the two girls on his squad.


    ¡°Performative activism!¡± Pablo answers.


    ¡°Performative activism has been criticized by Lorde in the context of this movement, which took place after the death of George Floyd¡±


    ¡°Black Lives Matter¡± the whole team answers after feeling this bonus part is the easiest.


    And yet, VA B lacked consistency late in games in this tournament. The few people in the room watching, as well as the players, all cross their fingers, and Mira Loma senses its path to victory still being open with one tossup to go, but VA B has a 35-point lead. So much for load management, the bus driver ruminates while the final tossup is being read.


    ¡°Tossup twenty¡­¡± the moderator starts reading the tossup, with a clue about baseball history that makes people roll their eyes. ¡°This baseball position was historically considered hard to fill because of its emphasis on defense¡±


    What¡¯s the meaning of this? Baseball almost never appeared on quiz bowl packets! Well, sports in general don¡¯t either, but¡­ Pablo seems to be shaking in his seat, as this is deemed a ¡°special topic¡± question as he has grown to understand quiz bowl. Over which he has a right of first refusal. But Gerard buzzes in.


    ¡°Catcher¡± Gerard answers.


    ¡°Neg five¡± the moderator rules. ¡°A player at this position had the Mendoza Line named after him¡± the second clue is read while the Matadors¡¯ (i.e. Mira Loma¡¯s) special topics player buzzes in.


    ¡°Shortstop!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Fingers crossed that the Matadors only score one bonus part. The Mendoza Line was, for many years, a mark of unacceptable batting by non-pitchers at the MLB level. However, Tanith was alright as shortstop in softball this season, both at bat and off the bat, the Matadors powering the tossup seems to send Pablo into a tailspin as he starts praying for Mira Loma to fail at this bonus.


    Mira Loma answered one bonus part correctly, but the second one was incorrect. Going into the dying seconds of the game, it¡¯s all down to one final bonus part as the buzzer rings.


    ¡°Metadata!¡± the Matadors¡¯ science player answers.


    ¡°Twenty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡± the moderator asks the scorekeeper.


    ¡°Mira Loma A three hundred eighty-five, Venomous Agendas B three hundred eighty¡±


    Shoot! We need to win one more game to get on the winners¡¯ bracket! Nadine tells herself while awaiting the result of VA A¡¯s ninth game. Audrey then comes to them with VA A in tow:


    ¡°We lost, four hundred sixty to two hundred eighty-five against Centennial A!¡± Audrey announces in tears, in front of VA B and hence Pablo.


    ¡°You still are seven-two, we are six-three¡± Pablo points out to his love interest before they let the implications of their final prelim games sink in.


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, in Lake Charles, Cora meets with her friends on the basketball court, with her phone on the HSNCT Companion App. She briefly checks it before getting another drill in with Carrie and Heather at a hoops camp.


    ¡°Cora, what are you looking at?¡± Carrie asks Cora.


    ¡°Our own teammate¡¯s progress through the HSNCT! Audrey plays on the A-team¡±


    ¡°Tell me about the B-team, too¡­¡± Heather asks Cora at point-blank.


    Damn it! While I knew Audrey played at the HSNCT, she¡¯s forced to miss the LGR Takeover, and half the season of Bayou City Hoops Elite, our travel team, for it, Cora seems to be a little puzzled by the implications of Audrey missing half the AAU season because of quiz bowl.


    ¡°Damn! VA A is seven-two, VA B is six-three, hopefully VA A can go all the way!¡± Cora exclaims while she tunes in on the parish radio on mobile before the drill begins.


    ¡°I would have expected nothing less of Audrey; she has mega-geniuses for teammates. However, if I may, Cora, their opponents field mega-geniuses of their own¡± Carrie adds, before Cora picks up the ball and dribbles it.


    ¡°Yes, I know¡­¡± Cora sighs before shooting.


    <hr>


    Back in Atlanta, what Richard calls ¡°mega-geniuses¡± are anxiously awaiting the results of the following round because their opponents aren¡¯t immediately known. They are then mingling with other players from other teams for half an hour, while Nadine has an eye on the HSNCT Companion App.


    When the time comes, VA A learns they are playing Mira Loma A, while VA B is playing Paideia. A few minutes before their scheduled games start:


    ¡°Oh god, you fell on Mira Loma A! Please, Audrey, avenge us!¡± Pablo implores Audrey. ¡°We lost against Mira Loma A in our last game, and good luck then!¡±


    Both teams dash towards their respective game rooms, VA A on the fourth floor of the Hilton Atlanta, while VA B plays in a conference room of the same hotel.


    But here it seems like VA B feels the pressure ratcheting up on them, with every question. Well, Paideia, too, since both teams come into the game with 6-3 records, and both teams go in with a winners¡¯ bracket spot at stake.


    With one tossup to go in that game, the score is tied, 340-340. Both teams faced some of the fastest moderators of the tournament.


    ¡°Tossup number twenty-four: Isiah thirty-twenty-eight states that this biblical location¡¯s radiance is fifty times that of Earth¡±


    Fifty times the radiance of Earth? When I was begging money at church, one of the churchgoers told fellow parishioners that heaven was hotter than hell! There would be no other reason why heaven would be hotter than hell! Pablo is reminded of the masses he attended and begged money just so he could be competing here at the HSNCT.


    However, by doing so, somehow, Paideia¡¯s science player is locked into a buzzer race with Pablo and Lilina. The opportunity for a first-clue power is right there, tantalizingly within reach, and it seems like Pablo has been fastest on the buzzer.


    ¡°Heaven!¡± Pablo shouts.


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about romantic poetry¡­¡±


    Yes! Pablo scored a power when we needed it most! Nadine muses while the bonus is being read to the VAs. However, they fail to answer the first two bonus parts about poetry and it¡¯s on them to score a part:


    ¡°Iambic pentameter!¡± Nadine answers.


    ¡°Ten for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡± the moderator asks the scorekeeper.


    ¡°Paideia three hundred forty, Venomous Agendas B three hundred sixty-five!¡±


    ¡°We did it, we¡¯re in the winners¡¯ bracket, even though I just played my worst lit bonus all tournament!¡± Nadine exclaims.


    At the same time, in the room where VA A was playing Mira Loma A, the final score is announced:


    ¡°Mira Loma A three hundred thirty-five, Venomous Agendas A three hundred seventy!¡±


    ¡°Woohoo! VA A has a playoff bye!¡± Myriam exclaims at the end of the game.

 Chapter 38: Gerard’s Lament

    ¡°Gerard, you seem more stressed out than usual. You went into the MSNCT playoffs, you have an idea of what this means¡± Pablo seems to notice that Gerard¡¯s facial expression is not like what he is used to in a quiz bowl tourney.


    ¡°For some reason, you don¡¯t seem that stressed out, even though you¡¯re by far the least experienced on this team!¡± Gerard retorts.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t stress out, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the right place for me to show the stresses I¡¯m under! By now, you know that I can¡¯t rely on football to go to college, so this meant I had to give my all on the buzzer¡±


    ¡°If you ever feel like mathletics and quiz bowl are too much for you to handle simultaneously, you must remember the following: the best quiz bowlers aren¡¯t the best mathletes and vice-versa. I even have the interview of Marcia on the parish radio when VA first attended the HSNCT¡± Warren tells Gerard while he tries to help Gerard.


    ¡°I guess, I don¡¯t have a choice¡­¡±


    <hr>


    March 2024. The VAs lost the state title at quiz bowl-State to Jesuit in overtime. However, the VAs earned its first HSNCT berth and, for this reason, Marcia was invited to an interview at the parish radio station on Sunday after quiz bowl-State.


    ¡°This season, you proved to be a late mathletic bloomer. How does it feel to juggle mathletics and quiz bowl?¡± the host asks her.


    ¡°For the first three years of my high school career, quiz bowl was low-maintenance and flew under the radar. However, I went into senior year expecting that quiz bowl would fly under the radar as it always did up to that point, so I focused more on mathletics. However, I didn¡¯t neglect quiz bowl practicing¡± Marcia answers the host.


    ¡°Your mathletic record this season doesn¡¯t lie. Is it common for quiz bowlers to perform that well in subject olympiads?¡±


    ¡°While quiz bowl and math teams both lean top-heavy, quiz bowl and mathletics don¡¯t reward the same kind of students. My latest estimate is that, in any given HSNCT, about five to ten HSNCT players will have ten on the AIME or better, of which three to seven will have entered the USAMO as well. And, if this estimate is accurate, I would then be one of the best mathletes entered in this competition¡± Marcia follows up.


    <hr>


    ¡°One caveat: Marcia belonged to a different era in VA quiz bowl history¡±


    Marcia¡­ her first three quiz bowl seasons were marred by inadequate training and her teammates¡¯ nonchalant attitudes; Warren reminisces about Marcia¡¯s tenure as a quiz bowler during the pandemic.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°For some reason, math teams are a popular choice for teams to pick quiz bowlers from. Not just for us, but for our opponents, too. Why?¡±


    ¡°Gerard, two things: coaches often assume that mathletes are strong in math and science, and, unfortunately, some coaches assume that being good in math and science means you can get good in every subject area covered in quiz bowl¡±


    ¡°Coach, by that logic, wouldn¡¯t the debate team be a good place to look for quiz bowlers?¡± Gerard asks his coach.


    ¡°You would have thought, based on past VA track records with debaters in quiz bowl, as well as the knowledge requirements of debates, that debaters can be good non-science quiz bowlers. However, our experience is actually atypical. While smarter kids are essentially required to make a good debater or a good quiz bowler, not many quiz bowl teams even think of debaters as viable sources of quiz bowlers, and they demand different things from players. Even the few teams who draw quiz bowlers from a debate team found out debaters may not even have a history inclination in quiz bowl!¡±


    ¡°At the same time, I¡¯m questioning whether I really should be playing at the HSNCT!¡±


    ¡°Gerard, I really hope you aren¡¯t questioning yourself based off of a handful of bad tossups!¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s just that, the deeper we go, the more the town will pressure us next season! I don¡¯t think I can handle it anymore!¡± Gerard starts crying.


    ¡°I must warn you: if you want to transfer somewhere else where you can fly under the radar and still play quiz bowl, you might not get the same academic experience!¡±


    In Kinder or Iowa, this would mean I would be both their best quiz bowler and mathlete, as well as possibly valedictorian, Gerard thinks. I would be trading the spotlight away for maybe bullying. Not sure which one is worse¡­


    Both teams go to the food court for lunch, and, because VA B doesn¡¯t have a bye for the playoffs, the clock is ticking on VA B to grab lunch before the prelim awards ceremony, due to the length of the lines at restaurants in the food court.


    By 1 PM they make it in the nick of time for the prelim awards ceremony at the Marquis Ballroom, which they patiently await the top 40 scorers in the prelims.


    And, while no one on either team made it to the top-40 in scoring, the next 8 best freshmen are called on stage in ascending order of PP20TUH. The first Freshman Rising Star is named:


    ¡°Now, for the Freshman Rising Stars! Lilina Ortiz, from Venomous Agendas B!¡± NAQT¡¯s president then hands her a small trophy.


    ¡°Woohoo! I am a Freshman Rising Star!¡± an exuberant Lilina jumps for joy before the card collection time arrives, after realizing that Nadine and Lilina both scored about 40 PP20TUH each in the prelims.


    And yet, since, historically, the lowest Sophomore Rising Star scored a bit more than the Freshman Rising Star, Nadine knows that she doesn¡¯t stand much of a chance to be a Sophomore Rising Star herself.


    When the time to collect the cards come for the teams, it seems like cards are assigned to teams based first on their win-loss record and then their PP20TUH as a team in the prelims (which includes bonuses for teams, as opposed to tossups-only for players).


    ¡°Looks like we start the playoffs with a better card than we finished the prelims with¡± Leonard comments on how VA A begins the playoffs with card number 6.


    ¡°And VA B begins with card seventeen!¡± I guess the Mira Loma game could have gone either way¡± Nadine realizes they will need to play one more game.


    Pablo then proceeds to text Ethan and George, asking them to tune in the parochial radio, since it appears the parochial radio is covering the HSNCT for the whole parish. And all other players follow suit, and add their parents into the mix, too.

 Chapter 39: Winners’ Bracket

    Their first game is held at the International Meeting Room C, in the hotel¡¯s basement, with both the bus driver and Warren being in the room with the B-team. Their opponents were already seated when they enter the room for their first playoff game:


    ¡°After this game, I will follow the A-team, as that will be the team people at home will be more eager to follow¡± the bus driver tells the B-team as they get seated to play their first playoff game. ¡°The parish radio will also cover these games through the liveblog¡±


    ¡°This is round twenty-one, the first playoff round of the 2030 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament winners¡¯ bracket. This game pits, from Louisiana, Venomous Agendas B, and, from Michigan, Detroit Country Day A. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one¡± the moderator starts the playoff game.


    Detroit Country Day. While not as significant in VA quiz bowling history as Wayzata, DCC or TJHSST, it¡¯s still a loss I remember very clearly as a coach, Warren muses while the first clue is being read, leaving both teams speechless. And the A-team, too, who is watching this game.


    Audrey is asking herself whether sacrificing half a season of AAU basketball for the HSNCT is worthwhile. After basketball-State, I reduced my basketball training schedule to some pickup basketball with the other girls, so that I could focus on quiz bowl. My parents had an incentive for me to focus on quiz bowl until the HSNCT ends, because they would spend less on travel than if I played the whole AAU season with Bayou City Hoops Elite. Hopefully Bayou City won¡¯t write me off for the second half, but at the same time, placing as high as we can get here will probably be worth the exposure of the first half of the season. She then proceeds to text Carrie, asking for updates of Bayou City at LGR Takedown.


    The rest of the game seemed to be a tightly played game, with highly competitive play, but VA B¡¯s players all seem to have a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, in that, once again, it will boil down to one last tossup-bonus cycle. Speaking of which, the final tossup is read, with VA B thirty points behind:


    ¡°Tossup twenty-three: The Federal Highway Act of 1921 was passed, providing matching funds to states to build the predecessor of this highway system¡± the moderator starts reading.


    In 1921, the automotive industry was immature, and railroads were still the way to go for inter-state transportation back then, Lilina thinks about what the answer could possibly be, but didn¡¯t buzz in just yet.


    ¡°The Pennsylvania Turnpike is nicknamed the grandfather of that system¡± the second clue is read, causing both sides¡¯ history players to enter a buzzer race.


    By now, these players have seen dozens of buzzer races over the season, and they know how to deal with one. But, in the end, Lilina was faster on the buzzer.


    ¡°Interstate!¡± Lilina shouts.


    ¡°Prompt!¡±


    ¡°Interstate highway system!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about drafts¡±


    The DCD player who lost the buzzer race to Lilina feels the game slipping out of their control and starts praying the VAs don¡¯t get more than one bonus right. And the VAs miss the first bonus part.


    ¡°In ships, the draft refers to the distance between the keel and this line¡±


    ¡°Waterline!¡± Gerard answers the second bonus part.


    ¡°The NBA instituted a rule stating that teams cannot trade first-round draft picks in two consecutive seasons, named after this owner¡± the moderator reads as the clock rings, signaling the end of regulation time.


    We must be quick! This is our chance to win this game and force DCD down the drain! Pablo¡¯s mind grinds gears while looking frantically for a possible answer to this bonus. Gerard and Nadine both signal they don¡¯t know the answer, and Lilina was struggling.


    ¡°Ted Stepien!¡± Pablo answers.


    ¡°Twenty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡± the moderator asks the scorekeeper.


    ¡°Detroit Country Day three hundred thirty-five, Venomous Agendas B three hundred forty!¡±


    I did it! I scored the winning bonus part! And a buzzer-beater, too! Pablo tries to contain his joy at scoring the winning bonus part, while picking up the card #17 from the moderator, and going to their next game.


    Their next game, played in room 211 at Hilton, across the street, is played against Centennial A, one of the two teams that managed to defeat VA A in the prelims. As they cross the skybridge:


    ¡°Relax. The opponent probably thinks they have it easy, they believe us to be weak, especially since they beat the A-team in the prelims. However, show them that the playoffs are a different game!¡± Warren harangues his players before getting seated for that game, and his players as well.


    Centennial A¡¯s players underestimate VA B early on, which cause them to be thrown off their game. VA B capitalizes on their arrogance to score several tossups and bonuses the Eagles (i.e. Centennial¡¯s players) fail to respond until almost a third of the game has elapsed.


    By half-time, the Eagles¡¯ coach take advantage of the stoppage in play to yell at the players about how underestimating VA B proved very expensive.


    ¡°And that¡¯s the half. The score is Centennial A seventy, Venomous Agendas B two hundred seventy!¡± the scorekeeper announces.


    ¡°You thought that, because Venomous Agendas B were weak, based on how you won against Venomous Agendas A in the prelims, you could afford to slack off! Look at where it led you: they hold a two-hundred-point lead now!¡± the coach yells at the Eagles.


    ¡°We need to save our energy for the long haul!¡± an Eagle retorts, not realizing that the VAs won¡¯t let up one bit going into the second half of the game.


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, in Jennings, Ethan and George embark on passing drills as they listen in on the parish radio, telling the listeners what the scores of the games of both VA teams at the HSNCT are by half-time. As do a lot of people across the parish, especially outside Jennings, for so many of whom it¡¯s the only time they ever hear about quiz bowl.


    ¡°Woohoo! VA A and B are both in the lead in their respective games!¡± Ethan comments on how VA A is in the lead, 180-140, against Stanford Online, at half-time.


    ¡°If this means a VA A vs VA B final, so be it!¡± George then exclaims before the passing drill resumes. ¡°Venomous! Agendas! May our girlfriends go all the way, and Pablo along with them!¡±


    Good luck, Nadine, you¡¯re going to need it. You¡¯re brilliant, and Lilina, too, but they can¡¯t do everything, even together! Ethan muses on how the townsfolk start believing that VA might be able to go all the way at the HSNCT. If not, there¡¯s always next year.


    <hr>


    Back in Atlanta, it seems like both teams are advancing, especially when VA A wins against Stanford Online, 410-285, and VA B wins, 370-300. However, while VA A chugs along the bracket, and gets to play Baker in the Grand Ballroom A at the Hilton, VA B, on the other hand, must face another ghost from VA¡¯s quiz bowling history in a much lesser room, the M106 at the Marriott. As they get seated in the M106¡­


    ¡°This is round twenty-three of the winners¡¯ bracket, the third playoff round of the 2030 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This game pits, from Louisiana, Venomous Agendas B, and, from Massachusetts, Boston Latin! Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one¡± the moderator starts VA B¡¯s third playoff game.


    Why is it that we keep collecting ghosts from our quiz bowling history this year? First, Wayzata, then DCD, now, Baker for the A-team and Boston Latin for the B-team? Warren seems increasingly puzzled, especially since the appeal to have VA play at the HSNCT, year in, year out, is the great variety of opponents they can actually play. VA A plays the school against whom we lost in 2025, while VA B is playing the school against whom the VAs played in their HSNCT debut! And the Wolfpack has gotten much stronger as a quiz bowl program now!


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Speaking of the Wolfpack, their coach watches a high-strung battle of wits and buzzers unfolding before, well, everyone in the room. And the game proves to be even tighter than the VAs¡¯ HSNCT debut, because, unlike then, the teams¡¯ strengths in math and science feel more evenly matched. Especially since Gerard was no Im¨¦lie as a quiz bowler, not even her eleventh-grader self.


    Otherwise, it still feels like a clash of two humanities and social studies titans, both with excellent literature and history players.


    By now, this game feels like yet another d¨¦j¨¤ vu for VA B since VA B has been playing through last-tossup showdowns for the sixth time in this tournament. Probably the playoff team that has been worn down mentally the most. The Wolfpack holds a 10-point lead with one tossup to go:


    ¡°Tossup twenty-four: This African country contains the only known fossil nuclear fission reactor¡±


    Natural nuclear reactors exist? We must power this question, or we¡¯re toast! Pablo starts sweating as profusely as in a football game, not knowing about the existence of natural nuclear reactors, and signaling that he doesn¡¯t know the answer. At the same time, all 7 other players briefly shake in their seats.


    ¡°This country was an OPEC member from 1975 to 1996 before joining again twenty years later¡± the moderator reads the second clue to an astonished audience.


    Lilina appears willing to risk it all as the buzzer rings, signaling the end of regulation time. As she buzzes in¡­


    ¡°Cameroon!¡±


    ¡°Neg five¡± the moderator rules before resuming the reading of the tossup, which goes all the way to the For ten points clue.


    ¡°Gabon, and we¡¯ll skip the entire bonus¡± the Wolfpack¡¯s history player responds.


    ¡°Ten, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡±


    ¡°Boston Latin three hundred seventy, Venomous Agendas B three hundred forty-five¡± the scorekeeper announces.


    Drat! We¡¯re now in the elimination bracket!¡± All because of Lilina¡¯s unfortunate negging? Nadine realizes that going into the losers¡¯ bracket means one loss will kick them out of the tournament. That was a very winnable game, but no use dwelling on this failed tossup just yet.


    While VA B drops down a level, VA A, on the other hand, wins against Baker, 460-220. VA A is set to play Strake Jesuit A. As VA B moves to their next game room, M301, on the same floor, they learn of their opponents¡¯ identity:


    ¡°This is round twenty-four, the fourth playoff round of the 2030 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This game pits, from Louisiana, Venomous Agendas B, and from North Carolina, Providence¡­¡±


    Against whom VA B wins rather handily, 490-180, but since VA A lost against Strake Jesuit A, 380-305, they¡¯re now in the elimination bracket, the same as VA B.


    Once again, the VAs change game rooms, and, upon arriving at their game room, M104, VA B is in for a most unpleasant surprise. Yet another ghost of VA¡¯s past in quiz bowl, and the Colonials¡¯ coach hasn¡¯t taken to losing 3 games against VA well, realizing that VA officially became VA a few months after their last game. I really, really hope there won¡¯t be a debater playing for Jennings this year around; all 3 of our losses against them were caused by their debaters!


    ¡°This is a rematch of 2026¡­¡± Warren comments on this matchup.


    ¡°What do you mean, coach, it¡¯s a rematch of 2026?¡± Pablo asks him before getting seated.


    ¡°We eliminated TJHSST A in 2026, and their coach is hungry for revenge!¡±


    And the Colonials get seated, as do the VAs. The moderator for that game starts the game:


    ¡°This is round twenty-five, the fifth playoff round of the 2030 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. From Louisiana, we have Venomous Agendas B, from Virginia, we have Thomas Jefferson Science and Tech A¡±


    Even though TJHSST A holds superiority over VA B in math and science, VA B managed to play a tight game, the same as with Boston Latin only two rounds prior. Going into the final tossup, TJHSST A holds a 45-point lead, and the VAs know they must force overtime to win.


    ¡°Tossup twenty-four¡­¡±


    The signal sends waves of dread among both teams, as they appear to be playing one of the most high-tension games of their respective seasons. We need to play this tossup cycle perfectly to win, Pablo ruminates while the tossup is being read.


    ¡°Atrophy of this brain part has been linked to slow-wave sleep troubles¡± the first clue is given out by the moderator.


    Here¡¯s my chance to redeem myself from this game against Mira Loma A! And to finally answer a tossup in this game! Gerard muses while he looks for an answer in his mind. The other players are also doing the same, but Nadine and Pablo don¡¯t feel like buzzing in yet. Against top teams, speed can prove to be the decisive factor! In a desperate move, a red-faced Gerard slams the buzzer.


    ¡°Prefrontal cortex!¡± Gerard answers.


    ¡°Fifteen. The First Punic War marked the early stages of Roman expansion outside Italy. For ten points each¡­¡±


    Focus, Lilina. I might have let southwest Louisiana down against Boston Latin, here¡¯s my chance to redeem myself! Lilina psyches herself up as the first bonus part is read by the moderator.


    ¡°Shortly before this battle took place, the Carthaginians sued for peace, but the terms proposed by Regulus were deemed too harsh¡±


    Because the VAs essentially gave Lilina a right of first refusal, Lilina¡¯s brain has only a few seconds to conjure an answer with no help from her teammates. The clock ticking in on her, and four seconds elapse before she answers:


    ¡°Tunis!¡±


    ¡°Carthage made peace with Rome in 241 BC, but its own army¡¯s mutiny escalated to this war¡±


    ¡°Mercenary War!¡± Lilina keeps answering.


    The Colonials then start praying that VA B fails to score the final bonus part. But while VA B was still trailing by 10 points, it would still be able to tie after regulation time.


    ¡°The Mercenary War was the backdrop¡­¡± The buzzer signaling the end of regulation time rings. ¡°The backdrop of this Flaubert novel¡±


    Unlike the first 2 bonus parts, Nadine is the one answering the final part. ¡°Salammb?!¡±


    The moderator turns to the scorekeeper. ¡°Thirty for the bonus, and that¡¯s regulation time. Score?¡±


    ¡°This game is tied three hundred seventy to three hundred seventy¡± the scorekeeper answers the moderator.


    ¡°This game goes into overtime! Please stand by while I get additional questions from the control room!¡±


    For all the tight games played by VA B at the HSNCT this year, none of them went into overtime. So while, to Pablo, HSNCT playoffs in general are uncharted quiz bowl territory, for the other 3 players, this overtime reminds them of their MSNCT run together.


    "Brace yourselves for three more tossups without bonuses" Warren warns them while the moderator is away looking for more questions.


    This game reminds me of Burleigh Manor A vs us. In the LAX room, where, then as now, we were going into overtime. We won in overtime before, we can do it again here, against much older players! Nadine ruminates while the moderator is back from the control room with more questions.


    ¡°Overtime tossup one¡­¡± the question starts.


    The obscurity of the first clue about a shopping mall in Naples proves a bit much for both sides, but the second clue causes Nadine¡¯s mind to leap into action in the middle of that clue:


    ¡°In August 2013, he was appointed senator for life¡­¡±


    Nadine buzzes in just a few words before the power mark. ¡°Renzo Piano!¡±


    We won¡¯t let the VAs get away with the game so easily! The momentum might be on their side now, but one bad question can change everything! A Colonial player muses as the second overtime tossup is read.


    ¡°Fifteen. Overtime tossup two¡­¡±


    We can break TJHSST¡¯s backs, here and now! All we have to do is answer one more tossup correctly, and they¡¯re toast! Pablo thinks, while he¡¯s completely befuddled by the first clue.


    Gerard, on the other hand, only seems to have the image of playing chess with anime pieces when hearing about the second clue:


    ¡°The fourth game of this series follows two generations of characters in separate halves¡±


    Gerard inexplicably buzzes in. ¡°Disgaea¡±


    ¡°Neg five¡± the moderator rules.


    Ugh¡­ what did Gerard do to take such risks? Pablo tries to resist the temptation to fume at his teammate, while the opponents waited until the end of the tossup:


    ¡°For ten points, what series of tactical role-playing video games have permanent death?¡±


    The Colonials¡¯ special topics player buzzes in. ¡°Fire Emblem!¡±


    ¡°Ten. Overtime tossup three: A recession named after this financial statement is driven by high private sector debt burdens¡± the moderator reads the first clue.


    Everyone is shaking in their seats, now that they¡¯re back to square one, only with 10 more points on each side. They know there is no room for error, and whoever answer this one tossup correctly, wins.


    ¡°Under IFRS, this financial statement is referred to as the statement of financial position¡± the moderator reads to them.


    But then Lilina and the Colonials¡¯ history player are engaged in a buzzer race. While Lilina slams the buzzer, it appears that, unlike some of her previous buzzer races in this tournament, she lost the buzzer race. The VAs cross their fingers as this tossup proves determinant in the game and hence their ranking.


    ¡°Balance sheet!¡± the Colonials¡¯ history player shouts.


    ¡°Fifteen, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡± the moderator asks the scorekeeper.


    ¡°Thomas Jefferson Science and Tech A three hundred ninety-five, Venomous Agendas B three hundred eighty¡±


    ¡°Venomous Agendas B finishes tied for twenty-first place!¡± The moderator then hands the VAs their trophy.


    ¡°What did I do to lose this buzzer race?¡± Lilina asks as she leaves the game room, crying.


    ¡°Lilina, it¡¯s not the end of the world, there¡¯s always next year¡± Warren tries to console her. ¡°Most teams who get to the top-twenty-five have multiple upperclassmen, we had none on the B team¡±


    ¡°There might not be a next year for me!¡± Gerard announces to them.


    The coach turns to Gerard. ¡°What do you mean, Gerard?¡±


    ¡°I feel it would make more sense for me to focus on mathletics! I don¡¯t think being a quiz bowl star is for me; our town tends to make stars out of people who perform well in quiz bowl, and the town¡¯s star system is dangerous to my mental health!¡± Gerard laments.


    I guess, it¡¯s my turn to step up to the scientific plate next season! And, if we play on the A-team together, Audrey, too, Pablo muses while he heads straight for her.

 Chapter 40: Down to the Last Squad

    ¡°Audrey, we lost. We¡¯re eliminated, we finish twenty-first¡± Pablo starts telling his girlfriend the cold, hard truth. ¡°And Gerard doesn¡¯t feel like he can keep playing quiz bowl at this level anymore! We need to step up to the scientific plate next year!¡±


    ¡°For the rest of this tournament, regardless of the outcome, I say, you watch carefully. But I¡¯ll tell you a little secret: I sacrificed half an AAU season for this tournament. But for this summer, we¡¯ll study for the ACT as a group, with our own basketball and football players¡± Audrey confides in her before getting to the Marquis ABC ballroom.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t sacrificing half an AAU season hurt your college basketball prospects?¡± Pablo asks her.


    ¡°As I already told you, right now, I¡¯m a Division III prospect at best. Perhaps a strong performance at the HSNCT might help me get a walk-on spot at an Ivy¡± Audrey responds to her before getting on stage. ¡°For walk-ons, especially in DIII, colleges tend to put more weight on how prospects act off the field¡±


    Pablo then wastes no time asking for availabilities of rising juniors for semi-private ACT studying with him on the football team¡¯s social media.


    <hr>


    Late afternoon arrives, and, once again, people all over Jefferson Davis Parish follow their team closely on the parish radio. Which even invites people tuning in to watch the NAQT livestream from the Marquis ABC ballroom, since VA will, once again, get filmed. And hence audiences nationwide will see them.


    ¡°Venomous Agendas A advances to the sixth playoff round, and this is a rematch of 2026. For those who didn¡¯t follow VA quiz bowl at the time, that game against Detroit Catholic Central A was marred by a vomiting-induced timeout that forced a key player off the stage¡± the parish radio¡¯s anchor comments on the game. ¡°Two of the most rabid quiz bowl fanbases in the country face off once again, on the grandest stage of the quiz bowl world!¡±


    And even parents of VA basketball players on Bayou City¡¯s roster start listening to the online podcast of the HSNCT on their way back home from their final game at LGR Takeover.


    ¡°Audrey¡¯s still playing quiz bowl?¡± Cora asks her parents. ¡°She might have sacrificed a quiz bowl tournament for a travel basketball one earlier in the season, but she went around and sacrificed half the AAU season for the HSNCT? I¡¯ll never understand her!¡±


    She said it so herself that she needed to develop her passing game and rim protection, on top of that, I need to develop some in-game chemistry with her! I really hope the other half of the AAU season will be enough! Cora seems to question Audrey¡¯s dedication.


    ¡°How deep in are they anyway?¡± Susan, Lacassine¡¯s shooting guard, asks Cora¡¯s parents while she is driven to her home, not knowing what the HSNCT is beyond quiz bowl.


    ¡°They¡¯ll finish thirteenth at the lowest¡± Cora¡¯s mom then explains quiz bowl and the role of the HSNCT in quiz bowl to Susan.


    Cora¡¯s mom is making it sound like Audrey is a brainiac, and Lacassine sure as hell isn¡¯t playing quiz bowl! Susan then starts listening to the first tossup of the DCC-VA game on the radio. It seems like Audrey¡¯s quiz bowl successes has hurt her on the court! Is that what she sacrificed half an AAU season for: some trivia game?


    <hr>


    Speaking of the first tossup of the game between DCC A and VA A, the moderator starts reading it, after introducing them to the crowd. The game in question is played to a crowd most quiz bowlers could only dream of, even though the ballroom isn¡¯t filled to capacity.


    ¡°Here¡¯s tossup one: the War of the Bucket was one of the proxy wars fought by these two factions in Bologna and Modena¡±


    To the first clue, both Shamrocks (DCC players) and VAs roll their eyes: not even Leonard seemed able to respond to it.


    ¡°The Lombard League defeated Fredrick Barbarossa at Legnano in 1176, marking the end of the first phase of these wars between these two factions¡±


    I¡¯m lost. I¡¯m not entirely sure why Fredrick Barbarossa fought the Lombard League, nor what they fought over, Leonard ruminates as he desperately looks for a way to break the stalemate and maybe even buzz in. At the same time, the opponent isn¡¯t willing to buzz in either. Especially given DCC¡¯s quiz bowling history against VA. Unfortunately, their actions caused the power mark to lapse.


    ¡°The struggle between these Italian medieval factions was rooted in the Investiture Controversy¡± Leonard and DCC A¡¯s history player are then engaged in a buzzer race a few words before the FTP clue is given.


    As with the B-team, the A-team saw its share of buzzer races all over the tournament, but here DCC prevails.


    ¡°Guelphs and Ghibellines!¡± DCC¡¯s history player answers.


    ¡°Ten¡±


    As DCC answers the bonus they¡¯re given, Audrey doesn¡¯t realize, because her cell phone is in a handbag stowed away behind her, she received a scathing text message from Heather. ¡°Audrey, I should have told you earlier, but I am questioning your commitment to basketball!¡±


    ¡°Thirty for the bonus. Tossup two: A family of functions is said to uniformly equicontinuous if, in absolute value¡­¡± the moderator then lists some mathematical conditions.


    Myriam buzzes in. ¡°Epsilon¡±


    Equicontinuity is the same concept as continuity but for families of functions¡­ Myriam sighs.


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    For some reason, this game appears to be some mirror image of the TJHSST game, in that VA has the advantage in science tossups, rather than a disadvantage. On the other hand, DCC has the advantage in religion and mythology. And yet, in all other areas of the game, they appear to be mostly evenly matched.


    And, of course, fans in both Jefferson Davis Parish and Novi are delighted by the high level of quiz bowl play of both teams, keeping everyone on edge in both. As well as on stage.


    But when the final tossup comes around, everyone shakes in their seats, even when DCC holds a 40-point lead going into this tossup.


    ¡°Tossup number twenty-four: In this novel, Nick¡¯s impression of Tom is as a restless man going about his entire life looking for another football game to win¡±


    But here, unlike so many buzzer races, which tended to occur in later clues, Scott and DCC¡¯s literature player are trying to win the buzzer race on the first clue. A mere fraction of a second made a world of difference to them. In the end:


    ¡°The Great Gatsby!¡± Scott answers.


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about the history of mansions. The advent of which type of weapons in the late Middle Ages caused the replacement of fortified castles by mansions?¡±


    ¡°Firearms!¡± Leonard responds.


    ¡°In English renaissance, the largest of these mansions were built with a view of housing Elizabeth I and her retinue during the annual royal progress¡± the moderator reads the second bonus part.


    Myriam and Audrey both signal they don¡¯t know the answer, leaving Scott and Leonard to sweat as they feel the pressure ratcheting up with every second. And the clock ticks in on them, pressuring them like lemons to conjure an answer¡­


    ¡°Prodigy house?¡± Scott answers, unsure of his answer.


    ¡°Mansions of this type became popular in 1980s California¡±


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    Come on! Even though the hardest part is over, I need to find an answer, quick! Audrey starts feeling the clock ticking on her, with the entire game riding on this one bonus part. She also feels her own heart beating louder in ways that differ from what happens to her body in basketball games.


    Four seconds elapse, and the VAs have yet to provide an answer to the final bonus par. The end of regulation time has sounded:


    ¡°McMansions!¡± Audrey shouts, with hints of despair in her voice.


    ¡°Thirty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game¡± the moderator rules, and turns to the scorekeeper. ¡°Score?¡±


    ¡°DCC three hundred sixty-five, VA three hundred seventy!¡± the scorekeeper announces. ¡°DCC finishes tied for thirteenth place!¡±


    As DCC A¡¯s players get their trophy, the VAs realize Audrey scored the quiz bowl equivalent of a buzzer beater in basketball. Now that¡¯s one quiz bowl buzzer-beater! VA is now in the top-10 at this tournament, for better or for worse!


    And, obviously, the crowd attending that game hollers all over the place, making players on both teams feel like they just played the noisiest quiz bowl game of their lives.


    ¡°Yay! 2026 has been avenged!¡± Warren shouts, not realizing that someone at home is about to upload a clip of the whole tossup-bonus cycle leading to this buzzer beater.


    ¡°Ballista! Ballista!¡± Pablo hollers in Audrey¡¯s direction, who reaches for her handbag.


    What the hell? Why did Heather text me in the middle of a playoff game telling me she¡¯s questioning my commitment to basketball? Last year, I wasn¡¯t playing at the HSNCT, this year I am! Does Heather think that VA can make it to the top-10 at the HSNCT with me still playing AAU ball? Does she know the requirements of playing high-level quiz bowl? Audrey fumes at Heather¡¯s text message. Heather clearly doesn¡¯t have what it takes to play quiz bowl for VA! I really hope some D3 school will have pity on her and offer her to play hoops for them!


    The A-team moves from the Marquis ABC ballroom to the Imperial Ballroom A, on the other side of the floor. However, unlike their previous game, VA plays to a room filled to capacity.


    ¡°This is round twenty-seven, the seventh playoff round of the 2030 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This game pits, from Louisiana, Venomous Agendas A and, from Texas, Cistercian A. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one: A black limestone formation on these islands¡¯ West Bay is termed Hell by nearby residents¡±


    We won¡¯t let these¡­ girl-laden Venomous Agendas beat us! one of Cistercian¡¯s players starts ruminating, upon hearing the first clue that made him feel like he¡¯s clearly not going to buzz in on that tossup. No more than anyone else in the game did.


    ¡°Seven Mile Beach is home to the majority of these islands¡¯ hotels and resorts¡± the second clue is being read, interrupted by Audrey.


    ¡°Cayman Islands!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Drat! These girls beat us to this tossup! a powerless Cistercian player listens to the VAs attempting to answer the bonus Audrey earned them. I ought to play better on future tossups, so we won¡¯t let these girls get away with this tossup!


    As one would have expected out of a game this deep into the HSNCT playoffs, the rest of the game proves to be a high-flying clash of buzzer races and highly competitive play.


    Pretty exciting from the POV of the people tuning in on the parish radio as the parish radio¡¯s anchor uses the bus driver¡¯s liveblog to comment on the game. Which he does as one would have a color commentary, while refraining from hinting at specific question content.


    Going into the final tossup, VA holds a 35-point lead, which they are hoping they can hold. Essentially, the opposite of what they were living through the previous game.


    ¡°Tossup twenty-four: The opening of this movie features hominini learning to use bones as weapons¡± the first clue is read to both teams.


    This sounds far too much like Planet of the Apes or Time Machine, so I¡¯m not sure I should buzz in just yet, Scott ruminates while everyone seems to be rolling their eyes.


    ¡°Later in the film, Dave goes on a sortie to retrieve a fault antenna control device, but fails to find an issue, blaming HAL¡± the moderator keeps reading, interrupted by a Cistercian player buzzing in.


    ¡°Space Odyssey!¡± the Cistercian player answers.


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each¡­¡±


    Ouch. Here¡¯s to hoping that Cistercian can only get zero or one bonus part right¡­ Audrey crosses her fingers, while the VA fans in the room start praying for just that outcome.


    ¡°This statistical mechanical ensemble allows for systems to have variable numbers of particles¡±


    ¡°Grand canonical¡± Cistercian¡¯s science player answers the first bonus part, causing VA players to shake in their seats.


    With everyone on edge, the prayers intensify for VA fans and players going into the second part of the bonus. Their lead having shrunk to 10 points, they hope that Cistercian won¡¯t be able to answer the next 2 parts.


    ¡°In the grand canonical ensemble, this quantity represents the amount of energy per particle¡±


    The clock then ticks on everyone in the room, with Cistercian supporters hoping they score this bonus part, and VA ones hoping they don¡¯t. They struggle to answer the question, and the five-second delay has elapsed.


    ¡°Answer?¡± the moderator asks Cistercian players, with the five seconds having elapsed.


    ¡°Chemical potential¡± Cistercian¡¯s science player answers the second bonus part.


    ¡°Chemical potential being difficult to work with, in practice, chemists prefer to employ this quantity when working with gases¡± the moderator reads what many feel is the hardest part of this bonus.


    Everyone¡¯s stress levels go up, and several people start sweating for the bonus. Especially VA players, for whom their entire tournament will boil down to this bonus part. The clock keeps ticking, and the siren marking the end of regulation time rings.


    ¡°Time, the answer was fugacity. Twenty on the bonus and that¡¯s the game¡± the moderator turns to the scorekeeper.


    ¡°Cistercian three hundred thirty, VA three hundred thirty¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going in overtime! Please stand by for additional questions!¡±


    Damn it, our tournament ended with bad luck in overtime, I really hope it won¡¯t happen to Audrey and the A-team! Pablo starts worrying about his girlfriend as the moderator gets the extra packet for overtime questions.


    Once the moderator returns with the packet of extra questions, a lot of people in the room feel like they¡¯re agonizing over a game that made them live a rollercoaster.


    ¡°Overtime tossup one: Germany gave this name to Canadian troops during the Battle of the Somme¡±


    Something¡¯s not right: Canada in WW1 is mostly known for the Vimy Ridge, which came after the Somme! What did Canada do at the Somme to warrant being given special names by the German army pre-Vimy? Leonard is bewildered by the question implying that Canadian troops gained any special reputation in Germany in WW1 prior to Vimy.


    ¡°These German troops used what were known as the Hutier tactics in the Ludendorff Offensive¡± the second clue is then read.


    Cistercian¡¯s history player then buzzes in. ¡°Stormtroopers!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen. Overtime tossup two: The baroque style of this musical theater genre fell out of favor during the Esquilache Riots¡±


    The sheer level of obscurity of the tossup¡¯s first clue caused everyone in the room to space out and no one appears able to buzz in. It also seemed that the second clue was still obscure enough to prevent teams from buzzing in, although less so than the first clue.


    ¡°The romantic branch of this genre can be further subdivided into g¨¦nero grande and g¨¦nero chico, which, for ten points, is a Spanish genre of musical theater alternating between spoken and sung scenes¡± the moderator reads the final 2 clues of this tossup.


    The moderator then waits the customary 3 seconds, during which a tossup is considered to be live. Unfortunately, it seems like the tossup hit a blind spot of both teams in their musical knowledge.


    ¡°Zarzuela. Overtime tossup three: One of the more prominent books in this romance subgenre is about tutoring the captain of a college team of the subgenre¡¯s eponymous sport in exchange for a fake date!¡±


    We must power this tossup, or else we¡¯re toast! I didn¡¯t sacrifice half an AAU basketball season only to fall short of the top-5 here! I must go as deep as I can possibly get VA into the HSNCT playoffs, or else these sacrifices will have been in vain! Audrey ruminates with all speed, while she¡¯s sweating as her brain is about to overheat trying to find a book corresponding to this description.


    Audrey buzzes in. ¡°Hockey romance!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen. This is the end of overtime, and the teams are still tied, three hundred forty-five to three hundred forty-five. This means tossups will be asked until the score changes! Overtime tossup four: The plot of the 2017 Thai movie Bad Genius centered around this activity¡± the first clue is read to clueless people in the room. ¡°It also caused Harvard to be stripped of four NAQT national titles in 2013¡±


    Although it doesn¡¯t happen often, there are several ways to get a quiz bowl team disqualified. The only instance I remember of such was Marcia¡¯s poor sportsmanship at quiz bowl-State in 2021, Warren is astounded upon hearing the first clue of this tossup. The then-Bulldogs were far from the quiz bowl powerhouse VA is today, and Marcia was the only good Bulldog quiz bowler at the time.


    However, that clue also made both teams roll their eyes since neither team had much of a knowledge of the greater quiz bowl history. So when the third clue comes around, while it¡¯s less obscure than the first two clues, because of the consequences of negging being clear to them, neither appear willing to buzz in.


    ¡°For ten points, name this activity that comes in either academic or romantic varieties¡±


    And then the buzzer race begins, with Audrey squaring off against Cistercian¡¯s special topics player. But in the end, because Audrey wasn¡¯t fast enough, she prays that the opponent doesn¡¯t get it right. Of course, since the tossup was read in full, there would be no ¡°neg-five¡± incurred at this point.


    ¡°Cheating!¡±


    ¡°Ten, and that¡¯s the game. Cistercian three hundred fifty-five, VA three hundred forty-five!¡± The moderator then reaches for the trophy. ¡°VA finishes tied for eighth place!¡±


    Even with 2 powers in this game, this is somehow worse than this quarterfinal game against Wossman! Losing to Wossman because of a stupid buzzer-beater was already bad enough, being eliminated from the HSNCT after enduring four overtime tossups and finishing eighth¡­ this is the most heart-breaking quiz bowl loss of my life! Audrey starts ruminating.


    ¡°You¡¯re the most clutch quiz bowler I have known in my life¡­¡± Pablo comments in Audrey after she gets off the stage.


    ¡°Thank you¡± Audrey then proceeds to kiss him.

 Chapter 41: Memorial Day

    The parish radio receives news of their beloved VAs¡¯ heart-breaking loss in the HSNCT playoffs. So many, especially in Jennings, the center of the VA community,


    ¡°And that¡¯s how it ends: VA A lost to Cistercian, three hundred fifty-five to three hundred forty-five, finishing eighth. That¡¯s a huge improvement over last season, and even the B-team, wholly made up of underclassmen, finished better than last year! Let¡¯s not forget about how Myriam¡¯s strong play at this tournament will remind so many of the early days of the Venomous Agendas at the HSNCT!¡± the radio host starts telling the listeners. ¡°For the next two years, expect to hear the following names regularly in the quiz bowl news: Nadine Fauchoux and Lilina Ortiz!¡±


    The host then tells the audience about how Trillian is poised to make her debut on the high school mathletic stage and how she¡¯s expected to reverse VA¡¯s mathletic misfortunes, absent a first-round win against Lacassine during the spring Math Madness season.


    The following day, as is usual for VA¡¯s quiz bowl squads at the HSNCT, they are invited to the town¡¯s Memorial Day festivities, and with both Lake Charles and Lafayette TV stations having briefly covered VA¡¯s HSNCT results in the morning.


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    ¡°This year, for the first time in school history, the quiz bowl program sent both squads to the HSNCT! Because both Nadine and Lilina are poised to reach stardom, they represent our best chance at victory next season, along with Myriam!¡± the principal announces to the crowd assembled at the Simmons Memorial Stadium, with the quiz bowlers at center field.


    The crowd in attendance goes crazy and closes in on their favorites at center field much as they would have after a major victory during football season.


    So Lilina will be on the A-team for sure next season, but whether Nadine will be on the A-team as well, remains to be seen, Pablo sighs, realizing roster changes are on the horizon in quiz bowl for next season.


    ¡°Remember the plan for the summer, Pablo: we¡¯ll train for our respective sports, study for the ACT as deemed necessary. Then I will be able to placate Heather, and Cora, too!¡± Audrey sermons him.


    ¡°And work! Because the boss¡¯ son also plays on the football team, I¡¯m going to work for a car parts shop this summer!¡± Pablo adds.


    ¡°Which one?¡± Audrey asks him.


    ¡°The shop I bought your brakes from, actually! What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working at Wal-Mart¡±


    ¡°Honestly, Audrey, we will mostly see each other in the weight room and when studying for the ACT, with our respective teammates¡± They then kiss each other.


    ¡°But I have the impression that Heather might not be a VA next season¡±

 Chapter 42: Life After the HSNCT

    Pablo and Audrey were ecstatic to return home to Jennings after accomplishing what so many in town would only dream of. And so many quiz bowlers, too. They were treated to a public showing of their HSNCT accomplishments during the town''s Memorial Day festivities.


    But then Pablo receives, along with everyone on the football team, the training schedule for the summer. Morning practice at VA at 7am, starting after the ACT date. Until then, all we can do is do strength and conditioning, and maybe some player-led practices. No big deal, but this means that, if I want to study for quiz bowl, I should do so before the official football practices but after the ACT.


    Upon returning home, after the Memorial Day festivities, however, he puts aside any notion of studying for quiz bowl, and instead focuses on studying for the July ACT, for which he booked at LSUE, as Audrey did, and is the closest available test center for that date. And he receives his first sets of questions by email, intended to mimic the blocks of questions on the real test. Which he promptly opens to start working on these questions.


    And yet, even as he starts working on the questions, he feels like all he has on his mind is the rumors the townsfolk kept circulating about the A-team, such as both Lilina and Nadine moving up to the A-team next season. I don''t want to take anything away from Nadine, but Scott is a good player, too. Yet, if Nadine plays on the A-team, I think it would be better that I play on the A-team, too, because I''m used to playing with Lilina and Nadine, and Audrey isn''t.


    Speaking of Nadine, he gives her the kit of practice questions, as well as where to subscribe to the service of daily ACT practice questions. And he also does the same with all rising juniors on the football team after finishing the first of the four blocks.


    Some rising juniors ask him about when they can hold these unofficial, player-directed practices upon receipt of these practice ACT questions, under the form of a Doodle page. They plan to do so with perhaps an older sibling of a player acting as a facilitator, so long as that person isn''t on the coaching staff. However, knowing what their opponents are doing, he knows that he can hardly afford to miss one such practice.


    "Don''t forget to take your diagnostic test on Sunday after mass!" Pablo''s dad sermons him.


    "No biggie, dad"


    Speaking of diagnostic test, he texts Audrey asking for when she can take one. But of course! I can use this schedule to my advantage! I can then ask for the rising juniors on the football team to take a diagnosis test! And have basketball teams take the same test if necessary! And not the least since next season''s starting free safety plays shooting guard.


    He keeps practicing with a sample passage, complete with a set of ten questions, not responding to the request of his teammates for timeslot availability until the end. He finds himself reading about... cane toads?


    Yet reading about cane toads makes him feel like he''s reading a passage where detail questions are going to dominate, since often people give advice on what to expect on the ACT reading section based on the passage''s topic.


    Once he puts his availabilities on the Doodle page, at the end of the passage, Malcolm, the free safety, texts him: "I think I should ask Cora before taking a diagnostic test"


    "What do you need to ask Cora for?" Pablo realizes that player-led practices is going to mean going to the football field mostly early in the morning.


    I never was particularly close to Malcolm nor Cora, but one thing is for certain: if they ask for academic help, they don''t ask it from me. Audrey might be the brainiac of the basketball teams, but I admit that I don''t know the other basketball players that well off the court, Pablo muses while realizing that perhaps Malcolm is dating Cora. But he quickly returns to studying for the ACT, this time by doing a geometry problem right after finishing the questions on the cane toads passage.


    At the same time, the other quiz bowlers know that they can''t afford to rest on their laurels. They keep training for various things, each on their side.


    The following morning, several football players arrive at VA''s practice football field, which has clearly seen better days. Finn arrives with a box full of traffic cones that he doesn''t waste time laying down as an obstacle course.


    "It might be a bit early for contact drills, so for now, we''re going to start with obstacle course drills" Finn lays down the rules for the first drill of the morning as the cones are placed on the field.


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    This is a painful reminder of our football team being underfunded. From what I heard about our opponents, some of them use player-sized dummies rather than traffic cones, and the dummies are also used for tackling drills, Pablo gets flashbacks of the practice equipment used by Washington-Marion. Of which he caught a glimpse last season after the ninth game.


    And yet, players at the practice, ranging from tight end to free safety, run through the makeshift obstacle course one by one. Which feels like a slalom course. They go through this course several times before moving to the next drill:


    "For this drill, we will need to have the players in threes..." Malcolm then explains where each person should position himself, how many times they should pass the ball around, or attempt to intercept passes.


    Speaking of Malcolm, he treats the drill as is he was playing in a game, and hence reaches for the ball in mid-air. Even so, he even collides into Pablo as they both attempt to catch the ball. In the end, both players end up slammed against the ground.


    "Malcolm, you now have a better idea of how it would feel to tackle an opposing wide receiver in mid-air" Finn comments on this unintended tackle.


    "Yeah, you always seemed... to shy away from... tackling when jumping to intercept a pass!" Pablo comments on this tackle while a little dizzy from it.


    "It''s dangerous, ok?" Malcolm retorts, before turning to Pablo. "Are you all right?"


    "I''m fine, really" Pablo then gets up and drinks from the nearby fountain.


    Notwithstanding that I am, what, 6''2, 200 lbs, give or take? Maybe a little heavier than 200 lbs, Pablo reflects on the hit he took in this drill. Now that''s tackling like I never saw from a free safety! As good as it''s going to get at his size. He would have been a good tackle player if he was bigger, though.


    But then the two get some time passing the ball around, and making attempts at intercepting it, while remaining mindful of not hitting each other too hard, not even when fighting over opportunities to intercept the ball. After these drills end, the players then hit the weight room, engaging in weight training as they did before the finals.


    Meanwhile, elsewhere in the town, Bayou City Hoops trains after resting during Memorial Day. It becomes clear that everyone on the team is happy to see Audrey back with them, except for one. Non-VAs on the travel team, especially those from outside Jefferson Davis parish, ask her about the HSNCT. Even though they kept hearing about it just two days ago, while the LGR Takedown tournament was underway.


    "Oh Audrey, how has it been at the HSNCT?" Bayou City''s other power forward asks her.


    "The questions are somewhat inconsistent, but that comes with the territory" Audrey answers her teammate. "What about you?"


    "There was only one true power forward, so the coach made us play musical chairs in such a way that it wore me down since I had the most playtime. Sometimes Cora was made to play PF and then Carrie played PG, etc. In a sense you''re lucky to be physically rested the way we aren''t"


    "Because we''ll play the whole season together at school, we may as well drill together here today" Cora makes her wishes clear to Audrey before the drills start.


    Of course, since Audrey seemed to have more pressing needs on defense as well as in passing, and she''s newly back into play, the coach focuses on getting her back to speed. And making her mesh with the rest of the team, to the extent feasible with practices only.


    And, as such, the coach has Audrey undergo passing drills with everyone else on the team, at the beginning of the practice. And in ways that might bear some resemblance to how she would need to pass the ball in games. Much like having to pass the ball to someone when someone else is getting double-teamed, or when they get double-teamed themselves.


    "Here''s the deal: you have to anticipate where players will be, as well as where the ball will be, too. Then you can improve both your passing game and your rim protection game. It''s not like quiz bowl, where you must roll with the punches..." the coach tells Audrey.


    And then she sees a little improvement in preventing players from getting to the paint, as much as it''s possible with only one practice. Yes, positioning and blocking are the key skills she improves on, but she feels like team practices are for practicing skills that actually require multiple players to improve. I can always practice dribbling and shooting outside of team practices, as well as strength and conditioning, but I am at a stage where practicing smarter might give me an edge over practicing harder.


    At the end of the practice...


    "I might have sacrificed half of the traveling team season, but I have gotten back into the groove of playing hoops. That being said, for rising juniors, don''t forget about the ACT; please tell me immediately if you need help!" Audrey warns her teammates.


    "You''re right, Audrey, doing poorly on it might put a straitjacket on our basketball dreams, or even our future off the court!" Cora adds. "I will study for it with you"


    "Me too!" Susan adds.


    Audrey then gives the two, by email, both access to the daily practice questions service she uses and additional resources to get help for the ACT online. Cora might not be as strong as I am academically, but she feels smart enough to make good use of the materials I gave her. I mean, she never really asked for help in coursework. Susan? I know only that she plays shooting guard for Lacassine and she''s Lacassine''s star player. I have no idea of how strong she is academically, Audrey muses as she goes home, and Heather has a few remarks for Audrey before moving towards Susan.


    "Audrey, stop! You should spend the summer working on basketball, not studying! You already have a top-ten at the HSNCT for a safety net!" Heather yells at Audrey.


    "I still have the ACT to take! Cora and Susan, too!" Audrey retorts.


    "Not sure I''m going to stay at VA for much longer!" Heather''s face turns red.

 Chapter 43: Heather’s Lament

    Meanwhile, after Audrey left that Bayou City Hoops practice, Heather stands at a crossroads. Audrey has some work to do to get some chemistry with Cora on the court, and, in fact, I¡¯m the one with whom she doesn¡¯t get along off the court. Heck, even Susan gets along with her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I feel about playing as a VA anymore. I¡¯m surrounded by people whose commitment to basketball appears to be a little suspect, the school doesn¡¯t take basketball seriously even though we made it to the quarterfinals last season¡­¡± Heather starts crying and confides in Susan.


    ¡°Do you have an idea of which school you could play for then?¡± Susan asks her.


    ¡°I¡¯d say Lacassine offers the best chance to achieve my goals for next season¡±


    Let¡¯s see: Lake Arthur, Welsh and Elton were headed for first-round exits last season, and not even I can turn any of these teams into state champions, Hathaway¡¯s front court is stacked, too, and I don¡¯t even want to talk about out-of-parish schools, like Kinder, Crowley or Iowa. However, Lacassine has a gaping hole down the center, Heather starts ruminating about the parish¡¯s hoops situation.


    ¡°If you really think Lacassine can get you what VA can¡¯t¡­ you seem to value basketball more than you do your education¡± Susan points out to Heather.


    ¡°In a world where knowledge loses value faster than ever, I think not learning as much senior year would be worth the cost of a shot of winning State! It seems like all-state teams often comprise the star players on teams going deep into the playoffs! And winning State will stay with us, provided we do so honestly!¡±


    ¡°It seems like Cora is your most improved player! Even half an AAU season made her a much better player than she was at the start!¡± Susan tells her about Cora¡¯s improvement. ¡°Passing, rim protection, you name it¡±


    ¡°Even with Taylor replaced by Cora, we¡¯re not going to win State at VA! I¡¯m not sold on our shooting guard!¡± Heather keeps arguing, wondering whether the VAs¡¯ new starting SG will even be as good as Charlotte was. ¡°Last season, you played us, and your gaping hole down the center cost you guys to lose the game! Maybe with me, the Cardinals might stand a chance at State! But do you think the reverse would be plausible?¡±


    As much as it pains me to admit it, Heather¡¯s right. She¡¯s a good fit on the Cardinals, both offensively and defensively. However, she feels like 1A-B-C basketball is mostly the same as 3-4A basketball, probably based on out-of-district schedules. And yet, the financial playing field in 1A-B-C girls¡¯ basketball has better parity than in 3-4A, Susan starts thinking. I am not sure of how I would fit in at VA, at the very least, off-court. I sense that Heather feels crushed academically, since VA has by far the most competitive academic environment in southwest Louisiana. My GPA and even more so class rank will suffer.


    ¡°Heather, as much as I would have loved you to transfer, there¡¯s one LHSAA formality you need to be aware of. Even though intra-parish transfers are much more straightforward than inter-parish transfers, please keep in mind that the residence and transfer rule will prevent you from playing as a Cardinal next season unless you actually move into Lacassine¡¯s attendance zone before the beginning of the school year. And the same for me in reverse, too, if I believed transferring to VA was the way to go¡± Susan tells Heather about possible complications of transferring.


    Heather then looks up what to do to remain compliant with the residence and transfer rule and play as a Cardinal immediately after arriving at Lacassine. But at the same time, she sees Susan¡¯s mouth foaming at the prospect of nabbing Heather as a transfer student for Lacassine. Kind of like a NBA general manager in free agency season, when signing the contract of the player deemed to be the solution to a team¡¯s major problem.


    Maybe... maybe Heather would prove our salvation in more ways than one! If Heather could play quiz bowl! Lacassine might not make it to the HSNCT, even with her, but we need a full roster for the school to even let us play! Right now, we¡¯re missing one player! Susan starts daydreaming about Heather as a Cardinal, before leaving the dressing room.


    But when Heather returns home, later that day, she feels the need to discuss a serious matter with her parents.


    ¡°Mom, dad, we need to talk. I feel like I¡¯m not happy playing basketball for VA, and it made me unhappy as a VA!¡± Heather laments.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Heather¡¯s mom asks her, not realizing that the HSNCT exacerbated the tensions with the rest of the team.


    ¡°I feel like things are going downhill at VA. The coach left us to our own devices outside the basketball season, and somehow, I feel like the rest of the team at VA is willing to put the sport on a back burner! Especially Audrey, but Cora, too!¡± Heather¡¯s tone of voice grows louder and whinier. She starts crying. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that, even in the summer, when they should focus on basketball, they keep studying! They make me feel like their priorities are misplaced!¡±


    ¡°I know how important basketball is for you. But what exactly are you planning to do?¡± Heather¡¯s dad asks her.


    ¡°I was coming to that. If that¡¯s feasible, I would love to transfer to Lacassine¡±


    Time to start sending clips, along with transcripts and ACT scores! In fact, I¡¯m a little late to the party, but even though the Ivy League is a long shot, which wouldn¡¯t happen without basketball, I can always send these materials after having filled out their recruitment questionnaires, or along with these! And yet I have the feeling that the Ivy League might be my only shot, and Audrey¡¯s, too, to get any kind of Division I playing time! Heather starts thinking about how to go around contacting college coaches, and which ones. I¡¯ll start with the good old Tulane Green Wave, even though it¡¯s a Power-6 team, and hence an even longer shot!


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    ¡°Lacassine?¡± Her dad gasps. ¡°Are you certain you are willing to have us move into some place in the middle of the meadows for a year? Doing otherwise would mean violating the LHSAA residence and transfer rule!¡±


    ¡°Moving out of the parish is going to be much more painful than transferring to Lacassine, even if I had relatives to move in with!¡±


    ¡°Our relatives are out of state. I won¡¯t pretend to know their respective hoops situations, and while it¡¯s not unheard of for families to move around as a consequence of a kid¡¯s athletic career move, I am not sure it¡¯s a good idea¡± Heather¡¯s dad retorts.


    ¡°I mean, I could always ask them about the needs of their local schools¡¯ basketball teams. However, if I am not mistaken, Lacassine doesn''t offer any AP courses¡±


    I mean, she took a total of 3 APs in her time at VA. I wonder what¡¯s going on in her mind for her to be so willing to accept an academic downgrade for a shot at basketball glory, Heather¡¯s mom, puzzled by this sudden request from Heather, ruminates.


    ¡°Mom, dad, we need to get started now if you let me transfer to Lacassine! Even an intra-parish transfer still requires some legwork, and to find a place to live in Lacassine¡¯s attendance zone!¡± a distressed Heather complains about her parents¡¯ attitude towards her.


    ¡°Think of people other than Audrey and Cora. How do you think Carrie, Tyler and the like will feel if you leave, or how you feel about them upon leaving?¡± Heather¡¯s dad asks her.


    ¡°Just let me think about it¡­¡±


    Tyler? He might still see me, and I can always go to VA football or math games with and for him. Carrie? I might start to resent her, on the court at first, and later off the court¡­ but I can keep in touch with everyone online. However, my parents make me feel like having reduced access to them in person would change how I would feel towards them going forward, Heather ruminates.


    ¡°My peers? I¡¯m closest to other basketball players, although because of my intense devotion to basketball, I struggled to make friends outside of the sport!¡± Heather keeps whining.


    ¡°You¡¯re clearly not in the right mindset right now, I¡¯m not sure transferring is a good idea just yet!¡± Heather¡¯s dad sermons her.


    ¡°Not even being one of the good players on what was arguably the best post-pandemic VA girls¡¯ basketball team helped me get anything remotely resembling friends! People interacted with me in a very shallow way since!¡±


    ¡°Honey, I acknowledge just how important your role was last season, but for some reason, it seems like VA¡¯s newfound successes on the court have gotten to you, even when they are overshadowed by VA¡¯s quiz bowl successes!¡± Heather¡¯s mom scolds her.


    When VA sucked on the court, before last season, which was my daughter¡¯s breakout season, Heather wasn¡¯t nearly as fixated on hoops! But she mostly kept to herself, back then, too¡­ Heather¡¯s mom reflects on how one good basketball season changed her.


    ¡°You have hoops talent, yes, but don¡¯t do things you will regret later!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, dad?¡± Heather yells at her dad, her face turning red.


    ¡°As you said, Lacassine doesn¡¯t offer any AP courses, and dual enrollment courses are typically more trouble than APs, especially for athletes, albeit more on the administrative side¡± Heather¡¯s mom retorts.


    ¡°Lacassine would represent a much-needed decrease in academic pressure!¡±


    ¡°And yet you¡¯re using basketball to try to attend higher levels of colleges than even Tulane! If you can¡¯t handle it now at VA, sorry, but if you made it to, I don¡¯t know, an Ivy League roster, you will be eaten alive!¡± Heather¡¯s dad keeps scolding her.


    ¡°Although opponents do, at times, shelter their star players in the classroom, and you¡¯re right in that it¡¯s not uniform across schools, it¡¯s not uniform across sports either!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, football players get sheltered the most in the classroom by our opponents, but VA sure doesn¡¯t shelter anyone! They let Audrey and I take APs as sophomores without cutting our playtime!¡±


    As a sophomore, I took AP US Government at the urging of Kent¡¯s predecessor, who taught that course back then; he retired a year ago. Last season, I took AP Bio and AP French; from what I heard, most of our opponents either cut playtime from players taking AP courses or don¡¯t offer them to begin with! Heather ruminates.


    ¡°I get it, VA is one of the most competitive schools in the state¡­ but are you willing to pay the academic price in college of this transfer?¡± Heather¡¯s dad asks her.


    ¡°I just want to have something to be proud of from my teenage years. What do I have? VA never seems to amount to much in FFA stuff, and on top of that, there¡¯s no glory in FFA! Right after I played my best basketball season, I feel like I must make the most out of it!¡±


    ¡°You said that VA didn¡¯t take basketball seriously. In the current state of the VAs¡¯ roster, how would you arrange the roster?¡± Heather¡¯s mom asks her.


    ¡°First off, Cora has shown to be more willing to get to the paint and protect it than Carrie was. While I¡¯d still play down the center, and Audrey as power forward, Carrie¡¯s skillset is better suited to play point guard. I¡¯d even argue that Taylor might have gotten too much playtime last season, and Cora, well, didn¡¯t get as much as she should have!¡±


    Heather starts behaving more like a coach and less like a student. Is that a good or a bad thing? Heather¡¯s mom wonders if her change of attitude has rubbed her the wrong way.


    ¡°You seem inclined to think that you want to win State at any cost, irrespective of division! Lacassine plays in division B and hence the divisional opponents tend to have less depth!¡± Heather¡¯s mom asks her. ¡°Are you OK with playing in a lower division than at VA?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely! Because, actually, the skill gap between divisions isn¡¯t as big as you make it out to be. Lower-division teams win against higher-division ones all the time, and we may be called upon to play opponents from all divisions! Lacassine lost against us last season because of their gaping hole down the center!


    ¡°What about other positions?¡± her mom asks her, believing that Heather didn¡¯t do her due diligence about the Cardinals roster.


    ¡°They have some talent at all other positions though, especially Susan at shooting guard! Center is their weakest position, and this is where I will fit¡±


    The following morning, Heather¡¯s parents awaken, and then do a quick search for whether there¡¯s anything within Lacassine¡¯s attendance zone to live in. After their search returns no results¡­


    ¡°Wait a minute: there seems not to be anywhere to live that¡¯s vacant in Lacassine¡¯s area! This means you can forget about transferring to Lacassine!¡± Heather¡¯s dad screams at her, as if trying to protect her from herself.


    Heather then starts to shriek in horror. Once the shrieks subside:


    ¡°Damn it! I¡¯ll be stuck at VA, playing for a program that lacks commitment to the sport! And then I¡¯ll be forced to endure one more year of this nightmare!¡±


    ¡°Honey, what¡¯s the biggest weakness you identified, assuming there wouldn¡¯t be a transfer in either direction, and every player attending for the upcoming school year keeps playing?¡± Heather¡¯s mom asks.


    ¡°Shooting guard. However, that spot is wide open as to who starts games¡±


    If only one VA shooting guard playing this season becomes as good as Huiling was, maybe then we might have a shot at winning Division II Non-Select State, Heather starts praying for the development of VA SGs.

 Chapter 44: Algebraic Sleepover

    One week later, before Bayou City could attend another tournament, Audrey texts Pablo about their travel arrangements for it. ¡°Do you want to sleep at my place on Thursday, and study for the ACT?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Pablo answers her back.


    ¡°My parents will drive Cora and Susan to our next tournament and hence will sleep at my place on Thursday¡±


    ¡°Yes; can I bring guests?¡±


    ¡°Malcolm is already confirmed to sleep there, too, but you will need to tell me who, and whether they can sleep there as well¡±


    Knowing Audrey, and Cora, they may want to study some for the ACT together, in which case I may as well bring in some rising junior as well. Not George because he¡¯s going to be studying with Lilina no matter what, but Bart might, Pablo tries to think of whom he can invite to Audrey¡¯s place to study for the ACT.


    He then texts Bart: ¡°Malcolm and I will be studying for the ACT at Audrey¡¯s place Thursday night. Do you want to study with me too?¡±


    ¡°I guess, I don¡¯t have a choice¡± Bart tells him before Pablo goes out and tell his parents about his plans.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to sleep at Audrey¡¯s on Thursday night! I will be studying for the ACT!¡±


    ¡°Good; between your job, and football practices with your teammates, you need to make some time for ACT studying!¡± Pablo¡¯s mom warns his son.


    ¡°Speaking of football, from what you have seen in practices this summer, what would you expect from the team this season?¡± Pablo¡¯s dad asks him.


    ¡°Personally, our offense is a little weak this year, after the graduation of last season¡¯s starting quarterback. I can¡¯t do everything on this team on offense, and we got no real incoming talent at running back or wide receiver!¡± Pablo tells his parents about who could possibly join the football team.


    ¡°I guess we need to pray that opposing defenses are weak to make the playoffs¡­¡± Pablo¡¯s dad sighs upon hearing about how the VA football team¡¯s offensive talent pool has remained mostly shallow.


    I didn¡¯t get to see Audrey much lately. However, I think that, because the town knows me more for my quiz bowling prowess as the special topics player than as a footballer, they won¡¯t pressure me as much as they do other offensive players, such as Valter, Pablo ruminates, while he realizes that neither Malcolm nor Bart have taken Algebra II, and hence he feels like Thursday night will amount mostly to making these two learn as much Algebra II as possible. And maybe Susan and Cora if they aren¡¯t accelerated in math.


    On Thursday that week, after both Audrey and Pablo finish their respective shifts, they go to Audrey¡¯s home, while Audrey¡¯s parents are preparing pelekie zirni, with, as before, chickpeas as opposed to grey peas. And, of course, bacon, onions, cilantro and radish.


    ¡°While we wait on my parents to finish the chickpea salad, we¡¯ll go through a few sample questions¡­¡± Audrey tells Pablo before the other four arrive.


    ¡°Once Malcolm and Bart arrive, we¡¯ll need to focus on Algebra II material because neither took the course yet. Until then, we can answer practice questions in other areas¡± Pablo replies to his girlfriend.


    And the couple buckles down, answering the daily set of questions in English and, time permitting, reading, knowing that the others will arrive later. Which is mostly about word choice or error correction for the former, but couldn¡¯t do a whole lot of the latter.


    A bit later, when the doorbell rings, the door opens to reveal a person Pablo doesn¡¯t remember very clearly, but Audrey is much more familiar with.


    ¡°Hi Susan...¡±


    ¡°Hi Audrey; who is he?¡± Susan asks Audrey after looking in Pablo¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Pablo, he¡¯s my boyfriend. He plays tight end for the Venomous Agendas, and quiz bowl, too¡±


    Damn it! I saw her play once last year, after my quiz bowl debut. In this foul-fest of a game against Lacassine¡­ A bulb flashes in Pablo¡¯s mind, while Susan asks a question of him:


    ¡°Did you play at the HSNCT too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just not on the same squad as Audrey. I still performed well, mind you, but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m here for¡± Pablo answers Susan¡¯s question. ¡°Tonight is about ACT studying!¡±


    The three buckle down and answer practice ACT questions about a literary passage. Once the three are done answering these practice questions on this literary passage, the remaining three guests arrive, with Susan rolling her eyes when she sees the two male guests, not recognizing either guy.


    ¡°Who are they?¡± Susan asks the other two, after seeing Cora among them.


    ¡°This is Malcolm and Bart, free safety and left linebacker for the VAs respectively¡± Pablo introduces the two male guests to Susan.


    ¡°I apologize, I didn¡¯t date Malcolm for very long yet¡± Cora explains herself.


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    ¡°Dinner is ready!¡± Audrey¡¯s mom calls to them as she serves the pelekie zirni on the guests¡¯ plates.


    Having this many guests to study for the ACT at night has the consequence of leaving no space around the dinner table. Then Pablo pops a comment that makes the other female basketball players react:


    ¡°I think I should have asked you this before, but I wonder whether Cora or Susan took Algebra II¡±


    Cora didn¡¯t take AP Bio, and if she took Algebra II, she wasn¡¯t in my section. Other than that, if she was with me in my other classes, she didn¡¯t interact with me much, if at all. For what I know, she might still be a strong student, Pablo ruminates on his past academic dealings with her. Audrey might know, however.


    ¡°Yes, I took Algebra II¡± Cora tells the other guests.


    ¡°Me too!¡± Susan continues.


    Oof. I knew Audrey was the brainiac of the basketball teams, but what made Cora fly under the radar? She¡¯s not playing on an academic team, Malcolm seems a little puzzled by Cora confessing having taken Algebra II. And making him believe that Cora was better in math than he initially thought.


    When the dinner ends, the six are in the living room, with Audrey having her laptop ready to show them common types of Algebra II problems on the ACT and everyone else trying to do the problems on their cell phones.


    ¡°Since it appears that Malcolm and Bart didn¡¯t take Algebra II, this will be new material to them, and we will focus on that tonight¡± Audrey explains what they will do tonight.


    They start with explaining the basics of function domain vs range, as well as min/max over a domain.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Malcolm, Bart: since you didn¡¯t take these courses yet, these notes will be useful to you a few months from now. That way you won¡¯t be completely lost¡± Pablo warns his football teammates.


    ¡°Question one: What is the domain of the function¡­¡±


    Audrey refers to a fraction of polynomials. The answer choices given are the empty set, all real numbers, and finally x excluding certain numbers, of which two choices contain only one number, and one last choice contains two numbers.


    ¡°We know that the denominator cannot be zero. However, is there a way to know when the denominator is zero in that sort of questions?¡± a confused Bart asks his teammate, not knowing how to deal with the denominator.


    ¡°In general, when you have equations of the format AX squared plus BX plus C, and you want to know when it hits zero¡­¡± Pablo starts to explain the quadratic formula.


    ¡°Why jump directly to the quadratic formula?¡± Malcolm asks. ¡°In that sort of tests, it seems like time is of the essence, and we don¡¯t always have time to use the full formula!¡±


    ¡°Sometimes there are shortcuts, but you should understand the more general methods first before you can think of using them. Here you could simply plug values from the answer choices into the denominator, but it¡¯s a lot more general than just trying to determine when a fraction¡¯s denominator is, well, zero!¡± Audrey retorts to Malcolm.


    And then the two football players start asking questions because they wonder what happens when, for instance, b^2-4ac < 0. When that happens, they are dealing with complex numbers, so they start realizing just how much they have to learn by the state-sponsored ACT date in March.


    ¡°Damn¡­ that¡¯s a lot to take in!¡± Bart is left wondering why he¡¯s even learning this much material at this point of the summer. ¡°And that¡¯s a little too fast to his taste!¡±


    ¡°But, depending on the problem, there are times when you know you made a mistake when you realize the quadratic formula returns a complex solution¡± Cora explains to them. ¡°Usually, it depends on the meaning of the solution¡±


    ¡°Also, you realize that you cannot have a real and a complex solution to a quadratic problem. Your solutions are going to be either both real or both complex¡± Audrey adds on to what Cora was saying.


    They are then given more questions about polynomial factorization, the quadratic formula as well as their uses, such as solving for a system of two equations, one quadratic and one linear. Later in the night, one of these questions about solving a non-linear equation system seems to be puzzling Susan for whatever reason, and also puzzles Bart and Malcolm:


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we just simplify a factor of x in both equations? There is no constant term in either equation!¡± Susan asks the others.


    ¡°Yeah, if only we could just do so¡­¡± Bart asks in turn.


    ¡°Doing so acknowledges that zero is a root of the system. However, if you do so, you¡¯re completely transforming the problem!¡± Pablo warns the people in the room.


    And then they are treated to a different problem that looks like a driving problem. They want to know at what speed they will hit the wall, knowing they are driving at a certain speed, in miles per hour, their car can brake at a certain rate, and they are at a certain distance from the wall¡­


    ¡°I never solved a practice problem like this one. This sounds far too complicated for an ACT question!¡± Pablo exclaims.


    One of the five choices in this problem is the car won¡¯t hit the wall. As tempting as it might be to some to just answer the car won¡¯t hit the wall, it seems like several people answered just that. When the answer is revealed¡­


    ¡°D¡¯oh!¡± A frustrated Bart exclaims, after having answered the car won¡¯t hit the wall, and realizing he got it wrong.


    ¡°How did you get to the conclusion that the car won¡¯t hit the wall?¡± Audrey asks him. ¡°I feel like there¡¯s something wrong with the practice question!¡±


    The first step of Bart¡¯s solution is to just determine when the car will come to a full stop. At this point, no problem. But the complication came when trying to find t such that they will cover the distance. Some people believed that braking was the same as an acceleration, and Malcolm actually believed that braking came with a positive acceleration.


    ¡°What the hell is going on here? What do you feel is wrong with this practice question?¡± Susan asks them.


    ¡°Actually, the leading coefficient of the distance covered as a function of time when an object is uniformly accelerated is not the acceleration, but half of it!¡± Audrey answers the concerns of the others. ¡°There was missing information in the problem, and the problem assumed we had background in physics!¡±


    ¡°Now I know why it was too complicated!¡± Pablo sighs.


    ¡°To finish the night, I believe it¡¯s better to go into coordinate geometry, since it builds on notions you just began to learn tonight!¡± Cora adds on them.


    I feel like they forget we aren¡¯t mathletes! That¡¯s an attempt to get us to learn more material than we can absorb in a single night! Bart starts to ruminate after going through some sample practice questions on coordinate geometry. But it was only at the end of the segment that diagnostic scores are brought up.


    ¡°OK, guys, before I forget, what are your diagnostic scores?¡±


    ¡°Nineteen¡± Bart answers.


    Bart has the lowest diagnostic score, and, of course, Pablo and Audrey have the highest, 32 and 35 respectively. But, in Audrey¡¯s mind, it¡¯s clear the other footballers have the most work to do in math, while the other basketball players might still be able to score in the 30+ range by the state-sponsored date if they fine-tune their practice accordingly.


    At Lacassine, I¡¯m surrounded by people who didn¡¯t take their academics nearly as seriously as they did. Other Cardinals athletes essentially took no-pass, no-play for granted, VA athletes clearly don¡¯t, Susan keeps her thoughts to herself.


    And then Pablo and Audrey kiss each other in front of the other four, prompting Cora and Malcolm to do the same.

 Chapter 45: Questionnaires, Tapes and Red Tapes

    Fast-forward to late July, where everyone who took the July ACT anxiously await their scores. I really hope that all that studying from Memorial Day until mid-July have borne their fruits, Pablo starts thinking while he receives a notification from the ACT at work.


    However, because he''s busy looking for brake pads for a customer at work, he can''t act upon the notification right away. Looks like that customer bought the same brakes I bought Audrey last season! He starts thinking about Audrey while carrying the brakes the customer ordered to the counter.


    "Here" Pablo tells the customer before scanning the brakes'' barcodes and telling the total amount to pay.


    The customer hurries in tapping the credit card, and then packs up and leaves. But then Pablo will need to wait patiently for the moment where he can take a break, if possible, or just wait out the end of his shift otherwise. Yet he can''t shake the feeling that it might not be mere coincidence that the ACT notified him while he was serving a customer the same brakes he bought Audrey for Christmas.


    However, once his shift ends, the first thing he does after the shop closes is to check on his ACT score. He crosses his fingers after logging in onto his account, but it''s only then that he realizes that he''s going to be a little nervous because of his mobile connection.


    If I did well on this July date, which Audrey suggested to me because it was less crowded, then I should have one less thing to worry about. I already have enough stresses, but that I kept hidden for a while, especially with the football season coming up, Pablo starts feeling the weight of the expectations placed on him for junior year. This better be good: I didn''t take to practice questions daily for months for nothing!


    Thirty-four. That was a lot for him, and certainly for VA footballers, but he knew that, compared to past VA quiz bowlers at the HSNCT, it was barely average. He then texts Audrey about that 34 on the ACT, and asking her to check on her ACT score at the earliest opportunity.


    "Congrats Pablo!" Audrey replies to him.


    "What about you?"


    "Thirty-five"


    Pablo then reacts with a heart emoji to Audrey''s 35 on the ACT, before leaving her be.


    Cora and Susan should tell me these along any second now. However, I understand if they aren''t in the mood for that though, Audrey muses while she asks these two about their ACT scores by texting. I might have been the brainiac of the basketball teams for so long, but I have the impression that Cora might be smarter than even Heather. After all, she asked for my help academically the least last season.


    At the same time, Pablo receives the link to a YouTube clip of Finn''s biggest hits in his high school football career for the VAs. With his academics the way they are, I feel like Finn might be good enough to play in community college, but that''s about it. By now I feel like he must have sent this clip to either community colleges or Division 2-3 colleges. Because, unfortunately, Division 1 is not academically feasible for him, and probably not athletically feasible either.


    This clip is a wake-up call for him, and he scrambles to ask his teammates whether they kept any clips from his best football last season. Or his parents even, upon returning home.


    "Why do you want to assemble a clip of your best plays from last season?" Pablo''s dad asks him upon returning home. "The coach told you about how you shouldn''t bank on using football to attend college!"


    "Yes, my reasons are football-related, but even if I was unable to play football in college, I still want some memento of my time playing it as a VA!" Pablo explains himself.


    "By now you know that a lot of ex-high school football players look back fondly on their playing days so long as they actually played relatively well, and don''t suffer career-ending injuries because of football" Pablo''s dad explains to him before bringing him to the computer where he stores gameplay footage from various VA football games Pablo started.


    "Now, post-pandemic, this place seemed to put more emphasis on the highlights of academic teams, such as quiz bowl, and how my own HSNCT run could supplement these football memories!"


    "I know we''re overdue to make this showcase, but next season we should do it at the end of the season, and hopefully, with clips from one or more playoff games!" Pablo''s dad then takes him to watch footage from last season''s games.


    Clearly a seasonal highlight reel was the first step. But as he watches tapes from the season, he knows that his lack of consistency on the field has haunted him. And yet, it appears up to his dad to pick what are deemed the best plays of the season.


    "This highlight reel appears a little heavy on clips from the Washington-Marion and South Beauregard games. Games late in the season. Is that normal?" Pablo asks his father.


    "Yes!" his father answers him while the highlight reel is being compiled. "However, for a lot of players who show flashes of brilliance as football players, playoff games bring out the best in them, provided their teams make it"


    "And yet, I was told that I would have needed to play more consistently to actually play in college, even if that meant Division three or community college!"


    "I kept hearing from other parents of players on rival teams that, if your highlight reel is decent enough, you should then send out clips with recruiting questionnaires, across divisions. But Division III? If you''re going to play in DIII, you may as well try your hand at the Ivy League; it would make no financial difference whether you are recruited or not!" Pablo''s dad harangues his son.


    "Ivy League... Audrey and especially Heather made me feel like the Ivy League was one of the worst Division I conferences on an athletic level because of their lack of athletic scholarships and the stringent academic standards! And Heather sent her own highlight reels to all eight!"


    In football and basketball anyway. The gap is smaller in other sports. These days, I interact with Heather mostly in the weight room, Pablo holds himself back from talking about the specifics.


    "Heather? She thinks that, because she had a breakout AAU season, and a good ACT score, playing as a walk-on in the Ivy League has somehow become realistic?" Pablo''s mom gasps upon overhearing the two as they assemble a highlight reel.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "Don''t forget: there''s nothing wrong with attending a non-elite college! Your older brother happily attended LSU, you should consider attending if you can''t get offers..." Pablo''s dad sermons him again, while he uploads the reel using Pablo''s YouTube account.


    "No way I am going to walk on at LSU! Playing for the Tigers requires, like, being one of the best football players across the state! As much as I might have some football talent, like Audrey in basketball, I am a marginal Division III prospect at best!"


    "Now that you have all the key items in place, please fill out recruiting questionnaires of colleges that you might want to attend without having to rely on football!"


    "Dad, I have no clue of where I might even want to go to college, beyond, like, WUSTL or UChicago, or even Tulane or the Ivies! There''s a whole world of possibilities I know next to nothing about!" Pablo keeps whining.


    Oops. Audrey acted as if the WUSTL Bears or the UChicago Maroon had an interest in her. I may as well send tapes there, too! Pablo muses while he looks for the Ivy League schools'' football questionnaires. And, of course, Tulane, UChicago and WUSTL.


    When the first questionnaire lands on his hands, he wonders if there''s a service that can pre-fill the questions common to everyone, like the identity, parents'' contact information, the link to their showcase video, and the prospect''s measurables. On which he never obsessed at any point in his football career.


    "Damn it! I never had an actual measure of bench press or squat! I am in the dark about the forty-yard dash as well! I guess, not obsessing over stats helped me reduce my football-related stresses, but..." Pablo then yelps, before asking a favor to his teammates by text. "Tomorrow, we''re going to bench press, squat, do 40s, and any other measurables as deemed necessary!"


    Just because the whole football culture of VA emphasizes team results over individual stats, and that it''s made clear on day one that what makes players great can''t always be measured, doesn''t mean stats don''t matter! Dayton muses upon reading Pablo''s tentative plan for the first stage of next day''s practice. Maybe Pablo believed these measurables, especially bench press and squat, and to a lesser extent the 40, can change so much over just a few months...


    And, because Pablo''s dad just gave Pablo some hope that he could actually keep playing his sport in college, he''s left wondering what kind of measurables are expected at his position for the level of play.


    "Keep in mind that the odds are already long enough to even play football in college, even as a walk-on, and most NFL players tend to come from the Power-Four conferences. Not only that, you virtually need to earn All-Conference honors at least once, so I urge you, and same goes of your friends, to prioritize academic factors when looking for colleges for whom to play!" Pablo''s dad warns his son.


    It''s obvious that Pablo isn''t nearly as good as the Etienne brothers were as football players. Travis and Trevor were the greatest running backs to don a VA, erm, Bulldogs jersey, and yet, Trevor''s final season was one where the Bulldogs were nothing without him, Pablo''s dad starts revisiting past football players.


    "One last thing: you might want to look at other tight end showcases of recent recruits at various levels of colleges, to see what to expect from each level of college, and preferably from the same conferences as the schools you are interested in"


    "Yes, dad... And scouting reports, too!"


    But while he watches tapes from tight end recruits in conferences such as the American (or AAC), the Ivy and Patriot Leagues, and the CAA on a Division 1 level, he realizes that tapes are much harder to find for Division 3 recruits. It seems like most of the tapes available from Division 3 recruits are playing for schools like, you know, Carnegie Mellon or other colleges at that level of selectivity. I could almost consider CMU as a D2 college but without athletic scholarships.


    The following morning, when Pablo shows up to practice, a few of the attendees ask him about why they getting the drill done on the track rather than on the field.


    "Although the odds are long that any of us will play in college, and stacked against us, measurables are part of the deal. However, it''s not the end of the story!" Pablo explains to his teammates.


    "Consider today''s time on the forty a preseason benchmark to work from!" Finn advises the other players.


    "We will then have us run forty-yard dashes in eight-player heats!" Valter, who also runs on the track team, positions himself, starter gun in hand, with Pablo in the first heat.


    And then Ethan, Malcolm, Finn, Dayton, Orson, Heath and George will all run on the same heat alongside him, all positioned on the 40-yard line. As Valter fires the starter gun, these eight are off running for maybe five seconds in a blur, give or take a few fractions of a second.


    Unsurprisingly, since they are the biggest players, Dayton and Finn are the slowest two, with George being one-tenth of a second faster. Yet Pablo ran that 40 in five seconds flat. Malcolm and Ethan being faster, Pablo finished third.


    Before the second heat begins, with Valter, Bart and other football players taking up positions by the 40-yard line, Finn asks him a question:


    "Since you asked to have our forties timed, what about you fire the starter gun for the second heat?" Finn asks sarcastically.


    "I guess, I have no choice!" Pablo then turns to Valter. "Is there anything special about operating a starter gun?"


    "Other than the starter gun not being able to fire any kind of ammo, not really" Valter answers his teammate before handing off the starter gun to him.


    And Valter gets into position. As Pablo fires the starter gun, Valter proves to be the fastest player in the second heat, since he scores the only sub-5s 40 in that heat.


    Now that they have finished recording their times on the 40, they put the timing equipment away and then move into the weight room for the bench press and the squat. With the players on the first heat going to bench press and the second heat going to squat instead.


    Once everyone is done with the bench press and the squat, the players then come together and note these... pre-season benchmarks down on their phones.


    "I guess, Pablo made us take these conditioning measurements so we may as well do more strength and conditioning practice!" Finn exclaims while the other players fan out to exercise machines.


    And then the players appear to be playing a game of musical chairs with the exercise machines since their strength and conditioning regimen mean that they are not doing the same exercises, nor with the same number of reps. And, of course, other users, too.


    Once that game of musical chairs ends, and everyone has showered, he comes across Audrey, who was practicing her passing game with Carrie and Cora. However, Heather is noticeably absent.


    "Audrey, did you start sending out tapes yet?" Pablo asks Audrey. "You know, these attachments to recruiting questionnaires colleges always ask for?"


    "Yes, as soon as I had my ACT score in hand" Audrey answers him.


    "I''m about to send tapes, dad made me compile a highlight reel last night! And made me feel like I can play in college!"


    "Why did it take you so long to send them? WUSTL and UChicago already asked for my questionnaires!"


    "I needed to gather my pre-season measurables, the forty, bench press and squat, before I could send them!"


    "Also, Heather seems a little deranged lately; while she has improved some during the time where I wasn''t on the court, rather than to try to get me to play in the Ivy League, she feels like that conference is the only way for her to play any kind of Division I hoops! Now, watch the summer version of my highlight reel!" Audrey then opens her phone while Pablo is finalizing his own recruiting questionnaire.


    Or, more specifically, the common portion of the questionnaire, which feels like an abridged version of the Common Application. Which he then sends out to dozens of colleges, just not Power-4 football programs. Now that''s an improvement in defense and in passing! Pablo keeps quiet as he watches the new version of Audrey''s highlight reel.


    "With Heather''s academic stats, the required level of hoops talent to even sniff the Ivy League would mean that she may as well play for Georgetown, Berkeley, Stanford, Duke or Notre Dame! You know Ivy League athletic recruiting operates on a sliding scale: each decrease in academics must be compensated by an increase in athletic talent!"


    "This is nothing new to me..." Pablo sighs, while he starts answering supplemental questions for some colleges.

 Chapter 46: Roster Release

    Because VA couldn¡¯t afford to take part in spring football, it means the following week is the start of official football practices. This means the first week happens without contact and with contact the week after that.


    The whole 45-player roster is assembled in the locker room with the head coach, with the traditional pre-season speech in front of the players, and the freshmen in the front row:


    ¡°Because we lost out on a playoff spot last season by a tiny margin, this year, we will need to work harder on the field! But to get there, there¡¯s one thing I need to make clear: you want to make the wins happen, you must stop obsessing about individual stats or college scholarships! And there¡¯s no I in team either!¡±


    Ideally, this means putting the worst wide receiver against the best opposing cornerback, in which case, hopefully, our quarterback won¡¯t pass to that WR. However, the problem is that it makes us more predictable to our opponents, especially considering that this lame-ass offense is going to cost us games this year again unless there was a diamond in the rough as QB, WR or RB among the freshmen, Pablo is left wondering how to make the most out of the limited offensive talent on this team.


    ¡°There is an opening apiece at running back and wide receiver on the starting lineup. Right now, these are wide open positions, so you will need to work hard during the coming weeks to start in the season opener! I must warn you, though: if you¡¯re not the most comfortable with contact, but can still run fast and anticipate where the ball will be, you might want to play wide receiver¡± the offensive coordinator tells the freshmen.


    And the offensive coordinator holds some drills to determine where a freshman will be the best fit on the team. Meanwhile, everyone else does drills such as obstacle courses. Then follow that up with other football drills that can be done without contact.


    When the offensive coordinator is done evaluating the freshmen for signs they can play at either of the greatest offensive needs, the starters are announced for wide receiver and running back, at least tentatively.


    ¡°Please keep in mind that, depending on our strategy for a given play, you might be called upon to switch between wide receiver and running back. It will be a little awkward early in the season, but as the season progresses, it will get better. However, the same holds for our opponents!¡±


    Damn it! They deemed RB and WR the biggest offensive problems, or at least the most fixable! QB is the hardest position to play and develop, Pablo ruminates about the issues of the VAs¡¯ football team. And I sure hope that they won¡¯t need too much academic help!


    However, the depth chart doesn''t lie: Pablo will still start as a tight end, and the starting quarterback is also known. He then reviews the football schedule since, by now, he knows that football schedules are set before quiz bowl ones.


    So once the preseason depth chart is over with, they do some passing drills. For which he is assigned one of the new running backs. After the drill ends:


    ¡°For those who are new to the team, there¡¯s one important thing: just because you¡¯re on the team doesn¡¯t mean you will get any favors in the classroom! Also, no-pass, no-play is assessed every six weeks, and all Rule of Two teams are subject to it. What you then need to do is, first, pass all your courses, and, second, keep at least a GPA of two point zero¡± the head coach harangues the freshmen.


    No one in their right mind would play on an academic team, even FFA, if no-pass, no-play is going to be a problem to them! However, some of those footballers might have issues, Pablo tunes out the no-pass, no-play speech.


    ¡°Because the town only has a finite amount of pressure to distribute, and, this year, the math and quiz bowl teams are expected to bear the brunt of it, the town doesn¡¯t expect the same out of the football team! This means you shouldn¡¯t stress over games!¡± Pablo follows up.


    ¡°Quiz bowl I would understand, especially since Lilina is going to play on the A-team, but why the math team?¡± George asks him.


    ¡°Now that Trillian is in middle school, the pressure is on the math team to enter the race to the IMO as well as go deep into the Math Madness playoffs. Townsfolk talk about her as the best thing to happen to VA mathletics since, well, Gen...¡± Ethan follows up. ¡°And Gen was a generational mathletic talent!¡±


    However, any claim to fame Trillian currently has would not extend beyond the borders of the parish just yet, Ethan muses on just how she could fly under the radar elsewhere.


    Since the start of the football preseason practices traditionally also marks the start of the preseason for all academic teams, quiz bowl holds their first practice later on that same day. However, for quiz bowl, any practices held before the start of the school year are optional. And yet, for some reason, the prospective middle school quiz bowlers are coming alongside the more established players of both middle and high school teams.


    ¡°I am Warren, biology teacher and the coach of the quiz bowl team. For those who are new to the team, please introduce yourselves¡±


    ¡°I am Marissa Chavez, a rising seventh grader¡±


    Another new player, also a rising seventh grader, introduces himself. After that, the other quiz bowlers introduce themselves to the two new players. The other existing players read more packets while the two new players are getting an overview of the rules of quiz bowl. In Pablo¡¯s case, this means focusing on science, since he feels like it¡¯s his weak spot as a quiz bowler. Especially outside of biology since he took AP Bio last season.


    Once the two new middle schoolers are done getting an overview of quiz bowl questions and rules, roster changes are then announced. Of interest to the quiz bowl faithful is the depth chart of the high school team.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°I know a lot of people in town will be a little angry but Leonard¡¯s graduation forced our hands. Unsurprisingly, Lilina will play on the A-team this season. However, it appears that Nadine has outplayed Scott at the HSNCT. For this reason, and since Pablo proved to have good in-game chemistry with these two, Nadine and Pablo will both play with Lilina and Myriam on the A-team!¡± Warren then displays the complete depth chart on the screen.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? It seems like I have been demoted!¡± Scott starts whining. ¡°It seems like I gave my all for years, and you saw fit to put in a younger player ahead of me on the roster!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s as if you ignored what we put on the table during the HSNCT!¡± Audrey adds to this chorus of complaints from the others who played on the A-team at the HSNCT.


    Warren turns to Scott. ¡°It¡¯s normal to feel wronged when things go south. However, you had no experience playing with Lilina, who¡¯s clearly our best history player now that Leonard graduated. I don¡¯t want to take anything away from your contributions to the HSNCT run, but keeping you on the A-team is just not what¡¯s best for the whole team right now!¡±


    Maybe my basketball teammates, and even more so the boys¡¯ basketball players, called me the brainiac of the basketball teams because, as a quiz bowler, I could answer the more obscure stuff the ¡°mainline¡± players couldn¡¯t, I was still able to score when it counted most, at State and at the HSNCT, Audrey ruminates before Warren turns to her.


    ¡°As for you, Audrey, Kent told me that, especially when basketball is in season, you won¡¯t be able to devote to quiz bowl as much because not only you¡¯re poised to be a key player on this basketball team, but also the majority of the quiz bowl season takes place when basketball is in season! We all saw last season the consequences of playing high-intensity hoops on your quiz bowl play when basketball is in season!¡± Warren harangues Audrey. ¡°Your consistency decreased markedly at LQBA Winter, and we were lucky Pablo was brought in for Fall!¡±


    Let¡¯s see: there were LQBA Fall and Winter, ESA Cade Cane Classic and Leesville held during the basketball season. Only Tal Atkins and State were held outside of the basketball season, Scott reminisces about last season¡¯s schedule.


    Warren realizes the only dates currently set in stone are the endpoints of the season: Tal Atkins and State. It also shows that LQBA has historically prioritized scheduling State over LQBA Fall and Winter Invitationals.


    ¡°Audrey, don¡¯t take it personally, and remember what Scott said last season right after this playoff run in basketball!¡± Pablo tries to reason with his girlfriend still under the shock of being demoted to the B-team.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Audrey asks him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you play poorly, it¡¯s because you just don¡¯t know the same things as I do. At this level, making sure that players¡¯ knowledge bases complement each other is critical!¡± Pablo rehashes what Scott told him after this playoff loss to Wossman.


    ¡°And it will become even more important if you wind up playing quiz bowl in college!¡± Warren warns his players after hearing about the importance of mutual topic coverage.


    ¡°College quiz bowl?¡± Marissa asks, clueless about the landscape of college quiz bowl, other than UPenn plays it.


    ¡°We¡¯ll finish the practice with a little overview of the collegiate quiz bowl world. For now, however, we need to split the middle school squad in two for this drill¡± Warren tells his players before the high schoolers organize drills of their own. ¡°Scott, as punishment, you will moderate today¡¯s high school drills!¡±


    Speaking of drills, the high schoolers are about to be drilled on collegiate quiz bowl packets. A warning is issued by Scott before the drills begin:


    ¡°For those who are new to high school quiz bowl, don¡¯t worry: high school tournaments aren¡¯t nearly as hard as the practice material we use. I urge you to give a chance to the new high school players¡± Scott starts reading from the latest ACF Fall set, which feels approximately as hard as the HSNCT to Scott.


    And then the new players are dumbfounded by the steep increase in difficulty between the MSNCT and ACF Fall. That, even though the returning players were able to play just fine. Once that practice ends¡­


    ¡°I quit quiz bowl! I have a lot on my plate senior year, not sure playing quiz bowl is a good idea!¡± Scott yells and slams the door.


    Pablo and Audrey also leave the room where the practice was held. He tries to comfort her after this demotion.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Audrey?¡±


    ¡°I feel¡­ trapped! Victim of my own increase in hoops talent, which made the quiz bowl coach trust me less! I¡¯m made to feel like I¡¯m just secondary scoring at best!¡±


    ¡°If you were playing for, say, Leesville, you wouldn¡¯t simply be secondary scoring, not in the slightest! We just happen to be playing for a nationally recognized quiz bowl powerhouse!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Lilina and Nadine are both among the top history and literature players in the nation respectively, as of this pre-season. It¡¯s not easy to score as a special topics player when you play with people like these¡± Audrey laments her situation on the buzzer.


    If last season is any indication, you can go to quiz bowl-State with four random, straight-A students. All you have to do is win one game at LQBA-sanctioned tournaments, Audrey thinks, triggered by mentions of VA¡¯s context.


    ¡°Also, Myriam is showing signs of burnout, so if she can¡¯t play, or, for some other reason, I can¡¯t play, or at least not at the standard expected of the A-team, you will be back on the A-team¡± Pablo seems to have picked up on signs that Myriam has lost some of her inner fire.


    ¡°Then I guess, I need to hope for the best¡­¡± Audrey sighs.


    ¡°Let¡¯s backtrack a bit. You said the coach demoted you because Kent somehow saw your increase in hoops talent as a threat to your quiz bowl-playing ability?¡±


    ¡°Cora has improved more over the summer than either Heather or I did. However, if I improved enough as a basketball player to somehow, to Warren¡¯s eyes, affect my ability to play on the buzzer¡­ I¡¯ll prove him wrong!¡± Audrey starts kissing him.


    She then sets off to study science questions from past packets, based on who she knows plays on the B-team.


    And yet, as a quiz bowler, it seems like I¡¯m actually mostly within Audrey¡¯s range, skill-wise. It¡¯s neither of us¡¯ fault if we are playing behind strong specialists! Pablo ruminates while he also sets off to study from other quiz bowl packets upon returning home. Then again, there¡¯s a clear rift in quiz bowl talent between the power schools and the rest of the state.


    His thoughts then turn to VA sports. Our football season rides on the backs of the new running backs and wide receivers. If they are good enough, we might be able to make the playoffs in football. However, I wonder if Cora has improved enough to make up for the shortfall left behind by Taylor and Charlotte graduating, but Audrey made it sound as if she did, and Heather, as well as Carrie, may have improved enough to put VA in contention for Division II Non-Select girls¡¯ basketball-State this season. And, of course, herself.

 Chapter 47: Debt Ceiling Rush

    Two weeks later, school is once again in session. And the first course on Monday is, for both Audrey and Pablo, AP US Government.


    Upon entering the classroom, he sees a few people with whom he never interacted much, but a few faces appear familiar to him: George, Tanith, Lilina and, of course, Audrey. After the instructor introduced himself:


    ¡°Please keep in mind that, unlike a lot of AP courses we offer here, AP US Government is a half-year course. And, bear with me, the first week of the course is about the foundations of US government, and how it¡¯s shaped by events that occurred during and after the American Revolution¡±


    The teacher realizes that, unlike in previous years, it seems that some football players are willing to take the course when football is in season. Past football players who took AP US Government tended to wait until the second half of the year to take it. It was, in years past, the most commonly taken AP by the football team, however, the teacher muses before the announcement over the group project is made:


    ¡°This course¡¯s group project is about making your own platform for an electoral campaign. Your platform can be either a state-level or a federal one, but you must choose between these six races: House and Senate (both state and federal), state governor or president¡± the teacher informs the students before going into the details of the timeline and requirements. ¡°It appears that we have three quiz bowlers in this section, and no team will have more than one quiz bowler!¡±


    ¡°Any particular reason why no team must have more than one quiz bowler? Isn¡¯t this course a debater¡¯s heaven instead?¡± Tanith asks the teacher.


    ¡°Historically, the people you call debaters fell into two camps. You¡¯re thinking of the first camp, where people debate sociopolitical topics left and right, and the camp you think of. However, there¡¯s the second camp, for whom theatrics are their bread and butter and for whom learning more about government is not necessarily a priority. Also, the quiz bowlers in this section are all very strong students who know enough about politics for it to constitute an advantage. Finally, this project is to be done in teams of four¡­¡±


    As expected, George doesn¡¯t hesitate to team up with his beloved Lilina, but, for both Pablo and Audrey, this means they can¡¯t team up with each other. Shoot! Last year, I was in AP Bio with Audrey, it went well, and, if it was feasible, I would have done so again with her. She understands that I can¡¯t just sit around and wait for others to get their parts done! Pablo thinks of what does being unable to team up with Audrey mean to him, and for how to approach this project.


    ¡°Hey Pablo, you were helpful to me when I was stuck with legislative gridlock last year, what about we team up this time around?¡± Tanith asks her.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess¡­¡±


    Audrey and Lilina are the first two to have assembled their teams of four. Some other students are scrambling to find teams for this group project. Including, well, Cora:


    ¡°Cora? Why is it that you couldn¡¯t get a team for this project?¡± Pablo asks the small forward.


    ¡°Audrey found three other people too quickly for me to even stand a chance!¡± Cora complains. ¡°She is on the basketball team; she was my first choice¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll do it with you!¡± Pablo tells Cora while the final guy enters the picture.


    ¡°Me too, I wonder if it¡¯s ok to team up with you¡­¡± the fourth student asks him.


    ¡°I guess, I have no choice¡± Pablo sighs. ¡°Now that it¡¯s done, we would like us to exchange contact information we don¡¯t already have¡±


    ¡°Before I forget, I¡¯m Hugh¡± the fourth student in Pablo¡¯s team explains himself.


    ¡°We need to get one thing out of the way: if we need to meet after school for this project, it will have to wait until after football practice!¡± Pablo warns his group for AP US Government before they can try to agree on a time for the group project.


    It turns out that Hugh has band practice after school today. However, Tanith¡¯s debate practice isn¡¯t on Monday.


    ¡°Tonight, after football or band practice, is that ok with you?¡± Hugh asks his teammates.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just need to ask my parents if I can host tonight¡¯s work at my place¡± Cora then makes a mental note to text her parents after the class ends.


    And then the teacher disgorges information about what¡¯s political power, how it¡¯s distributed and what¡¯s democracy, direct and indirect (or representative). They come to the realization that, in order to even begin working on this project, there is something critical that may be covered later in the course. Namely, which level of government does what.


    And, of course, every team must be prepared to defend their platform, as well as argue for it, as in an actual election. Once the session ends, this is a grim realization that makes everyone panic, just not necessarily because of the group project itself.


    ¡°Pablo, let me make this clear: because the teacher just assumed we were too strong to be put together on the same team for this project, just make sure that you don¡¯t use this project as an opportunity to cheat on me!¡± Audrey asks Pablo, with an insistent tone of voice.


    ¡°Of course not, Audrey. I don¡¯t think Cora or Tanith are my kind of girl; however, I can¡¯t point my finger as to why just yet! But I can¡¯t tell them no so long as I stick to academics with them!¡± Pablo tries to allay Audrey¡¯s concerns.


    ¡°Exactly: just make sure that you stick to the project itself!¡± Audrey warns him once more, while Cora texts him with her parents¡¯ answers for tonight after football practice.


    And Tanith as well as Hugh, too. In which case Cora asks about whether they accept this to be done at Cora¡¯s home after football practice. Of course I¡¯ll accept; I know Cora dates Malcolm, and, even for a football player, it¡¯s a bad idea to make a girl cheat on another football player. Tanith, on the other hand, dates Gerard, whom I know is not in this class., Pablo then checks against Tanith¡¯s social media pages, believing she would be honest until proven otherwise.


    Yet, after football practice, he can count himself lucky that he doesn¡¯t have any other homework for day 1. So when he arrives after football practice, with Hugh in tow, they already find Tanith at Cora¡¯s place.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°Hi everyone. We must take advantage of this opportunity of not having much homework to get the show on the road and start the project¡± Pablo explains, while a point he makes could be one of the snags the team may as well hit. And also George¡¯s team if they plan on getting the project out of the way early. ¡°If we were to start the project right now, we need to know immediately what powers are assumed by whom!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Cora asks him.


    ¡°Three of the six choices we have deal with local issues and how they interact with the state and the federal governments, two with state-level issues and the last one deals in nation-wide issues¡± Pablo explains to the group.


    ¡°Just so you know, because I am on the band and Pablo plays football, he and I would love it if we can complete this project, or at least our parts, before the football season opener¡± Hugh informs the other three. ¡°That, even though the project is due the day before the federal midterm elections, in November!¡±


    ¡°Pablo, in theory, state legislators and Congressional candidates campaign based on platforms that reflect local concerns, but in practice, often people vote for their legislators based on gubernatorial and presidential platforms respectively¡± Tanith retorts. ¡°Since I play Congress on the debate team, I suggest we do it on the federal House!¡±


    I can already feel like everyone else will do it on a presidential platform. After all, political news, which the syllabus strongly suggests we follow, and I will because the coach warned that playing Congress will mean that topics will often be drawn from current political issues, are dominated by the federal goings-on, Tanith then starts combing platforms of candidates for the Third Louisiana Congressional district.


    And yet, Tanith¡¯s choice of doing this group project on a Congressional race is not contested by anyone.


    ¡°I¡¯d say the abolition of debt ceiling is going to be key, since past debt ceiling crises have seriously damaged the ability of the federal government to even function, regardless of what other issues we could possibly push!¡± Pablo gives an issue for the rest of the team to work on.


    ¡°Yet the teacher expects us to have the majority of a campaign platform rooted in local issues, since we picked a federal House race for the project!¡± Cora adds, while the two male team members start researching their arguments to make a case for the abolition of the debt ceiling, in a way that can be used to run for Congress.


    ¡°I believe this platform must be designed with an eye on being used by a real candidate running for, say, our House district, so nationwide issues with local impacts is fair game so long as the local impacts are made clear when arguing for a policy position!¡± Hugh adds to this discussion of political issues.


    Cora¡¯s parents watch the foursome continue to quarrel over the contents of the platform that forms the basis for the group project in AP US Government, but rapidly Pablo and Cora dominate the quarrels.


    On the one hand, Pablo seemed to believe that the local constituents endlessly complain about federal inefficiencies even though Tanith made the case, with his help, that Congressional gridlock might help limit the more deleterious effects of public overspending and corruption last school year.


    On the other, Cora obviously preferred to cover issues of particular local interest, which she argued the abolition of the debt ceiling was not. Cora¡¯s dad overhears the late stages of this scene:


    ¡°We all know about how unsatisfied our parishioners are about the Feds, and where the abolition of the debt ceiling fits!¡± Pablo keeps yelling at Cora.


    ¡°No, Pablo, even if Tanith said was true and Congressmen were voted for based mostly on national platforms, residents still expect their legislators to bring what their constituents need, and they won¡¯t see the impact of the abolition of the debt ceiling itself! Hence why they shouldn¡¯t use that to base a campaign upon!¡± Cora retorts, her face turning red.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Cora¡¯s dad gasps upon hearing Cora argue the abolition of the debt ceiling. ¡°I would never have imagined my own daughter argue about how our local Congressional candidates shouldn¡¯t use the abolition of the debt ceiling to run!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s now that I regret letting Cora take AP US Government!¡± Cora¡¯s mom starts arguing with Cora¡¯s dad, in front of Pablo and his teammates.


    Say what you will about Audrey being the brainiac of the basketball teams, but Cora clearly has the intellectual capabilities required to succeed in college. We even let her take the APs she wanted. However, this half-year taking AP US Government is going to be a nightmare, Cora¡¯s mom ruminates on this whole dispute over group project content before she snaps.


    Meanwhile, Pablo and Hugh resume their research on other issues that have local implications, as determined by Tanith based on her research of Congressional candidates¡¯ platforms.


    ¡°Cora, Pablo, stop it, you two!¡± Cora¡¯s mom yells in their direction.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the deal: if you want the best platform, you must also think about possible objections to each item, and be able to respond to them!¡± Tanith yells at the other three, now knee-deep into their research.


    When I last met him, I had these ideas, but I needed help to put these together. This whole experience with legislative gridlock opened my eyes to the need to consider both sides of the issue, in ways the course itself didn¡¯t, Tanith starts to think about how Pablo changed her outlook on academics. Especially since she¡¯s in her rookie season as a Congressional debater.


    ¡°What is this coming to? I would never have imagined AP US Government doubling as a debate class as well!¡± Cora¡¯s dad, bewildered by what he¡¯s hearing and seeing, starts wondering if this project has poisoned their minds.


    ¡°Maybe, you know, it¡¯s just how a healthy exchange of ideas is a critical component of what makes a healthy democracy!¡± Hugh tells Cora¡¯s dad, hovering over them.


    And yet the four buckle down in an attempt to get the group project done before the end of the night. With Cora there to ensure they mostly stick to federal issues that carry direct implications for southwest Louisiana.


    Obviously, Pablo and Hugh make the biggest chunk of work because they most feel the time crunch, as they start reviewing the issues in SWLA for wetland protection, agricultural and energy policy. Better get our parts done tonight, and then we will no longer have this group project hanging over our heads later! Cora and Tanith can always take care of the rest of the project when the football season begins, three weeks from now!


    ¡°Going forward, I think it¡¯s a bad idea to have any further meetings for this project at my home. My parents interfere with our work!¡± Cora suggests.


    When they deem their work finished, Pablo then returns home, admittedly a little late. He then texts his parents: ¡°I¡¯m returning home!¡±


    On his way home, he texts Audrey. ¡°This AP US Government group project was a total nightmare!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, the group project was a total nightmare?¡± Audrey asks him.


    ¡°Cora has unpleasant parents! They make me feel like AP US Government exposes us to political topics we aren¡¯t equipped to tackle!¡± Pablo feels a little downed by Cora¡¯s parents.


    He then starts to ruminate. While I¡¯m sure Audrey understands clearly what impact the debt ceiling has on the federal government, and both Cora and Tanith likely do, I feel like Cora¡¯s parents underestimate our intelligence!


    The following day, after the morning football practice, Pablo approaches Audrey once again before going to class.


    ¡°After last night, I might be wondering why is it that Cora flew under the basketball teams¡¯ intellectual radar! It seems like the gap between you and Heather or Cora is smaller than I initially thought¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Audrey asks him.


    ¡°We argued about the abolition of the debt ceiling for a bit, and whether it was appropriate to use it on a platform to run for Congress. On top of that, we picked a House race because Tanith plays Congress on the debate team! You know her better than I do, I never worked with her on schoolwork¡±


    ¡°Cora just didn¡¯t feel like any of the academic teams was for her, as far back as middle school. But she feels smarter than even Heather¡­ and yet, she never seemed the type to argue about the debt ceiling!¡±


    ¡°Or rather, we knew about it, but only in a quiz bowl-kind of way¡±

 Chapter 48: Season Opener

    The day before the VAs¡¯ football season opener, played at home against Church Point, Pablo meets up with Audrey at lunchtime.


    ¡°Because the season opener means a lot to me, Audrey, I bought you a student section ticket for tomorrow night¡¯s football game¡±


    ¡°How sweet of you!¡± Audrey tells him.


    ¡°One more thing: how far along the AP US Government project is your team in?¡±


    ¡°One of my teammates is dragging his feet. And you?¡±


    ¡°Cora is the one dragging her feet. Granted, the project isn¡¯t due until two months, but I guess, the whole debt ceiling dispute cut into her morale¡­¡±


    I guess, I¡¯m lucky that no single item on our project resulted in disputes with my team, Audrey keeps the electronic ticket active on her cell phone.


    ¡°About the game, how do you feel about it?¡± Audrey asks him.


    ¡°A little nervous, especially with the new running backs and wide receivers. Then again, people are often nervous in their debuts at a new level of play, so if anyone else is more nervous than I, it would be them¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to know how good is Church Point in football¡­¡±


    However, the most fanatic of VA sports fans would have known a while ago that biennial redistricting affects the sports schedules. Like Kinder, who is often teetering on the edge between 2A and 3A, is played next week. On the other hand, Washington-Marion isn¡¯t going to be played this year since it moved up to 4A.


    Since the football season opener begins before the math season, the townsfolk seems to focus on football until the math season opener, later this month, too. So while a lot of people at school seem to be talking about the game, Pablo confronts Cora while she¡¯s with Malcolm, right before the bell rings:


    ¡°Hey Cora, have a minute?¡± Pablo asks her.


    ¡°What is it now, Pablo? We didn¡¯t talk much lately...¡± Cora feels a little annoyed.


    ¡°It seems like you have been dragging your feet, and we promised each other that we¡¯ll finish the AP US Government project by the football season opener. Yet tonight, we are playing Church Point! Everyone else has finished their parts!¡± Pablo scolds the small forward.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Malcolm asks her, not knowing about the project in that course, which makes Cora turn to him.


    ¡°Pablo kept arguing about the abolition of the debt ceiling. It¡¯s not that he hasn¡¯t done anything though, since wetlands protection, energy and agriculture were his part of the deal. Mine was about stuff such as the preservation of the Calcasieu River Bridge as well as the cleanup of the Calcasieu River...¡± Cora then turns to Pablo. ¡°Fine... I¡¯ll complete that after school, but don¡¯t help me with that please!¡±


    On Friday night, just before the pre-game, Pablo reviews what Cora did the night before. She cited just how important the Lake Charles port is for the state, as well as the economic impact of Interstate 10 on the region, but also the impact of cleaning up the Calcasieu River for the parish residents¡¯ water quality.


    And it seems like a lot of players brought their girlfriends to the game. Of course, the trio of Audrey, Lilina and Nadine winds up going, and Cora, too, but Cora stays away from Pablo.


    ¡°Good luck tonight!¡± Audrey comes to him before Pablo goes to the VAs¡¯ locker room of the Simmons stadium.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± Pablo shouts in front of his girlfriend before kissing her.


    When the pre-game starts, all players are positioned in front of a board filled with Xs and Os. The head coach harangues the players:


    ¡°It has been years since VA last played Church Point. But so much has changed since then. They must be thinking that our offense is weak and they might give more play time to their second-string defense players! Make no mistake: we can¡¯t repeatedly do one kind of play tonight! Our only hope of winning lies in making ourselves as unpredictable as possible!¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s not because we operate in the most competitive academic environment in south-west Louisiana that we can¡¯t play football!¡± Ethan points out.


    ¡°Go forth, and fear no tackle! Venomous! Agendas! Venomous! Agendas!¡± the defensive coordinator yells at the team before Tyler, Hugh and the others take up positions near the VAs¡¯ entrance to the field.


    Speaking of the field, even though the majority of the people in the stands are VA fans, it seems like the families and love interests of the Church Point players are attending, too. Notwithstanding that some of the players¡¯ family and love interests are either in band or cheerleading.


    The principal then announces the visitors as they¡¯re about to enter the field of the stadium, lining up in uniform.


    ¡°Welcome to the opening game of this football season at the Jerry Simmons stadium in Jennings! Tonight¡¯s visitors, the Church Point Bears!¡±


    The visitors have enough band members and cheerleaders to make this game feel less of a home game than would otherwise be the case. Especially since VA cut cheerleading during the pandemic and hence only have a band on hand.


    ¡°Please welcome your Venomous Agendas!¡± The principal announces again, with the band members in position.


    When the VA players take to the field, also wearing the purple and green, they make an orderly entrance with music.


    Since the football team¡¯s previous national anthem singer graduated last season, this season, they designate another player to do so.


    ¡°Fine, since no one else will sing the national anthem, I will!¡± Orson sighs.


    The head coach then fetches a mic from the press box. After being handed the mic from the coach, Orson reluctantly signs the national anthem in front of thousands of spectators, delivering an unremarkable performance.


    Once the mic is back in the press box, the coin toss takes place and the VAs start the game on the offense. Orson takes up position behind the running back, while Pablo, on the other hand, is on George¡¯s right, standing ready to step in and either run like the wind or tackle either a cornerback or the strong safety. The quarterback calls the play¡­


    Oh boy¡­ rather than to be the one catching the ball, I must protect the wide receiver on my right, Pablo muses while the game starts and much of the offensive line is simply looking to smash the opposing defense.


    The quarterback¡¯s time is short since the opposing defense is looking to sack him and, in a desperate attempt to avoid being sacked, passes the ball to his right. Which leads both Pablo and the right WR to try getting to the ball as it flies in the air.


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    In so doing, the opposing strong safety tackles not Pablo, whom he narrowly misses, but the wide receiver on his right. Which forces Pablo to dash towards the ball and away from the strong safety and the cornerback.


    With the ball on a downward descent, both Pablo and the left cornerback are drawn to the ball like moths to a flame. However, in a split second, Pablo closes in on the ball, the opposing cornerback closing in on him.


    And¡­ Pablo stretches his arms, hoping to get to the ball before the opposing cornerback does. At the speed the two have been dashing towards the ball, and closing towards the field¡¯s edge, any impact is going to be painful.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± the crowd hollers as the spectators attempt to encourage him.


    The ball almost slips out of Pablo¡¯s hands, but once he catches the ball, he firmly grips it as he makes a side leap. And yet, somehow, the side leap he takes to get to the pigskin forces him to crouch on it.


    And crashes on the opposing cornerback, causing both players to collide with such force that Pablo feels the need to clutch the ball to avoid fumbling it.


    Now that¡¯s a gain in yards that will make me need some painkillers soon enough¡­ Pablo reels in from the pain incurred by this play, which feels like being hit.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s what I call a painful play!¡± Audrey comments on the play, which made the VAs gain enough yards to get to a first down.


    ¡°This cornerback is so toast!¡± Carrie adds as the Bears switch cornerbacks for this play.


    But the subsequent plays don¡¯t meet with the same gains in yardage compared to this one. The VAs suspect the opponent will be much warier in defending against the pass, and pull the strong safety further back. Which makes the VAs try rushing this time around, now that the Bears are splitting the backfield into four coverage zones, as opposed to three on the previous play.


    Three downs in, the VAs appear to still have some way to go to get another first down and, hopefully, score the first touchdown of the game. Damn it, we are fourth and 3. We must fight tooth and nail to gain these 3 yards, George muses while the offensive coordinator would rather try for a field goal from 20-odd yards than to attempt a much riskier TD.


    Huh? A surprised Valter tries to contain his surprise at the team attempting a field goal, while the opposing team deploys its returner by the goal line.


    For this play, both Orson and the running back are replaced by the kicker and the long snapper, so the kick can be made.


    The audience watches in apprehension the field goal being attempted for three points, and the ball narrowly clears the goalposts.


    ¡°The Venomous Agendas scored the first field goal of the night! They are now up three-nothing!¡± the principal yells into the PA system.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± the crowd keeps hollering. ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡±


    But with VA now on the defense, Finn et al are now led to believe that the opposition will go for the touchdown at any cost, since a field goal would only tie the game.


    ¡°Here¡¯s our chance to make the Bears commit mistakes on the offense! Even though it¡¯s early in the game, they will be tempted to produce a touchdown by any means necessary!¡± Finn tells his teammates.


    VA attempts to go for the sack, which makes Finn go down the center, rather than being at one end of the defensive line. Especially since the defensive coordinator feels like Finn offers the VAs the best chance to plow through the Bears¡¯ offensive line right where they need to.


    ¡°Sack that quarterback!¡± Carrie yells in Finn¡¯s direction.


    The play begins and the Bears¡¯ offensive line is split in two by the sheer force of Dayton and Finn crashing into it. Ethan attempts to sneak past the fractured offensive line to get behind the opposing quarterback. However, all this has accomplished is to get the opposing QB to panic and throw the ball erratically.


    Richard then rushes towards the ball, but in the end, the Bears¡¯ left wide receiver narrowly catches it, only to be tackled by Malcolm about two seconds later down the opponent¡¯s route.


    Ouch. This attempt to sack the quarterback cost us a couple of yards¡­ not to mention a first down, Bart feels like the defensive play was too risky for what it brought them.


    ¡°What a fizzle! Dayton and Finn gave us the opportunity to sack the quarterback, but the linebackers were unable to capitalize on that opening in their O-line!¡± Audrey is made to feel like the VAs¡¯ defense has no more depth than its offense does.


    Fixated on this idea of having to score a touchdown at any cost, the opponent not only makes mistakes, but also forces the VAs¡¯ to commit some of their own.


    Yet, this football game remains tight. And people are kept on the edge of their seats when they keep seeing attempt at rushing that are cut short by a tackle on either side¡¯s running backs, or even near-misses on passing plays.


    By half-time, the team returns to the locker room, while the band performs the fight song. The Church Point fans in the crowd noticed that VA is a little underwhelming when it comes to the ¡°side shows¡± that so many have come to expect from football games. Under the form of cheerleading, band and other forms of entertainment.


    ¡°That was a tight game, keep it up! We might still be able to win. To do so, however, we need to keep our tendency to go for the flashiest plays under control!¡± the head coach warns the players.


    ¡°Sure, a play can¡¯t always succeed, and each play failing, individually, is usually not a big deal, but not all plays are made equal. Plowing through a defensive, or offensive, line is one thing, but even with a running back by committee approach, there¡¯s only so much risk we can take with rushing plays!¡± the offensive coordinator complains.


    ¡°And same goes of passing plays, too!¡± Valter comments, realizing there¡¯s an intrinsic risk associated with passing plays, or even the choice of a rushing vs passing play.


    ¡°With that said¡­ Venomous! Agendas! Venomous! Agendas!¡± Pablo shouts before drinking from the water fountain.


    By the end of the fourth quarter, once again, the VAs find themselves in a position where they can force the Bears to commit to a touchdown. Speaking of the Bears, their head coach called for a timeout with less than a minute left to the game.


    ¡°The Venomous Agendas are in the lead, seventeen to fourteen. We are on fourth and five, we need to go all-in and try for the Hail Mary to win!¡± the Bears¡¯ head coach then formulate a plan to beat the VAs at their game, while they are still 36 yards out.


    Meanwhile, the VAs feel like the opponent will try to take as much risk as they can to get that one touchdown they so desperately need.


    ¡°Ethan, I have the feeling the opponent has no choice but to go for the pass; they know it¡¯s much more difficult to gain thirty-six yards with a rushing play than with a passing play. So for this one play, I want you to get as close as you can to the goal line, and same goes of Malcolm, but I want you two on each side of the goal post!¡± the defensive coordinator instructs the two safeties.


    And, as the timeout ends, play resumes and the opposing quarterback throws the ball well past the line of scrimmage. This causes the Bears¡¯ wide receivers to dash to try to receive it.


    By then, however, the VAs¡¯ safeties move into action, but Richard underestimated the distance the ball would travel and doesn¡¯t quite get the intercept course right. However, he readjusts his trajectory to try to throw his assigned wide receiver off his game.


    Come on, Malcolm, intercept the pass! Pablo prays for his teammate¡¯s success as the ball flies inexorably closer to the goal line.


    Speaking of the ball, it forces the opposing wide receivers to change their routes and not just because of the pressure the cornerbacks have been exerting on them. And yet, somehow, the opposing WR closest to it still closes in on the ball.


    Malcolm dashes towards where he feel the ball is most likely to fall, and the clock is ticking in on everyone on the field. Come on¡­ he starts ruminating as he leaps to catch the ball. With two seconds left on the clock.


    The free safety, however, must contend with the opposing wide receiver as he makes the leap towards the ball. With one second left to the clock, he barely manages to catch the ball on its downward trajectory. However, he manages to do it one¡­ one yard away from the goal line.


    With less than a second left to the game, he runs away from the goal line, avoiding opposing players, until the whistle blows to signal the end of the game.


    ¡°With a spectacular last-second, last-yard interception from Malcolm Robertson, the Venomous Agendas win tonight¡¯s game against the Church Point Bears, seventeen to fourteen!¡± the principal announces to the crowd.


    Speaking of the crowd, the VA fans get on the field, while the Church Point ones make their exit, their heads down and feeling that Malcolm stole the game from them.


    The team has a debriefing in the locker room a few moments later, especially with the rookie wide receiver and running backs:


    ¡°You now have a better idea of what it takes to play at the varsity level. It¡¯s going to be rough, make no mistake! And it¡¯s more than just being able to anticipate what changes to a route are needed based on the ball or the opposing players either!¡± the offensive coordinator tells the rookies.


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t go around thinking that every game will play out like this!¡± Pablo warns them, as he does Malcolm.


    A few minutes later, after the players shower and put their equipment away in their bags, the players meet with their love interests, at least those who actually attended the game. Including but not limited to Audrey and Cora.


    ¡°Bravo Malcolm, that was an interception for the ages!¡± Cora congratulates him. At the exit of the locker room.


    ¡°You played well, too!¡± Audrey hugs Pablo.

 Chapter 49: Is Vengeance Ice Cream?

    Alas, the VAs¡¯ football team appears unable to maintain their momentum going into their games against Iota and Kinder, losing both games. However, football isn¡¯t in a ¡°win-now¡± mode, whereas the quiz bowl one is.


    Speaking of quiz bowl, Warren announces the following to the high school squads during a quiz bowl practice that¡¯s the only quiz bowl practice the football coach let Pablo go to for the week.


    ¡°As a warm-up prior to the season opener, we have scheduled an online pre-season game against an opponent that¡¯s familiar to some of you: BLS. We¡¯re the first part of a doubleheader, with the second part being the math team season opener. Both squads will play one game each¡± Warren announces to the high school quiz bowl squads.


    ¡°I hope it won¡¯t be like last time where we played these exhibition games, and we were playing on collegiate questions!¡± Pablo has flashbacks of the DCC vs VA fundraiser, where both teams were demolished by the use of Penn Bowl packets.


    Vengeance for the HSNCT is at hand. However, Boston Latin also being a top-10 quiz bowl program nationally, if FTPFTC¡¯s preseason ranking is anything to go by, vengeance is far from a given, Nadine starts wondering whether the difference in play between Gerard and Myriam will be enough to carry VA over the edge, whereas Lilina had lingering memories of this missed tossup late in that game triggered.


    And, as this practice resumes in earnest, Audrey realizes that her new teammates aren¡¯t nearly as good as her previous ones. Yet, somehow, I wonder how stiff the learning curve is for them. A middle schooler who could score decently at the MSNCT is not guaranteed to make the jump to the high school game successfully. You only need to look at some of these ¡°gifted burnouts¡± who, in middle school, were good, but crashed in high school, Audrey is left wondering whether she is dealing with the warning signs of gifted kid burnout. And back into non-science topics I go, I guess¡­


    At the same time, Pablo seems to be walking on thin ice as a quiz bowler because of the pressures of football.


    ¡°It seems like the football season has depleted your energy. However, we have a total of six opportunities to qualify for the HSNCT this season but, obviously, the earlier, the better¡± Warren tells Pablo after performing at a lower level than what he was used to in the lead-up to last season¡¯s HSNCT.


    ¡°The schedule was given out during one of the practices I missed because of football!¡± Pablo retorts.


    Audrey then texts him the schedule of VA¡¯s quiz bowl tournaments for the season, exclusive of the HSNCT. We might take quiz bowl-State for granted, because we can take for granted that we won¡¯t finish Tal Atkins winless, but finishing in the top 15% at any of the six meets can¡¯t be taken for granted, much less 2 squads, Audrey is then reminded of the struggles of the B-team to even qualify for the HSNCT last season.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right: Audrey might have had a dip in performance during and after the basketball state tournament, and Leesville was her worst tournament last season, but I think football has hurt your quiz bowl game! And more than I would like to admit!¡± Warren voices his concerns over Pablo starting at Tal Atkins.


    ¡°I will step up to the plate once the football season ends. If we don¡¯t make the playoffs, this means I will get up to speed by LQBA Fall Invitational South! However, we cannot take the football playoffs for granted!¡± Pablo seems almost like begging to stay on the A-team.


    The following day, before the doubleheader begins, also played to a crowd that¡¯s far larger than usual for a regular season math game, Susan meets with Audrey, near the entrance to the stadium¡¯s locker room:


    ¡°So I guess our math season opener being against Lacassine brought you here!¡± Audrey tells Susan.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go around thinking that I play on the math team myself! I had the impression that even Heather would have been a better mathlete, or quiz bowler, than I would be! My English teacher might be willing to coach a quiz bowl team, but we need to see a quiz bowl game for ourselves!¡± Susan answers the PF. ¡°I kept hearing from Cora and Heather about how you sacrificed half a travel ball season for the quiz bowl national championship!¡±


    ¡°Heather, a quiz bowler? Where would she fit on the Cardinals¡¯ quiz bowl depth chart had she transferred?¡±


    ¡°Heather would start as a quiz bowler from day one, and probably share the spotlight with me, if there even was a quiz bowl spotlight at Lacassine!¡±


    If Susan feels like Heather would be a better quiz bowler than almost everyone on hand at Lacassine, this means that Heather dodged an educational bullet, Audrey ruminates on the implications of Susan¡¯s statements about Heather, implying that Heather would star on the Cardinals¡¯ quiz bowl team as well as its basketball team.


    After the tables are set at center field, and enough of them for the math team to line up on it later on, the quiz bowl team gets seated as the principal introduces tonight¡¯s game and the referee, erm, moderator.


    ¡°The first quiz bowl game of the night pits Boston Latin against our B-team. And tonight¡¯s referee, Anna Tessier!¡± the principal announces over the stadium¡¯s PA system, before introducing the players, with Anna reffing the game remotely, like the Wolfpack is playing remotely, too.


    ¡°I¡¯m Anna, I spent three years at Venomous Agendas High before transferring to Kinder, I¡¯m currently a junior at the University of Chicago, studying psychology, and I play quiz bowl for the Maroon!¡± the redhead, another legend of VA quiz bowl, prepares the first packet. ¡°Don¡¯t be alarmed if the questions of tonight¡¯s games actually feel harder than typical high school questions, but sometimes asking the harder questions early can push players harder!¡±


    Here''s my chance to show the University of Chicago what I can do away from the court! Audrey psyches herself up, crossing her fingers that she will actually be able to play her best quiz bowl tonight. And treating this game the same as she would have a basketball game with UChicago¡¯s basketball coach watching.


    ¡°Tossup one: The Tungusic peoples are native to the vicinity of this Russian city¡± Anna starts reading the question.


    What the hell are the Tungusic peoples? Everyone in the stadium start asking themselves upon hearing this tossup¡¯s first clue. The second clue also causes the players to roll their eyes, which makes reference to that city¡¯s place in Chinese history, and is almost as obscure as the first clue.


    ¡°It was the site of Soviet war crimes trials against Japanese Kwantung Army¡­¡±


    Audrey buzzes in before the third clue is read in full. ¡°Khabarovsk!¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Fifteen¡± Anna rules.


    What the hell are these questions? an alarmed Susan asks herself after seeing Audrey buzz in. Is that what quiz bowl is about? An arms race of writing increasingly obscure questions?


    ¡°For ten points each, answer these questions about algebraic rings. This class of Noetherian commutative ring behaves well with respect to the operation of completion and is also universally catenary¡± Anna reads the first bonus part to a dazed and confused audience.


    Damn it! This is so not the kind of things we as mathletes deal with in competitions! Gerard starts sweating for a few seconds, while the other three give up on answering the bonus part. At the same time, the crowd whispers that the packet might be too hard for high schoolers.


    At the end of this bonus, where VA somehow manages not to answer a single part correctly, not even the last part, which was still deemed the easiest.


    ¡°Nothing for the bonus¡± Anna¡¯s heart is sinking after seeing the impact of asking questions that are too hard for their own good.


    ¡°Anna, if I may, I feel like you might have mixed up packets!¡± the principal scolds Anna while the second bonus part is read.


    ¡°Please stand by while the packets are being substituted; it appears that I¡¯ve read one of the University of Chicago¡¯s packets for the last ACF Nationals!¡± Anna realizes her error, and instead reads from a vastly different set of questions, and hopefully easier questions.


    For the remaining 19 cycles (Anna deemed the first cycle valid) it¡¯s clear that, while the Wolfpack is stronger than this season¡¯s VA B, Audrey is doing everything in her power to keep VA B from being blown out, and is the best player on either side.


    Now I see that Audrey could be a fantastic quiz bowler if given the opportunity. She was made to feel like she is just secondary scoring on a stacked team, like last season¡¯s A-team, Pablo sees her dominate a depleted VA team, with only Gerard and her having any actual experience at the high school level. The other two are fresh off middle school, and it shows, scoring only one tossup apiece, and maybe contributing a little on bonuses. Now that¡¯s my Ballista!


    ¡°Boston Latin three hundred ninety, Venomous Agendas B two hundred fifty!¡± Anna announces the final score.


    ¡°Now you have a better idea of how it would feel to be playing in the HSNCT playoffs!¡± Audrey tells the two freshmen on the team.


    ¡°You only know about the stresses of such because of the MSNCT, but while the MSNCT might have questions on the level of high school regular season sets, the HSNCT is only a step above novice college tournaments!¡± Warren warns the freshmen on the team.


    ¡°Here¡¯s our chance to avenge this loss at the HSNCT against them!¡± Lilina yells at her teammates on the A-team.


    While the B-team quiz bowlers are sitting on the sidelines, the A-team has one chance to redeem itself from their loss caused by Lilina¡¯s rash neg on the last tossup.


    Driven by revenge, Pablo, Nadine and Lilina are all making sure they play their best quiz bowl on a different packet that feels more like a high school packet. A hard one perhaps, but a high school packet nonetheless. The second game of the night begins:


    ¡°Here¡¯s tossup one: Ellingham diagrams describe this class of chemical reactions with oxygen in dry environments¡± Anna reads the first tossup of the second packet.


    Myriam buzzes in. ¡°Oxidoreduction!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about the Scramble for Africa. Which British foreign minister advocated for a ¡°red line¡± spanning from Egypt to South Africa?¡±


    ¡°Cecil Rhodes¡± Lilina answers.


    ¡°Cecil Rhodes was very popular among the settlers of this region bisected by the Zambezi River¡± Anna keeps reading.


    ¡°Rhodesia¡±


    ¡°Rhodesia was the theater of these wars against the natives, which established British control over south-central Africa¡±


    Not even Lilina could think of an answer to the final bonus part. Everyone on the team seems to draw a blank. And so do the people in the stadium, powerless over the bonus.


    ¡°Time, the answer was the Matabele Wars, twenty for the bonus¡± Anna rules.


    Drat! That¡¯s an even harder bonus part than the hardest history bonus I faced when I last played VA in May! The Wolfpack¡¯s history player ruminates in some room on BLS¡¯ campus, and somehow confuses the VAs¡¯ quiz bowl squads. BLS finished tied for eighth, along with VA, at the HSNCT! The Wolfpack¡¯s history player fails to realize that he played VA B, and VA A was the squad that finished eighth at the HSNCT. Probably because that VA B they played had Gerard replaced by Myriam.


    But for all players involved, they, too, seem to feel like it¡¯s a repeat of that very game at the HSNCT, only played remotely and VA is the side with the gigantic (by quiz bowl standards) crowd behind them. Which, unfortunately for VA, is of no use, because most of the attendees are clueless about these questions.


    Just as clueless as they will be a few minutes from now, when the math game against Lacassine begins. We¡¯ll be demolished at State, let alone the HSNCT! Susan starts wondering whether getting Lacassine to play quiz bowl again is a fool¡¯s errand.


    And yet, going into the final regulation tossup, everyone is on edge. Even when BLS, once again, holds the lead. But a 20-point lead this time.


    ¡°Tossup twenty: In this fantasy book, a character invokes the ¡°Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time¡± to condemn one of the four siblings to death¡± Anna reads, before Nadine presses the buzzer like a syringe.


    ¡°The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe!¡± Nadine answers.


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each¡­¡± Anna signals the start of the bonus.


    As the Wolfpack prays that VA A doesn¡¯t get any of the bonus parts right, the VAs seem to be on the defensive since they are afraid the bonus they earned will be just as hard as the one VA B heard at the very start of the quiz bowl night, held at the behest of the math team.


    And likewise, they feel the crunch after the bonus proves so hard that they fail to answer the first two parts. So when the third and final part comes, they all pray that the final part is actually the easiest to them.


    ¡°Rome started fining people who sit on its Spanish Steps to help fund repairs caused by this phenomenon¡± Anna reads the final bonus part.


    They feel the clock ticking in on them, but while the Spanish Steps aren¡¯t quite as well-known as the Colosseum, in Pablo¡¯s mind, it sounded like a tourist trap. The Spanish Steps must have had a lot of foot traffic if the City of Rome had to fine people sitting on these specifically to fund repairs to it! He starts ruminating before he can hazard an answer.


    ¡°Overtourism!¡± Pablo shakes in his seat, feeling like the crowd has his eyes on him.


    ¡°Ten on the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Venomous Agendas A win, three hundred forty to three hundred thirty-five!¡±


    As the team returns to the locker room, Gerard, Lilina and Myriam get ready to play their math game against Lacassine.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you played your best tonight. However, when football is in season, it seems like quiz bowl is the only time where we can be together, except maybe for schoolwork or weight room sessions!¡± Pablo tells Audrey.


    ¡°If we have coursework to do together. By now you have realized that it¡¯s like day and night for me compared to last season, and I¡¯m forced to buzz in a lot more tonight than I had in previous years¡± Audrey then kisses him.


    ¡°We¡¯ll probably never play a quiz bowl game to this many people again¡±


    And, of course, Lacassine¡¯s math team is getting into position for their first-round game in the Math Madness. About how Lacassine, who¡¯s supposedly the other mathletic powerhouse of the state, is led by a tenth grader called Blythe.


    Meanwhile, Nadine leaves the stadium to get ice cream at the supermarket for the quiz bowl and math teams, while the rest of the town¡¯s math team supporters are in awe in the highly competitive level of play of both teams.


    And yet, because Trillian seems to play better than even much older Gerard and Lilina. However, Lilina has the excuse of being a rookie as a mathlete, so she wasn¡¯t held to the same standard by the town as such.


    Yet, somehow, Trillian scores a perfect 8/8, much like Myriam. And Blythe, too. In the end, after keeping quiet because of the crowd¡¯s powerlessness over the questions, Trillian appears to have captured the hearts and minds of the locals in her debut as a VA.


    In the end, after the result of the game is announced, the VA fans, which form almost the entirety of the crowd, the crowd had one thing to say as both teams retreat to their locker rooms. And, from there, home.


    ¡°Trillian! Trillian!¡± the crowd chants as they get to the field to see their math team winning.


    "Way to go, Trillian!" Myriam then tries to encourage Trillian after this strong showing during that game, under the crowd''s chants of Trillian! Trillian!


    It is then that Nadine returns to the stadium with a tub of mint and chocolate ice cream in tow for the quiz bowl team. And some plastic spoons to scoop up their cones of ice cream, so they could eat their sweet vengeance.


    ¡°This is sweet vengeance for that game at the HSNCT!¡± Nadine serves the first cone for the team, followed by Pablo.


    After they take their ice cream cones, Lilina and Myriam feel their foreheads cool down.

 Chapter 50: Lightning Strike

    Just a few days later, on Friday night, when the football team is set to play Iowa on the road, they are ready to hit the road to play at the Cady Memorial Stadium, Thomas receives bad news from the referee in Iowa:


    ¡°Gentlemen, the decision has been made to postpone the game to tomorrow at noon!¡± Thomas informs the VA players. ¡°A lightning storm is brewing, and they deemed the weather too dangerous to play in!¡±


    Ouch. The only thing capable of postponing a football game happened tonight! Games happened even when it rained! I must notify Warren on the double! Tal Atkins is tomorrow and I can¡¯t make it because of the football game! I¡¯m going to miss LQBA Fall if we make the football playoffs, and probably Winter if we go to football-State, Pablo then emails Warren, detailing the whole situation about the football game against Iowa being postponed because of thunderstorms in Iowa, and staying inside.


    The coach¡¯s answer has been quick: ¡°You will be able to play in tomorrow¡¯s football game, but you are on the hook to find a replacement player!¡±


    ¡°Guys, because of this game being postponed, I can¡¯t play in tomorrow¡¯s quiz bowl tournament! If you know anyone who can play quiz bowl tomorrow, please let me know!¡± Pablo asks his football teammates.


    ¡°You already have Lilina and Nadine. Aren¡¯t they enough to get VA a HSNCT berth?¡± George asks him, questioning the need for Pablo to play at Tal Atkins.


    To this request, unfortunately, nearly all of Pablo¡¯s teammates draw a blank. Even though, collectively, they knew almost everyone at school, and certainly who could possibly play backup in a quiz bowl tournament. Pablo sighs, and calls Audrey to ask a favor from her about Tal Atkins.


    ¡°Audrey, I have a favor to ask of you. Because of lightning storms, today¡¯s game is postponed to tomorrow, and I can¡¯t play at Tal Atkins. The football team has been of no use trying to find a replacement player¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the end of the world, but most people I asked last year when I missed LQBA Fall Invitational South won¡¯t be able to this year either!¡±


    Damn it! As much as Susan might have seen some quiz bowling potential in Heather, this Rule of 2 means Heather is out of the question since she does FFA again this year! Don¡¯t think Warren will like it very much if there is more than one basketball player doing quiz bowl, which means Cora is also out of the question. Maybe get a willing middle school quiz bowler to play on the B-team since, on the plus side, I will finally get to play on the same team as Pablo did last season! Audrey¡¯s thoughts race against the clock, just as Pablo asks on the quiz bowl team¡¯s social media for a substitute player for Tal Atkins.


    Which leaves Warren with few options, unfortunately making him call the parents of the eighth graders on the middle school quiz bowl squad to ask them for permission to get their kids to attend Tal Atkins. And tell them about the logistics.


    ¡°Report here tomorrow at eleven AM!¡± the football coach instructs his players before sending them home.


    Pablo receives a text message from Heather about the AP Chemistry lab report. ¡°Because I will be on an official visit at Columbia this weekend, finish this lab report, please¡±


    I guess, time to finish the lab report in AP Chemistry I was assigned to do with Heather. Surprisingly, Heather is nicer to me than she is to Audrey¡­ Pablo ruminates on his way home, planning to finish the AP Chemistry lab report, along with the assignment in that course.


    ¡°The game is postponed to tomorrow because lightning storms happened!¡± Pablo tells his parents upon returning home from this rained-out football game.


    ¡°And quiz bowl then? What does that mean?¡± Pablo¡¯s mom asks him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to go. Also, I¡¯d spend the entire day going from and to Shreveport for that tournament!¡± Pablo then points at the lightning bolt outside.


    ¡°Go finish your homework then¡­¡± Pablo¡¯s dad tells him, before Pablo goes into his bedroom to finish the lab report.


    Finishing the AP Chemistry lab report and homework is fairly straightforward to him, and then he finishes his other homework, such as other AP courses. I guess, Heather should be happy that I could make my part work on this lab report, especially since she¡¯ll be gone all weekend on official visit to Columbia¡­ so maybe Heather really has what it takes to play basketball in the Ivy League! Then again, if Heather does, Audrey does, too.


    The following day, with the weather having improved somewhat, in the sense that there is only light rain outside, Pablo makes it to the campus with his remaining homework, which isn¡¯t nearly as much as last night. In hopes that he can finish the homework while on the bus to Iowa.


    However, on the bus to Iowa, he can¡¯t help but wonder how Audrey is performing at Tal Atkins on the A-team. Especially since, by then, the prelim rounds usually end. So it seems like VA is, once again, headed to the HSNCT, because Audrey, despite not being used to playing with Lilina and Nadine, still plays relatively well, but for Josiane, who replaces me, this is a learning experience.


    The team is then brought to the visitors¡¯ locker room of the Cady Memorial Stadium, where the head coach harangues the players, wearing white jerseys with purple trim, going into the game:


    ¡°You guys lost two games in a row! You want to make the playoffs, you ought to make every game from here on out count! Now, Iowa¡¯s offensive line can put us in a world of hurt, so, on the defense, we will need to make sure that we can force the opponent to play the passing game!¡± the head coach harangues his players.


    ¡°What about us when we are on the offense?¡± George asks the team¡¯s offensive coordinator.


    ¡°Their secondary defense might be a little brittle, so we need to force them to blitz, and then Pablo may as well get ready to evade their D-line and then act more or less like a third wide receiver, if they blitz!¡± the offensive coordinator tells the offensive players.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± Pablo hollers before the scheduled time to make the entrance.


    Only a handful of VA fans were willing to make the trip to Iowa for the game, so there are only a few traces of green in the crowd since both Iowa and VA have purple as their primary jersey color. As Iowa¡¯s home announcer takes up position in the press box:


    ¡°Welcome to this thunderstorm-delayed Iowa Yellow Jackets game! Tonight¡¯s visitors, from Jefferson Davis Parish, the Venomous Agendas!¡± the Yellow Jackets¡¯ home announcer hollers while the VAs enter the stadium.


    A few moments later, the Yellow Jackets make a much grander entrance, complete with an inflatable tunnel, color guard members holding flags amid a smokescreen. The coin toss has determined that Iowa would start the game on the offensive.


    ¡°It appears that, for the first down, the opponent is going all-in on the rush! Malcolm, you will need to go opposite Ethan!¡± the defensive coordinator calls the play.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    VA is going to blitz, and then each cornerback still in play is going to be covering much more ground than usual. As the down begins on a wet playing surface¡­


    ¡°Sack that quarterback!¡± Pablo hollers over the bench, in Finn¡¯s direction, as the opposing QB starts running.


    And the opposing QB runs away from Finn, which forces Ethan to try taking the opposing QB in a pincer maneuver. However, Finn gets pinned by the opposing offensive tackle to the ground, feeling something has broken in his body during the play, as Dayton tackles the opposing center.


    The Yellow Jackets¡¯ quarterback clumsily attempts passing the ball to the running back, which gets promptly tackled by Malcolm, causing the whistle to be blown.


    After the whistle is blown, Finn struggles to get back up, needing help from his teammates to do so. I think I broke something on this play. My parents won¡¯t be very happy that I broke a leg in a football game!


    The medical staff working at the game examines Finn for any ailments he might have suffered on that play, and they come to a grim conclusion for Finn while he is carried off the field on a stretcher.


    ¡°Finn, you will be taken out of play. I¡¯m afraid your season is over!¡± the first responder tells Finn, with the VAs¡¯ defensive coordinator listening.


    The VAs¡¯ defensive coordinator then turns to George. ¡°For the rest of the season, you will also play second-string defensive line!¡±


    ¡°How does playing defensive tackle or end differ from playing offensive guard?¡± George asks the coach, implying that he could be called upon to play either DT or DE depending on the play, albeit on the second string.


    Is that how my life as a football player ends? A dazed and confused Finn wonders, feeling like he got hurt so bad that he might not be able to play football again. Unless, perhaps, VA makes the playoffs and goes deep, but he can¡¯t bank on that happening.


    When the rest of the VAs realize what¡¯s happening to Finn, everyone is wondering how their defense will change going forward, on top of what happened to Finn on this play.


    By half-time, however, VA is trailing by 10 points, and the coach is unhappy with the turn of events. And not simply because Finn got injured on that play early in the game. The VAs start questioning whether their season can still be saved without Finn anchoring the defense.


    ¡°The Yellow Jackets are leading twenty to ten! George, for the second half of the game, you will play on the defensive line. Since you played on the offensive line, you have an idea of what to expect from the defensive line!¡± the defensive coordinator tells George.


    ¡°We will step up to the plate and avenge the fall of Finn!¡± Pablo adds.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± Ethan hollers before the half-time ends.


    When play resumes, into the third quarter, the opponent somehow attempts a passing play on the first down. At that point, Richard dashes to where he feels the ball could fall, while remaining mindful of the opposing WR¡¯s route.


    And Richard, somehow, beats the WR to the ball as he leaps towards it for the interception. Once the ball is intercepted, he gets back on the ground and starts running like the wind.


    By running like the wind, ball in hand, Richard causes opposing players to breathe down his neck, and stop any possible losses in yardage right in their tracks. However, the required U-turns cost the Yellow Jackets precious fractions of a second, or even more than a full second for the less agile of them.


    And yet, under the boos of the crowd, Richard keeps dashing towards the opposing goal line with the opponents gaining ground on him at every step. Richard feels like nothing else matters in the world at this point, and he starts getting short of breath when he closes in on the goal line. Panting, he barely crosses the goal line before collapsing of the exertion of this dash.


    ¡°Touchdown! The Venomous Agendas score the first defensive TD of the game!¡± the Yellow Jackets¡¯ home announcer yells in the PA system.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± the VA players on the bench holler.


    However, the kicker is brought in to attempt a one-point conversion right after the VAs score the defensive touchdown. This marks the start of what the VAs hope is a rally in the second half of the game.


    As the game continues, the VAs keep trying to score more points on later downs, but they are still trailing since the Yellow Jackets score one touchdown at the end of the third quarter, and the VAs score another one near the middle of the second quarter.


    Going into the dying seconds of the game, the VAs are on the offense, and they are fourth and 7, trailing 27-24. This time around, they take their final timeout of the game:


    ¡°For this one play, I know it¡¯s risky, but first we need to make the opponent believe we are going to rush the ball to get a first down, in hopes of causing them to blitz. Also, Pablo, you¡¯re our best hope of making this work, so you¡¯re back in for this play. You stand a better chance to break away from the opposing line, and then get our quarterback to throw the ball in your direction!¡± the head coach mostly rehashes what the OC told them pre-game.


    This timeout proves a well-needed rest for the players, and the players assume their positions, with Pablo being a little farther from the offensive linemen than usual.


    The quarterback, feeling like he¡¯s about to get blitzed, even though the Yellow Jackets¡¯ strong safety is a little farther back than the linebackers, passes the ball forward. In doing so, this causes Pablo to race to the ball while remaining mindful of the strong safety on one side, and a cornerback on the other.


    And, with both the SS and a CB breathing down Pablo¡¯s neck, he feels the game¡¯s clock ticking in his mind as he catches the ball in a run. Now that the ball is in his hands, he swerves around the opposing cornerback, narrowly avoiding a high-speed impact between the two.


    Everyone in the stadium is watching, and the Yellow Jacket fans start shaking in the bleachers. The Venomous Agendas are going to steal our thunder! Previously, VA had issues on the gridiron, and now it looks like they can win! a nervous Yellow Jacket fan watches Pablo run for the goal line.


    Speaking of thunder, Pablo has to be lightning-quick to make it to the goal line. Once again, as with Richard early in the third quarter, he dashes under the boos of the local crowd. The Yellow Jackets¡¯ fans hope that, by booing, they will throw Pablo off his game and cause him to get careless.


    Unfortunately, that was not to be, and Pablo gets tunnel vision as he keeps dashing towards the goal line. Each step, each yard gained, is accompanied by opposition also running on his back. He ceases caring about opposing players, and just runs with the ball, with his heart beating like a drum in his body.


    In this mad dash, Pablo, oblivious not only to the opposing players, also appears to be oblivious to the fixtures of the field. As the game clock still ticks, he gets into the Yellow Jackets¡¯ end zone, scoring six points for the VAs. However, a fraction of a second into the end zone, Pablo, still tunnel-visioned, hits the goal post, the ball still in his hands.


    Eek¡­ what did I do, or fail to do, to hit this goalpost? Pablo snaps out of it when the referee blows the whistle, but feels the pain in his left shoulder. He hands the ball to the referee as the scoreboard changes, ensuring that VA wins the game as the game clock rings to signal the end of the game. Without a conversion taking place.


    ¡°And that¡¯s the game. The Yellow Jackets lose, thirty to twenty-seven!¡± Iowa¡¯s home announcer closes the game as the fans leave the stadium and both teams return to their respective dressing rooms.


    I hope Finn is alright, Pablo ruminates, despite his past interactions with him. Poor Finn! I just want him to take as long as necessary to recover from this broken leg.


    After they are finished showering and tucking away their belongings in their bags, Pablo then checks on Quiz Bowl Resource Center, which posts tournament results before NAQT does in a lot of cases, for the playoff results of Tal Atkins. And hence whether they earned a HSNCT berth.


    On Monday morning, just before the AP US Government lecture begins, the morning announcement is delivered as a couple, with Heather also waiting on the wings.


    ¡°This Saturday, the Venomous Agendas won a thunderstorm-delayed away football game against Iowa, thirty to twenty-seven!¡± Pablo delivers the football team¡¯s announcement. ¡°Unfortunately, this came at a cost: Finn Lyons, a defensive end, broke a leg during that game!¡±


    We in theater always wish people to break their legs. In fact, theater is the only place where you can wish people to break their legs without coming off as a jerk, Nadine ruminates, even though her role as a theater actress this Fall is, at best, a support role. But it had to happen to a football player; it¡¯s the most dangerous sport VA fields a team for!


    ¡°And the Venomous Agendas¡¯ quiz bowl team have already earned a HSNCT berth by virtue of the A-team winning the Tal Atkins tournament! The B-team finished fourth, one place short of a HSNCT berth!¡± Audrey announces before going to the AP US Government classroom, and handing off to Heather.


    ¡°Last but not least, for the first time since the school team was renamed the Venomous Agendas, a VA student athlete landed a Division I offer! From an Ivy League school, Columbia no less!¡± Heather exclaims on the PA system.


    Whether I will actually sign with Columbia is another matter entirely. I guess, I should start writing my essays for Columbia now, unless another offer comes along, and my parents made me send questionnaires and highlight reels to nearly every college at Tulane¡¯s prestige level or higher, Division 1 or 3, Heather is in for a tough decision ahead.

 Chapter 51: Apologies for a Finn

    However, the day prior, Finn¡¯s parents fetched him from some hospital in Lake Charles, only to find him with a leg in a cast and needing crutches. His parents ask him what happened.


    ¡°Mom, dad, I broke my leg in a football game!¡± Finn explains to his parents. ¡°We won the game, though¡±


    ¡°Poor you!¡± Finn¡¯s dad weeps over his son¡¯s broken leg. ¡°It was due to happen to someone on this VA football team, but I would never have imagined it would be you!¡±


    ¡°How long until you recover?¡± Finn¡¯s mom asks him, while bed ridden.


    ¡°Eight to twelve weeks¡±


    ¡°No more football for you, Finn!¡± Finn¡¯s mom scolds him. ¡°You received no offers to play in college, not even from some community college, and no one wants to sign an injury-prone player of your caliber! You should start thinking of careers after high school!¡±


    Way to demoralize me after this injury in a game! Finn sighs, while his parents go out and buy crutches appropriate for his frame size.


    After Finn returns home to recover from his broken leg, his parents ask the parish office to add their home to the disabled bus route. Which makes him arrive a little late, but with a doctor¡¯s note from the people at the hospital that put his cast, he could be excused, especially since his injuries made football practices useless.


    But after the AP US Government lecture ends, it seems like some people look at Finn wearing a cast on his broken leg. And uses crutches to move around campus. Obviously, Carrie rushes towards him, while remaining mindful of not touching his cast. Or even his body at all.


    ¡°Poor you!¡± Carrie tells him upon seeing him in crutches. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°This football game! We won, all right¡­¡± Finn tells his girlfriend in a raspy voice. ¡°I got hit like a truck by the Yellow Jackets¡¯ offensive tackle, pinning me to the ground!¡±


    Oh boy. Even though injuries happen often in football, it makes me wonder whether trying to use football as a vehicle to move up the academic ladder is worth the risk¡­ Pablo only realizes now the gravity of the situation that, in the heat of the game, he didn¡¯t quite grasp.


    ¡°Such promise on the field cut short by an injury!¡± Ethan remarks on his injury, despite being on the field himself when it happened.


    ¡°I apologize for being such a jerk to you all in past seasons, when you were studying or doing homework on the bus to away games!¡± Finn laments to other football players nearby.


    ¡°Better late than never, I guess¡­¡± Pablo sighs, as Audrey closes in on her.


    I remember vividly this nightmare last season when I kept hearing about how the longer you are playing youth sports without making it as a professional, the more devastating it can get if you have deficient backup plans. Which is why Heather kept obsessing over getting me to play in the Ivy League, or doing so herself, and the latter is now, well, probably the best option on her table. Unless, somehow, she could play for some other Ivy-equivalent on a full ride, and the most realistic would be Tulane or Georgetown; Berkeley and William and Mary expressed interest in her as well, but W&M isn¡¯t an Ivy-equivalent. Who am I kidding? It seems like I¡¯m jumping from pillar to post! Audrey spaces out while memories are being triggered, causing her thoughts to race against the clock.


    ¡°Finn, I understand that this injury has come to a shock to you. It¡¯s ok for your life after high school to be in a trade, or to be involved in the sport in some other way, just don¡¯t let this be the end of your world!¡± Audrey tells the ex-DE.


    ¡°Yeah, Finn, I received no offers to play in college either. However, I¡¯d be happy if I became a long-haul truck driver or a mail carrier¡± Carrie confides in him. ¡°Not sure I would want to walk on at a community college just to play more hoops!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Just see the season through, stay strong, Carrie, and everything will be ok¡± Finn adds, before moving out of the way and going to his next class. ¡°However, Carrie, I hope you understand that I gave my all for VA for years up to this point, as you did!¡± Finn starts crying before lamenting internally.


    Several people in the hallway gasp upon hearing about how Carrie would be willing to call graduation the end of her basketball career, and what she plans to do after graduation.


    Meanwhile, Finn is replaying this entire play in his mind. By doing so, his thoughts gnaw at him and makes the entire scene all the more painful. Is there anything I could have done differently on that play? I knew the game was dangerous to play, but why did it happen to me then, and not before? I tackled, and got tackled, all the time in games¡­


    <hr>


    Before quiz bowl practice begins, however, Pablo has some questions for his teammates that he practiced with, while George learns the subtleties of playing DE and DT elsewhere on campus during football practice, and drills accordingly.


    ¡°Because of this stupid thunderstorm, I couldn¡¯t make it to Tal Atkins, and I was forced to play football instead; how does it feel to play quiz bowl with my girlfriend, rather than me?¡± Pablo asks Lilina and Nadine.


    ¡°Honestly, Audrey isn¡¯t that rash on the buzzer, she doesn¡¯t seem to neg as much as you do, but she still negs some¡± Nadine answers him. ¡°She¡¯s able to cover some gaps in arts and literature that you don¡¯t, on the other hand, you were stronger in social studies and science, but you know how Myriam is as a quiz bowler¡­ However, Audrey threw me off my game more often than I would have liked¡±


    ¡°And yet, both Audrey and you knew some pop culture, there¡¯s just not a whole lot of it being asked!¡± Lilina answers him.


    But then Finn¡¯s injury during the Iowa game seems to have made Pablo a little¡­ off during the quiz bowl practice. And a little slower, too.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    At the end of the quiz bowl practice, Audrey reunites with Pablo once again. As they get back to Audrey¡¯s place:


    ¡°I understand that Finn was close to you by virtue of being on the starting football lineup. It¡¯s a very common experience to see a teammate get injured, surely you realized that. It¡¯s already bad enough when you know a sporting career is over, or is about to end, when you¡¯re healthy, perhaps it¡¯s even more traumatizing when you¡¯re forced out of the sport because of an injury!¡±


    ¡°Ah Audrey, what I need right now would be pelekie zirni and painkillers¡­¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any chickpeas left. As for painkillers, do you want the liquid or the tablet ones?¡± Audrey asks him, referring to coffee as the liquid painkiller.


    ¡°Friday Night Lights: while this book is a little dated, what remains relevant about it is about how all-consuming sports can get when you¡¯re in a community like ours; the Odessa of the time is really not that different from this town, it¡¯s mostly bigger¡± Pablo then sends Audrey an electronic copy of the book.


    ¡°Maybe it might have been a good idea for someone wanting to understand what it¡¯s really like to live here, how fanatical we can get about a high school¡¯s teams, but not quite about ex-athletes. By now you know about the ages-old clich¨¦ of former high school star athletes living unsatisfying lives as adults¡­¡±


    ¡°And more specifically those who either dropped out of college or couldn¡¯t attend in the first place. Bottom line is: you shouldn¡¯t let any one activity consume you!¡±


    For all the financial woes of VA sports, we were able to mostly avoid injuries. Our opponents get injured more than we do, and that¡¯s why this never seemed to happen to me. I accepted it was normal for players to come and go because of them graduating, however, Pablo reflects on his life as a VA athlete.


    ¡°Audrey, this makes me wonder what happened to past quiz bowl stars, for VA or for our opponents...¡± Pablo sighs.


    ¡°As far as I can make out, a lot of quiz bowlers will attend college. Not necessarily elite colleges like UPenn or UChicago, but still. Now, you know there¡¯s a difference between going to college and post-graduation life, and you seem concerned about the latter. But better talk about these things now before it¡¯s too late!¡±


    While Audrey is brewing two cups of coffee, Pablo, on the other hand, prepares his homework in pre-calculus. They start covering exponentials and logarithms, first real and then complex. But, at the same time, the first question is about student loans.


    ¡°A student prepares to apply to college, and his parents inform him that they can only afford to pay nine thousand five hundred dollars per year, inclusive of work-study and TOPS. Suppose, first...¡± Pablo reads the problem statement of the first question.


    The problem statement provides the first scenario: going to LSU for all four years, at a net yearly price of $14,000, which is expected to increase by 6.53% yearly over the next six years. First part of the question: knowing that any shortfall must be covered by borrowing, what would the principal of the student loan be at graduation?


    ¡°My brother felt like they covered student loans and composite interest too late back then. Now he is saddled with about thirty grand in debt!¡± Pablo sighs as he starts calculating the total debt burden.


    Looks like the amount of money borrowed skyrockets if the expected family contribution doesn¡¯t increase, Pablo comes to the grim truth behind the debt burden of going to college.


    But just knowing the debt at graduation is far from the end of the story; they were given the annuity formula, where they would be using the principal and, from there, try to get the payment amount, assuming 10 years.


    It seems like, after they get their coffee, the couple is testing against several scenarios: going to the same college for 4, then 5 and finally 6 years (with grant money drying up for the last 2 years, and private loans kicking in if loans exceed a certain limit), and starting out at a community college, and transferring to LSU, finishing the degree in 2, 3 or 4 years.


    And then they start calculating loan payments for each scenario, starting with the federal loans and, if applicable, the private loans. Oof. I wonder for whom the conclusions of this assignment will fail to click, in terms of the consequences of student debt burdens, Pablo ruminates while Audrey¡¯s parents look at them performing calculations of debt.


    ¡°Homework about student debt? Is it a good idea to talk about student debt disguised as pre-calculus homework?¡± Audrey¡¯s father asks the couple.


    ¡°Better that than nothing at all! From what I heard about our opponents, football or quiz bowl, they often brush that aside!¡± Pablo adds.


    Pablo then texts Finn: ¡°If you¡¯re taking pre-calculus, please pay attention to the latest assignment: it¡¯s important for your financial future!¡±


    And he then proceeds to asks Nadine, whom he knows is also taking pre-calculus, to write an article for the student newspaper about student loans and other forms of collegiate financial aid.


    ¡°Honey, I think it was a bad idea to tell Finn about financial aid for his future away from sports just yet! For someone like him, who gave his all, day in, day out, for the VAs, he probably needs some time away from football, some alone time, to recover and make sense of what happened to him!¡± Audrey scolds him.


    ¡°While his body is recovering, perhaps preparing him mentally for what comes after his recovery would help¡­¡± Pablo retorts.


    ¡°Remember this loss we incurred against Wossman in the quarterfinals last season! Charlotte and Taylor gave their all, day in, day out for VA for years, like Finn, but had little real basketball talent; they were crying for days after the defeat, and then left us alone¡±


    ¡°Friday Night Lights tells you about how there was no candle that burned out more quickly than that of the high school athlete. But perhaps Finn is lucky not to have lived under the kind of star system that glorified football players. In a sense, this town is an oddball in that quiz bowlers and mathletes are adulated much more readily. Now, if you may excuse me, I need to be alone for a bit¡±


    Pablo steps out of the living room. I promised that I would give her a book about coming to terms with the end of a sporting career, right after VA lost to Wossman on the court. I didn¡¯t hold my promise just yet. However, I think Finn should be given a copy of the same book, the same as Audrey. Because of his injuries, the book should steer closer to a career-ending injury. He then starts looking for books about just that. Or maybe just some articles about the transition out of sport, for that matter, with the proviso that they must be accessible to a high schooler with no real psychology background. I guess, when you¡¯re known across town for your talent at a given sport, when your whole life revolves around it, as was the case for Finn or Charlotte, it starts to overtake one¡¯s identity.


    ¡°One more thing: if you can¡¯t play your sport in Division I, you need to compare debt burdens against possible academic interests, and whether the job market for these treats prestige as a job skill... If you know for certain that you need to get a graduate degree, you want to take out as little debt as possible¡± Audrey¡¯s dad tells the two. ¡°However, if you end up playing in Division I, you will often find that, while your education is paid for in full, certain majors might be effectively off-limits to you¡±


    Last season, Heather acted as if we both had more or less the same level of talent, and we pretty much needed to get all-state honors to play in the Ivy League. Now I don¡¯t see her much outside of the weight room and the classroom, and when I do, it¡¯s to do some drills with her. She thinks she can pry playing time from Berkeley or Georgetown? She has gotten better, but I am a little shocked to see her go from someone for whom the Ivy League would have represented the ceiling to a Power-6 prospect in one AAU season, Audrey ruminates about hoops.

 Chapter 52: Fourth and Five

    November 8, 2030. With the defensive line clearly weakened by the loss of Finn, the VAs struggle to remain in playoff contention. However, going into their final game of the season, they are still in the running since they only need to win one last game to secure an automatic playoff berth, requiring .500 to get.


    As they are assembled in the Simmons Stadium¡¯s home team locker room, the players listen to yet another speech from the coach.


    ¡°Boys, there¡¯s no need to remind you of what¡¯s at stake here. It boils down to one last game, and we end our playoff drought, here and now! Do so here and we might steal the thunder of the math and quiz bowl teams!¡± the coach harangues the players.


    ¡°Yeah, the quiz bowl team qualified for the HSNCT, and the math team is in the third playoff round, so we have no excuses! We won¡¯t let the loss of Finn in week four prevent us from making it to the playoffs!¡± Pablo adds to this cacophony of voices.


    ¡°Our opponents for tonight must also be thinking the same thing, too, so we must expect them to play their best football tonight!¡± Ethan tries to encourage them.


    No one could blame Ethan for telling this to his teammates: after all, Westlake, their opponents for tonight, are also 4-5 going into this game.


    Inside the stadium, the entire band gets into position, as well as whatever Westlake fans could make the trip. Especially families and love interests of, say, band or football players. On both sides. And the lights are turned on moments before the players get ready and get into the tunnel leading to the field.


    ¡°Welcome to the final game of the regular football season at the Jerry Simmons stadium in Jennings! Tonight¡¯s visitors, the Westlake Rams!¡± the principal announces the opponents of the night.


    As if on cue, this is the signal for the VAs to enter the tunnel leading into the field as the visitors made their entrance. Under the sound of their band, as well as their cheer squad.


    ¡°And now, please welcome the Venomous Agendas!¡± the principal announces, while the band makes it loud and clear that VAs are going to take the field.


    And, of course, sing the national anthem. Only, this time around, it¡¯s not Orson singing the national anthem. This season, VA rotated the national anthem singers among their players, and in the past 3 home games, this role went to second-string players. But this time around, Malcolm sings it.


    In the stands, however, Audrey is on the front row, along with other girlfriends of football players, such as Nadine, Lilina, Natalie and Cora.


    ¡°I really hope to see the Malcolm of the season opener; he came out with the big play to protect the lead back then!¡± Cora makes her wish towards Malcolm.


    ¡°And I wish Ethan could step up to the plate tonight; we really need it!¡± Nadine laments the erratic play of her boyfriend.


    ¡°If only everyone was like Finn¡­¡± Audrey sighs, not knowing where the football team¡¯s inconsistency comes from. ¡°It can¡¯t just be our inability to get our band to away games, though, because the school had no money to do so¡±


    ¡°Yeah, our opponents are more consistent on the field than we are; game number six was our worst game of the season, and it was the week where our quarterly finals were held!¡± Natalie comments on a possible source of inconsistency.


    ¡°I get it, some of our opponents give out academic favors like candy, but we don¡¯t. Our own boys had tons of academic fatigue that week¡± Lilina points out.


    The game begins with VA on the defensive. Dayton as a nose tackle, and... on this play, Bart and Heath both make a beeline for the opposing quarterback. They ram offensive guards, who then create space for the middle linebacker to tackle the quarterback. However, it seems like the middle linebacker instead went after the opposing center to hold him.


    And... the Rams¡¯ QB gets crushed by Dayton like a ton of bricks, leading to the ball getting stolen as the impact causes the opposing QB to lose control of the ball. However, under the gasps of the Rams fans present, the referee whistles the end of the play after Bart recovers the fumble.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go around thinking that we will be able to sack the quarterback all the time!¡± Ethan yells at the others near the line of scrimmage as the Rams lost a few yards.


    And then the VAs¡¯ offense is put into play when play resumes, a few yards closer to the Rams¡¯ endzone. However, since the fumble was recovered only a few yards away from center field, they still have their work cut out for them. On the first down...


    ¡°I wonder how it feels to you to date Malcolm...¡± Audrey asks Cora.


    ¡°Malcolm might be one of the rising stars of VA football, but let¡¯s not kid ourselves. He doesn¡¯t seem to have much time for me when football is in season, and the same holds of you all, so I guess his idea of a date is taking me out to home football games¡± Cora answers her hoops teammate.


    ¡°Does he do any studying with you?¡±


    ¡°He asks me for help some. However, I take more AP courses than he does, so he¡¯s asking for more basic stuff¡±


    Speaking of AP courses, I need to check on the AP US Government group project grade! Pablo and Hugh worked me to the bone on it before the football season opener! And Pablo had the audacity to fight me over whether the debt ceiling is worth running a Congressional campaign on! Cora, believing that the teacher could grade a handful of group projects in a week, has her memories of the group project resurface while she checks her grade book.


    ¡°Woohoo! Ninety-six!¡± Cora exclaims, while texting her teammates in AP US Gov about the group project. ¡°The grades are now out for the AP US Government group project!¡±


    Audrey checks on her own grade for that course. ¡°Ninety-four for our team, and I bet Tanith was key for yours!¡±


    ¡°Yes. Since Tanith made us pick a House race for the project, I feel like she will dominate the Congress portion of the course!¡±


    Sure, Tanith is a monster at social studies, but don¡¯t underestimate Cora in this arena. I wonder sometimes what makes some athletes hide their intellect more than everyone else. Heather, Cora on the basketball side, Ethan on the football side, Audrey ruminates while Pablo gets tackled by the opposing strong safety on the second down.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Meanwhile, the VAs are third and six on this play, and, for this play, they have their starting running back on the left and Pablo on the right, sandwiched between their respective wide receivers and the offensive line.


    Arrayed in a flexbone formation, the VAs make use of the flexbone option offense. The opposing defense seem to have a harder time to read the play, especially since there are two directions, but two players in each direction to hand the ball to.


    The quarterback, feeling like the opposing right CB is the worse of the two, passes the ball in Pablo¡¯s direction. Which causes him to race against the right WR to the ball, and, upon catching it, make a mad dash towards the Rams¡¯ end zone, gaining yards at every step.


    By doing this mad dash towards the end zone, Pablo ends up being a magnet for the opposing secondary defense. Coming close, perhaps too close, to an opposing cornerback, forces him to deviate from his direct route. And the free safety forces another change in his route about a second later.


    Constantly changing routes as he closes in on the end zone threatens to cause him to trip. It seems that, the closer he gets to the end zone, the more he struggles to maintain control over his movements.


    On the last yard, with the opposing defense breathing down his neck, poor Pablo dives to protect the ball as the free safety attempts to cause him to fumble from behind.


    ¡°Touchdown!¡± the principal shouts in the PA system. ¡°The Venomous Agendas are in the lead, six-nothing!¡±


    ¡°Holy Beggar!¡± Audrey shouts in Pablo¡¯s direction, followed by Lilina. ¡°Holy Beggar!¡±


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± the rest of the VA fans holler after this touchdown.


    With a successful conversion, the VAs are now 7-0, much to the delight of the crowd.


    However, with the Rams now on the offense, the VAs¡¯ defense must be mindful of the opposition¡¯s rushing game, especially since almost everyone in the district now believes that VA¡¯s defensive line is nothing without Dayton. And both Bart and Heath are nothing special as linebackers.


    And yet, the game remains tightly contested, in such a way that, by half-time, the VAs and the Rams are tied, 17-17. The team comes together in the locker room at half-time, while the band performs on the field, including Hugh and Tyler:


    ¡°Boys, this was some of the most intense plays you have executed all season. Please forget about any playoff implications for tonight, and also treat this game as if it was a playoff game!¡± the head coach harangues the players once more.


    ¡°You want us to treat the game as a playoff game, and yet you want us to forget about the playoff implications of the game? Something¡¯s not right!¡± Orson feels like it¡¯s a contradictory set of signals.


    If the VAs make the playoffs, possible opponents would include Crowley or Wossman. However, they know better than to take a playoff berth for granted.


    ¡°Especially given what¡¯s at stake during that game, for us and for our opponents!¡± Ethan adds to this chorus of protests.


    ¡°For the seniors on this team, the magic number is twenty-four. Twenty-four minutes of your best football, this is what is expected of you for the second half of the game!¡± the offensive coordinator asks the players.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± Pablo hollers.


    For the next 24 minutes of play, we must play our best football. Then we can enter this world of college scouting, since the majority of the scouts will start attending playoff games, even more so further in, the defensive coordinator ruminates as thirsty players drink from the water cooler.


    Since both sides feel the urgency, both sides played much more exciting football than they would have otherwise. In late fourth quarter, the Rams are still tied with the VAs, and they are fourth and goal (more accurately, fourth and five). They think that, with what little time they have, they need to score, and do so now; they seemed unwilling to endure an overtime period.


    The VAs being on the defensive, the defensive line is in position near the goal line, and the opponent attempts a field goal. This is not the first time our football season is on the line on the last play of the final regular season game! Pablo ruminates while on the bench as he watches, powerless, the ball in flight.


    After being kicked, the ball hits the crossbar. The Rams¡¯ field goal attempt falls short and hence fails. And, under the gasps of the crowd, the locals are still alive, with the resulting turnover on downs making them go on the offensive at the 20-yard line.


    The clock ticks in on the Venomous Agendas and they feel the need to get to field goal range. However, the second-string center, in the heat of the action, attempts to cut block the opposing middle linebacker. Which Orson already does, causing the referee to blow the whistle and penalize the VAs.


    ¡°Penalty against the Venomous Agendas for chop blocking, loss of fifteen yards!¡± the referee rules, sending the locals in disarray. And this stress-induced penalty causes others to face-palm.


    Orson is then substituted out of the game in favor of the second-string fullback, and the center is taken out of play. Instead of that, Dayton is put in to play offensive tackle, while a preexisting offensive tackle plays center.


    Relax: if George is any indication, playing offensive tackle is much like being a defensive tackle, and experience on the other side helps. You tackle players either way, Dayton ruminates while they face the music. And, of course, everyone shakes in their seats, especially as they are bracing for an overtime period.


    I really hope that the running back is not going to get tackled on this play; he¡¯s at the goal line, if he gets tackled into the end zone, we lose, Pablo is, once again, at the midpoint of the right side of a triangle formed by the quarterback and the wide receivers.


    And the quarterback, behind the goal line, throws the ball on his left side, hoping that Valter would catch it. However, to do so, Valter had to take a few steps back to get to it.


    By the time he can actually catch the ball, however, he is not even one yard away from the end zone, but he isn¡¯t quite in it. He swerves in an attempt to evade the opposing defensive end, but ends up being tackled behind the goal line, causing the Rams to score a safety in the dying seconds of the game.


    ¡°And the Venomous Agendas lose, thirty-three to thirty-one!¡± a demoralized principal announces at the end of the game, under the boos of the crowd.


    That¡¯s no good, Valter ruined our entire season! Pablo ruminates, and realizes that, once again, the VAs¡¯ football hopes lie in getting a wildcard entry.


    As they make their way back to the locker room, the head coach fumes against Valter in particular:


    ¡°Valter, you will have this play on your conscience for the rest of your life! Unless you somehow get kids that will grow into better football players than you were!¡± the head coach screams at Valter, before turning to the other players. ¡°On Sunday morning, you¡¯d better cross your fingers, and hope we earn a wildcard! Maybe then could Valter redeem himself!¡±


    Already that the football fans in town blame Valter for the whole season being lackluster, they start wondering whether VA will actually be good on the gridiron again. And, of course, they get to shower later.


    After they shower, the football players with girlfriends get to meet with them for once after this game. Like Natalie trying to console Dayton after learning that he may not play football anymore. Or Valter, who never had much luck with girls this season, despite being a starter on the football team. And this wreck of a play won¡¯t help matters for the rest of the school year.


    Obviously, the trio of female quiz bowlers come for Pablo, Ethan and George respectively at the exit.


    ¡°Because of Valter, we may not be playing any more football this year!¡± George laments to his beloved Lilina, crying.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the end of the world, you still have two seasons to get better¡± Lilina tries to encourage him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hold this defeat against you. After all, you still have the HSNCT to look forward to, and, hopefully, for me, too!¡± Audrey tells Pablo.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel bad for Valter. Then again, I hope that the math team¡¯s playoff run or, for the sports lovers, basketball, will make people in town forget about his screwup tonight!¡± Pablo then kisses Audrey in front of everyone else.


    Speaking of Valter, he hides his face and leaves the stadium, ashamed of his role in this loss, more so than anyone else. Not even Orson or the center who took part in the previous down, who caused the VAs to eat a 15-yard penalty. Maybe I could be some last-chance boy to some romance-starved girl¡­ if I¡¯m lucky. At this point, I would be lucky to just date anyone at all! Valter starts moping. Here at VA, being a starter on the football team doesn¡¯t mean a whole lot to girls, unlike at our opponents!

 Chapter 53: Myriam’s Retirement

    Not only the football team¡¯s playoff chances were jeopardized by Valter, when the quiz bowlers awaken the following morning to drive to Zachary for the LQBA Fall Invitational South, they do so to news that make people squirm across town:


    ¡°Myriam has left the quiz bowl team!¡± Pablo tells his parents before texting Audrey about the loss of the player who was hitherto the captain of the VAs¡¯ quiz bowl team.


    ¡°Why did Myriam leave the quiz bowl team?¡± Pablo¡¯s mom asks him.


    Shoot. It won¡¯t be long before this deluge of bad news related to VA puts Jennings firmly behind mathletics, unless quiz bowl or girls¡¯ basketball can right the VAs¡¯ ship! Pablo ruminates about the communal implications of losing both that football game and Myriam leaving the quiz bowl team.


    ¡°Her mental health has deteriorated. I won¡¯t go into details right now, but I suspect that her gambling addiction has worsened¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Pablo¡¯s mom rolls her eyes, ¡°Myriam, a gambling addict? I knew her dad was in jail because of gambling, but she never seemed affected by gambling!¡±


    ¡°She always said that she was gambling in her mom¡¯s name. More specifically, she wagers on horse races!¡±


    He hastily gets dressed, wearing his football jersey as he always does in quiz bowl tournaments, and eats hastily, too. But this time around, he¡¯s picked up by the coach, who also picks up other players prior to driving to Zachary. With his homework in tow, to the extent he can do it in the car.


    ¡°How are we going to win the HSNCT with Myriam gone?¡± Nadine laments after hearing about Myriam¡¯s departure from the team.


    ¡°Stay strong, Nadine, and we will need to shoulder the science burden together. Myriam brought mostly science to the table, but was still able to contribute somewhat to other areas¡± Pablo tells her.


    ¡°Me, too, I will need to learn more about science, but because the basketball season is about to start, Pablo will need to step up to the plate!¡± Audrey tells him.


    After Myriam announced her departure from the team in the dead of night, I emailed the teachers teaching core academic subjects to underclassmen asking for a intellectually curious student that didn¡¯t already eat up both their Rule of Two allowances, Warren ruminates on the consequences of Myriam¡¯s departure.


    ¡°The notice is too short, so the B-team must play with three players today. Also, because Gerard underperformed, he will stay on the B-team for now!¡± Warren announces to Gerard in the car, while everyone else does homework.


    By the time they arrive in Zachary, everyone on the team finish their homework, with Pablo still a little in pain from last night¡¯s game. The two kiss each other before they check in:


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re going to play together for the rest of the season... may this be the sweetest thing of this season!¡± Pablo tells Audrey before the kiss.


    ¡°And may we play together at the HSNCT! It¡¯s the first time we even play quiz bowl together even!¡±


    ¡°After the departure of Myriam from the team, the captaincy of the quiz bowl team shall be given to Nadine¡± Warren announces to the players assembled, before turning to Pablo and Audrey. ¡°For the first time in VA quiz bowl history, we have a couple on the same squad, so don¡¯t go around thinking that I put you together because you¡¯re in love with each other!¡±


    I can¡¯t say that I feel bad for this, but perhaps she earned it by being the best VA quiz bowler at this point in time, even though I am the only player left on this squad that made it to the top-10 at the HSNCT, Audrey starts realizing that perhaps basketball has hurt her on the buzzer. Heather appears poised to get the basketball team¡¯s captaincy even though she holds out to see if someone else in Division I could offer an actual full-ride. The worst in all that is that several scouts are coming to our season opener against Lacassine: Berkeley, Dartmouth, Tulane and W&M, to name the Division I ones.


    ¡°All right, Holy Beggar and Ballista: we might be dominant in literature and history, but I really hope that you two can jointly make up for the loss of Myriam!¡± Nadine sighs, before going to their first game room.


    Their first game is played against the host institution, Zachary. However, it seems like not even they would even have any fan on hand as both teams get seated in alphabetical order of last names.


    Sandwiched between Audrey and Lilina, Pablo grabs his buzzer as the moderator announces the teams playing in this opening round:


    ¡°This is round one of the 2030 LQBA Fall Invitational South. From East Baton-Rouge Parish, we have Zachary, from Jefferson Davis Parish, we have Venomous Agendas A. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one: The Edict of Telipinu codifies the rules of succession to this ancient kingdom¡¯s throne¡±


    Even without Myriam, we can take them; I played against them at last year¡¯s LQBA Fall Invitational last year, Audrey, Pablo muses while the first tossup is read.


    And yet, for some reason, even Lilina seems to roll her eyes at the first clue, let alone the Broncos (i.e. Zachary¡¯s players).


    ¡°The city-state of Wilusa was a vassal of this late Bronze Age¡­¡± the moderator reads the second clue.


    Wilusa¡­ I vaguely remember reading a text claiming the Trojan War lasted ten years not because of Greek incompetence, human or divine, but because of Hittite attempts to relieve or break the siege! Pablo is suddenly reminded of one of the readings he made for the last HSNCT, and then buzzes in.


    ¡°Hittites!¡± Pablo answers.


    ¡°Fifteen¡± the moderator rules. ¡°For ten points each, answer these questions about aerodynamics. At low velocities, the magnitude of this force varies linearly as a function of velocity¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Drag¡± Pablo answers the first bonus part.


    ¡°Wingtip devices are installed at the edge of planes¡¯ wings to combat this variety of drag¡±


    The clock starts ticking on the VAs to answer the second question, since they may be wondering exactly what wingtip devices the bonus part speak of. Audrey gives the VAs¡¯ answer:


    ¡°Parasitic drag!¡±


    Is that it? How could VA have replaced their science player by some¡­ basketball player? a confused Bronco (i.e. Zachary player) asks himself, after seeing Audrey, wearing the VAs¡¯ away basketball jersey, answer the second bonus part. What kind of basketball player can somehow play science on the quiz bowl team?


    ¡°Parasitic drag is caused by both form drag and this type of force¡±


    ¡°Skin friction drag!¡± Audrey answers.


    ¡°Thirty on the bonus¡± the moderator rules before the next cycle begins.


    Unfortunately for the Broncos, this game feels like one of the blowout losses they incurred last season, especially at State. Once the game ends:


    ¡°And that¡¯s the game. VA A five hundred, Zachary ninety¡± the moderator announces the final result.


    As the team steps out of the game room, Audrey uses the limited time she has left to confess something to Pablo before their next game. It¡¯s clear to him that Audrey needed to let something off her chest.


    ¡°Sometimes I can feel like I make opponents uncomfortable. Like in this game. But it made me uncomfortable, too, in ways not even playoff opponents at the HSNCT could have¡±


    ¡°Audrey, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Our last opponents seemed to think that, because I play basketball, and you, football, neither of us can play quiz bowl!¡± Audrey feels the rage building up in her blood.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time; at the HSNCT, we were lashing out at an opponent because they feel like neither of us can play quiz bowl, VA is some tiny school, or high-level sports talent can¡¯t be mixed with high-level quiz bowl! Don¡¯t let that affect you, and it should be fine¡­¡±


    Or VA is somehow Louisiana¡¯s version of a TJHSST or BLS to their eyes, even though the cold, hard truth is that VA isn¡¯t a magnet school. And yet, VA¡¯s academic competitiveness is much closer to either one than to, like, Westlake, Audrey realizes that VA, while seemingly having fewer stressors on hand than their big quiz bowl rivals, is still not for the faint of heart.


    They end up going to the next game, and not having Myriam on their proverbial six forced the two to take a more active role in games, especially on science tossups.


    At the end of the prelims, VA A finishes first in its preliminary pool, with a three-player VA B somehow finishing third in the other pool. And hence out of HSNCT contention because the playoff pools are made of 2 teams per pool. Before they can think of getting something to eat for lunch:


    ¡°Without question, the hardest history tossup of this tournament was the Hittite question¡± Pablo comments on the prelim questions.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t question our love, at least for now. We¡¯ll win this tournament today, come hell or high water; we shall show the VA community that we can win in quiz bowl without Myriam!¡±


    ¡°A year ago, I was struggling to find my place in quiz bowl, now I am a HSNCT-bound starter!¡± Pablo comes to this realization.


    Audrey then looks at her stat line for the prelims of LQBA Fall. Man is that better than what I got out of playing on the A-Team last year, with Myriam! Nadine and Lilina are comparable to the Leonard and Scott I played with last season, she starts looking for food before the playoffs begin.


    When the playoffs begin, it¡¯s there they realize the difference not having Myriam on hand is more apparent against stronger teams. Games become tighter and, going into round eight, the last round of the day, VA and their opponents are up 2-0.


    ¡°This is round eight, the third playoff round of the LQBA Fall Invitational. From East Baton-Rouge Parish, we have Catholic, from Jefferson Davis parish, we have Venomous Agendas A. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one¡­ This type of policy was known in Belgium as waffle-iron politics during the Cold War¡± the moderator reads the first tossup.


    What exactly is waffle-iron politics? Pablo is questioning himself, while he starts hearing about waffle-iron politics. And even then, Lilina appears unable to answer. And, of course, the Bears (i.e. Catholic¡¯s players) couldn¡¯t either.


    ¡°Senator Daniel Inouye was a noted practitioner of this policy¡­¡± the moderator keeps reading before the Bears¡¯ history player buzzes in.


    ¡°Pork barreling!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Damn it¡­ Tanith raised some concerns about pork barreling when Cora pushed for the Calcasieu River Bridge preservation, as a cycling bridge, to be in our AP US Government group project! Pablo gets a flashback of the football preseason, triggered by the answer line.


    For the rest of the game, it appears that VA and Catholic play a very tight game. And, once again, Catholic appears to be a strong contender at State a few months from now. So much that VA is trailing by 25 points going into the final tossup.


    ¡°Final tossup: This branch of biology¡¯s consistency index compares the minimum and observed number of changes in species¡± the moderator reads the final tossup.


    Pablo and I took AP Bio together, Lilina is taking it this year, and never has the consistency index come up! Audrey is a little lost upon hearing the first clue.


    ¡°Techniques used in this field are also used to study cancer tumors¡± the moderator reads, interrupted by Catholic¡¯s science player.


    ¡°Mutagenesis¡±


    ¡°Neg five¡± The moderator resumes the reading of the tossup where he left off before the Bears buzzed in. ¡°Molecular chronology. Cladograms are used in this field to draw it namesake trees¡­¡±


    Now you¡¯re talking. It has become clearer to me now, even though the power mark is now well past, Audrey buzzes in.


    ¡°Phylogeny!¡±


    ¡°Ten. For ten points each, answer these questions about trains in literature. This Agatha Christie novel is named after this famous train from Istanbul to London¡±


    ¡°Murder on the Orient Express!¡± Nadine shouts, sure of her answer.


    Relax, Audrey. All we need to do to win the game and the tournament is answer one more bonus part correctly, Pablo muses while the second bonus part is read and missed.


    ¡°Night Train to Lisbon. This Patricia Highsmith book tells the story of two train passengers entering a pact to murder the parasites in each other¡¯s lives¡±


    Everyone seems focused on finding an answer to this question, and even Nadine seemed to struggle a little in finding an adequate answer in just 5 seconds. Yet Lilina sees fit to step in.


    ¡°Strangers on a Train!¡±


    ¡°Twenty on the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Catholic three hundred sixty, VA A three hundred seventy!¡±


    The following day, Pablo invites Audrey to attend a special gathering in VA¡¯s auditorium on Sunday after mass, where everyone who played football for VA this season was invited, along with most of their love interests. And, of course, a lot of their families, too.


    Valter in particular is seen with Myriam of all people, attending an event where all ten playoff brackets are released, livecast from the LHSAA offices.


    ¡°Valter, did you just¡­ ask Myriam out?¡± Orson asks him. ¡°Either Myriam dramatically fell in romantic value lately or she¡¯s suddenly interested in VA football!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Valter answers his teammate,


    I didn¡¯t think I would find a girlfriend so quickly after this debacle against Westlake, and I feel that I would be off the town¡¯s hook if VA gets one of the wildcards, Valter starts thinking about how this game changed his life as he watches the brackets being released, starting with the Division I Non-Select bracket.


    Then comes the Division I Select and, after that, what everyone came there for: the Division II Non-Select playoff bracket.


    ¡°And¡­ we didn¡¯t make it. No more football for us this season¡­¡± the head coach sighs, clearly disappointed that VA didn¡¯t land a wildcard.


    And the coaches¡¯ disappointment spread like wildfire across the auditorium, sending VA football fans into disarray.

 Chapter 54: Heather’s Daydream

    The following week, on Monday after the morning practice, Cora receives an email from¡­ Case Western¡¯s coach? That made her question whether it¡¯s for real.


    ¡°Case Western just asked me for my questionnaire!¡± Cora tells both Audrey and Heather, with questions on her face.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean anything. It¡¯s a Division three school, I sent mine to them months ago, no response from them. Presumably because they feel like I am Division I material, and hence can¡¯t play for them! I shall show them tonight that Columbia¡¯s offer wasn¡¯t a fluke!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we all know about how, last season, no one believed any of us could get offers to play in college!¡±


    At the same time, there¡¯s a reason why I didn¡¯t pull the trigger on early decision at Columbia: maybe I can actually get a full ride playing elsewhere! Then again, actually getting a basketball scholarship would depend on the playtime I would get. I went into this whole game of sending questionnaires and highlight reels thinking that I would stand a better chance of getting playing time at schools with stricter academic requirements. However, what would be the point of playing for, say, Berkeley, if I can¡¯t get much, if any, playing time? Heather ruminates, knowing the Columbia Lions desperately needed a big. How much playing time I could actually get at Berkeley will depend on how well I play tonight! At Columbia, I will start all four years provided I don¡¯t get injured in college!


    ¡°Audrey, I know I haven¡¯t been the nicest to you since the HSNCT, but could you, please, ask Pablo to come to the game tonight? I¡¯ll even pay for his ticket!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Audrey gasps. ¡°Do you owe him a favor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, for AP Chemistry, we paired up together the week for the lab on liquid chromatography; I couldn¡¯t do a whole lot on it because of that official visit to Columbia¡±


    ¡°How do you feel about Pablo as a student? I might be biased because I date him¡±


    ¡°He might be a football player, but he takes schoolwork seriously. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s much different from other people in this course¡±


    Audrey then comes to Pablo asking him to come to Lacassine for tonight¡¯s game to encourage VA players with scouts from some of the most prestigious universities in attendance.


    ¡°I went to your games this season, could you please come to today¡¯s game? It¡¯s a very important game to me! Only it¡¯s on the road¡±


    ¡°I wonder if the team can get a selected number of students to an away game. If not, I¡¯ll need to ask my parents if they want to go to that game¡±


    ¡°Priority is given to band unfortunately¡±


    Even though, last season, band hardly sent anyone our way, I¡¯m not sure about this game. Hugh and Tyler are confirmed to attend, the latter because he dates Heather, which means there are seven spots left on the team¡¯s bus, Audrey ruminates on the busing situation.


    ¡°By the end of classes I will have a definite answer, but provisionally I¡¯ll add you to who will take our bus to the game. Each player can only bring in one person to the game though¡±


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    But then, as she leaves the locker room, Heather is consumed by thoughts of what her future could look like, depending on which college she could possibly attend, based on the scouts attending. If I¡¯m actually good enough to get meaningful playing time out of a P6 school as a freshman, and play well, maybe then I can make a run at the WNBA. However, I understand that¡¯s a very big if. Otherwise, I must accept that I¡¯m really there to get an education. Also, from what I¡¯ve heard, I would be the brainiac of the team at that sort of P6¡­


    Poor Heather: she seems to have difficulty focusing in the AP Chemistry second period lecture about chemical kinetics, and Audrey also seems to have some difficulty focusing on the course, too. It seems like these two girls can barely follow what is meant by reaction order and what their rate laws are. Whoa: why is it that I can¡¯t seem to focus on coursework today? If I¡¯m destined to be the brainiac of the basketball team of whichever college I¡¯d end up attending, and playing for, I¡¯d better get back to paying attention in class! Notwithstanding that I will have people around me that have been their respective high schools¡¯ brainiacs, too¡­


    ¡°Heather, can you tell me what¡¯s the difference between average and instantaneous reaction speed?¡± the instructor asks.


    ¡°One is about how fast reagents are consumed over a period¡­ I think?¡± Heather attempts to answer, unsure of herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s the average speed. Instant speed then?¡±


    ¡°Something something slope of a tangent?¡± a somewhat distracted Heather answers, while rolling her eyes.


    ¡°You have a piece of the right idea, but you don''t sound like an Ivy-bound basketball player at all, Heather!¡± the AP Chemistry instructor comments. ¡°Perhaps Audrey might end up playing in the Ivy League, if some Ivy League school needed a power forward, or she could convert to center!¡±


    In which case Audrey could be the answer for Columbia down the center, the AP Chemistry instructor calls upon the knowledge Heather gave him about the hoops situation in the Ivy League. Then again, Heather told me everything I knew about college basketball!


    Way to embarrass myself in class! Heather blushes, and her face clearly showing some discomfort, before spacing out again, and shaking in her seat. Now I realize that my offer to play basketball for Columbia may be used against me in class! And now I must calculate my A-G GPA for Berkeley just because their scouts are here to our game tonight! Of all schools in this region, they had to be scouting our game, presumably because academics was the first screen they use to determine which games to scout!


    At the end of AP Chemistry, Tyler, who¡¯s also taking that course, didn¡¯t seem to be very happy about what happened in that course. He tells her about her obsession for that game.


    ¡°Heather, you seem preoccupied by the basketball game. I know how much this game means to you, so I am going to perform at that game just for you!¡± Tyler fails to realize that Heather is focused on calculating her A-G GPA for Berkeley prior to opening her account to the University of California application portal.


    ¡°How cute¡­ But you do realize that some college scouts are watching us tonight! Probably the most important game of my life up to this point!¡± Heather then notes her UC A-G GPA as being 4.15 somewhere on her cell phone. She then opens her account.


    ¡±Do you realize you made a fool of yourself in class? You want to play basketball for Columbia, you can¡¯t coast on your hoops talent alone!¡± Natalie warns her.


    ¡°Best-case scenario: it¡¯s probably going to come down to Columbia vs Berkeley¡±


    ¡°Even if you were somehow good enough to play for Berkeley, you still need to pay attention in class!¡± Natalie keeps warning.


    Was I playing anywhere else, I don¡¯t think people would make fun of me for not paying attention in class. Or that I wouldn¡¯t get to star on the basketball team while taking APs; some schools cut playing time from players for taking APs, Heather then reviews the essay prompts for UCs.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one other than Hugh and me that will, on the band, go to tonight¡¯s game. So Heather, choose wisely who you will bring with you to the game!¡± Tyler adds before kissing her.

 Chapter 55: Breaking the Debt Ceiling

    At the end of regular school time, Audrey texts Pablo about the busing situation. ¡°There are only two band members confirmed to go on the road; come here at 6 PM¡±


    It sucks: Finn must stay home because his broken leg still hasn¡¯t fully recovered, Malcolm is playing tonight at home, so I guess, everything will depend on who else the other six guests players can bring, Audrey starts to ruminate on who will be in the bus.


    But then Heather starts writing her four essays for the UC system, until it¡¯s time to board the bus to Lacassine, at which point everyone will do their homework.


    There¡¯s Pablo, next to whom Audrey is seated. And there are also a few of the second-string players¡¯ love interests, or non-basketball-playing siblings. And, finally, Lilina, who attends the game out of student newspaper obligations.


    ¡°Good luck tonight!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Pablo...¡±


    About half an hour later, they arrive in Lacassine, at the other end of the parish. The VAs are in the visitors¡¯ locker room:


    ¡°For this season, Carrie, because you mostly pass and dribble, and contribute somewhat from three, you will be playing point guard. Cora is more willing to drive to the paint to shoot, and to protect the rim, and so will play small forward in your stead!¡± Kent explains to the team. ¡°Also, I know it might sound a little trite, but last season, no one could have seen VA coming, especially not since our sports budget is closer to tonight¡¯s opponents than to Wossman¡¯s! Finally, captaincy of the team is going to Heather!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, tonight¡¯s opponents might be a class B school, but Lacassine is one of the favorites to win it all in Division V this season! Don¡¯t underestimate them just because they play in a different division!¡± Audrey harangues the players before handing off to Heather.


    ¡°I made a fool of myself in AP Chemistry today because I focused too much on this game! I really hope that you will all give your all tonight, and not just because college scouts are there!¡± Heather shouts at her teammates.


    ¡°I hope you realize, Heather, that Audrey, you and I are all outliers in the world of high school basketball! How many college basketball players finished their high school careers with As in six APs or more?¡± Cora asks Heather.


    ¡°It depends on the division. It would have expected that percentage to be higher in the Ivy League and in Divisions two and three than in the rest of Division I. However, I believe it would have been higher at Power-Six schools than in mid-majors, sans Ivy League¡± Heather answers rather vaguely.


    ¡°Not now, Cora!¡± Carrie yells at Heather and Cora. ¡°Soon it¡¯s our turn to do our warm-ups in the court!¡±


    ¡°The most dangerous Cardinal is going to be Susan. Keep her off the ball as much as possible!¡± Kent reminds them of the basics, before they get on the court to warm up.


    Meanwhile, in the Cardinals¡¯ locker room, they sing a very different tune:


    ¡°Our priority, on defense, is to guard Heather at all times! Double-team her, especially if she¡¯s close to the paint!¡± the Cardinals¡¯ coach tells them.


    ¡°Coach, if we double-team Heather too much, we¡¯ll be trading away one big problem for an even bigger problem! Audrey, Cora will then be able to make a run for the rim!¡± Susan complains.


    ¡°Then guard Heather!¡±


    Lacassine¡¯s principal gets into position as the VAs are in the tunnel, ready to make their entrance on the court in purple and green. With Tyler and Hugh getting in position on one side of the court.


    ¡°Tonight¡¯s visitors, from Jefferson Davis Parish, the Venomous Agendas!¡± the principal announces as the VA players parade around in alphabetical order of last names.


    With Lilina on Pablo¡¯s right, and an older brother of a second-string player on Pablo¡¯s left, he is watching the VAs¡¯ starting five take up positions when the Cardinals get ready for the tip-off. And the scouts get seated in a separate section of the barn, out of reach of players¡¯ parents or other players themselves.


    The tip-off begins with Heather facing the opposing center, which she wins handily. Heather dribbles down the court, screened by Lacassine¡¯s power forward. In so doing, she feels forced to pass to Audrey, who dashes towards the paint, with the Cardinals¡¯ big attempting to block her line of shooting.


    However, Audrey evades the Cardinals¡¯ big and lays up from the other side of the rim, leaping to shoot the ball. Which narrowly misses, but Heather is already in position to catch the rebound. And yet Susan is dashing towards her, in hopes of catching the rebound.


    A split-second later, the ball lands in Heather¡¯s hands, but she is double-teamed by Susan and the Cardinals¡¯ small forward. After stepping out of their way, sideways, she shoots a three-pointer. The ball spirals its way into the hoop, and the Cardinals¡¯ point guard picks it up.


    Dribbling the ball at full speed, the opposing point guard seems to hesitate between passing options. On the one hand, Heather seems to block the opponent¡¯s passing line to Susan, on the other, Cora and Audrey are caught in a game of cat-and-mouse with their counterparts.


    Carrie attempts to block the point guard¡¯s line of shooting, causing her to try and find an opening. Seeing her passing options blocked, the Cardinals¡¯ PG decides to shoot from the three. Which narrowly misses, but their power forward catches the ball close to the rim, before passing to Susan.


    Damn it! [Heather] Campbell is seemingly everywhere on defense for the Venomous Agendas tonight! The Golden Bears¡¯ scout starts taking notes on her defensive game. I came all the way to some rural school¡¯s barn because, somehow, our previous commit at center proved to lack development and hence projected to become a marginal player, and we cut her off. However, we need a big solution that would have good enough grades and have the required talent, and bigs with a 4.0+ A-G GPA as well as power conference-caliber talent just aren¡¯t very common. Heather is our last chance to snag that big before it¡¯s too late!


    And yet, for some reason, this game is kept close because Susan and the Cardinals¡¯ forwards, both small and power, kept scoring, as did the VAs. Especially Heather and Audrey, who both played their best game.


    Here, Cora gets fouled by the Cardinals¡¯ big and takes an elbow hit, interfering with a mid-range jump shot, and causing her to fall. Because Lacassine commits its sixth foul of the first quarter, with a few seconds to go, and the quarter tied, Cora is awarded two free throws.


    ¡°Cora, here¡¯s your chance to bust Lacassine¡¯s debt ceiling!¡± Pablo shouts in Cora¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Debt Ceiling! Debt Ceiling!¡± Lilina shouts in Cora¡¯s direction.


    The Cardinals¡¯ fans are bewildered by VA fans even hearing the words debt ceiling at a basketball game, much less in reference to a specific player.


    Debt ceiling? Why did I hear these words at a basketball game of all places? Is that my new nickname among the VAs¡¯ fanbase? Cora seems to feel that something¡¯s not right in her mind as she takes her first free throw of the night. Which goes in, but not without the ball spiraling into the hoop.


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    During the second free throw, which is much cleaner than the first, and also goes in, some Lacassine fan questions Lilina about why the VAs would even nickname a player Debt Ceiling.


    ¡°Debt Ceiling? Never in my life would I have imagined a basketball player even being nicknamed as such...¡± a Lacassine fan asks from behind Lilina.


    ¡°Ballista and Carrier are other nicknames we use for other players. What makes Debt Ceiling unusual to you?¡± Lilina asks.


    Speaking of Ballista and Carrier, Audrey blocks a shot from Susan, dribbles the ball down the court, and passes it along to Carrie when the opponents double-team her. But then Carrie shoots from downtown, narrowly misses a three-pointer.


    By that point, Audrey catches the rebound, moves around the paint to shoot, with only one second left to the quarter. And... the shot goes in, bringing VA into a 4-point lead as the buzzer rings the end of the quarter.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s my Ballista!¡± Pablo tells Lilina, referring to Audrey, before turning to the Cardinals fan who asked them about Debt Ceiling earlier. ¡°Let¡¯s say that AP US Government is Cora¡¯s best AP course¡±


    ¡°Ballista as a nickname for a basketball player is one thing, but VA seems to pride itself on academics a bit too much! Are all VA players brainiacs like... Cora?¡±


    ¡°No. Only three you could call such¡±


    Meanwhile, at Lacassine¡¯s bench, the Cardinals¡¯ coach isn¡¯t very happy with how the quarter ended.


    ¡°By committing three fouls, you caused the Venomous Agendas to get into the bonus zone and hence take the lead! You¡¯re benched!¡± the coach yells at their big, before turning to their starting power forward. ¡°You will play down the center, guard Heather...¡±


    ¡°Coach, what¡¯s the debt ceiling?¡± the Cardinals¡¯ big asks, her ears ringing. ¡°I kept hearing about it after that foul!¡±


    ¡°Is Debt Ceiling a codename for a player?¡± the starting power forward asks, clueless about federal politics.


    ¡°No. However; try to avoid fouling number twenty-three!¡± the coach hollers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what the debt ceiling is after the game!¡± Susan tells her teammates.


    We don¡¯t need a big for next season, and hence Heather is of no interest to the Green Wave, but, for a while now, I had Audrey pegged as a walk-on. It¡¯s a little premature to put her in scholarship territory, though, Tulane¡¯s scout takes notes on Audrey, while Cora might have just entered what he called ¡°walk-on territory¡±.


    But what becomes clear is that both VA leads have seen a rise in their basketball talent over the summer and fall that can be summarized in one word: meteoric.


    However, what becomes clear that, by getting their big out of play after one quarter, Lacassine only shuffled their weak spot around since the second-string power forward proves not to be that great, just with fewer fouls being charged. In turn, this made the VAs change their game, where they instead focus on blocking and the ball on defense over trying to win them over with physicality and steals. Which made the opponent take fewer free throws. More like both sides, really.


    And, by half-time, it became clear that both Audrey and Heather were the primary offensive options for the VAs, while Lacassine had one good option in Susan and more ¡°okay¡± ones.


    Speaking of half-time, in the visitors¡¯ locker room, Kent is visibly not the happiest camper.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let up, ladies, this game is still wide open. However, I¡¯m unhappy with the contribution of some of you, namely, Vanessa. For the second half of the game, you will be benched, and Tamara will take your place!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it seems like the first half of this game revolves too much around Audrey and Heather!¡± Vanessa voices her discontent with her teammates.


    ¡°As much as you feel like the game revolves too much around me or Audrey, our opponents make the same mistake of making their game revolve too much around a few key players!¡± Heather vents to her teammates.


    ¡°Carrie, how does it feel to be playing point guard rather than small forward?¡± Audrey asks.


    ¡°I have better spacing as point guard than I ever had as small forward! And then I can contribute to the team more without feeling pressured to close in on the paint!¡±


    And, with how tight the game remains, it seems like both sides make their starters eat massive amounts of minutes, only cycling players in and out when they show clear signs of fatigue. The intensity of the game is such that signs of fatigue accumulate faster than they would have liked.


    Did I eat too many minutes for my own good? A winded, sweaty Audrey pants as she waits for the opportunity to return to the bench. And before she makes it to the bench, Lacassine¡¯s big collides with her as the opposing big comes back to play. And attempts to block Tamara¡¯s shot.


    Yet, for some reason, there is no foul called on Lacassine¡¯s big since she wasn¡¯t deemed to have interfered with Tamara. A Tamara who scores her first three-pointer as a VA on the same occasion.


    ¡°Ballista, you played your best basketball tonight, but playing at that level drains you¡± Pablo tells Audrey from behind the VAs¡¯ bench.


    It seems like, as the fatigue levels on both sides increase, their focus decrease and they can¡¯t seem to pass or shoot the ball as accurately as they did earlier in the game. Which means the ball gets out of bounds more often, too.


    But because they could feel the intensity of the game, it keeps everyone on their seats. Even when both teams, led by Heather and Susan respectively, are trading points back and forth, alongside with the lead. Even when the players play a game of musical chairs in the fourth quarter. How much of a home advantage does Lacassine have over VA to play such a tight game? Pablo muses while he watches this relentless game of accidental out-of-bounds and substitutions play out.


    And yet, after yet another fatigue-impaired pass results in the ball going out of bounds again, the VAs inbound the ball and Vanessa catches it. Vanessa dribbles down the court, and, with the clock ticking on her, leaps in the air, near the three-point line, and shoots the ball. Which leaves the shooting guard¡¯s hands a split-second before the buzzer rings.


    At that point, the ball is in its downward descent, hits the backboard and then spirals into the hoop. Much to the annoyance of the Cardinals¡¯ fans, Vanessa scored a three-pointer of a buzzer-beater.


    ¡°And the Venomous Agendas win, sixty-eight to sixty-five!¡± the scorekeeper announces.


    ¡°Way to go, Vanessa!¡± Carrie tells her before returning to the locker room, while scouts frantically look for their respective target players.


    ¡°We all gave our all tonight!¡± Kent then turns to Heather. ¡°And certainly you. Your problem, Heather, is that you tend to lose focus in the classroom on game days!¡±


    ¡°Fine...¡± Heather sighs.


    The Golden Bears'' scout (i.e. Berkeley''s) then texts Heather before she could even shower.


    "I wished we would have met under better circumstances, but unforeseen circumstances forced our hands. The good news is, you''re offered a full scholarship to Berkeley. And you might even visit Berkeley, all expenses paid, but you need to notify us what works for you"


    "One question: how much playing time should I expect?"


    I understand that Berkeley has serious issues if they are making the effort to see me play in person with less than two weeks left for me to even apply there! Am I somehow the solution to their big problem? Yes, I played well, and I won''t deny it. Especially not with 29 points and 10 rebounds. But one stellar game does not make someone a Power-6 prospect! Heather struggles to process what''s happening.


    "Final determination of your expected range of playing time will be contingent on how you perform during your visit!" the scout texts her.


    Meanwhile, the scouts from Dartmouth and Tulane both text Audrey, while Susan is busy dealing with the W&M scout.


    "On behalf of the Tulane Green Wave, I hereby extend a scholarship offer to you"


    "You should also consider attending Dartmouth, too. I trust you understand the difference between playing in the Ivy League and the rest of Division I"


    Obviously, colleges jockey for positional needs. Somehow I had interest from Tulane and Dartmouth but no interest from Columbia or Berkeley, even though I had better grades than Heather! I played a good game, too, also a double-double. 20 points, 10 assists. These two colleges had big problems, whereas Dartmouth and Tulane have needs on the wings. It seems like W&M has holes in the backcourt, Audrey thinks of which scout was there for whom. Susan is probably going to play for the Tribe... She was the best Cardinals player tonight. And she''s also a straight-A student as well.


    Once Audrey emerges from the shower and then the locker room, she takes the time to talk about her basketball future with Pablo.


    ¡°Since I have offers from Dartmouth and Tulane, maybe you should consider asking whether you can walk on at either school¡± Audrey asks Pablo.


    ¡°Tulane I believe they weren¡¯t that great at my position historically. However, Dartmouth will probably give me anything remotely close to meaningful playing time. I won¡¯t fool myself: I don¡¯t think I can play for the Green Wave on a scholarship, I am not G-six material!¡±


    So Audrey and Heather both went from ¡°marginal Ivy Leaguers¡± to ¡°Power-6 material¡± on the court... Now that¡¯s what I call a meteoric rise! I¡¯ll be honest: I may as well be a marginal Ivy Leaguer from a purely football standpoint! Pablo is then reminded of Tulane¡¯s conference membership, and the American being, in football, a Group of 6 conference (a.k.a. a second-tier FBS conference) and a Power-6 in basketball.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the deal: if you play for Dartmouth, I will try what I can to play on the Big Green. After all, FCS DI, and Divisions Two and Three don¡¯t differ that much in football talent requirements, and I may as well give football a chance then¡±

 Chapter 56: The Basketball Teams’ Alternate Brainiac?

    On Tuesday, after the euphoria of being given a scholarship offer dies down, life goes on and their academic work continues. The quiz bowl team¡¯s prayers for a replacement player go unanswered: Warren searched high and low for a replacement player, but to no avail.


    Which is a fact that Warren makes clear to the two as they come out of the weight room prior to going their own ways.


    ¡°Although LQBA Winter is still weeks away, the B-team will be benched for this tournament if it remains shorthanded!¡± Warren warns the couple before they start asking questions.


    ¡°I knew the benefits of a full roster, but did you have any luck with underclassmen?¡± Audrey asks the coach.


    ¡°No luck with underclassmen, and rotating middle schoolers in and out of the high school B-team won¡¯t help! They¡¯re not ready for the social aspect of high school quiz bowl!¡±


    ¡°It seems like a lot of people who could potentially play already ate up their allowances under the Rule of Two¡± Pablo points out.


    By now it has become a chronic issue. As far back as 2024, where, one week before State, mental health issues got the best of a senior, and fights with the preexisting roster are common, Warren crosses his fingers, hoping that they won¡¯t fight over the search for quiz bowl reinforcements.


    ¡°I guess the rest of the team had no luck either, but rather than looking for all-around academic all-stars, maybe stardom in one specific area could be better than nothing¡­¡± Audrey points out.


    Pablo then texts Lilina and Nadine, as well as his football teammates, to look for people who, rather than being good all-around academically as they previously did (and often people in town assumed that quiz bowlers were) that they didn¡¯t previously ask, if they were good in at least one of the following: language arts, social studies and STEM, irrespective of skills in other areas. But he makes it clear that flaws in other areas are more acceptable now.


    Even with these new directives, Audrey still struggles to think of people she could feel would be willing to play quiz bowl for VA. I feel like we would stand a better chance with a non-senior, and potentially someone who might be willing to replace a spring sport with quiz bowl. Tanith might not be the most academically ambitious girl in the world, she then starts thinking about the B-team players¡¯ relative quiz bowling strengths. Then again, I¡¯m not 100% sure about what Cora can bring to the quiz bowling table that Tanith wouldn¡¯t. However, I think it¡¯s easier to give up on a sport when you already play another one, so I¡¯d say Cora is our best bet.


    ¡°Making Cora give up on track for quiz bowl might be a stretch but I believe it¡¯s our best bet¡± Audrey adds.


    ¡°My primary concern with Cora is that having multiple basketball players will cause us scheduling issues if, say, LQBA Winter, ESA Cade Cane Classic or, Heaven forbid, Mt. Carmel or Leesville, happened the same day as a basketball game¡± Warren voices his concerns before checking the LQBA schedule vs the girls¡¯ basketball team schedule.


    <hr>


    Later that day, after the rest of the team reports the same lack of success in finding a replacement player, even with the widened net, Warren gets to Cora¡¯s AP Bio section, which is also Lilina¡¯s.


    ¡°Cora, come see me please...¡± Warren looks in her direction.


    ¡°What is it now?¡± a visibly irritated Cora asks the teacher.


    ¡°The quiz bowl team has not been able to get a replacement for Myriam after mental health issues got the better of her¡± Lilina retorts.


    ¡°What makes you think that quiz bowl is a good fit for me?¡± Cora asks, rolling her eyes. ¡°I have my hands full with basketball for the rest of the winter, and track in the spring!¡±


    ¡°Your mind works very fast, and you learn very fast, too¡±


    ¡°How much of a time commitment does quiz bowl take?¡±


    ¡°You have maybe three quiz bowl tournaments left this season, perhaps four if someone else gets injured in such a way that they can¡¯t play at State...¡±


    ¡°I think I need to talk about this to my parents before I decide between quiz bowl and track!¡±


    Oh boy... This is seventh grade all over again. Back then, I was, like Audrey, torn between people encouraging me to do different things: basketball because I was tall for my age, quiz bowl because of my brains, and Kent actually referred me to the quiz bowl team, too! But Audrey and Nadine both beat the daylights out of me in quiz bowl back then, and still will today, Cora gets a flashback of these days.


    When she returns home after the basketball practice, Cora has a lot to process. Around the dinner table with her parents...


    ¡°The AP Bio teacher wants me to be a backup quiz bowler, but playing quiz bowl would mean giving up on track!¡± Cora starts talking.


    ¡°Honey, you picked track because you feel like you would reap some sort of basketball benefit from track!¡± Cora¡¯s mom points out.


    ¡°Yeah, you got faster, you ran the opening leg of the VAs¡¯ four by four hundred, and you dabbled in both long and high jump, but it¡¯s obvious that, even during track season, your athletic attention was split between basketball and track!¡± Cora¡¯s dad is reminded of the painful reality of her teammates.


    ¡°Do you have any idea of which one between quiz bowl or track is more cost-effective?¡± Cora¡¯s mom asks her.


    ¡°You never told me about the costs of track!¡± Cora protests. ¡°However, from what I heard about the costs of quiz bowl, it¡¯s like driving to five or six one-day track meets per year¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s about the same in travel as a bad track season. On the other hand, you wouldn¡¯t need to replace these track cleats anymore¡­¡± Cora¡¯s mom answers her.


    However, my daughter doesn¡¯t expect to be playing at the HSNCT. Not that it would have mattered, Cora¡¯s mom starts wondering about the costs of quiz bowl vs track.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad we dodged a financial bullet by not letting you compete in debate freshman year! On top of that, the debate season would have interfered with basketball! Much more than quiz bowl¡± Cora¡¯s dad sighs.


    ¡°But Dad, rather than telling me the debate team was too expensive, you believed freshman year that I wasn¡¯t equipped for the topics debaters deal with! Yet, this group project in AP US Government had us make our own campaign platforms, and hence deal with these same topics! We all volunteered for the campaigns of whoever we most felt like supporting!¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, January first can¡¯t come soon enough!¡± Cora¡¯s dad sighs, even though he knew that she could actually handle the rigors of that course.


    ¡°Quiz bowl would allow us to save some money, compared to track, but what benefits would it provide you that track wouldn¡¯t?¡± Cora¡¯s mom asks both.


    ¡°Alternatively, where do you see track in your future?¡±


    ¡°I see track as secondary to basketball, but quiz bowl as distinct¡±


    I feel like Cora put too many eggs in the basketball basket. If basketball fails, what does she have? Her extracurricular record might be enough for LSU, or Tulane if she EDs there, but is too heavily skewed towards the athletic, Cora¡¯s dad starts to realize that maybe Cora should stop treating basketball as her sole ticket for college.


    ¡°Quiz bowl, as far as I saw it, as far back as when you were in seventh grade, seems to be about absorbing lots of useless info. The question then becomes: would quiz bowl help you with college?¡± Cora¡¯s dad fumes against his daughter.


    ¡°I¡¯m smarter than you give me credit for! You let me take AP courses though¡±


    ¡°You have good grades, yes, but the only reason why I let you take AP courses is because it reduces your debt burden down the road! Contingent on getting certain scores on the corresponding AP tests!¡± Cora¡¯s dad yells at her.


    ¡°What did Warren see in you that made him want you to play quiz bowl? You might have an A in AP Bio, but why you and not others in that course?¡± the small forward¡¯s mom asks her.


    ¡°I already have quiz bowlers with me in that class, Gerard, Lilina and Nadine! They all have As in that course, too! He was looking for a replacement player for weeks, and it¡¯s not just about memory or brains alone! Do you have any idea of where past VA quiz bowlers went to college, dad?¡±


    ¡°They went to the HSNCT, they had better stats than you, not sure there¡¯s really a comparable to you!¡±


    ¡°But even as far back as seventh grade, I was suggested to give quiz bowl a try! And by the basketball coach no less! On top of that, you said it so yourself that quiz bowl was less expensive than track!¡±


    Damn it! Audrey never discussed quiz bowl much with me, but if Susan over at Lacassine believed even Heather could be a viable quiz bowler, when no one in their right mind at VA would make her play quiz bowl... I am not even sure what made Kent refer both me and Audrey to the quiz bowl team when I was taking seventh grade social studies with him! Cora¡¯s forehead seems to overheat.


    ¡°Just play quiz bowl, honey. Your body has accumulated too much mileage between track, AAU and varsity hoops!¡± Cora¡¯s mom tells her.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready to go from being among the best intellectually to a world where you¡¯re much closer to the bottom! It can be a traumatic experience, and you¡¯ll experience it at some point in college! Or in basketball if you actually make it to some Division I roster, and both if you end up playing in the Ivy League!¡± Cora¡¯s dad scolds his daughter. ¡°Better experience it now than in college!¡±


    ¡°Fine, I will play quiz bowl, but that¡¯s only to let my body recover!¡±


    Now I have a better idea of why I didn¡¯t play as well as I would have liked last night: my body wasn¡¯t given sufficient recovery! Cora sighs, before resuming her homework and other coursework for the day. I guess, some seventh or eighth-grader will replace me in the 4x400 this season¡­


    The following morning, Cora meets with Audrey before they set off for their classes, fresh out of the weight room, and makes a confession to her.


    ¡°My body started feeling the crushing weight of years of intense sports. This was why I didn¡¯t play as well as I hoped against Lacassine¡± Cora weeps while Malcolm gets out of his locker room. ¡°I think I should give up on track!¡±


    ¡°Cora, you can¡¯t give up on track and blame it for one bad game!¡± Malcolm exhorts her. ¡°You scored two free throws, though¡±


    ¡°I was still decent at dribbling the ball to the paint, and maybe pick up a rebound or two, but that¡¯s all I was good for that night! No, Malcolm, I think my body is showing signs of fatigue. Perhaps playing quiz bowl could ease the pressure on my body¡±


    ¡°I knew you were smart, but not necessarily smart enough to play on the quiz bowl team!¡± Malcolm gasps, surprised at the suggestion.


    ¡°Malcolm, how smart do you think quiz bowlers need to be?¡± Cora asks Malcolm.


    ¡°Think of Audrey and the people she plays quiz bowl with¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn¡­ the freaking brainiac of the hoops teams! Even she is a middle-of-the-pack player in the context of this quiz bowl team, to say nothing of Nadine or Lilina, whom I have in AP Bio, and quiz bowl focuses on one aspect!¡±


    ¡°You could be stronger in a different intellectual area that isn¡¯t sports-related, and you just keep it to yourself!¡± Audrey adds. ¡°Same holds of me, too¡­¡±


    Grades have their limits. I am painfully aware of how I differ from these two. In how I think, in how I approach learning, and Cora, too, Audrey starts thinking about how Cora might struggle to find her footing as a quiz bowler.


    Speaking of quiz bowl, before their next practice of the week, on Thursday, Audrey has one warning to issue to Pablo before the practice begins, however.


    ¡°Pablo, I know that you don¡¯t seem to get along with Cora, but please don¡¯t quarrel with her during quiz bowl practices. We¡¯re in a tight spot right now on the buzzer, but the coach invited her to join the team for a reason¡±


    ¡°Of course not. However, you probably mean, the B-team is in a tight spot. And, of course, because she¡¯s on the B-team, I won¡¯t play with her much, at least not in the short term¡± Pablo feels awfully confident that Cora won¡¯t somehow outplay either him or Audrey.


    They then kiss each other before Warren explains the rules of quiz bowl to Cora, and introduce her to the remaining quiz bowlers.


    ¡°Today, a new player has joined the quiz bowl team. As I tell new players, I always say that quiz bowl is not school, and, while being good at school helps, you¡¯re not graded. And, don¡¯t worry about not performing well right out of the gate. Also, this season, there are no further tournaments expected to interfere with basketball games¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Cora, like Audrey, I also play on the basketball team, as a small forward¡±


    ¡°Yeah, while the VA community tended to make people feel like students with good grades are the foundation to build a quiz bowl team upon, just doing well in class is not the end of the story¡± Lilina tells her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that, while you do know some things, there are some other people who get the same grades as even you but stick to prescribed content. You can get the B-team to the HSNCT, it¡¯s a matter of knowing where your interests lie, and reading accordingly¡± Nadine advises the rookie quiz bowler.


    It seems like a lot of the lower-ranked teams, the Leesvilles, Kinders of this world, hit the wall of needing to know stuff outside of schoolwork to succeed. Yes, the amount of work to put in does come into play, and it often seems like our opponents strap together high-GPA kids with no real thought. However, I think Cora¡¯s athletic background would make her a serviceable choice since she¡¯s more used to not getting everything always done right, Warren muses while he takes Cora to explain the rules of quiz bowl to her. And run down sample quiz bowl questions of varying difficulty and types, tossups and bonuses.


    In the meantime, Nadine moderates the drill between the other remaining high schoolers, three on three. Nadine seemingly burns through a packet before Cora is done being lectured about the basics of quiz bowl.


    At the end of the practice, during which Warren asked the others to give Cora a chance to buzz in, Audrey and Cora come together to ask a few questions about her experience of quiz bowl practice.


    ¡°Cora, how do you feel about quiz bowl now that you have a better idea of what it¡¯s about?¡± Audrey asks her teammate.


    ¡°Stuff asked in these packets feels much more obscure than what we learn in class¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, just make sure you have realistic expectations. However, it goes to show that maybe we¡¯re not that different¡±

 Chapter 57: Pelekie Zirni of Love

    In the meantime, the sports lovers see an improvement to both basketball teams, with the boys, while not being the best, and the girls¡¯ basketball team, led by Heather, dominating the 3A district 3 and with Cora playing better, alongside Audrey. However, the VA fanbase still had its attention torn between basketball, mathletics and quiz bowl.


    By the end of LQBA Winter, in which the A-team wins, and the B-team still fell short of a HSNCT berth, Pablo and Audrey come together as they return home from the tournament.


    ¡°Because our pre-calculus semester final is on Monday, I¡¯d say that we study for it tonight, at my place. I also invited a few of my football teammates to study for it, even though they¡¯re no longer playing, I owe that to them¡±


    ¡°Who exactly?¡± Audrey asks.


    ¡°Finn, Heath and Orson. Finn will also bring Carrie along. And I will prepare dinner for you tonight as well; they will come after dinner!¡± Pablo answers his girlfriend.


    When they return from Southside, an hour later, the coach drops them off at Pablo¡¯s home. After they enter Pablo¡¯s home:


    ¡°While I¡¯m busy cooking dinner, please study whatever you think you need most outside of pre-calc¡­¡± Pablo instructs Audrey.


    ¡°This means AP US Government. This is on Monday, too, but everyone else in that course seem to study for it on their own¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, some football players expressed interest in taking it in winter¡± Pablo tells her while he peels the onions for dinner.


    As Pablo prepares the onions for dicing, he then prepares to boil over chickpeas while they review the earlier stages of AP US Government together.


    ¡°What were the main problems with the Articles of Confederation that the Constitution sought to solve?¡± Audrey asks him while Pablo is preparing the bacon.


    ¡°It made the government too decentralized, making it dependent on the states for funding, while also being unable to regulate trade, foreign policy and the military. And Tanith broke our ears about the history of Congress, but any measure required a supermajority of nine votes to pass, and amending the Articles required unanimous consent¡±


    ¡°What solutions were given out?¡± Pablo¡¯s dad, clueless about that area of US history, asks the couple.


    Then the couple talks about various aspects of the Constitutional Convention that several Federalist Papers attempted to address individually: checks and balances, bill of rights, judicial review to name the main ones.


    ¡°What do you mean, Tanith broke you guys¡¯ ears about the history of Congress?¡± Pablo¡¯s mom asks the couple. ¡°Also, what did the Convention do about Congress?¡±


    ¡°The Connecticut Compromise is the basis of today¡¯s Congress, with the House being allocated seats by population, and the Senate with two votes each per state¡± Audrey answers the question of Pablo¡¯s mom.


    ¡°When I said Tanith broke our ears, she kept yakking about all of what that implies for the Tenth Amendment, senatorial filibustering, gridlock and the like¡± Pablo answers his mom.


    Shoot! It¡¯s only now that I realize that I had a role in creating a social studies monster! Playing Congress did the rest, Pablo keeps to himself while he is cooking the bacon prior to dicing.


    Cooking the bacon had the consequence of leaving some fat as it melted, so he had to ensure he had just enough fat to cook minced onions with as he continues to review the material of the course, such as civil rights and freedoms, media and campaign financing.


    ¡°From the looks of it, this semester¡¯s AP US Government section appears to be one of the strongest in recent memory¡± Pablo¡¯s dad comments on his son¡¯s description of life in the course.


    ¡°How could you even gauge the strength of a given section? Do you discuss that sort of stuff with parents of other football players? There were only two footballers in my section!¡± Pablo¡¯s face turns red as he finishes stirring the onions in the skillet.


    As much as it might be the most competitive academic environment in southwest Louisiana, never in my life I would have imagined someone outside school personnel to keep track of year-on-year section-level performance in a course! It may very well be a strong section in VA¡¯s context, but he doesn¡¯t have access to the data, Pablo sighs while he sprinkled cilantro on a pot containing his pelekie zirni.


    ¡°Last time I ever heard about such things happening in AP US Government, VA was in the running for the debate nationals. Right now, we aren¡¯t, even with Tanith steadily improving¡± Pablo¡¯s dad retorts.


    ¡°How common was it for past football players to even take AP US Government in the first place? I never asked them for help in that course, but we never talked about coursework except when someone needed help! George could always ask Lilina whenever he needed help in it¡±


    ¡°Much more often than other APs, at least outside of language arts¡±


    ¡°Dinner is ready!¡± Pablo then sets the table with the pelekie zirni pot in the center.


    ¡°Yay! Pelekie zirni!¡± Audrey exclaims upon helping herself to pelekie zirni.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Pelekie zirni? What is the meaning of this?¡± Pablo¡¯s mom asks her son, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say that Aija gave the whole team the recipe for it after her team lost that playoff game, and then I gave it to him after he ate it¡± Audrey explains to Pablo¡¯s parents.


    ¡°There is no name for this dish in English, so we both call it by its Latvian name!¡±


    Ah yes, the Courland Basket. She must have given the recipe to the mother of the host family as well; Audrey is reminded of the person who even gave her the recipe.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little bland¡­¡± Pablo¡¯s dad tells him.


    ¡°No added salt; the bacon is already salty enough as it is, and better too little salt than too much. I know that salt-free restaurants are commercially viable, but the problem is the law¡±


    ¡°Pablo, on what level is the law the problem with salt-free restaurants?¡± Pablo¡¯s dad asks.


    ¡°Jurisprudence to be exact, but food labeling was the core issue in the court case that led to salt-free restaurants being ruled illegal to run¡±


    And it¡¯s viable because the customers with the money these days tend to lean older and may not be able to cook as they used to, Pablo¡¯s mom starts thinking about the economics of healthy restaurants. They can say their food is healthy without telling customers why.


    ¡°Even though it may not necessarily be that salty, do you like it otherwise?¡± Pablo asks Audrey. ¡°I knew you liked pelekie zirni¡±


    ¡°As you told your parents, better low-salt than high-salt. Probably our lives as athletes doing that to the both of us¡±


    After they are done eating the pelekie zirni, they kiss each other before the bell rings. Now you know about how I even cooked pelekie zirni in the first place, Pablo, Audrey starts thinking while the kiss is interrupted by the doorbell being rung.


    ¡°Hi Carrie, hi Finn!¡± Pablo greets the two inside, not having seen Finn outside of school after the defensive end broke his leg against Iowa. He¡¯s still in crutches¡­


    Carrie can¡¯t help but feel like Finn must be cautious so as to not jeopardize his recovery, even though he¡¯s in the later stages.


    ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t play football anymore, all I could do is buckle down and study. Carrie dragged me here¡± Finn then has Carrie help him into the house.


    And then comes Heath and Orson, the other people taking pre-calculus who asked for Pablo¡¯s help in that area. As they get into the living room:


    ¡°Before we begin, I believe you need to address your biggest weaknesses. What do you guys feel like you struggle most with?¡±


    ¡°Trigonometry and vectors!¡± Carrie tells the couple, before reading review problems.


    It seems like the other two also struggle with that area of pre-calculus. I guess, better start from the top, Pablo starts with the very basics of trigonometry, what sohcahtoa means, and all students take chemistry (or calculus, depending on the version).


    ¡°Best advice to tackle trig identity problems: reduce the initial terms to sines and cosines first!¡± Pablo adds.


    ¡°What to do when you want to deal with a plus or minus one outside a fraction and you have a fraction?¡± Heath asks them.


    ¡°You can always see the one as simply the numerator is the same as the denominator¡± Audrey tells Heath before he goes any further.


    Which makes it easier for Heath to tackle trig identity problems, but Carrie has another set of issues, when she gets to another problem. Which is about inverse trig functions.


    ¡°Is arc tan the same as tan to the minus one?¡± Carrie asks, confused about the review problems on inverse trig functions. ¡°Sometimes I see a problem asking for arc tan and tan to the minus one at others¡±


    ¡°On your calculator, or phone, it will say sin, cos or tan to the minus one, but what it will really calculate isn¡¯t some quantity you can multiply by the sine, cosine or tangent respectively and you¡¯ll then get one¡± Audrey attempts to explain to Carrie.


    ¡°I really hope that they will be consistent about x to the minus one and arc x on the exam¡­¡± Orson sighs, when he is also faced with the same issue.


    ¡°When in doubt about notation, class notes have priority over exercises, especially since the exercises appear to be drawn from different sources¡± Pablo tries to clear up the confusion, showing a past exam from the same instructor.


    ¡°So it seems like sin, cos or tan to the minus one is the same as arc sin, arc cos or arc tan respectively¡± a bulb flashes in Carrie¡¯s mind. ¡°Now I see where my issues lie!¡±


    Then they keep working on some inverse trig function problems, along with other trig stuff. But then, as they work through a review problem on vectors, they start wondering if there¡¯s anything wrong.


    ¡°So we¡¯re given an initial speed of thirty meters per second in the x direction, but they only give us a force in the x direction, while we¡¯re given an acceleration in the y direction!¡± Finn complains about the problem¡¯s lack of clarity. ¡°How are we to deal with the horizontal force?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m lost!¡± Carrie adds.


    ¡°On that count, if you want the acceleration in the x direction, are we given a mass? If so, divide the force by the mass!¡± Pablo asks Finn.


    ¡°I wonder if anyone here is taking physics, this starts sounding far too much like a physics problem!¡± Heath complains.


    ¡°OK, for the record, here are some equations that would be of use for that sort of problems¡± Audrey then shows the four some equations from the AP Physics textbook in use at VA that are relevant to the problem.


    More specifically, the velocity and position of an object if the acceleration and initial velocity are known. They are made to feel like they are learning kinematics together. And, to a lesser extent, dynamics.


    ¡°Now we understand better what vectors are used for. Motion¡­¡± Heath sighs.


    ¡°There are times when a math notion makes much more sense when you learn something that uses it outside of a math course. Like, you know, composite interest earlier this year for exponentials and logarithms, and kinematics now¡­¡± Finn comments on his learning of math.


    ¡°Yeah, the teacher kind of took for granted that we could learn Newton¡¯s Second Law in parallel!¡± Orson laments and then sighs.


    They then keep doing pre-calculus, with an emphasis on the interplay between trigonometry and vectors. With a little bit of vector geometry to top it off.


    Once the four leave their home, after Orson paid $40 to the couple to help them, they feel like something is off.


    ¡°Why is it that you never seem to invite me over to help the male basketball players with their coursework, while there were times during the football season where you would come to the football team¡¯s aid? Notwithstanding the difference in roster sizes of course¡± Pablo asks.


    ¡°You said it so yourself that roster sizes made a difference. This year, especially after Cora started playing quiz bowl, Cora seemed to have been around the boys¡¯ team more¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± the cold, hard truth of Cora¡¯s romantic life resurfaces in Pablo¡¯s mind. ¡°She¡¯s dating Malcolm, and he¡¯s the starting point guard! Speaking of which, he¡¯s good on the block and rebound, but not very good with the ball, so if he has any kind of future in sport, I¡¯d say it¡¯s going to be as a FS¡±


    ¡°Now there are two brainiacs playing hoops for VA, Cora and me! However, I feel like she traded away the physical rigors of track for pressure to get the VAs¡¯ a second HSNCT berth!¡± Audrey exclaims. ¡°How cute of you to prepare pelekie zirni and make your parents sample it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit late to tell me that¡­¡±

 Chapter 58: Pressure Cooker

    February 10, 2031. As with last year, the VAs assemble both basketball teams in the band room for the basketball playoff bracket release. However, both basketball teams are much improved this season around, so they have good reason to be optimistic.


    First the boys, who went 15-11 and 4-2 in district play. And, of course, the girls, led by Heather, who went 24-2, undefeated in district play. So while VA might have partially reversed its post-pandemic athletic misfortunes, how much pressure they will face on the court will depend on the playoff bracket release.


    With a good number of guests from both teams, the playoff bracket release session begins in earnest:


    ¡°For those in their first season playing basketball for VA, for playoff purposes, we are in Division II non-select¡± Kent explains to both teams and their guests.


    After the Division I boys¡¯ playoff brackets are released, the boys¡¯ basketball players are all turned to the band room¡¯s screen:


    ¡°And the Venomous Agendas will begin the boys¡¯ basketball Division II non-select state tournament¡­¡± Jabari, the boys¡¯ basketball coach, announces with Tyler rolling the drum. ¡°At home, with the fourteenth seed, we will be playing the Minden Crimson Tide!¡±


    The boys¡¯ basketball players, especially the veterans, jump in joy when they learn that they actually made the playoffs. So many years of pandemic damage have finally been repaired! The boys¡¯ basketball coach muses, while the other boys¡¯ brackets, as well as the girls¡¯ Division I brackets, are being shown.


    When the girls¡¯ Division II non-select playoff bracket is released¡­


    ¡°And the Venomous Agendas have gotten a first-round bye for the girls¡¯ basketball Division II non-select state tournament, by virtue of being the first seed!¡± Kent announces to the girls¡¯ team.


    ¡°We both have a quiz bowl tournament on Saturday morning!¡± Audrey pleads with the coach, referring to Leesville.


    ¡°One starter missing might still be passable, but two starters missing means the Saturday morning practice must be cancelled!¡± Kent announces to the girls.


    ¡°Our window to win is closing this year, and every practice counts!¡± Heather yells at the pair. ¡°Because of you two playing quiz bowl, we will be at a disadvantage going into the second round!¡±


    ¡°Heather, please! I understand how important the tournament is to you, but don¡¯t yell at us because of us playing quiz bowl!¡± Audrey tells her teammates. ¡°You think our opponents don¡¯t have overscheduled players?¡±


    ¡°It depends¡± Heather responds.


    Because of basketball¡¯s bracket release, the quiz bowl practice starts a little late. However, everyone comes to a grim realization, especially the B-team players, who by then know that, it they want to make it to the HSNCT, they have one chance left. Pablo senses that Gerard is a little down by the end of the practice.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Gerard?¡±


    ¡°I thought I could escape the spotlight by focusing on mathletics; turns out that¡¯s not the case! The B-team is feeling the heat and I feel it too!¡± Gerard starts crying.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Your teammates improved some; they were freshmen that just needed time to adapt to the high school game. Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself, nor on Cora! Admittedly she¡¯s the least experienced, but I¡¯m sure she has improved some, too!¡±


    The freshmen on the team finished thirteenth at the MSNCT; they will want to avenge the ESA Cade Cane Classic, where they finished fifth, one spot shy of the HSNCT, Gerard ruminates.


    ¡°Because the town knows we couldn¡¯t have gotten deep into the Math Madness playoffs without depth players, the town knows who can contribute on the math team and who can¡¯t!¡± Lilina attempts to reason with Gerard. ¡°You attended the HSNCT, you know what¡¯s required to get there, and it¡¯s a team-wide effort!¡±


    ¡°I tried to pick up as much slack as possible in the past three months. However, because of my basketball obligations, I can only do so much!¡± Cora adds, while she starts crying. ¡°But Pablo is right: I did improve as a quiz bowler! To be honest, guys, I am not sure how Audrey can even cope with being a starter in both basketball and quiz bowl! Track flew under the radar, no one really cared about the four by four hundred!¡±


    Cora is still the worst player on the B-team, but not by much. If she ends up out-playing me at Leesville, so be it, Gerard feels a little down.


    ¡°If getting to the HSNCT means we should study from collegiate packets until Leesville, so be it!¡± a freshman on the B-team shouts at Gerard.


    ¡°I¡¯d say, we study from the Penn Bowl set we played against DCC last season, the last ACF Nationals, and other sets VA alums wrote for!¡± Nadine suggests to the B-team.


    ¡°Stop! You¡¯re stressing me out with the HSNCT! I get it, we¡¯re in it to win...¡± Gerard sighs while his headaches mount, and Nadine distributes the links to the sets. ¡°But we need to be in the right mental state to study! Right now I am not!¡±


    If only I could fly under the radar, like Tanith, who, despite making it to the semifinals at Isidore Newman, albeit finished last in the semis, and, from that point, taking the captaincy of the debate team, still flew under the town¡¯s radar¡­ Gerard sighs before returning home.


    Obviously, Audrey and Cora are both wondering how much time they can devote to quiz bowl studying, especially when college scouts are likely to show up again if VA makes it as deep as the semifinals or, better still, the final. And hence feel the need to play well on the court in the coming weeks.


    With Taylor and Charlotte replaced by Cora and, well, shooting guards by committee, we don¡¯t need to fear no Wossman! Even though Tamara and Vanessa are both track athletes who happen to be playing basketball, Audrey ruminates on what awaits her on the court, before meeting up with Pablo again.


    ¡°Lately, it seems like Cora is working herself to the bone, and trading track for quiz bowl amounted to exchanging poisons. On the other hand, you don¡¯t seem too stressed out about quiz bowl¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems like key people in your life are stressed out lately or are stressing you out. Heather, Cora being the main ones¡±


    ¡°Heather¡­ Heather! She feels like one Saturday morning practice can mean the difference between winning Division II Non-Select-State and losing our first playoff game! She might exaggerate a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess, better vent to me now than to suffer outbursts of anger in a crucial game, quiz bowl or basketball!¡±


    ¡°I really hope Gerard realizes that, in college, he will have more anonymity than he has now. Especially since he¡¯s by no means a star mathlete, nor quiz bowler. Some of our quiz bowl opponents might envy us because they are tired of not having any recognition. However, Gerard has shown us the dark side of small-town star systems¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know, small-town fanaticism puts everyone with any real talent that can be used for interscholastic activities under a microscope and¡­¡±


    ¡°But I think Gerard is playing a very dangerous game; he¡¯s essentially banking on Cora to carry him to the HSNCT, and hence on her taking the pressure off! But by doing so, he might break her!¡±


    I guess quiz bowl has priority for what to do outside of basketball practices and homework until Leesville ends¡­ Audrey sighs, before hugging each other, and then both return to homework as well as reading quiz bowl sets under Nadine¡¯s plan.

 Chapter 59: Quiz Fishbowl

    On Saturday morning, all the way to Leesville, it seems like the nerves got the better of both Cora and Gerard, seated in the latter¡¯s car. The same car as Pablo and Audrey. They are, once again, shaking in their seats as they are doing a last-ditch attempt to study from collegiate packets, with the more recent ones being given more weight.


    When they step off the car in Leesville High¡¯s parking lot, both seem to freeze in place. For months now, we were made to study from packets of ever-increasing difficulty. I really hope that it will lead us to play better... Cora ruminates as she gets out of the car, wearing her away, purple-and-green basketball kit.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re nervous, you have knots in your stomach, just put any notion of playing at the HSNCT aside¡± Gerard¡¯s dad tells the two.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t play at the HSNCT, this season won¡¯t be wasted¡± Audrey adds.


    ¡°You will have the next few days to focus on basketball. For now, just focus on quiz bowl!¡± Warren tells the two VA basketball players on the quiz bowl team.


    Speaking of basketball, our first playoff game is against Brusly. It should be very winnable, so, in the near term, quiz bowl is the most immediate concern, Audrey ruminates while she guides the other 3 to the auditorium.


    As they still shake and walk in slow motion, they have a hard time getting to the other VA players. They even needed some help to find their footing. Once the seeding is announced:


    ¡°No matter what happens, stay strong. We¡¯re not going to encroach on VA B until the second stage of the tournament!¡± Pablo then hugs Audrey.


    ¡°I really hope that we aren¡¯t in the group of death!¡± Cora starts praying.


    ¡°Group of death? Come again?¡± Gerard asks her, not knowing what a group of death is. ¡°Is this some basketball term?¡±


    ¡°A group of death is a group in a preliminary round that¡¯s much more competitive than the others¡± Cora answers.


    ¡°Normally, there shouldn¡¯t be a group of death in a quiz bowl tournament this late in the season. Early in the season, sure, the impact of players coming and going might throw off seeding based on last season¡¯s performance, and hence create a stronger group than expected¡± Warren explains to Cora to calm her nerves down, before accompanying the B-team to its game room.


    The A-team goes to their designated game room. Then the tournament begins, with the quiz bowlers arrayed on a row of desks, facing their opponents. The moderator working that game starts the game:


    ¡°This is round one of the 2031 Leesville Spring Invitational. From Jefferson Davis Parish, we have Venomous Agendas A, from Ouachita Parish, we have Wossman. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one¡±


    Just because Wossman is new to quiz bowl and they haven¡¯t earned a berth for quiz bowl-State doesn¡¯t mean we should underestimate them! This holds true in football, hoops or quiz bowl, Pablo then listens to the first clue. Which both teams are about to miss.


    ¡°Evidence supporting this theory includes magnetic striping from seafloor measurements of Earth¡¯s magnetic field¡±


    Oof... Is that the kind of question that will be asked of us at State? A Wildcat (i.e. Wossman¡¯s) player muses, while the second clue is read.


    ¡°Dissipation of heat from the mantle drives movement of the theory¡¯s namesake areas¡± the moderator reads.


    That sounds a lot like mantle convection, however mantle convection is a possible mechanism of the answer, Audrey starts thinking of what the answer could be, before Pablo buzzes in.


    ¡°Plate tectonics!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Unfortunately for Wossman, this game proves to be a total blowout. Already that it¡¯s one of the most lopsided games in LQBA history, since VA is leading by a whopping 665 points going into the final tossup.


    We¡¯re not going to be shut out, will we? Another desperate Wildcat sees his face turning redder (as much as a black person can turn red, anyway).


    ¡°Final tossup: Dave Mustaine was ejected from this band prior to the recording of its debut album over drug and alcohol abuse¡±


    Damn: I knew that music was often rife with drug and alcohol issues, and I knew these claimed the lives of several musicians¡­ Nadine ruminates, but appears hesitant to buzz in. The other three players seem not to know much about that area of musical history. Being kicked out of a band for that pales in comparison.


    ¡°Its debut album was renamed from Metal Up Your Ass over concerns about its offensive nature¡±


    Wossman¡¯s arts and literature player buzzes in, in a last-ditch attempt to evade a shutout. ¡°Metallica!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Woohoo! Our first points in the game! A reinvigorated Wildcat feels better even though the game itself is a foregone conclusion.


    And yet, Wossman somehow manages to score only the ¡°gentleman¡¯s 10¡±, that is, the easiest bonus part.


    ¡°And that¡¯s the game. VA A six hundred sixty-five, Wossman twenty-five¡± the moderator announces the game¡¯s result.


    Is that how it would feel to be playing at State? Is it worth continuing to play quiz bowl if we keep getting blown out like this? the Wildcats¡¯ coach starts questioning whether this entire enterprise of getting Wossman to play quiz bowl after they lust for this elusive win that will somehow get that school to a quiz bowl-State berth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go around thinking all games will play out like this¡± Pablo warns his teammates.


    The second game, on the other hand, is a painful reminder for VA A that they shouldn¡¯t take winning games for granted. With, as per usual for close games, one tossup to go, it¡¯s VA A¡¯s turn to go against another team poised to win it all here: Episcopal-Acadiana.


    VA A is leading by 20 points; however, they had some bad question luck on an occasion or two. They hope the tide will turn around¡­


    ¡°Final tossup: The Tianjing Incident led to the death of several leaders of this rebellion and loss of popular support for it...¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Tianjing Incident? What¡¯s the meaning of this? The VAs are more than befuddled, and not even Lilina would be able to break through. However, out of left field, an ESA player buzzes in, pressing the buzzer like a syringe.


    ¡°Taiping Rebellion!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about parenting¡±


    Ouch. Youth psychology didn¡¯t seem to appear much in quiz bowl packets of any level. It might seem a little distant to us now, but here goes nothing! The Falcons¡¯ (i.e. ESA¡¯s) special topics player muses going into the question.


    At the same time, the VAs start praying that their opponents will fail to answer the bonus completely. The Falcons fail to answer the first two bonus parts, but the third part begins then:


    ¡°Snowplow parenting is a more extreme form of this parenting style¡±


    All VA players in that game room shake in their seats, on the verge of panicking as the clock ticks on everyone in the room. With one second to go:


    ¡°Helicopter parenting!¡± ESA¡¯s special topics player answers.


    ¡°Ten for the bonus and that¡¯s the game¡±


    VA A¡¯s players have their heads down: after all, they lost their first game of the season. A very long winning streak by quiz bowl standards, which started at Tal Atkins.


    ¡°VA three hundred seventy, ESA three hundred seventy-five!¡± the moderator announces the game¡¯s score.


    ¡°It was due to happen at some point! We can¡¯t always win, but if we want both VA A and B to get to the HSNCT, we will need to win every game from here on out!¡± Nadine harangues the players, before going to the next game room.


    So while the next two games seem to go smoothly for both VA squads, they are both 3-1 going into the final preliminary round. While the relative weakness of VA A¡¯s opponent would essentially guarantee the A-team would get to the top-2 of the pool, VA B, on the other hand, needs to step up to the plate to get to the top playoff pool.


    ¡°You¡¯re trembling, Cora. Why?¡± Gerard asks.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just... let my teammates down at such a crucial time in this tournament! As in basketball, there¡¯s only so much one good player can do for a quiz bowl team!¡± Cora starts crying. ¡°I must pull some weight or else!¡±


    Although winning a quiz bowl tournament playing solo happened, it¡¯s not exactly common. The closest VA got to that was Im¨¦lie scoring 97.50 PP20TUH at LQBA Winter Invitational South in 2024, making VA A win it, Warren ruminates about Cora saying that she must pull some weight.


    ¡°Cora, no matter what happens, you have improved as a quiz bowler. And no, it¡¯s not about starring. You have some talent!¡± the coach tries to calm her down.


    ¡°What talent I do have might not be enough to take us to the HSNCT!¡±


    And VA B¡¯s final opponent, Leesville, also goes into the game with a 3-1 record. Which makes both teams fight tooth and nail for every point they can grab along the way, in hopes of getting the second spot in the top playoff pool.


    Like ESA earlier against VA A, here VA B must score 20 points to win. Everyone appears to be so tense on both sides. Especially Cora, so eager to prove that she can play quiz bowl that she appears willing to buzz in at any time.


    ¡°Final tossup: Degeneracy pressure of a gas made of these particles is responsible for preventing white dwarves¡¯ gravitational collapse¡±


    To this clue, the Wampus Cats¡¯ science player (i.e. Leesville¡¯s) draws a blank. As did the VA B players, rolling their eyes. Even with Cora being unsure of what the answer is, and hence waits for the next clue.


    ¡°The Compton effect occurs when¡­¡± the moderator is interrupted mid-clue.


    And yet, sensing that Cora could buzz in without warning¡­ I won¡¯t let this¡­ basketball player rob us of a shot at the HSNCT! Leesville¡¯s science player is locked into a buzzer race against Cora, who slams the buzzer.


    ¡°Electrons!¡± Cora shouts in the moderator¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about medieval Central Asia. This Uzbek city was the capital of two Muslim empires¡±


    This time around, it appears that, in their eagerness to get the final points necessary to win the game, their collective knowledge bases start to show their limits. As the clock ticks in on the VAs, with no one else willing to answer, Cora feels like a risk is necessary:


    ¡°Kashgar¡± Cora steps in to answer.


    ¡°Samarkand. Samarkand was a major stop along this overland trade route¡± the moderator reads the second part.


    This one should be much easier than the last one, one of VA B¡¯s freshmen muses. Cora might have been a little rash on the first part, I will not let her answer to the last tossup be in vain!


    ¡°Silk road!¡± a male VA B freshman answers.


    ¡°The Silk Road was theorized for spreading the disease responsible for the Black Death from Central Asia¡±


    ¡°Bubonic plague!¡± the female VA B freshman answers.


    ¡°Twenty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Leesville two hundred eighty, VA B two hundred ninety-five¡±


    ¡°Woohoo!¡± the male freshman jumps for joy after winning the game. ¡°We made it to the top playoff pool!¡±


    And it¡¯s then that Pablo could consult his email inbox. He realizes that an email has arrived during the prelims, and a big one. Cornell. Maybe I really do have some football talent after all! Pablo muses, while showing the email from Cornell to Audrey.


    ¡°Cornell? Are you kidding? I know that stringent academic standards put a straitjacket on the Ivies to recruit athletes, but even if you were VA¡¯s best offensive footballer, I am not sure where you would fit on the roster¡±


    ¡°But if I got an offer from Cornell, maybe it would be a good idea to try, you know, Duke, Rice or Vanderbilt. Or even good old Tulane¡± Pablo then writes an email about what to expect in playing time from the Big Red.


    ¡°Tulane I can do without football¡±


    Dartmouth I know I will get playing time from; Ivies tended to give rookies a chance early in their college careers, at least in basketball. Tulane? It¡¯s a little premature, Audrey starts thinking about where she will see herself in college basketball.


    When the playoff pools are announced, Warren has the B-team come together before the first game.


    ¡°OK, B-team, you¡¯re going to need to beat both ESA and Catholic to make it to the...¡±


    ¡°HSNCT!¡± the female ninth-grader sends waves of dread to Gerard, before turning to Cora. ¡°Time to step up to the plate, Cora; to win against Catholic, we need to exploit their misogyny!¡±


    ¡°If I am to step up to the plate, you too!¡± Cora pleads with her female teammate.


    ¡°Yeah, we narrowly lost against Catholic, and we¡¯re set to play them again as a first playoff game¡± Gerard points out.


    While VA A appears to have avenged their loss against ESA in the prelims, VA B, on the other hand, didn¡¯t get to exploit Catholic¡¯s misogyny the way the female ninth-grader was implying. They still won nonetheless.


    However, the second playoff round pitted both VA squads against each other and hence it was a foregone conclusion that the A-team was going to win that game. Before the final game of the day begins:


    ¡°No matter what happens to the A-team, it¡¯s a given the A-team finishes in the top two. However, you guys must win this game against ESA!¡± Nadine scolds the B-team.


    ¡°Way to put pressure on us!¡± Cora retorts.


    ¡°Better face the pressure on the buzzer now so that you don¡¯t have to on the court on Monday!¡± Audrey tells her hoops teammate.


    Which one is the fluke, our win against VA¡¯s A-team in the prelims, or our playoff loss to them? A Falcon player ruminates upon seeing VA B get seated for their last game of the day.


    Speaking of which, both teams are going into it with 1-1 records, and everyone is reminded of the cold, hard truth: teams can randomly shine or choke at tournaments. Like ESA and Catholic respectively.


    Nevertheless, this game is, once again, capable of going either way. Especially since the Falcons are in the lead by only 30 points. Cora and Gerard are both trembling and sweating.


    ¡°Final tossup: A character of this book series spends an entire book to avoid being promoted to that book¡¯s titular rank¡±


    What kind of character would go to great lengths to avoid being promoted to a certain rank? What kind of responsibility would that rank entail? Gerard ruminates, narrowly avoiding pressing the buzzer despite his shaking hands. At the same time, the opponent fails to buzz in.


    ¡°Eleven consecutive books in this series diverge from historical events¡­¡± the moderator is interrupted by Gerard buzzing in.


    However, this time around, Gerard¡¯s spasms are too much for the buzzer, and his shaky hands get the better of him.


    ¡°Aubrey-Mathurin!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about meteorites. Most meteorites aren¡¯t visible to the naked eye because they burn off at this stage¡±


    I never saw Gerard buzz in on a literature question all season, much less power one; time to earn my keep! The male freshman on the squad ruminates, before answering the first bonus part.


    ¡°Atmospheric entry!¡±


    ¡°During atmospheric entry, meteorites undergo this process of partial disintegration¡±


    Seemingly in a hurry, Cora answers the bonus part. ¡°Ablation!¡±


    ¡°Meteor showers made by ablation fall into this area¡±


    By answering this part correctly, Cora landed VA B into the HSNCT. However, the VAs can¡¯t seem to agree on what the answer to the final part is. As the clock ticks on them¡­


    ¡°The answer was strewn area, twenty on the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. ESA three hundred, VA B three hundred and five¡±

 Chapter 60: Facing Old Demons

    One week has elapsed since Leesville, and both quiz bowlers and basketball players are adored by the town, at least for the time being. And the girls seem to have more love from the townsfolk on Wednesday after the boys lost their second-round game against Church Point.


    Especially since VA won its second round playoff game against Brusly with the mercy clock active, 77-30, and the starters being benched after the mercy clock was activated late in the third quarter.


    And, in the quarterfinals, VA won handily against the Leesville Wampus Cats, 72-41. Which leads to the semifinals on Wednesday. Boyfriends of girls¡¯ basketball players come to see their love interests one last time before they go off to Hammond for the semifinals.


    ¡°Show Wossman that your successes in quiz bowl don¡¯t drag you down on the court!¡± Pablo tries to encourage Audrey before kissing her.


    ¡°Yeah, Wossman will want to avenge its loss against us in quiz bowl, even though no one on their roster for tonight played quiz bowl!¡± Audrey harangues her boyfriend.


    ¡°Wossman plays quiz bowl?¡± Carrie gasps upon hearing about Wossman even playing quiz bowl. ¡°We played there last year, and they clearly weren¡¯t the kind of school that took academics seriously!¡±


    ¡°I would have loved to come to your game, but unfortunately I have to study for AP US Government along with my football teammates tonight!¡± Malcolm tells Cora before kissing her.


    ¡°Carrie, I attended the last two games, but my parents won¡¯t let me out of town because I have to study for AP US Government, too...¡± Finn then hugs Carrie.


    ¡°You never told me about AP US Government. I wanted to focus on basketball in full; it¡¯s my last season after all, and I don¡¯t want to graduate with any regrets!¡±


    Did the football coach somehow let Finn take AP US Government as a favor to him? A bewildered Audrey wonders how Finn could even be in position to take APs. Finn would need a lot of help to even pass it... Don¡¯t tell me that he¡¯s taking advantage of Cora or Lilina because they are girlfriends of his teammates!


    Speaking of AP US Government, Malcolm has his football (and ex-football) teammates taking the course come over to his place. They even brought along Gerard and Tanith, since Gerard is taking it.


    ¡°While I am preparing pelekie zirni...¡± Pablo then cooks chickpeas.


    ¡°What¡¯s pelekie zirni?¡± Bart asks him.


    ¡°A Latvian recipe of chickpea salad. Because I already took the course, I might be wondering what¡¯s being covered in you guys¡¯ upcoming test¡± Pablo asks, suspecting that Bart¡¯s section might not be progressing at the same pace as his did one semester prior.


    ¡°Civil rights, like, you know, the first two amendments, the Bill of Rights, due process, EOAA, all that jazz¡± Malcolm answers him, while Pablo prepares the bacon for cooking.


    <hr>


    And, of course, there¡¯s the pre-game speech in the locker room of Southeastern Louisiana¡¯s basketball arena, the University Center, wearing the white and purple ¡°home¡± VA jersey.


    ¡°Last year, we lost against them by a buzzer-beating three-pointer! This year, we¡¯ll show them that VA actually has what it takes to go all the way!¡± Kent harangues his players.


    ¡°Yeah, we win tonight, and we¡¯re going to play Pearl River¡± Cora tells her teammates.


    ¡°Cora, it¡¯s too early to worry about the final; we still have a semifinal to win!¡± Heather scolds her teammate.


    ¡°Speaking of winning, we have the smartest front court still in play! To win, we need to play smarter than Wossman does!¡± Audrey adds.


    Then, under the watchful eye of a volunteer from the community radio station, the home announcer lists all the players from both teams, and they are going to have someone else singing the national anthem prior to the game¡¯s tip-off. It seems like, unless I sing national anthems at college basketball games, I may very well have sung my last national anthem on a basketball court already! Heather can¡¯t help but feel like the organizers wouldn¡¯t let players sing national anthems in the Final Four.


    With Hugh, Tyler and other band members on the sidelines, Heather and the Wildcats¡¯ starting big face off during the tip-off.


    Heather wins the tip-off, dribbles down the court, but is getting double-screened, so, while she feels like she can¡¯t take a shot, she passes the ball to Cora, who is already running for the rim. Cora catches the ball, but once she has the ball in hand, she evades the opposing defenders so she can then lay up and take a shot at point-blank. The ball spirals into the hoop¡­ and VA scores the first 2 points of the game.


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, back in Jennings, Pablo tunes in on the radio station carrying the VAs¡¯ game against Wossman while he serves the pelekie zirni to his guests taking AP US Government.


    ¡°Nasica shoots from the paint¡­ And scores the Venomous Agendas¡¯ first two points!¡± The radio commenter refers to Cora by her last name, just as the Wildcats pick up the ball.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s my Debt Ceiling!¡± Malcolm comments as the Wildcats dribble down the court, and gets into position to shoot from downtown, i.e. the three.


    ¡°Debt Ceiling?¡± Savannah, Bart¡¯s girlfriend, rolls her eyes. ¡°How did Cora even earn that nickname?


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story but it began with her taking AP US Government in the fall!¡± Pablo explains in front of the couple.


    ¡°She was on the same team as Pablo and me, and she argued the role of the debt ceiling in Congressional campaigning with him!¡± Tanith follows up with him.


    Finn asks them questions about what the First Amendment means for freedom of expression, be it religion, speech or press. About how First Amendment freedoms have come under attack over the years for various reasons, about cancel culture being one of the main weapons in wokism¡¯s arsenal back in the day to undermine the First Amendment. To the eyes of some anyhow.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot to take in. It seems like wokism hasn¡¯t been covered much in class¡± Finn reacts to how Tanith explained the core issues on their upcoming test.


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    Now it seems like a lot of people in Bart¡¯s section either take AP US Government because their love interests do, or, for the football players, such as Bart and Malcolm, the coach suggested they take an AP course if he feels like college attendance is realistic even without football, Pablo muses while eating pelekie zirni.


    ¡°Promise me that, if VA wins tonight, we¡¯ll make the trip to Hammond for the final!¡± Malcolm suggests to Pablo.


    ¡°And then see our girlfriends play the biggest game of their lives¡­ if they get there!¡± Pablo tells Malcolm and Finn.


    ¡°It sucks that we couldn¡¯t be here in person tonight¡­¡± Finn sighs.


    While the guests are busy eating their pelekie zirni, Pablo¡¯s parents, on the other hand, are made to feel like the house is crowded.


    ¡°Whose idea was it anyway to study for AP US Government here?¡± Pablo¡¯s mom asks the guests.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just me; it seems like my football teammates are taking it right now, or at least some of them! And even a quiz bowler! I guess, that¡¯s the price to pay for gaining popularity on the back of my quiz bowl prowess!¡±


    Pablo¡¯s dad tries to process who else came over who aren¡¯t quiz bowlers or footballers. He recognized Gerard, Bart, Finn and Malcolm, along with Tanith, whom he knew dated Gerard. And the kicker. However, he doesn¡¯t know who Bart¡¯s current girlfriend is, since he never met Savannah.


    Yet, as they keep discussing the material for the course, they fail to realize that they have been missing out on juicy plays. At that point, Wossman and VA are tied with a few seconds left to go in the first quarter. Their attention now turned to the radio:


    ¡°Halista steals the ball, dribbles past the center line, shoots from downtown¡­¡± the radio commentator comments while Heather leaps close to the paint to grab the rebound. ¡°Misses, but Campbell catches the rebound. Steps into the paint, goes for the jump shot, scores with two seconds to the quarter!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Venomous! Agendas!¡± Pablo howls while the score after the first quarter is 16-14.


    ¡°I understand that you are all invested in tonight¡¯s game against Wossman because, for some of you, your girlfriends are playing. And they give their all tonight, yes. However, Gerard dragged me here for one reason: study for this God-forsaken AP US Government test!¡± Tanith tries to get Gerard¡¯s comrades back into studying for the test.


    And, going into the second quarter, the guests Pablo brought to his house to study AP US Gov over pelekie zirni start discussing the political ramifications of the material, be it in terms of ideology, and how branches of government interact between each other. Obviously, Gerard, Pablo and Tanith dominated the discussions, but the other guests appeared able to contribute in some way. Especially when it comes to how social policy and civil rights just aren¡¯t the only things that define a political ideology.


    ¡°You probably heard about things such as fiscal policy, economic intervention in passing¡± the returner tries his best to keep up with his teammates.


    Damn it! Why is it that everything here reminds me of Cora? Cora was dominant when it came to the economic aspect of policymaking! Civic rights were my strongest area in that course, and not simply because of me being Hispanic! Pablo ruminates, frozen in place by the returner¡¯s statement. To be clear, I hate her only in a specific context, but I still wish her the best in quiz bowl and on the court!


    ¡°At this stage of the course, I don¡¯t expect much thought to be given to the economic part of government, it will come later¡± Pablo retorts.


    ¡°Can you please explain why there seems to be so many football players taking AP US Government?¡± Gerard asks the guests, since he doesn¡¯t know everyone on the football team. ¡°I might have understood one or two per semester, but at least four?¡±


    ¡°The coach teaches that course in the winter, and he encourages every player over a certain GPA to take it. And even some people senior year that didn¡¯t take APs beforehand, provided they had B or better in social studies¡± Finn explains himself.


    And it seems like Pablo and Tanith go into more detail into what makes an ideology more moderate or more radical, and more liberal or more conservative. By doing so, the pair disgorges material in hopes that they will better understand what¡¯s on the test.


    And yet, back in Hammond, into the third quarter, Carrie attempts a three-pointer for the third time in as many quarters, with VA trailing by 3 points, but in doing so, she gets hit in the elbow. Yet, even with her release affected by the hit in the elbow, the ball hits the hoop and spirals into it as the whistle is blown.


    ¡°Mailman gets fouled in a three-pointer attempt, and she is given one free throw!¡± the commenter tells as the Wildcats get in position to catch the ball.


    ¡°Quiet, please!¡± Finn asks the guests.


    Carrie doesn¡¯t get fouled much, since she doesn¡¯t shoot much. It seems like a lot of fouls are called on people shooting, Finn muses while Carrie is at the free throw line, trying to sink the free throw she is awarded. Once the ball enters the hoop¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s a potential four-point play and¡­ yes! The Venomous Agendas are back in the lead!¡±


    ¡°Woohoo! Carrier can shoot when it counts!¡± Finn realizes that it¡¯s a close game being played in the University Center.


    But when the football players feel like they have run their course of reviewing for their test on Thursday, Bart¡¯s girlfriend asks the following of the guests, as well as Pablo¡¯s parents, who are gathered around the computer:


    ¡°We¡¯re in the last two minutes! Please stop!¡± Bart¡¯s girlfriend asks the guests, while VA is still neck-and-neck against Wossman with 2 minutes left to the game.


    <hr>


    And the final 2 minutes leave the spectators, be it at the University Center, in Jennings or in Monroe, on the edge of their seats. Especially since it¡¯s a clash of the girls¡¯ basketball titans, north vs south. The most exciting basketball either team would get to play all season, with scouts from various colleges in the stands.


    And even then, with 10 seconds left to the game, with a stalemate still happening, Wossman¡¯s coach takes its final, 30-second timeout, feeling like the players¡¯ nerves must be calmed down. However, it had the effect of increasing the stress levels of everyone else.


    When the timeout ends, Wossman makes a crazy drive to the paint, its shooting guard makes the shot. Heather blocks the ball, then dribbles down the court, passes to Audrey, who crosses the centerline, dribbling the ball.


    With opposing players breathing down her neck, the power forward thinks only of one thing: breaking the stalemate. Using Cora as a screen for her to shoot, and the opposing point guard attempting to prevent Audrey from shooting, the resulting mismatch gives her an opportunity to shoot. As she is about to be sandwiched, she only has a second or two to move sideways, into the paint, and then shoot.


    Which she does with only a split-second to spare, and the ball has left her hand when the buzzer rings. The people seated in the UC watch the ball travel towards the hoop and¡­ the ball goes into it.


    ¡°Yes! Halista¡¯s buzzer beater from the paint gave the Venomous Agendas their first appearance in the Division II Non-Select final in twenty years!¡± the home announcer shouts.


    This means none of us were even born when VA last went to State in girls¡¯ basketball. And it also means that it dates back from the pre-VA era, too, Audrey struggles to process what she just did for the VAs: getting them to girls¡¯ basketball-State. As they get to the locker room:


    ¡°Way to go, ladies! We won against the big post-pandemic powerhouse, and you already know that we¡¯re going to play the Pearl River Rebels on Saturday. Their star player is Libuse, a Czech swing whom the Rebels¡¯ fanbase call the Starving Artist!¡± Kent harangues the players.


    ¡°The Rebels tended to shop for basketball players on the international exchange student markets based on their basketball needs! Last year, they got Huiling, a Chinese shooting guard, now Libuse, a Czech swing?¡± Cora asks herself, knowing Libuse can play both SF and SG.


    ¡°Libuse, a starving artist? Does Pearl River give nicknames to its players on nonsensical grounds?¡± Vanessa asks her teammates.


    ¡°Do you have any idea why Pearl River would look for basketball players on the international student exchange markets?¡± Carrie asks, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Huiling was called the Chinese Bridge in Pearl River because of a soy sauce brand. Do you have any clue why Libuse would be called a starving artist?¡± Heather asks.


    ¡°She might be a writer, a painter, or, you know, be a theater actress on top of playing basketball?¡± Tamara asks, confused.


    ¡°It seems that, for some reason, Pearl River¡¯s fanbase is trying to make fun of either her hometown or her off-court activities. Now, Bohemia being a region in Czechia, and Bohemianism is about starving artists, despite not being a particularly Czech thing, you have a better idea of how I feel about Libuse¡± Audrey attempts to formulate an answer. ¡°If Libuse comes from a Bohemia city, of course¡±

 Chapter 61: A Twenty-Year Wait

    Before the VA players get out of the locker room, they see the deflated Wildcats pass by them, returning to their bus to Monroe. However, for some reason, it took the team a while to understand what they''re up against. Especially when Heather looks up a clip from Pearl River''s game against Albany earlier today and trying to get a hold of Libuse.


    "That''s Libuse" Heather points to a player wearing number 31. "She doesn''t look like she has a waifish figure, not what you would expect of a starving artist! In fact, she has more or less the same body type as Audrey"


    "By now you must have watched videos about how AAU has ruined American youth basketball, which have been around for years now. While most of these videos criticized its impact on the boys'' game, presumably these people in Pearl River, and maybe even Libuse''s host family, feel like they can get better-rounded players on the international student exchange markets!" Kent tells his players.


    "Huiling forced the Rebels'' hands, swearing off Chinese players because they probably found them... unable to put their skills together in games!" Carrie comments.


    Usually, people who make themselves available on the international student exchange markets are high achievers, irrespective of any basketball talent they might have. So Libuse will probably end up playing for, like, Tulane, but international players tend to be more "Division I or bust" when it comes to college, Audrey keeps to herself. After all, if you were in continental Europe, were an academic high achiever and made it through the entirety of the youth club system without going pro, you could go to college at home, at a fraction of the cost of going to a Division II/III college.


    Audrey then texts Pablo about that game. "It sucks that you couldn''t be there; you should have seen the whole play leading up to me scoring the final two points!"


    Back in Jennings, it seems like Pablo''s guests have left his home, and being productive in their study of AP US Government. He could then focus on coursework in other subjects.


    And then LHSAA uploads highlights of all 5 semifinal games that were played today to YouTube. Once these videos are live, he starts watching the VA vs. Wossman one. He then texts her back while the VAs are on the bus back to Jennings. "Now that''s my Ballista!"


    When Audrey returns home that night, she''s, simply put, exhausted. Exhausted from playing a high-intensity basketball game. She puts her sports bag away in her bedroom and then... she collapses on her bed.


    <hr>


    Well into the night, she was visited by seven ghosts of basketball players in the dream version of UC''s locker room. They were all wearing jerseys of different shades of red, most of whom wore wine red, with one wearing a brighter shade of red. And, of course, the one who spoke first had Jennings in white lettering.


    "We Bulldogs faithful..." the first ghost got interrupted by Audrey''s oneiric self.


    "Venomous Agendas!" Audrey''s oneiric self shouted back at the first ghost.


    "Is that how Jennings calls its teams nowadays?" a second ghost wearing the pre-pandemic Jennings away jersey asked Audrey.


    "We waited twenty years for a shot at hoops glory, you''d better not mess this up... Ballista!" the ghost of the starting power forward of the 2011 Jennings team yelled at Audrey. "If you lose on Saturday against Pearl River, you might live out a year with regrets over that game!"


    "And Heather, Carrie, too! Especially Carrie!" the starting PG of the 2011 team added.


    Audrey''s oneiric face started showing signs of instability. "How do you know all the names of my teammates?"


    The final ghost wearing a pre-pandemic Jennings away jersey answered her. "I didn''t leave town after graduation! You''re far smarter than every one of us, maybe even everyone on the 2011 team put together! So please, use college to get out of town!"


    Eek! If this means playing on the Big Green or Green Wave, so be it. However, play well on Saturday and I might end up attending a different college. That, even though it''s a foregone conclusion by now that Heather will play for Berkeley. She had a monster season... and the only way to even repeat this next year w/o Heather and Carrie would require Cora and I both having the kind of monster season Heather had, or close to it... Audrey''s oneiric self started reflecting on what the graduation of Heather and Carrie would mean for the basketball team going forward.


    "Right now, I have to choose between Dartmouth and Tulane!" Audrey informed the ghosts of past Bulldogs hoopers.


    "I''m sure a number of colleges must have sent out offers to you by now..." the Bulldog PF''s ghost sighed.


    "And I lost track of how many offers you two must have turned down for academic reasons!" the final Bulldogs ghost told her. "Most other hoopers at your level or higher prioritize hoops over school! Even Heather seemed to have her priorities straight! Maybe for some of those hoopers, just playing in college at all means they can get an education they wouldn''t otherwise"


    The sixth ghost wearing a wine-red jersey differed from the first five by the words written on it. Latvija. She began speaking after the five Jennings ghosts spoke.


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    "Latvija! Latvija!" Aija''s ghost shouted in Audrey''s ears.


    "Aija? What are you doing here?" Audrey asked Aija, while Latvija rang in her ears.


    "Livonia had no depth at all. It was a miracle that we could have gotten within six points of you guys back then! And I even made the national U-sixteen team upon returning home!" Aija turned to the seventh ghost. "We beat you guys in the opening round of the U-sixteen EuroBasket!"


    "What is the meaning of this? Who is she?" a confused Audrey asks the seventh ghost, wearing a brighter red of red than the other six, and whose jersey read Cesko. "You played each other internationally?"


    Libuse reluctantly answered Audrey''s question. "Unlike Latvia, Czechia just isn''t much of a girls'' basketball country. In that age bracket, we constantly had to battle against promotion and relegation!"


    "On Saturday, you''re not going to play the VA squad Pearl River beat last year! This is a far stronger squad!" Audrey warned a ghostly Libuse about the game.


    "Is that so? The other Rebels improved some, too! At best this game will be wide open!"


    Damn it! Libuse played on the Czech national U16 team! She''s going to be a tough nut to crack on Saturday! And let''s not forget the depth players! Even if their second-best was anywhere near as good as I am, we''re in deep trouble! Audrey''s real self then awoke.


    <hr>


    The awakening from this nightmare was brutal. Is that so? Did Libuse actually play internationally for Czechia? If so, I feel not even Heather could be good enough for her on her own! We''re going to need everyone to be alert on defense to win! Audrey is wondering if any of the facts are even real about Libuse, and also the offers she turned down, nearly all of them being from mid-majors and Division II schools she could attend without basketball, but kept quiet about.


    She texts Pablo about what happened at night, knowing he won''t respond until the morning. "I had basketball-related nightmares tonight!"


    The following morning, when they meet each other again before class, Audrey is very earnest with him:


    "Pablo, I had nightmares of ghosts from VA''s pre-pandemic basketball past last night! They told me that, since it has been twenty years since VA last won a title..."


    "You gave your all last night! It''s probably the fatigue of playing at such high intensity that made these nightmares happen!"


    "Yes, I played well, yes, I scored the winning field goal. However, because of Saturday''s game, neither Cora nor I will be at today''s quiz bowl practice!"


    "I''m proud of you, and I love you... Ballista!"


    The couple proceeds to hug each other, while people taking AP US Government are passing through where they are kissing each other.


    "Good luck on Saturday, Audrey!" Savannah is the first to make wishes for her.


    "Don''t forget to buy your ticket for Saturday!" Malcolm asks Pablo.


    "And good luck on your AP US Government test we studied together last night!"


    "Now I understand why you couldn''t be there for me last night! You helped football players study for AP US Government!"


    Audrey realizes that life goes on, even when there''s one big game left to win to finish their season strong.


    But then, during quiz bowl practice, after school, the remaining players realize that practices feel a little empty without Audrey and Cora. They ask the following questions to him:


    "Today, Audrey and Cora won''t be here"


    "Are you sure they won''t be missing more practices?" Lilina asks him.


    "Depends on whether they get injured during that big game on Saturday" Pablo answers his teammates. "But if they are healthy, they shouldn''t be missing any further practices!"


    "From here to the HSNCT, we will all practice using collegiate questions. Before you complain about using practice questions that are significantly harder than the HSNCT, especially those in middle school, I''d say, it should ease the transition into higher levels of play!" Warren stresses the importance of ratcheting up the difficulty of the practice material.


    Even so, I feel like it won''t be seamless. Practicing on collegiate questions weeks before quiz bowl-State? Last year we started practicing on college questions after State, Josiane, an eighth grader, ruminates. We saw it early this season: practicing on collegiate questions is no guarantee the transition into the high school game will be smooth, or even of MSNCT success.


    Warren then has the team practice on sets like the latest ACF Regionals packets Cristiano and Sadie both played on, for Carnegie Mellon and Vanderbilt respectively.


    "I wonder if our opponents at the MSNCT actually proceed that way..." Marissa asks the coach, her head heating up because of practicing on the packet.


    "Yeah, practicing on high school packets might still work for the MSNCT, but are collegiate questions overkill for the MSNCT?" Josiane asks.


    Meanwhile, Pablo, while still able to somewhat handle the rigors of collegiate quiz bowl packets, has concerns about his teammates.


    "Is it normal that the coach pushes the middle schoolers to practice on collegiate questions this early? This is jumping way ahead of the curve! I get that the high school teams are in a win-now mode, but is the middle school team also in win-now mode, too?"


    "Yes, we''re going all-in this year. We shall show that we don''t need Myriam to win, or at least improve on our finish!" Nadine answers.


    "Also, how do you feel about Cora? She improved some, but will that be enough in Atlanta?"


    "Honestly, Gerard is my main concern on the B-team. He hasn''t improved much"


    And then, after the practice ends, he asks Audrey if he could go to her home to do homework, especially since he knows he''s physically more rested than she is. He could then brew her coffee, if Audrey would let him go to her house.


    Once the permission is granted to do so, he arrives at her place to do the assignments that are due for Friday, and only that because he knows that Audrey doesn''t have the energy to do more than that. He starts by the assignments in courses they both take, and then to catch up on Audrey''s backlog.


    And it''s then that Pablo starts preparing what she kept calling painkillers, in hopes that she will have enough mental energy to get more assignments done.


    "I''ll have a little surprise for you soon" Pablo then whips up a recipe of orange kissel, where he needs to boil some orange juice and then put in the potato starch.


    In the meantime, Audrey prepares her own cup of coffee with cream and sugar to her tastes, knowing that she needs more energy than normal given the intensity of the last practice.


    Once Pablo deems like the orange juice has somewhat thickened, he can then put a few tablespoons of potato starch into the pot so that he can reach the consistency he deems appropriate for kissel.


    When the kissel is put into ramekins, he then presents the resulting orange kissel to her.


    "What''s that, Pablo?"


    "Orange kissel. It''s a little thick, but that''s what makes it different from ordinary orange juice"


    "How romantic! You remembered how I liked Latvian cuisine" Audrey then starts eating the kissel, before Pablo does the same.

 Chapter 62 The Wait Ends?

    On Saturday, the team changed its usual minibus for a full-sized school bus because more band musicians were going to perform than usual. And, of course, players are allowed to bring along one person of their choice. This time around, all players picked one person, often their love interest.


    Even so, the booster club rented a bus from the parish to bring some VA supporters from Jennings to Hammond for the big game, since the team¡¯s bus was already full. Priority was given to the families of girls¡¯ basketball players, but some boys¡¯ basketball players made the trip, too. And not just Malcolm by virtue of being Cora¡¯s designated guest.


    Before both buses leave the town, the people staying in town come out because it¡¯s the first time since the pandemic that VA made it to a state final in a non-academic activity. For a time, it seems like these girls bear the weight of the town on their shoulders.


    ¡°We shall show the Rebels that we don¡¯t need to grab players on the international student exchange markets to win!¡± Heather shouts before boarding the bus.


    ¡°Make the most out of your time under the spotlight! It¡¯s not going to last!¡± Heather¡¯s dad tells his daughter.


    ¡°Show them that having brainiacs on hand doesn¡¯t hurt us on the court!¡± Audrey¡¯s mother tries to encourage her.


    ¡°If I may, mom, players who hit the international student exchange markets lean top-heavy academically. If not, they¡¯re usually top-tier basketball talent by their home country¡¯s standards!¡±


    Aija is both, but is Libuse also a straight-A student on top of being the star player on that Rebels squad? Pablo ruminates while he boards the bus to be next to Audrey.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± the crowd hollers in the players¡¯ direction as they board the bus under the cheers of the crowd.


    For some of the VA fans assembled in the school¡¯s parking lot, it¡¯s then they realize what their favorites of the day are really like off the court. Especially the juniors and seniors on the front court, who feel so much taller and bigger than everyone else. Heather, at 6¡¯4, 200 lbs, Audrey at 6¡¯2, 180 lbs, Cora at 6¡¯1, 175 lbs. The three tallest girls at VA. And, of course, the youngest players are the shortest as well.


    When they arrive in Hammond, two hours later, the VAs try to find a room where they can watch videos within the UC, since they arrived a little early. Once they finally find a suitable conference room inside the arena, they start watching the video in earnest.


    ¡°Ladies, it might not be representative of Rebel basketball, but this is the best footage I could find of Libuse, the main player that could worry us tonight!¡± Kent then proceeds to show footage from the Czechia-Latvia game at U-sixteen Women¡¯s EuroBasket, played in some city in Serbia. ¡°Pay attention to number thirty-one in red¡±


    ¡°Either team would demolish us! Heather might be able to play on their level, but beyond her¡­¡± Tamara seems to panic upon watching the footage.


    ¡°How would either Czechia or Latvia bear any resemblance in playstyle to Pearl River?¡± Vanessa asks, puzzled by the choice of footage.


    ¡°Not that Libuse appeared out of place, but why show us this footage?¡± Carrie asks the coach, a little confused.


    Damn it! Aija played in that game, and against Libuse! Why is it that my nightmares tend to turn out to be at least partially true later? Audrey recognizes Aija, wearing a white Latvija jersey, in the video.


    Meanwhile, the Rebels are holding their own pre-game in their own bus. They seem to psych themselves up over VA¡¯s academic record. About their sports budgets.


    ¡°Our opponents might be Ivy-bound, but we won¡¯t let this gang of underfunded upstarts who clearly put their money into nerdy things steal our thunder!¡± the Rebels¡¯ captain, a power forward, harangues the players.


    ¡°We shall tear these Venomous Agendas apart, page by page!¡± the Rebels¡¯ big hollers.


    ¡°Excuse me, but who on the opposing team is even Ivy-bound?¡± Libuse asks, in a rather strong Czech accent.


    ¡°Their best two players, Heather and Audrey, both received offers from Ivy League colleges!¡± the Rebels¡¯ coach answers Libuse.


    ¡°What nerdy things do our opponents spend their money on?¡± the Rebels¡¯ starting SG asks.


    ¡°I know they spend it on quiz bowl since, apparently, two of their starters tonight play it!¡± the Rebels¡¯ captain retorts.


    And, when the Division II Select title game ends, it¡¯s time for both VAs and Rebels to come out onto the court. With the home announcer introducing the teams as their respective bands and cheerleaders get in position:


    ¡°The visiting team, from St. Tammany Parish, the five seed, the Pearl River Rebels!¡± The home announcer then lists all the Rebel players by name, jersey number and grade, before subjecting the VA players to the same treatment. ¡°And the home team, from Jefferson Davis Parish, the one seed, the Venomous Agendas!¡±


    Both teams enter the court with the cheers of their respective on-site supporters. And, of course, the VA fans in the stands being seated on one side of the arena, in the front rows, and the Rebel supporters on the other side. Yet even with the makeup of the supporters, the attendance was still lower than at either team¡¯s quarterfinal games against Leesville and Eunice respectively. And college scouts in higher seats.


    A little underwhelming, but both bigs are at center court for the game¡¯s initial tip-off.


    However, this time around, Heather loses the tip-off to the Rebels, with their very own big dribbling and attempting a three-pointer. The ball bounces off the hoop, Cora and Libuse race towards the ball near the paint¡­ Libuse beat Cora to the ball by a split-second.


    Which then causes Libuse to try using their own big to screen for her as she closes in on the paint. Laying up, with Heather finding herself underneath the hoop, Libuse scores the Rebels¡¯ first two points.


    But when Heather¡¯s time in the paint ends, Audrey catches the ball, dribbles past the center, at which point, lacking space to shoot from the left, she passes the ball to Carrie on the opposite side of the court.


    Cora, taking advantage of the chaos on the left-hand side of the court, swerves through the opposing players and gets ready to receive the ball from Carrie. Yet, once the ball is in Cora¡¯s hands, Libuse forces her to step out of the paint.


    Not wanting the ball to get stolen, Cora moves sideways once out of the paint, and passes it to Heather, who wastes no time using the mismatch between Libuse and herself to shoot the ball.


    Woohoo! VA now has two points on the board! Pablo muses while the opponent has the ball in hand. Bottom line, the VAs must prevent Libuse from getting to the ball!


    ¡°This game feels far too much like Livonia last year¡­¡± Pablo comments to Malcolm.


    ¡°Surely you¡¯re saying that because of how VA defense seemed to focus on Libuse, aren¡¯t you? The difference is that Pearl River has¡­¡± Malcolm then sees the Rebels¡¯ PF score.


    ¡°More depth, yes...¡±


    Vanessa grabs the ball, dribbles... and makes an attempt to pass the ball that hits Hugh, and then the whistle is blown since the ball went out of bounds.


    Ouch! That was a big mistake! Kent muses while Vanessa is benched and Tamara is brought into play, seeing that this out-of-bounds led to the opponent passing a free ball to Libuse. Who then, feeling pressured by Heather, makes a three-pointer attempt that bounces off the backboard.


    Don¡¯t fret: balls going out of bounds are just a normal thing! And we got lucky that not even Libuse could score from the three all the time, a powerless Vanessa muses while the play is happening as VA is trailing by two points.


    Tamara grabs the ball, then passes the ball to Carrie, whom she knows is a much better dribbler than she is. However, with Carrie feeling her shooting options are impracticable, even with side movement, Carrie throws the ball in Audrey¡¯s direction.


    Which causes Libuse and Audrey to dash for the ball. Audrey wins by a split-second, then dribbles sideways. Feeling like time is running out to shoot, she jumps and makes the shot from the three.


    ¡°Ballista! Ballista!¡± Pablo shouts in Audrey¡¯s direction.


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    ¡°Woohoo! The Venomous Agendas are now in the lead!¡± Finn exclaims when the ball enters the hoop, and VA is now in the lead, 5-4.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± Malcolm shouts as the Rebels get screened on their way to the rim.


    That game remains tight, as no team seems to gain a definite advantage over the other. Fouls, points, you name it. As the first quarter ends, both teams are tied.


    Damn... Audrey and Heather both remind me of players I played against at U16 EuroBasket! Then again, you must have talent to make a team playing at EuroBasket, and lots of it, Libuse reflects on her experience of playing against VA. I don¡¯t think I will regret having been loaned to Pearl River, regardless of the game¡¯s outcome.


    ¡°If we provoke the opponent into fouling, and maybe even make them resort to hack-a-player...¡± Carrie suggests a course of action for the team.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early in the game for a team to go around intentionally hacking players! This means we must try to make it look like we aren¡¯t deliberately doing that!¡± Audrey adds.


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget about what constitutes flopping! It might be difficult for the refs to draw the line though, but we mustn¡¯t overdo it!¡± Vanessa comments on fouling.


    ¡°It¡¯s risky, but if the opportunity presents itself to leave some opening to steal the ball, our best bet to draw fouls is when they attempt to do so!¡± Heather suggests a way for them to draw fouls.


    Damn it! That¡¯s what Charlotte was good at: drawing fouls! In that Livonia game she drew the most fouls¡­ Audrey gets flashbacks of their last run at the state tournament. I try to remember who drew the most fouls this season.


    ¡°If there¡¯s one area of the game where we regressed, it¡¯s our ability to draw fouls. Charlotte was very one-dimensional, but I wonder who can draw fouls like she did¡­ Cora? Audrey? Heather?¡± Tamara asks around. ¡°They are the ones who close in on the hoop!¡±


    ¡°We stand a better chance to draw fouls if we drive hard to the hoop, and decelerate as soon as we reach the paint!¡± Cora comments.


    ¡°Got it, either leave an opening for the opponent to attempt stealing the ball or decelerate as soon as we reach the paint¡± Carrie nods, while wondering when she would be able to leave an opening to get the ball stolen, since she seems a little reluctant to drive to the paint.


    However, the VAs don¡¯t seem to draw as many fouls as they would have liked in the second quarter, and, as such, don¡¯t get that many free throws. But neither did the Rebels. With the lead being traded away often by both sides, they knew that, sometimes, in the heat of action, fouling was inevitable.


    Yet, they also knew that fouling too much would be counterproductive. Especially not when a state championship was at stake, and the game is tight. As the half-time siren blares over the UC:


    ¡°This is half-time, and the Venomous Agendas are in the lead, thirty-three to thirty-two! This is shaping up to be an exciting second half!¡± the home announcer yells into the arena¡¯s PA system.


    As the VAs retreat to the locker room, there is no discussion of fouling or strategy taking place. Heather tries something else to motivate the players. A little tired perhaps to some, but she tries it nonetheless.


    ¡°Forget about the scoreboard, ladies. Forget about basketball scholarships. For the non-seniors on this squad, please, think of what a state title can do for you when the time comes to apply to college! For those who can¡¯t sniff a scholarship, your personal performance on the court is essentially irrelevant. What would then be relevant to you is how the team performs, as a team. This is going to be your sixteen minutes of fame, sixteen minutes that you will remember long after you graduate, as a highlight of your life!¡± Heather harangues the players as a special guest arrives.


    ¡°On top of that, our town waited twenty years for another shot at basketball glory!¡± a member of the 2011 squad who last won it all for Jennings continues, wearing the pre-pandemic, wine-red Bulldogs away jersey. ¡°Please don¡¯t squander this opportunity, and end this game, this tournament, with a bang, a slam dunk!¡±


    The players, arrayed in a circle, then put their hands on top of one another. ¡°Venomous! Agendas! Venomous! Agendas!¡±


    For the second half of the game, for some reason, VA decided to rest their starters in much of the third and fourth quarters, but the Rebels played their starters for much longer. Especially Libuse, who couldn¡¯t catch a break.


    With 2 minutes left to the game, while the Rebels might be leading by 10 points, VA calls a 30-second timeout right as the Rebels get the ball out of bounds.


    ¡°The bad news is, we are trailing by ten points. The good news is that Libuse is in fouling trouble. We make her eat one more foul, and she¡¯s out. And she¡¯s not alone in fouling trouble either! The whole team is, and regardless of which Rebel fouls, we get two free throws!¡± Kent announces to the team, before turning to Carrie. ¡°Also, Carrie, you¡¯re back into play and you are going to inbound the ball! Cora too!¡±


    Carrie passes the ball to Cora as soon as the 30 seconds allotted to VA ends. Upon receipt of the ball, Cora is on a breakaway, dribbling to the paint.


    In an attempt to prevent her from scoring, the Rebels chase her at full speed, with Libuse breathing down the SF¡¯s neck.


    As Cora decelerates upon entering the paint, she is laying up, and Libuse hits the SF in the back after the ball makes its way out of Cora¡¯s hands. The impact throws Cora to the floor, also causing the referee to blow the whistle. Right as the ball enters the hoop, making her score two points.


    ¡°Debt Ceiling! Make the Rebels incur a cost overrun!¡± Malcolm yells at her, while the rest of the crowd gasps upon Cora falling to the floor.


    While Cora gets back up, with a little back pain, the Rebels then call a 30-second timeout of their own, before Cora gets to shoot the two free throws she¡¯s entitled to.


    ¡°We just lost Libuse! For the next two minutes, don¡¯t foul opposing players under any circumstances, understood?¡± the Rebels¡¯ coach yells at the players.


    Is this looking like a NBA game, where the last two minutes can take forever to play out? I hope not... Pablo starts being irritated as Cora shoots the first free throw. Which goes in.


    And, of course, the second free throw, while a little wobblier than the first one, spirals into the hoop and the Rebels gain possession of the ball afterwards. Cora thus scored four points.


    By this point, the VAs¡¯ sense of urgency is such that they¡¯re speeding up on the court. Sure, the opposing shooting guard still attempts to get a three-pointer off, but Heather blocks it fairly close to the three-point line.


    With the ball now in Heather¡¯s possession, she dribbles down to the paint, demonstrating surprising speed and agility for someone her size. However, she had three seconds to shoot before leaving the paint. Taking a jump shot, she could throw the ball at point-blank. Which goes in the hoop.


    ¡°Woohoo! Down to four points! We can do it!¡± Finn exclaims while the scoreboard shows VA trailing, 65-61.


    ¡°Can they complete that rally?¡± a parent of a VA second-string player asks from behind him, with less than a minute to go.


    Here it seems like a failed three-pointer by the Rebels¡¯ second-string power forward hits the backboard and also hits Tyler on the way out of bounds. Which, once again, causes the VAs to gain possession of the ball.


    Ouch! That hurts! During the regular season, I didn¡¯t get hit by stray balls... Tyler has gotten headaches from the stray, out-of-bounds ball hitting his head.


    Audrey is the designated inbounder on this play, and must inbound the ball from the baseline. I can¡¯t make mistakes, especially not now! Her sweating goes up and she thinks Carrie is her best option as the clock ticks on her.


    Yes! Carrie dribbles down the court, dashing as the opponents then double-team her once the ball is in the offensive zone. Feeling the pressure from the Rebels¡¯ defense, she takes a step back and goes for the three. Which bounces off the hoop and Heather takes the rebound at the extended free throw line. However, the opponents force her into passing the ball rather than to shoot it. Vanessa takes the pass, dribbles to the rim, takes a jump shot...


    Yes! Way to redeem myself from this stupid out-of-bounds pass early in the game! Vanessa thinks briefly, while the Rebels¡¯ second-string big dribbles, but gets the ball stolen by Audrey as soon as the ball crosses the half-court line.


    After this steal, made with only a few seconds left to the game, she dashes for the three-point line. Once close enough to the 3-point line, she feels the clock ticking on her. Oh my God! Everything me and my teammates have worked so hard all season for is in my hands! Audrey¡¯s hands start shaking while in a lateral movement along the 3-point line.


    ¡°Ballista! Fire! Fire!¡± Pablo shouts in Audrey¡¯s direction.


    Pressed for time, as well as by the Rebels, Audrey ends up shooting what amounts to a bank shot. Yet, she knows it¡¯s not the best way to shoot a three-pointer. However, the ball hits the backboard when the buzzer rings, signaling the end of the game, but everyone is on the edge of their seats. Come on, ball! Audrey starts praying after the buzzer rings. And Pablo. And Malcolm, and so on.


    Somehow, after hitting the backboard, the ball spirals into the hoop for about two seconds before falling into it. The crowd gasps upon seeing what looked like a Pearl River win turn into a VA one.


    ¡°An eleven-point rally in the last two minutes propelled the Venomous Agendas to their first state title in twenty years! And the 2031 LHSAA Division II Non-Select state champions, the Venomous Agendas, winning sixty-six to sixty-five!¡± the home announcer shouts.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s my Ballista! Once again, she scored the point when VA needed it most!¡± Pablo exclaims.


    The VA players, along with Kent, then come together at center court to pose for a group photo as the trophy is being handed to them, while the Rebels saw their shot at winning State vanish with a stupid buzzer-beater of a three-pointer. And the Rebels vacate the court, crying.


    These Venomous Agendas! They played like these¡­ Lithuanian feny tonight! Libuse keeps to herself, not wanting to raise too many questions among her fellow Rebels. Who are all hunched over this atrociously Pyrrhic loss. However, the Czechia I played on was blown out against Latvia in the round-robin, Lithuania in the knockout stage; everyone makes it to the knockout stage at EuroBasket, though.


    However, they know that winning this championship was a team-wide effort. And yet, they knew they couldn¡¯t get close to them until they get out of the locker room.


    ¡°Way to go, everyone! You all gave your all today, and it would be hard to pick a MVP¡± the coach deadpans his players. ¡°Please remember, however, that glory borne out of high school sports is fleeting. So, especially for non-seniors, you must keep studying!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s... unreal! Never would I have imagined that VA would ever win anything post-pandemic that isn¡¯t academic!¡± an ecstatic 2011 team member tells the players.


    ¡°Speaking of academic stuff, Cora, I think our bodies need some well-deserved rest and we focus on quiz bowl until the HSNCT ends!¡± Audrey tells Cora before showering.


    After the players shower, they are met outside the locker room by whomever made the trip to Hammond. Pablo then meets with Audrey before they return home.


    ¡°Ballista, that was... clutch. Until now, the only people who called you Ballista were VA fans, quiz bowl or basketball¡± Pablo is about to kiss Audrey. ¡°You¡¯re the most clutch person I know, basketball or quiz bowl!¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡± Audrey takes Pablo away from the hallway and then hugs Pablo.


    ¡°Now, thanks to that three-pointer of a buzzer-beater, girls¡¯ basketball fans will know who Ballista is¡±


    How sweet of him! Shooting is my greatest asset in basketball, from the paint as well as from three; that¡¯s why I¡¯m even called Ballista to begin with, Audrey reflects while she is kissing him, not suspecting that LHSAA is uploading the clip of the buzzer-beater. However, there was no kissing at center court¡­

 Chapter 63: Load Management

    In the coming days, juniors are busy studying for the upcoming state-sponsored ACT date, and using whatever tutors they can lay their hands on, mostly other students. Of course, the juniors on all academic teams already took the test at least once, as did Bart and Malcolm, so they can approach the test with confidence.


    However, with the quiz bowl team holding one last practice prior to quiz bowl-State, Warren has news for the high school roster at quiz bowl-State at the end of the practice:


    ¡°The middle school team stays together for State, but for high school, since there are as many as six players who are good enough to contribute at State, but we can only have four of them playing at any time. We have no choice but to enter all six in our roster!¡±


    ¡°Coach, the A-team is a given, but who, on the B-team, do you feel can contribute at State?¡± Pablo asks him.


    ¡°Because the ninth-graders on the B-team will have opportunities to play at State later in their careers, they won¡¯t play at State this year!¡±


    ¡°Coach, I feel like I¡¯ve been thrown into the lions¡¯ pit by playing at State!¡± Cora complains, feeling like her lack of quiz bowl experience might cost VA games at State.


    ¡°Three months ago, you were, like¡­¡± Audrey then starts speaking in a falsetto tone. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so not going to play at the HSNCT, I¡¯ll get the daylights beaten out of me! Yet, here you are today, playing at State and at the HSNCT, and you managed to play better than I would ever have imagined a basketball player doing quiz bowl simply to let their body recover!¡±


    ¡°But you must remember that, at State, not everyone will be like ESA or Catholic¡­ and yet, you were on a squad that beat them both, scoring the final bonus part that even made us play at the HSNCT!¡± Gerard harangues a Cora on the verge of panicking.


    ¡°This means that we shouldn¡¯t have two basketball players in active play, and ideally, no one will hear every tossup either!¡± Warren announces to the six players playing at quiz bowl-State. ¡°Also, Cora, I can guarantee you that some teams at State will have worse players than even you!¡±


    The question is: what makes Cora so neurotic around quiz bowl? It¡¯s becoming a nightmare for me! I wonder how Audrey could endure her neuroticism, other than it being confined to quiz bowl! As with Audrey, in the days after the big win, she was a little tired, Pablo counts his blessings of not being on Cora¡¯s squad.


    <hr>


    On Saturday, as soon as they arrive in Dutchtown, in a minibus the parish let the quiz bowl team use for State with three designated guests in tow, the field for State¡¯s large schools division is revealed, along with the pools.


    ¡°Since history is Lafayette¡¯s greatest strength, Nadine is benched, and Audrey, too. Gerard and Cora will start the game. One more thing, please turn off any electronic devices, even if you don¡¯t start the game!¡± Warren warns his players before they take up positions.


    The designated guests, Ethan, Malcolm and George, must turn off their electronic devices as well, and study for the ACT as they did in the bus. To the extent they can do so with the moderator asking the questions, and they know they shouldn¡¯t answer these themselves.


    ¡°This is round one of the 2031 LQBA State Championship, large schools division. From Lafayette Parish, we have Lafayette, from Jefferson Davis Parish, we have the Venomous Agendas. Best of luck to both teams and here¡¯s tossup one: ZZZZ Best committed this type of crime to launch an initial public offering¡±


    Why ZZZZ Best? Pablo struggles to think about what ZZZZ Best even did, and no one else had any clue about this corporation¡¯s existence on either side.


    ¡°It has been theorized that employees most likely to commit these crimes against their employers are in the C-suite¡± the second clue is read to dazed and confused players.


    Why the C-suite? This sounds like a financial crime! Cora¡¯s mind leaps into action and she buzzes in after hearing the words C-suite.


    ¡°Financial crimes!¡± Cora shouts.


    ¡°Prompt¡± the moderator rules, giving her three seconds to give a more precise answer.


    She starts sweating as the clock ticks on her, and her brain starts to heat because of her burst of mental speed. Theft? No...


    ¡°F... fraud?¡± a shaky Cora formulates the best answer she possibly can in 3 seconds.


    ¡°Fifteen!¡±


    Phew! I wonder if this question really is representative of what the HSNCT is like, Cora ruminates while she doesn¡¯t realize that State runs on SCT Division II questions. That is, college questions, albeit introductory ones, or maybe a step above that.


    But while VA handily wins the first game despite putting Cora and Gerard to play, before the second game starts, Warren makes another substitution:


    ¡°Against South Lafourche, who are best at literature and special topics, Lilina, you¡¯re benched. And, Cora, too¡± Warren announces who starts for VA in the second game. ¡°Nadine, Audrey, you¡¯re both playing¡±


    ¡°What did I do to get benched?¡± Cora asks, her head hunched upon hearing that she¡¯s benched for the second game, and her tone of voice has gotten whinier. ¡°I still played well in the last game!¡±


    ¡°You said it so yourself that you played well. This means you must get rest for you to keep playing at that level, especially since questions at State are noticeably harder!¡±


    When will I be benched? What kind of opponent would be necessary for the coach to bench me? An opponent that¡¯s relatively weak in science? Pablo starts feeling like Warren acts more like a football or basketball coach at State than in the regular season.


    But then came this tossup near the half-way mark of the game. Believing that geography is a special topic, the way he understood quiz bowl special topics, he feels like he needs to win a buzzer race against the Tarpons to ensure he won¡¯t be benched.


    ¡°Tossup ten: The American exclave of Point Roberts borders this Canadian province¡±


    Believing he knows the answer, Pablo buzzes in. ¡°Ontario¡±


    ¡°Neg five¡±


    Drat! I could have gotten the answer if it wasn¡¯t of Pablo buzzing in too fast! Audrey ruminates as the moderator keeps reading clues. However, South Lafourche feels they can¡¯t answer until well after the power mark.


    ¡°For ten points, name this province whose largest city shares a name with an island on which this city isn¡¯t¡±


    ¡°BC¡±


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Ten¡±


    South Lafourche ends up scoring all 3 bonus parts, making VA lead by only 10 points at half-time. A score check is made at half-time and the score is announced then:


    ¡°And that¡¯s the half. South Lafourche one hundred seventy, Venomous Agendas one hundred eighty¡±


    Warren then turns to Pablo. ¡°Pablo, you¡¯re benched for the second half of the game!¡±


    ¡°One bad neg can happen to anyone, in any given game. What makes this neg any different?¡± Pablo asks, before the coach designates Cora to play.


    ¡°Cora, you¡¯re back into play¡±


    This isn¡¯t a case of me having played too much, unlike football! Looks like negging at bad moments can bench someone, Pablo mopes about what led him to inexplicably buzz in so early in the tossup as Cora gets seated next to Audrey. In quiz bowl, as in football, taking risks might be part of the game, but sometimes risks don¡¯t pan out.


    But at the same time, the Tarpons make their substitutions at half-time. So while Lafayette didn¡¯t make substitutions in the previous game, South Lafourche did.


    When that game ends, Pablo briefly comes together with Audrey:


    ¡°Cora might be a neurotic player who can somewhat contribute, but how do you feel about playing with her?¡± Pablo asks Audrey.


    ¡°As you said, she can contribute, but it doesn¡¯t feel the same as playing with you. You bring out the best of me on the buzzer, the way Gerard or Nadine can¡¯t¡±


    ¡°It seems like this game of substitutions is throwing us off our game!¡± Nadine whines about how these substitutions impact her.


    ¡°Now, because you guys were used, in the regular season, to play on the same squads for entire tournaments, this game of substitutions might feel a little unnatural to you¡± Warren harangues his high school players. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be any of these substitutions at the HSNCT, since, once again, we have both squads. However, this year, we have good depth, and we want to make the most out of it at State!¡±


    But why is it that the coach saw fit to put in Cora and especially Gerard at State? Gerard is getting outplayed by Cora; I wonder what made him perform so poorly. Does he have some issues he¡¯s trying to hide? Pablo is a little puzzled by why the coach put in at State. I can kind of feel like he wants Gerard winning State for reasons unrelated to the actual quiz bowl. Same with Cora.


    ¡°Gerard, it¡¯s clear you underperformed during the last game, so you¡¯re not starting the third game. As for you, Cora, you don¡¯t match up too well against our next opponents. Lilina, Pablo, you¡¯re back into play!¡±


    Yet, here it seems like, at this tournament, VA always faces the best possible squads their opponents can field. Which, in the regular season, mostly amounted to playing their A-teams if schools fielded more than one squad. When the preliminary results are finalized, no one is surprised that, even with Warren shuffling players around between high school games, VA is undefeated.


    ¡°Woohoo! VA is at the top of the preliminary pool! It was an effort of all six players that made it possible!¡± Warren tells his players, while Thomas, the bus driver and chaperone of the middle school team, tells him of where the middle schoolers stand.


    ¡°And, because there are ten middle school teams entered at State, the tournament has nine games, but we are undefeated going into game number six¡± Thomas reports.


    As expected, we have Jesuit, Catholic, Caddo Magnet and Benjamin-Franklin in the top pool. However, we know Benjamin-Franklin and Archbishop Rummel both being hungry for a HSNCT berth, Warren muses while the VAs make their way to the game room where they are going to play Archbishop Rummel. A team whom they beat at LQBA Fall and Winter.


    And yet, after eating lunch, VA cruises through Archbishop Rummel and Benjamin-Franklin. As they did Catholic, too. However, Gerard¡¯s playtime has dropped sharply into the playoffs, only getting some playtime against Archbishop Rummel and Catholic.


    But then comes Caddo Magnet, who, at half-time, comes within 20 points of VA. For some reason, Pablo didn¡¯t start that game.


    ¡°Time to rest, Lilina!¡± Warren then designates Pablo to take her place, and get seated next to Audrey. ¡°Pablo! You¡¯re in¡±


    Why is it that the coach started playing this endless game of substitutions now? Never was I substituted in or out of games like this! I get that Audrey, Cora and Pablo are more used to being substituted in and out of games because of their respective sports, Lilina ruminates while she is taken out of play. In mathletics, you play a tournament in full or not at all.


    Then this question causes Caddo Magnet to start panicking:


    ¡°Tossup fourteen: This Spanish figure was sent by Sancho II to bring Alfonso VI to the negotiating table¡±


    Sensing, as Pablo did earlier, the need to beat their opponents to a buzzer race, even against a Lilina-less VA, the Mustangs¡¯ history player buzzes in prematurely.


    ¡°Magellan!¡± the Mustangs¡¯ history player answers, his hands shaking.


    ¡°Neg five. He was brought back to the Leon fold after a crushing Christian defeat¡­¡± the second is read with the power mark fast approaching.


    Pablo then buzzes in. ¡°El Cid!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    After the resulting bonus, which crushed the spirits of the Mustangs, their coach calls a timeout.


    ¡°Timeout!¡± the Mustangs¡¯ coach calls before Caddo Magnet turns to its bench. ¡°Because you caused us to lose the lead, you¡¯re benched for the rest of the game!¡±


    Their history player is then replaced by their substitute player, in hopes that it will motivate the Mustangs, who suffered losses to VA at Tal Atkins, to regain the lead.


    Speaking of lead, the Mustangs regained it, but even that substitution didn¡¯t seem to be enough to definitely square the game away for them. However, since the VAs feel they can realistically win the final game, they focus solely on the bonus, since they can win the game and possibly a consecutive state title on this bonus. Especially since there are only 15 points separating Caddo Magnet from VA.


    ¡°For ten points each, answer these questions about greed in literature. This Steinbeck novella is about a diver who finds a gigantic specimen of its namesake object¡±


    Nadine buzzes in. ¡°The Pearl¡±


    ¡°A character in this Zola novel pushes small neighborhood stores out of business¡±


    To that, however, no one had any clue of what to answer, with the clock ticking in on them, only that the survival of small businesses is an older theme than they originally thought.


    ¡°Time, The Ladies¡¯ Delight. This Moli¨¨re play¡¯s titular character offers to lend money to his son on usurious terms¡±


    I knew Moli¨¨re often made fun of sins, but¡­ damn it, it has to do with greed somehow! Pablo sweats, also feeling the clock ticking in on him, while even Nadine would somehow be confused enough not to buzz in. Which he does nonetheless.


    ¡°The Miser!¡±


    ¡°Twenty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Caddo Magnet three hundred fifty, Venomous Agendas three hundred fifty-five!¡±


    And, of course, with VA winning their last playoff game, the awards ceremony comes, with the middle schoolers coming in first:


    ¡°And the 2031 LQBA middle school state champions, the Venomous Agendas!¡± the LQBA president announces.


    That was¡­ predictable, Marissa thinks, while on stage to pose with the rest of the team, realizing that VA won middle school quiz bowl-State once again. Especially since VA won all the middle school state titles since LQBA even introduced a middle school division at State.


    Then comes the small schools division, won by ESA, and, of course, the large high schools division.


    ¡°And the 2031 LQBA large high school state champions, the Venomous Agendas!¡±


    Then the group photo has six players, of which 3 are wearing the purple-and-green jerseys of their respective sports teams, and Warren, too.


    After the individual awards are handed out, top scorer and power prizes, Susan approaches Audrey and Cora.


    ¡°Hey, Audrey, congrats on you guys winning both basketball and quiz bowl state titles!¡± Susan comments on VA winning.


    ¡°How did Lacassine even get to play at quiz bowl-State?¡±


    ¡°We had to go in shorthanded, with three players, and then apply for the wildcards of the small schools division, which virtually no one wants. They let us use the buzzer, but we had to pay for all other expenses out of pocket¡± Susan then turns to Cora. ¡°Cora, I never expected you to play quiz bowl!¡±


    ¡°I only did it to give my poor body a break, but then my brain couldn¡¯t catch one¡± Cora explains herself.


    Oh boy. Lacassine was demolished in science, finishing the tournament 3-6, even if I had to ramp up my studies in that field. However, how the hell did quiz bowl become fashionable to play in the basketball circuit? Susan then returns to her team¡¯s car, as the VAs return to the minibus with their designated guests that did nothing but schoolwork and quiet support.


    <hr>


    On Monday morning, it seems that, for some reason, the debate team has its turn before the quiz bowl one:


    ¡°It appears that the debate team had a disappointing end to its season: while our outgoing senior finished last in the POI final at the state qualifier, I, on the other hand, finished fourth in the Senate division of Congressional debate¡± Tanith then hands off to other debate players.


    Now I understand why Tanith couldn¡¯t make the trip! The debate state championship was held at the same time! Pablo has a flash in his mind, while Josiane and Nadine jointly deliver the quiz bowl announcement.


    ¡°VA has won the middle school state title in quiz bowl for the fourth year in a row!¡± Josiane hands off to Nadine.


    ¡°And VA also successfully defended the large high school quiz bowl state title!¡± Nadine then returns to her classroom.

 Chapter 64: Ivy Day, Ivy Decisions

    By April 2, as per usual the day after Ivy Day, the announcements come from students who line up at the principal¡¯s office to announce their college attendance decisions, on a first-come, first-served basis.


    Traditionally, a spot in the Ivy Day morning announcement is reserved for the students planning to attend more selective colleges than LSU. A handful are lined up.


    ¡°I am Tyler, I¡¯m going to attend Lehigh this fall¡± Tyler then hands off to Myriam.


    ¡°Although I was deferred by Brown in early decision, I still managed to get in, and attend, from regular decision!¡± Myriam announces her decision.


    Oh boy, I¡¯m so going to see the breakups coming! For Natalie, because she got in under early decision, it¡¯s a question of when, not if, they are going to break up, since there was no way Dayton was going to attend Tulane, but that has yet to occur, Pablo is left wondering about the implications for these students¡¯ love lives. Especially when Valter is up next.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to attend Wofford College next fall¡± Valter announces to his classmates.


    ¡°And, of course, I¡¯m going to Johns Hopkins this fall!¡± Scott adds to this chorus.


    Boys performed surprisingly well this year in the college admissions process. Scott was also the manager of the boys¡¯ soccer team, as well as a tutor for it. For that I am grateful for him, the principal muses, while these students return to their classes. Which leaves Ethan, the penultimate student to have come to the principal¡¯s office.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to attend Muhlenberg this fall!¡± Ethan announces.


    ¡°Last but not least, even though my debate career ended in a whimper, I¡¯m going to attend Trinity College!¡± the POI player announces.


    As competitive as VA is, at least the student body here isn¡¯t ¡°Ivy-or-bust¡±, unlike some of our opponents¡¯ schools, the POI player muses upon returning to class. So many of our brightest just want to get out of this place, and to them, college is just a means to an end.


    After the first period ends, it becomes painfully clear what is happening to those couples. Starting with Myriam and Valter, who couldn¡¯t tell over PA that they were breaking up, and hence not making it known to the student body at large.


    ¡°I guess, there is no use delaying the inevitable. It¡¯s over¡­¡± Myriam tells Valter, while he is crying.


    ¡°You helped get me over this loss against Westlake, but since we¡¯re going to college so far away from each other¡­ it was due to happen some day, and it had to fall on Ivy Day!¡± Valter keeps crying.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t sacrifice your future just to stay in a relationship!¡± Natalie tells the couple, within Pablo¡¯s earshot.


    That¡¯s true! I shouldn¡¯t sacrifice my future to stay with Audrey! Pablo overhears the three talking about the implications of their college attendance on their romantic future. Myriam is making it sound like it¡¯s going to be more painful for high achievers, like us, and I was warned about it by Audrey¡¯s dad.


    ¡°Nadine, I know it¡¯s painful to you, but because I am graduating and you¡¯re not, it¡¯s over between us!¡± Ethan tells off Nadine.


    ¡°Damn it! That¡¯s true! I¡¯ve always been far more bookish than you were! After all, I¡¯m one of the stars of the quiz bowl team!¡±


    And Audrey comes to him shortly after hearing about Nadine breaking up.


    ¡°I think we need to talk. I wonder if you got any more offers from colleges after this strong run in the state tournament. Ideally, like, Cornell, or maybe one of the following: Duke, Vanderbilt, Northwestern or Rice¡± Pablo asks his girlfriend.


    ¡°Why, honey? I know you believe in me on the court, but this seems pretty specific¡±


    ¡°These are four of the five most stringent academically on football players outside of the Ivy League. You already have an offer from Tulane, the fifth one¡±


    Audrey reviews her list of offers as she kept sending updated highlight reels to colleges like Georgetown, W&M, Villanova, Richmond, and, of course, the other four colleges Pablo mentioned to her along with the rest of the Ivy League. And Berkeley, too, because of Heather.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with playing FCS football, especially since you always acted as if you wouldn¡¯t make the NFL¡±


    ¡°Yes, my first Division I offer was from Cornell. Yes, I know about the Ivy League being a FCS conference¡±


    ¡°I admit, how we went around choosing to whom to send highlight reels is a little unorthodox since we clearly prioritized academics over athletics¡±


    ¡°Talk about prioritizing academics over athletic fit. Our football opponents were always told to prioritize where they would have the best chance to produce on the field when choosing where to go to college, with no regard for academics¡± Pablo starts reminiscing about what his teammates told him about his opponents.


    Like there is this cornerback from Church Point who got offers from G6 schools, like Ohio University, but settled on McNeese in FCS, or that offensive tackle from South Beauregard who could have gone to North Texas, but instead picked New Orleans¡­ and that¡¯s only the Division I guys I know about. Here it seems like they don¡¯t always play for the best football school, much less academic, Pablo is deep in his memories of his opponents¡¯ college recruiting.


    ¡°In basketball, AAU is the main path to get exposure, but you also have the outrounds of the state tournament. As far as I heard Malcolm talk about it, you have camps for football¡±


    ¡°I know who attends those camps you¡¯re talking about. They are the best players I¡¯ve ever played against. Presumably Malcolm might plan on attending one; however, me being next to them, I feel like my future in college football is as a GPA pad¡±


    ¡°GPA pads? I apologize if I don¡¯t know what that is, is that a concept specific to football?¡±


    ¡°Let me put it this way: if you thought you were an academic outlier in the world of Division I basketball recruiting, I may as well be one in D-one football, even FCS, even though my academic records are about halfway between Heather¡¯s and yours! On average, the Division I-bound guys tend to have between two point six to three point twenty-five, and on academic schedules that aren¡¯t nearly as brutal as ours! And while these guys are at risk of failing out of college, I would then be there to keep the team afloat in class!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t see that much in basketball. It¡¯s mostly because of roster sizes though. But why is it that you didn¡¯t attend college camps yourself?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I feel like they cater to certain molds of players that I don¡¯t fit! These camps promote a toxic vision of college football I want nothing to do with! If this means I could be under-recruited, so be it!¡±


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    ¡°You do realize that, at Cornell, a lot of people around you went to high school in environments that were Ivies or bust, whose competitiveness is far worse than VA¡¯s. Yet, you have enough talent for college camps to be worthwhile; you did make the all-district team, and got an offer from Cornell, but kept quiet about the former!¡± Audrey retorts.


    But then, during lunch break, the main attraction in the auditorium is Heather, with the media outlets of both Lake Charles and Lafayette being present, along with the parish radio and newspaper. Heather has several caps arrayed on a table, including Berkeley, Columbia and¡­ Rhode Island?


    And both basketball teams are present in the auditorium as well. In fact, nearly every athlete at VA, irrespective of sport or gender, is assembled in the auditorium, along with some of their friends.


    ¡°Heather, what¡¯s the meaning of this? Why did you keep quiet about Rhode Island? I assume you got this offer just a few days after you got one from Berkeley¡­¡± Kent asks her player as the camera approaches.


    ¡°I feel¡­ ashamed about Rhode Island!¡±


    ¡°I apologize for having doubted your ability to play college basketball. And same goes for Audrey, too!¡±


    ¡°Better late than never!¡± Audrey sighs.


    I didn¡¯t endure four years of such brutal academics just to attend some college that I could have gotten into without basketball nor these gobs of APs! Heather ruminates while she can¡¯t sign the actual National Letter of Intent (NLI) just yet; she must wait two more weeks to do so. I really hope that some in-state juco could have pity on Carrie. She¡¯s a fantastic passer and dribbler¡­ without her, VA wouldn¡¯t have won a state title!


    ¡°Before this ceremony begins, I have an announcement to make. After this school year ends, I will leave the school and take on an assistant coaching role at McNeese State!¡± Kent announces to the crowd assembled. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for the opportunity to coach basketball at the next level, and winning State, along with getting Heather to where she is today, are my greatest prides in my short two years as VA¡¯s girls¡¯ basketball coach! And one last thing: I nominated all three of Heather, Audrey and Cora for the Academic All-American awards! Especially with Heather making the first All-State three-A team!¡±


    Again, it seems like the administration has deliberately kept quiet about VAs making All-District or All-State teams! Audrey and Cora both made All-District this year, and I¡¯m on the All-State first team for 3A, while these two are on the second All-State 3A team, there¡¯s no telling for football! Heather ruminates as Kent vacates the stage, leaving her front and center, wearing the purple and green jersey on air.


    ¡°Although it seems like I was more heavily followed by basketball fans from outside the Jefferson Davis parish than from the parish, and I wasn¡¯t the most heavily recruited player in the state either, here we are today. As the sole Venomous Agenda student-athlete to sign on with a college this year, and the first one post-pandemic, I¡¯m sorry, Rams fans in Rhode Island, but the team¡¯s dire academic situation would add unnecessary off-court pressure that would prevent me from producing on the court!¡± She then puts the URI cap under the table.


    Really? I didn¡¯t know Rhode Island¡¯s girls¡¯ basketball team was in academic trouble! She¡¯s making it sound like URI admitted players that had no business studying in college! URI is a mid-major operating in an area where college sports just aren¡¯t in the spotlight, and flies under the radar of so many, Kent ruminates while he tries to make sense of what Heather said about URI.


    ¡°As for Columbia, as much as the possibility of getting meaningful playing time for all four years, and get an Ivy League education, could be tantalizing, the level of competition is a little low. Berkeley promises me the same academic rigor, playing time, and at a higher level of competition to boot! And, for the majors I am interested in, I would get to the same academic result at graduation!¡± Heather then puts on the Cal cap on her head, under the applause of the attendees, while putting the Columbia cap under the table as well.


    But the non-seniors on the girls¡¯ team come together after the parish has filmed Heather¡¯s hat ceremony, along with their soon-to-be ex-coach.


    ¡°You all played the best basketball of your lives. However, with Heather and Carrie gone, there are several question marks¡±


    ¡°I think I can play as a big if that¡¯s necessary to help the team, given next season¡¯s roster¡± Audrey comments on what next season will hold for them. ¡°In that case, Cora would move to power forward; she can play on either wing¡±


    ¡°And then one might be wondering whether one between Vanessa and Tamara is either significantly better than the other at passing and dribbling, or at pressuring and/or protecting the rim¡­¡± a second-string small forward comments about what to do with both shooting guards for next season, believing that either one could play either point guard or small forward depending on how their skill sets differ.


    ¡°Oh for sure colleges love players who can play more than one position well, but if what Heather said is correct, sometimes grades can make a difference in the colleges you can play for¡± Kent explains to his players.


    Meanwhile, Malcolm and Pablo start planning for their summer camps, while Pablo receives an email from Northwestern, asking for his questionnaire. Damn¡­ Northwestern must be burning through TEs like crazy, in that the prospects they find just don¡¯t have the grades, or commit elsewhere, a stream of thoughts cross Pablo¡¯s mind as he fills out NWU¡¯s questionnaire. And also fills out the ones for Duke, Vanderbilt, believing that, if NWU was interested in him, perhaps Duke and Vanderbilt would be worth trying. Stanford, on the other hand, he knows is no use.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re both due to go to a college camp or two this summer. You didn¡¯t do so last summer, and yet we¡¯re VA¡¯s best football players that will return next season¡± Malcolm pleads with Pablo.


    ¡°Malcolm, I wonder if you have the grades to play for Tulane. If you do, Tulane¡¯s camp is worth attending for you. For both of us, it might be our only shot at even G-six FBS, so, if you have the grades for Tulane, please send your questionnaires and highlight reels at all five of the following: Tulane, Rice, Northwestern, Duke and Vanderbilt¡±


    ¡°At a camp, coaches in attendance tend to come from either the same conference or the same geographic area. If we were to attend Tulane¡¯s camp, we¡¯ll get looks from either AAC coaches or the rest of the state¡¯s FBS coaches¡± Malcolm explains to him. ¡°If we wanted to play for Vanderbilt, we should then attend LSU¡¯s camp, too¡±


    ¡°There are times when I realize that high achievers just have it rougher in the arena of love. After all, when you have someone like Myriam break up with Valter, it makes me feel like the only way I could remain with Audrey in college would be to play for the same college as she does, and probably the same would hold of you vis-¨¤-vis Cora¡±


    My own basketball teammates tended to date girls in their academic range, like, the next-smartest on the team doesn¡¯t aspire to more than just attending LSU, Malcolm ruminates, realizing that high achievers have it rough come Ivy Day.


    At the same time, Kent takes Carrie to his office, realizing quickly that¡­ Heather is right. He shows her a news release from URI.


    ¡°Heather is right. URI has taken drastic action: their women¡¯s basketball head coach has been fired, because half the team has been failing. And they even expelled the failing players!¡± Kent tells her, while no decision has been made to replace the Rams¡¯ head coach yet. ¡°You know what this means? We must send a highlight reel, your questionnaire and your transcript to Rhode Island immediately!¡±


    ¡°And their commits then? How do I stack up to their commits?¡± Carrie asks, while filling out the URI questionnaire.


    ¡°They all de-committed, except one for whom URI was her sole offer¡± Kent answers her while he compiles Carrie¡¯s highlight reel.


    Rhode Island won¡¯t be getting much help from the transfer portal this year, especially not when the university made it clear that it won¡¯t provide any safety net to their players, Kent then proceeds to compare Carrie¡¯s play to other players URI fielded offers to.


    ¡°You may consider Rhode Island the same as LSU as far as getting in is concerned. This means that you¡¯re a little weak, and also that you must cross your fingers that your basketball skills will be enough to compensate for your low-ish grades¡± Kent reviews Carrie¡¯s transcript, so while she has shown improvement late in junior year as well as senior year, 3.0/23 makes URI dicey at best. ¡°I hope you¡¯re comfortable being the weakest academically on the Rams!¡±


    ¡°I was already pretty weak academically compared to the rest of the team here, I sure as hell wouldn¡¯t be the team¡¯s resident brainiac in college!¡± Carrie starts feeling inferior. ¡°And Rhode Island is up north, it¡¯s going to be cold!¡±


    ¡°Carrie, the only reason I am going through all this trouble to get these materials to Rhode Island is because of how important you have been to VA¡¯s successes on the court!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it, this state title is a team-wide effort. Passing, dribbling are my big two contributions! I can shoot some, but defensively, I¡¯m better on the zone and the perimeter¡± Carrie describes how she plays.


    ¡°I¡¯ll even coach you on the ACT personally! The booster club will pay for you to retake it on standby, and we¡¯ll register for it right away!¡± Kent then opens the page for the ACT.


    ¡°Why should I retake the ACT?¡± Carrie¡¯s face shows signs of annoyance.


    ¡°I believe Rhode Island will be a little iffy to let you play with a twenty-three, and you have learned something since the state-sponsored date last year!¡±

 Chapter 65: The Rhode Island Bloodbath

    After school, Kent brings Carrie to his office once again, while he makes a call to URI¡¯s interim head coach. Just as the contact period is about to end.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Venomous Agendas¡¯ girls¡¯ basketball coach, I¡¯m calling about my player, Carrie Mailman¡­¡±


    ¡°Carrie?¡± URI¡¯s interim basketball head coach, surprised upon hearing about Carrie, asks Kent. ¡°I expected this call to be about Heather! What position does she play?¡±


    ¡°Point guard; she used to play small forward in the past. As for Heather, unfortunately, she feels like her teammates as a Ram will smother her under academic pressure! And yet, Carrie was a key contributor to Heather¡¯s successes, and, by extension, the whole team¡¯s!¡±


    Carrie never acted entitled. She accepted that sometimes, she had to step out of her role, or to ask for help so that she can keep contributing. However, she was content with not being the best in class, Kent reflects on Carrie¡¯s character as a player, while Carrie is doing some practice questions.


    ¡°Get me Carrie, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Very well¡± Kent sighs, while handing the phone over to Carrie.


    ¡°Your coach sent us tapes of Heather in the past, and now tapes of key games at the state tournament. We love your game, especially with passing and dribbling, however, because you know about the Rhode Island Bloodbath, there is a word of caution¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Carrie asks, rolling her eyes. ¡°The Rhode Island Bloodbath?¡±


    ¡°My predecessor was fired today because too many players were failing. All players affected were on probation at the time, and their unsatisfactory progress caused them to be expelled from URI. However, going forward, we need to be stricter on academics to prevent that from occurring again! I understand that the Rams are in a bind right now, but this recruiting class will be the last for which any academic favors will be extended! Count yourself lucky!¡±


    URI isn¡¯t exactly a big name in college basketball, D1 though it might be. The top juco talent tend to have landed in juco because they had poor grades, or are injury-prone, and gets signed months before their graduation. The same holds of top D2-3 talent in the portal, as well as high school recruits. This is why I don¡¯t expect much out of the transfer portal, the coach ruminates as the options are explored. Either way, I inherited a less-than-ideal situation. We must prepare to attend as many NCAA-certified unsigned senior showcases as possible! Ideally 3.5 GPA or higher, with multiple APs preferred, if high school, or 3.0 and higher, if transfer portal.


    ¡°Your academic record is a little iffy. You did improve late in junior year and into senior year, though. Is there a reason why you didn¡¯t take any AP courses?¡± a frustrated coach vents.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to overload myself the way my teammates did! Also, it¡¯s kind of expected that, to take APs, you need to get As in the prereqs!¡± Carrie vehemently argues.


    ¡°You do realize that most of your future teammates took APs, sometimes multiple at once, and had better high school grades than you?¡± the coach asks Carrie, questioning her about an aspect of playing on the Rams.


    Kent, and now the people over in Rhode Island, too? Why is it that, because collegiate play has suddenly become an option, everyone started telling me about how my teammates in college will be stronger students than I am myself? Carrie starts shaking and dreading the essay. Damn¡­ too many question marks about my teammates, and hence about the playing time I¡¯ll get! And how I¡¯ll fit in games once I¡¯m playing as a Ram!


    ¡°You said it so yourself that URI bled players because of poor academic performance! You can¡¯t make assumptions about the academic performance of the recruiting class until you actually have one!¡±


    ¡°Anyway, apply to URI for Spring by June fifteenth, and we¡¯ll see whether we can get you here in Fall. I would love you to take an official visit to Rhode Island, just tell us which weekend works best for you¡±


    After answering some practice questions, she returns home to tell her parents about what transpired at school.


    ¡°Now I might be able to play basketball in college after all!¡± an ecstatic Carrie tells her parents.


    ¡°Where will you play?¡± Carrie¡¯s dad asks her.


    ¡°Rhode Island! They loved my game during the state tournament, and they would love to have me on the team!¡±


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    ¡°You¡¯re the best unsigned point guard left in the state, and it was just a question of time until you get an offer!¡±


    ¡°It better be a full ride!¡± Carrie¡¯s mom adds, worried about finances.


    ¡°I hope so, too! You played like that Latvian, or is that Lithuanian, I don¡¯t remember¡±


    ¡°Yes. However, to make sure it¡¯s actually going to be a full ride, I need to study for the ACT over the next two weeks! And do my homework, too!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, the next two weeks? Are you retaking the ACT?¡± Carrie¡¯s mom asks her daughter.


    ¡°Yes, and the booster club is paying for it. Double the regular fee because standby testing, and it¡¯s next Saturday at VA! And one last thing: Rhode Island is taking me on an all-expenses-paid visit, but they can only pay for me to go without you¡±


    ¡°Just tell me when!¡±


    Dad always acted as if countries had distinctive playing styles on the court! To think the whole team¡¯s playstyle was also compared to Lithuania¡¯s specifically! And the first time I ever heard about Latvia was in a basketball game! Dad¡¯s implying that Latvia is a solid basketball country¡­ Carrie¡¯s thoughts get consumed by her dad¡¯s comparisons as she sets out to do her homework and get more practice questions in.


    Before going to sleep, she answers her coach¡¯s query about when she can go on an official visit.


    However, this all seems so sudden to her, and she has trouble sleeping. Especially since she feels like an appointment with guidance counseling is in order. What did I do, or fail to do, to slip under the recruiters¡¯ radars last summer? As much as I¡¯d love to say that recruiting might have a luck factor, and I was unlucky¡­


    Fortunately for Carrie, the meeting with Steven comes relatively quickly, and she meets with him at lunch time. Once she sits down in his office:


    ¡°Why ask this late for help on college applications?¡± Steven asks her.


    ¡°Yesterday, I received a call from Rhode Island, they offered me a scholarship, but I must apply there to play. For Spring, but I must get my application in by a certain date so that I can play the whole season!¡±


    ¡°I guess, I¡¯m happy for you, but what do you need help with?¡±


    ¡°The essay¡±


    Steven then pulls out a list of seven essay prompts from the Common Application, which URI takes. Carrie then reviews each of these prompts, wondering which one would be most likely to represent her.


    ¡°First, avoid talking about things that are already elsewhere in the application. And same for me, too, when the time comes to write the letter of recommendation. I¡¯m sure Kent is writing one for you, after all, he¡¯s the one who knows you best, but he must ensure that he doesn¡¯t sound like a hoops scouting report!¡±


    Carrie struggles to think of anything she can write about. Until she has a flash about another painful episode of her academic life¡­ But of course! I can always write about how a practice problem in Algebra II made me realize the importance of weighing the risks, and I¡¯m grateful for the team¡¯s brainiac for that! More like the ¡°primary¡± brainiac, since Cora has grown to become the ¡°alternate¡± brainiac as her quiz bowl prowess increased!


    She starts jotting down an outline of her essay on her cell phone, which she doesn¡¯t feel like coming back to it until the ACT is finished. And, of course, she is given a PDF on that topic that kids in AP English get, so it would help her in writing the essay two weeks down the road.


    However, Carrie even stops going to the weight room until the retake ends, and, as such, spends hours upon hours studying for the ACT. I won¡¯t let a stupid ACT retake stand in the way of my basketball dreams! she ruminates, while poring over study guides for various sections of the ACT, which she treats much more seriously.


    So after the ACT is over with, and on which she feels she has improved markedly by virtue of having learned more material since the state-sponsored date, she resumes writing her essay, but after the first draft is done on Saturday night after the test, she sends it to her teammate she talks about in the essay itself:


    ¡°Carrie!¡± Audrey screams in her bedroom, in the middle of a quiz bowl drill. ¡°Why did you keep quiet about Rhode Island? Heather mentioned it last week, and now you?¡±


    Audrey starts reading the essay, realizing that her teammate started taking a more measured approach to risk-taking because of that practice problem on the Lotto 6/49 last year. She then tells her ex-teammate a few areas of improvement for the essay by texting.


    Upon receipt of Audrey¡¯s feedback, Carrie then edits the essay based on that. Which, after AI-powered proofreading, she decides to send not to Audrey again, but to Steven. And leaves aside until Monday.


    Speaking of Monday morning, before Carrie gets to school, she receives an envelope from URI in the mail. As she opens it, she finds a hand-written note from the URI coach, on official URI letterhead and the coach¡¯s signature: We love your game, fingers crossed that your ACT retake, combined with your later grades, will be strong enough to convince us that you¡¯re not at risk of failing out of the program.


    If URI goes to the trouble of sending me that sort of hand-written note, hopefully URI is for real, and that I can actually play in college! However, I hope that this retake has been worthwhile, and the only thing left standing in the way is the ACT; I really don¡¯t want to retake the ACT again, Carrie starts having a bad feeling about the implications of her ACT score, and she wonders 1) how much she got and 2) how high of an ACT score she feels URI needs to be fully convinced that she won¡¯t pose a risk to the program.


    ¡°I feel like I threw the booster club¡¯s money down the drain, and URI might rescind the offer if I don¡¯t score high enough on this retake last Saturday! They made me feel like a twenty-three won¡¯t cut it!¡± Carrie starts crying.


    ¡°Honey, I¡¯d say, just stay strong. I understand you¡¯re not in your normal condition right now, and I understand that you don¡¯t want to throw away four years of hard work on the court because of one bad test!¡± Carrie¡¯s mom tries to comfort her.


    ¡°I really hope things will turn out well¡­¡± Carrie¡¯s dad adds.

 Chapter 66: End of the Beginning

    Ten days after the ACT she took, Carrie checks her ACT score during lunch time. 30. Steven talked about how splitters existed in two varieties, the traditional and the reverse. And how reverse splitters had it better than traditional splitters for getting into college, but it''s obvious that, in URI¡¯s context, I¡¯m a traditional splitter since I sit on their 75th ACT percentile, Carrie thinks while sending an email to URI¡¯s coach about it.


    And the coach¡¯s reply arrives with a duly signed NLI as an attachment. Which means that Carrie can now rest easy, with her basketball future secured, along with her academic one.


    In the end, since Carrie wasn¡¯t as highly touted as Heather, despite being instrumental in the VAs¡¯ successes on the court, her signing at URI only received limited attention, with the parish radio being the only media outlet that really commented about the signing outside of Kingston, RI.


    After she signs the NLI in the parish radio station, along with her dad, Carrie meets with Finn once again, outside the actual studio:


    ¡°Is that true? Are you really going to play basketball for Rhode Island?¡± Finn asks Carrie after coming to the parish radio station to see her for her big moment.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll have my college education paid for¡±


    ¡°Why is it that you weren¡¯t recruited earlier? It¡¯s not about grades!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s irrelevant now, and I don¡¯t want you to ruin your future for me. Sorry if it¡¯s painful for you to hear, but it¡¯s over. I break up!¡±


    Finn then leaves the radio station in tears. I should be happy for her because she gets to continue playing the sport she loves, but it cost us our relationship!


    <hr>


    But at the next quiz bowl practice, the coach announces to the players ahead of time what the transportation arrangements are going to be, as well as their bedroom arrangements. Five girls, three boys, and the adults in a third room.


    ¡°Just so that we¡¯re clear, unlike at State, or for the basketball players, for your away games, we cannot bring any designated guests at the HSNCT¡± Warren warns his players. ¡°And, for the HSNCT, the rosters will be the same as at Leesville!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say Cora, you and I are going to be in our room for sure¡± Audrey tells Pablo. Who¡¯s going to be in our room?¡±


    ¡°Forget about us sleeping in your room: we will sleep together in Atlanta¡± Nadine and Lilina tell the couple when they decide in which room they will sleep.


    ¡°I guess, I will sleep in your room since I already slept over with all three of you in the past¡± Gerard sighs.


    ¡°One last thing: this year, we¡¯re assigned the afternoon session, so we leave town at night¡±


    Already that a designated guest for a single-day tournament is a lot to ask of our friends, and all they can do there is study or do homework, Nadine starts thinking about the size of the commitment of getting a designated guest.


    ¡°Non-freshmen, since you¡¯re all taking AP courses, and tests, you no longer have to attend practices until the HSNCT!¡± Warren makes a final announcement.


    ¡°Everything we have been doing since the beginning of the season in quiz bowl has been in preparation for this big moment. I urge you to consider rewriting class notes under the form of quiz bowl tossups or bonuses, personally I feel like bonuses are more practical for that purpose, and, of course, do practice problems as appropriate!¡± Nadine tells her teammates.


    ¡°On top of that, yes, AP courses tend to have more relevance to quiz bowl than regular courses¡± Audrey explains to the freshmen. ¡°And Pablo and I both took AP World History for this reason¡±


    The non-freshmen go home to study for their respective AP Exams in the order they are taking these. As for the freshmen, who aren¡¯t allowed to take AP courses, per parish policy, they serve as moderators for the middle schoolers¡¯ practices down the homestretch for the MSNCT.


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    For everyone at school, since finals season is drawing near, they focus on studying and then the demand for tutoring skyrockets, making the students whose families can afford it to ask for it left and right. And quiz bowlers had to turn down some requests, especially early in the AP testing season.


    <hr>


    When, after everything is said and done for their finals, regular or AP, the students get ready to leave for Atlanta in the minibus, the crowd for the HSNCT send-off is much smaller than in past years, especially since townsfolk find it more dangerous to be out at night. Nevertheless, the families and love interests of players are there:


    ¡°This is the year or never to win it all! VA has been dominant this year, once again winning State and incurring a single loss all season! All these days of practicing with collegiate quiz bowl packets, competing at tournaments, will come down to two days of quiz bowl!¡± Warren harangues the players as well as the other attendees.


    ¡°Except that you¡¯re talking about the A-team when you talk about the team taking one loss all season. The B-team incurred some losses, all the way until Leesville¡­¡± Gerard points out.


    ¡°How does it feel to you, Audrey, now that there are two basketball-playing brainiacs at VA?¡± Pablo asks his girlfriend.


    ¡°That ought to relieve pressure on me off the court¡± Audrey answers him. ¡°Which I quietly assumed was the price to pay for my quiz bowling prowess¡±


    And so it was right until Cora scored the winning points at Leesville that led her to the HSNCT. It was really only after Leesville that people started treating Cora as more than just a basketball player that happened to have good grades! With all the social consequences that implies, Audrey ruminates as she boards the bus, wearing, like Cora, her white home jersey.


    Because of the trip taking place at night, the players start falling asleep as soon as Thomas gets seated. And Warren, too. Which means Thomas is driving at night, on I-10, for a while, until the minibus is low enough on fuel to force them to find a gas station. Which happens in Biloxi, and hence outside of Louisiana.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Pablo asks upon being awakened when the bus comes to a halt. And his teammates, who were snoring up to this point, also find this awakening pretty sudden.


    ¡°Biloxi¡± the driver answers him.


    ¡°If any of you need to go to the bathroom, please do so now; we won¡¯t get another stop for a while!


    And, of course, Thomas goes into the d¨¦panneur first, in search of coffee that will keep him awake on the way to Atlanta. Pablo, being the only one who¡¯s awake, follows shortly thereafter.


    Hmmm¡­ painkillers! But these painkillers have nothing on the painkillers I brew at home, for myself, family or even Audrey¡­ Thomas¡¯ painkiller feels like brewing instant painkillers! Pablo starts thinking of the coffee the d¨¦panneur is serving on his way to the bathroom. However, he knows that it¡¯s the time for him to get some sleep before the HSNCT begins. So¡­ tempting! But it¡¯s, like, 3 AM, and I still need sleep!


    And yet, for some reason, no one else awoke to go to the bathroom in Biloxi, so all they could do is wait until they get to the next stop.


    When the next stop happens, after a few more hours, Gerard appears to be in distress. However, he only seems to show his issues after he gets out of the bus, and after he checked his grades in other courses. Starting with AP US Government, whose final grades for the spring semester are now out.


    ¡°Damn it! My grades are out, and it¡¯s a disaster!¡± Gerard shouts, about to cry.


    ¡°What makes it a disaster?¡± Nadine asks him, believing that, surrounded by other straight-A students like herself, it¡¯s easy for a quiz bowler to feel like a failure even with a B+.


    ¡°Even with my debater girlfriend, I only managed a D in the course! No more APs in social studies for me!¡±


    ¡°I believe a psychological evaluation is in order upon our return home, Gerard! Remember what I told Cora on her first day as a quiz bowler!¡± Warren tries to console a distraught Gerard.


    ¡°Quiz bowl is not school¡­¡± Cora tries to intervene, much to her chagrin.


    ¡°My talent has¡­ vanished! What did I do, or fail to do, to be outplayed by some¡­ basketball player who has only begun playing six months ago?¡± Gerard keeps crying, and lamenting.


    ¡°Last year, you felt like the pressures of the town¡¯s spotlight were too much, yet you kept playing. Are you playing on both the math and quiz bowl teams just because your parents made you?¡± Warren asks Gerard as well.


    ¡°How could Cora possibly have led us to the HSNCT, and, at the same time, play basketball at a level high enough to contribute to a state title? Same goes of Audrey, too!¡± a confused Gerard asks in a whiny tone.


    ¡°A top-twenty-five at the HSNCT freshman year, the final four of the spring Math Madness, you already accomplished a lot by now!¡± Lilina, once again, tries to reason with him. ¡°You may leave the quiz bowl team at the conclusion of this HSNCT, but all I want is you to see this HSNCT through!¡±


    ¡°These things aren¡¯t the doing of one player, Lilina! No more than a basketball state title!¡±


    And even these football players could somehow get better grades in AP US Gov than I! Like Cora¡¯s boyfriend! He looks at his report card for the year, whose only As lied in Algebra II and AP Bio. C+ in French II, C in English, and this meant no AP French for him either. Maybe someone else would be worth my love, but not Tanith!


    Gerard then proceeds to text Tanith. ¡°It¡¯s over, I¡¯m breaking up! There¡¯s nothing left I can do to make it click!¡±


    ¡°You have serious problems, Gerard! I did as much as I could to take pressure off you in quiz bowl, but the rest is now in your hands!¡± Cora adds.

 Chapter 67: Preliminary Lovey-Dovey

    Warren explained to Cora what the core differences were between regular-season tournaments and the HSNCT before they check in at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta by 11 AM.


    ¡°Whatever you do, come back here by two PM!¡± Warren warns his players.


    ¡°We went to the College Football Hall of Fame last year; I think we can go somewhere else this year¡± Pablo suggests Audrey.


    ¡°The Centennial Olympic Park! However, we won¡¯t have much time to visit anything from the inside¡± Audrey suggests him.


    All three athletes go to their respective bathrooms to change their jerseys to the purple-and-green ones. However, Cora doesn¡¯t seem too keen on the idea of sightseeing on day one of the HSNCT, while Gerard, on the other hand, begins his trip by eating ice cream at the closest Dairy Queen.


    Of course, the couple walks due west from the hotel to get to the Centennial Olympic Park, of which they saw a portion last year on their way to the College Football Hall of Fame.


    Once they arrive there, the first landmark they see around the Park is the World of Coca-Cola, which is right next to the Georgia Aquarium.


    ¡°Be lucky that we don¡¯t drink a whole lot of Coca-Cola, unlike a few of the kids, especially Savannah!¡± Pablo points out to her.


    ¡°Savannah? All I knew was that she played baritone on band, went to perform at all the boys¡¯ basketball home games, and took AP US Government with Malcolm and Bart! I didn¡¯t know she drank Coca-Cola systematically!¡±


    ¡°I know this only because Bart dragged me to help both with that course, and she emptied a bottle of Coke Zero! Also, please stop talking about coursework!¡±


    If only it was like last year¡­ maybe we could have visited one of the following: Georgia Aquarium, National Center for Civil and Human Rights and, the World of Coca-Cola, as well as take the time deemed necessary to visit whichever we pick! Pablo muses while they pass in front of the Georgia Aquarium. And a sign near the Aquarium tells him that the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is on his right. Which reminds him of AP US Government. Also, how could Gerard crash and burn so spectacularly in AP US Government? As of halfway through the semester, he was doing just fine; it just feels so¡­ sudden.


    So they go to the next stop along the way, and then the couple sees a pizzeria on their right. Max¡¯s Coal Oven Pizzeria.


    ¡°Might not be candle-lit, but here¡¯s our chance to eat a good meal before the prelims!¡± Pablo suggests to her.


    ¡°No need, really. Just keep the receipt and give it to the coach when we return! Also, it doesn¡¯t seem to be rush hour, so we might be able to choose where to be seated¡± Audrey comments on his choice of restaurant.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit on an outside table; I feel that¡¯s more romantic when we have a romantic meal by day, in broad daylight!¡±


    Which the waiter gets them without trouble. And they are also given menus so they can order whatever pizzas they fancy, knowing that a 12-inch pizza might be a bit much for them to eat on their own.


    ¡°One Greek-style pizza please¡­¡± Audrey places the order for the couple.


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re waiting on the dessert later, so yes¡± Pablo tells the waiter before getting on his way. He then turns to Audrey. ¡°I guess, that¡¯s a meal we couldn¡¯t have at home¡­ and that¡¯s a nice change from eating pelekie zirni!¡±


    When the pizza arrives, just a few minutes later, Audrey takes the first slice¡­


    ¡°How cute of sharing this pizza with me!¡± Pablo tells her, while taking his first slice.


    ¡°Do you have any news of Northwestern? Or really, any other of your targets?¡±


    ¡°They have hundreds of prospects to go through. I¡¯m sure they aren¡¯t really interested in me as a football player, and just for me to keep their team GPA afloat!¡±


    ¡°Pablo, you have been at this for months now! You kept talking about how Power-Four teams would not offer you enough academic bang for the buck, and the same would have held for me!¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m going to play football in Division I, FCS is the way to go. And honestly, several of our best opposing players will play in FCS, too, with the best of them playing for, like, LSU, Kentucky or KU, but few of them complain about lacking academic bang for the buck!¡±


    Pablo knows better than anyone else outside of the basketball or quiz bowl teams what I¡¯m capable of intellectually. After all, it was known for decades that, especially in football and men¡¯s basketball, P4 colleges coddled players academically, to the point of having the coursework essentially done for them, as well as take steep academic discounts to play, and sometimes even force them to declare very easy majors, Audrey reflects on the lack of academic bang for the buck at P4 football programs (or P6 ones in basketball).


    ¡°So Georgetown, Richmond, Lehigh, W&M and Villanova were your other FCS targets outside of the Ivy League¡­ and we¡¯re both hoping at least one of these will offer to both of us or, if you¡¯re lucky, Tulane!¡±


    ¡°Speaking of Tulane, my dad made me sign up for that camp, along with LSU¡¯s. However, I am crossing my fingers and hope for either I get an offer from Dartmouth or Tulane, or you to get an offer from Cornell¡±


    ¡°Or crazier still, Northwestern¡­¡±


    ¡°You got an offer from Northwestern? Are you kidding me?¡± Pablo gasps upon the implications of what he just heard from her.


    ¡°Yes, but at least we¡¯re much more serious about the student aspect of student-athlete life. And yet for you, NWU is a long shot, and probably, along with Duke or Vanderbilt, the highest you can probably go in college football. Then again, Duke is going to be a long shot for me, even with basketball, and I¡¯m sure my betters on the court at Duke all have relatively good grades, and even APs, too. Maybe not as many as I do, though¡±


    ¡°In which case I¡¯m praying that I get an offer from Northwestern, but I know P-fours are a long shot for me, and even if I did, I might not get much playing time. Then again, all four of us, that is, Cora, Heather, you and me, all acted like this because education is what remains with us after we have played our last college game¡±


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    They keep discussing their future in college sports, knowing that NWU, Duke and Vanderbilt aren¡¯t that elite in the college football world, over their respective halves of a pizza. And, after eating chocolate chip cannoli, they resume their tour of the area.


    Of course, they swiftly get past the College Football Hall of Fame because they already visited it last year, so the next stop on their tour is going to be the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. And then to the State Farm Arena, with them having briefly set foot in each venue.


    ¡°These are light-years from the Simmons Stadium and the VAs¡¯ home court respectively, or even the UC in Hammond. I can only imagine how the gameday experience is going to be for Falcons or Hawks games, it just can¡¯t compare to high school games¡± Pablo comments on the feel of these sports venues as compared to those he attended events, or played, in.


    ¡°High school games have a much more intimate gameday experience, which is perhaps why you feel they can¡¯t compare. First-row seats at any of these venues just won¡¯t feel like first-row seats at, say, Mercedes-Benz Stadium or State Farm Arena¡±


    But then they realize that they cannot visit any further locations and still hope to make it back to the hotel lobby in time for the players and coaches¡¯ meeting for the afternoon session teams.


    ¡°Pablo! Audrey! Where have you been? You seem to have taken your sweet time!¡± Nadine¡¯s tone leaves no doubt as to her displeasure towards the couple.


    ¡°We did have a romantic meal near Centennial Park¡± Audrey explains herself.


    Both squads are herded into the Marquis ballroom, along with hundreds of players and coaches, for the meeting, at the end of which both teams collect their opening cards.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Cora: the more you guys win, the stronger the opponents get, and you get mostly fresh opponents on day one. If you¡¯re lucky, you might fall on an opponent you played against in the regular season¡± Warren tells her as she picks up VA B¡¯s card.


    ¡°All right, coach¡­¡±


    VA A¡¯s card is card number 225. Thomas, as last year, will liveblog VA¡¯s games, the A-squad¡¯s odd-numbered games and the B-squad¡¯s even-numbered games.


    As the A-squad takes an elevator to the tenth floor, to play their first game of the day, Pablo and Audrey kiss each other in the elevator cabin. However, the kiss is brief since the elevator trip is rather quick.


    When they arrive in a game room, which is a nondescript hotel room, the space feels a little cramped, as both teams take up positions around a table taking up almost all the space of a king bed.


    ¡°This is round one of the afternoon prelims of the 2031 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This game pits the one hundred fifty-nine card against the two hundred twenty-five card. From Louisiana, we have Venomous Agendas A, from New York, we have Bishop Ludden. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one: Disruptions in this organ¡¯s electric signals can result in diseases known as arrythmias¡± the moderator reads the first question.


    Audrey buzzes in. ¡°Heart¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Here it seems like VA, as often happens during the early stages of the prelims, blows out the first opponent they get to play, which was assigned to them at random. Both VA A and B, but VA A seems to be in for a much bigger blowout than VA B.


    <hr>


    Especially when Cora has to essentially act as both a science specialist and a special topics player because Gerard seemed to be mostly dead weight. Yet, somehow, near the end of VA B¡¯s game against Grand Junction, Gerard appears locked in a buzzer race.


    ¡°Tossup twenty: A ninth century BC Assyrian bas-relief depicts this weapon fighting around a city¡¯s walls¡± the moderator working VA B¡¯s game reads to both teams.


    To that, both teams draw a blank. Maybe another clue would help them as it is read to both teams.


    ¡°In the Return of the King, ordinary examples of this weapon are unsuccessfully deployed¡­¡±


    Here Cora and Gerard are engaged in a buzzer race, but Gerard appears to let his nerves get the better of him as his hand is shaking. However, Cora appears to be less nervous. Yes! The siege of Gondor! The only ¡°ordinary¡± weapon the Orcs were unable to deploy were battering rams! A stream of thoughts cross Cora¡¯s mind before she buzzes in.


    ¡°Battering ram!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Ouch! Why is it that I can¡¯t seem to win any kind of buzzer race this year? Last year, the questions were supposedly the same difficulty, I was able to win a few buzzer races, Gerard starts sweating, but doesn¡¯t seem anxious enough to feel at risk of vomiting.


    <hr>


    Back to the VA A game, the final score is released:


    ¡°And that¡¯s the game. Score?¡±


    ¡°VA five hundred ninety, Bishop Ludden one hundred¡± the scorekeeper announces.


    ¡°Yes! Our love makes us better as a quiz bowl team!¡± Pablo hugs her before going to the next game, with card 159 in hand.


    As per usual, the people over at home can only follow what¡¯s happening during the games via the liveblog. However, since most people at home only seem interested in the results of the games, as opposed to watching the games themselves, the liveblog contains the results of both games.


    But why is it that the last tossup of that game makes me think of Carrie? I mean, I hope Carrie doesn¡¯t get rammed academically in college, Audrey seems to have a heavy heart because of the last tossup.


    As the games go on, both VA A and B rack up the wins, with VA A going 5-1 as game 7 is about to start.


    ¡°We have a chance to go into the playoffs here and now! All we have to do is win this game, and tomorrow, we¡¯re playing for keeps, and possibly for the winners¡¯ bracket!¡± Nadine attempts to motivate the players before they step into the game room.


    ¡°And maybe even a bye in the winners¡¯ bracket!¡± Audrey adds, even though she¡¯s the only one on this year¡¯s squad who actually earned it last year.


    This time around, they play in a conference room that can more comfortably house two teams as they are about to play each other for a chance to get the team into the playoffs immediately.


    ¡°This is round seven of the afternoon prelims of the 2031 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This game pits the number twelve card against the twenty-six card. From Louisiana, we have Venomous Agendas A, from Ohio, we have Solon A. Best of luck to both teams¡­¡±


    That game proves a good back-and-forth that keeps everyone on their toes. And Thomas is the only one in the room who remembers the previous VA game against Solon. Presumably because the Comets¡¯ chaperone is a parent of a current player.


    But unlike the previous game, here they have a window left to win, going into the final tossup, the VAs are trailing by 40 points:


    ¡°Tossup twenty: this ukiyo-e artist held a position as a fire warden in Edo Castle during his early career¡±


    Like I get that often artists, in their early careers, had day jobs; however, how did his first day job influence his art? Nadine starts questioning the rationale behind the clue.


    ¡°Like others in the Utagawa school¡­¡±


    It¡¯s then that everyone on the VAs start sweating. Nadine appears locked in a buzzer race against her own teammates¡­ We must power this question, or we¡¯re toast! the arts and literature specialist starts shaking and presses the buzzer like a syringe.


    ¡°Hiroshige¡±


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about inventory management¡±


    If we don¡¯t get all 3 parts correctly, we¡¯re done! Inventory management never came into play in the quiz bowl packets we used in practices! Pablo braces himself.


    ¡°This model of inventory management is widely used when significant fluctuations exist in both supply and demand over time¡±


    Nadine signals that she doesn¡¯t know the answer, but they know they can¡¯t afford to miss a question on this bonus. Which leaves the other three scrambling to find an answer. Uncertainty in both supply and demand will lead you to stock up when you can do so, Pablo ruminates on this aspect.


    ¡°Just in case¡± Pablo answers after buzzing in.


    ¡°Unlike just-in-case inventory management, users of this model purchase stock only after an order is actually placed for a product¡± the moderator reads the second bonus part.


    ¡°Just in time!¡± Audrey answers much faster than Pablo did the previous bonus.


    ¡°Just-in-time inventory management limits the ability of vendors to offer this attribute¡±


    The foursome have five seconds to answer the final bonus part. Because just-in-time tends to yield fixed costs per unit when you make it work, you set prices accordingly, Audrey feels the clock ticking in on her as the whole game boils down to this one bonus part. Also, she lived through this sort of scenario several times, and that¡¯s only this season. Just before the five-second signal:


    ¡°Price flexibility!¡±


    ¡°Thirty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡±


    ¡°Solon three hundred fifty, VA three hundred fifty-five¡±


    ¡°Woohoo! Playoff time!¡± Nadine exclaims when the team leaves the game room.


    And it turns out that VA B finishes day 1 at the HSNCT with a 5-2 record. With 3 players performing roughly at the same levels, but Gerard is by far the worst player.

 Chapter 68: The Kingdom of Pressure

    When they are at the hotel¡¯s weight room, after dinner, the three VA athletes playing at the HSNCT are training, Pablo at the bench press machine, and the other two train elsewhere. One of the users comments on the T-shirt Pablo wears in the weight room. Property of Venomous Agendas Athletics.


    ¡°Venomous¡­ Agendas? Is that some seven-by-seven football team?¡± the weight room user asks Pablo.


    ¡°No, there is no seven by seven in my area since I live in a rural area. It¡¯s the school I play football for, it¡¯s in southwest Louisiana¡­¡±


    Damn¡­ while everyone and their dogs in Louisiana in quiz bowl knows about VA by now, it¡¯s obvious that this guy isn¡¯t a quiz bowl fan, Pablo keeps doing bench press.


    ¡°My girlfriend is next to me¡±


    ¡°I play basketball for VA, and we both play quiz bowl at the HSNCT¡± Audrey comments.


    ¡°It must not be easy to juggle quiz bowl and sport! Hats off to you two then!¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡± Pablo returns to bench press.


    Of course not. But step outside the worlds of mathletics or quiz bowl, and VA is just a school like any other. While VA is the most competitive high school in southwest Louisiana, some of our opponents play for even more competitive schools. I wouldn¡¯t imagine how it would have been like playing for, like, Solon, Pablo seems triggered by the comments of that weight room user, albeit secretly.


    When they return to their room later in the night, they come together and come back with Gerard. Whose performance went downhill so much that Cora managed to score about 10 times as much as he did.


    ¡°Gerard, as much as you feel pressure, there was someone in the weight room that made me realize that we are under pressure, too. Not only it¡¯s not the same as you, but some of our quiz bowl opponents have it worse!¡± Pablo tries to explain to Gerard.


    ¡°True, VA is competitive, but you remind me of Heather as of last year!¡± Cora remarks to him.


    ¡°What do you mean, I remind you of Heather as a rising senior?¡± Gerard rolls his eyes.


    ¡°Heather wanted to transfer to Lacassine last year because she felt crushed academically back then. However, I believe one of the main reasons why Columbia offered her is because she got As in six APs rather than three, and Dartmouth told me that I needed to keep taking APs next year. I assume the same holds for you, Pablo, at Cornell?¡±


    ¡°Even with her hoops talent, I¡¯m not even sure she would have gotten to play for Berkeley without these three extra APs! They cut off their last big commit because she wasn¡¯t academically strong enough!¡± Cora comments on how she feels about Heather. ¡°Then again, maybe I can play for Berkeley, too, if I was good enough on the wings! We¡¯re not talking about me playing for Case Western anymore!¡±


    ¡°Cora, don¡¯t tell me that Berkeley made an offer to you?¡± Audrey asks, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°No. While I know almost for sure that I, nay, we are stronger academically than whoever already got offered on the wings from Berkeley, I got an offer to play for UPenn¡±


    I scored the same as Audrey on the ACT, a 35, Cora keeps to herself. Which is why ¡°we¡±. But don¡¯t underestimate our opponents!


    ¡°Cora, you seem to be implying that, while academics are secondary, it can be a decisive factor when deciding between players of roughly equal talent!¡± Gerard retorts. ¡°And when you consider that we don¡¯t hand out academic favors our sports opponents do, I¡¯m sure any of you will blow your future college teammates out of the water in the classroom. Heck, even Heather likely will!¡±


    ¡°You really think Berkeley makes gender-balanced compromises for basketball players? Heather would be on the lower end of the regular student body at Berkeley, but girls¡¯ hoops don¡¯t bring in nearly as much revenue! I would be inclined to think compromises are going to be smaller for girls than for boys!¡± Audrey retorts. ¡°But compromises nonetheless¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget about the Rhode Island Bloodbath! Even with her hoops talent, with her three point oh, Carrie could play for Rhode Island only because she had a stronger ACT score than three-quarters of the regular student body!¡± Cora yells in Gerard¡¯s direction.


    But it is then that the couple starts realizing that their collegiate insecurities are getting the better of them. Our football opponents don¡¯t have nearly as brutal an academic schedule as ours, and pick their colleges based on their football, unlike us, who seem to use it as a vehicle to attempt attending the most prestigious college possible ¨C in an academic sense ¨C that we can afford.


    ¡°Try to imagine how it would feel to play for our big opponents, like, you know, Boston Latin, Thomas Jefferson Science and Tech¡­ we would be playing our respective sports, quiz bowl and then some, such as more clubs, and maybe even stuff such as the math team! We would be stretched far thinner in extracurriculars, and we might not have been able to play our sports as well as we did! And Heather wouldn¡¯t have gotten to play for Berkeley, even if she had the same grades and ACT score!¡± Pablo harangues the room¡¯s occupants.


    ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± Gerard pleads with the three athletes about stopping the talk of academics in college sports.


    Gerard then texts his parents at home. ¡°Maybe I should transfer to Welsh¡­¡± he tells his parents, believing that maybe Welsh being less competitive than VA would help him.


    ¡°I guess, we should stop checking our email inboxes for any signs of offers from colleges¡­¡± Audrey sighs.


    The following morning, with both squads assembled after breakfast, ready to play quiz bowl again, they are about to listen to Nadine once more.


    ¡°With the A-team being six and one, and the B-team being five and two, the playoffs are within range. However, we all need to play the next three or more games as a team because the HSNCT playoffs are not about individual performance!¡±


    And individual performance is irrelevant if one puts quiz bowl achievements on a college r¨¦sum¨¦, but I think it¡¯s premature for a lot of the players. Also, Audrey and Pablo seem to bank on using sports as a vehicle to go to college, as does Cora, so I think it would be premature to mention it to the underclassmen, Nadine ruminates, knowing Gerard and Lilina are pretty loaded on that count. So what counts to the freshmen on the B-team is the final standing only.


    As they collect their cards, they brace themselves for three games, and Cora gets the rundown of what do finishing the prelims with a 6-4, 7-3 or 8-2 record mean for the playoffs: single-elimination, double-elimination or first-round bye respectively.


    Now that they are on their way to play more games, the A-team is going to a small conference room in the basement of the hotel.


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    ¡°Will you forgive me for what I told the other three last night?¡± Pablo asks Audrey.


    ¡°Yes. They deserve to know the truth; anything less would disappoint me. Plus, we never really discussed college sports recruiting much with the other quiz bowlers, we mostly discussed it among athletes, and around them, we acted as though we were good enough not to have to rely on our sports¡±


    ¡°We both are¡± Pablo then, once again, kisses Audrey before getting seated for the game.


    And, of course, the teams get seated for what either one hope would be their ticket for the winners¡¯ bracket. The staff working the game is in position, and the buzzers are tested prior to the beginning of the game:


    ¡°This is round sixteen of the Sunday morning prelims of the 2031 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This game pits the twelve card against the seventeen card. From California, we have Archbishop Mitty A and from Louisiana, we have Venomous Agendas A. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one¡± the moderator starts the game. ¡°In this novel, the titular character escapes prison while his future stepbrother dies in captivity¡±


    Lilina buzzes in. ¡°The Death of Artemio Cruz¡±


    ¡°Fifteen. For ten points each, answer these questions about Buddhism. In Buddhism, this event represents the end of the Noble Eightfold Path for a practitioner¡±


    Pablo steps forward to answer. ¡°Nirvana¡±


    ¡°This title is granted in Buddhism to people who achieve nirvana¡±


    All I knew about nirvana was that it represented the end of a reincarnation cycle, and spiritual illumination, but no more than that, Pablo muses while signaling that he doesn¡¯t know the answer. Audrey also draws a blank, so it falls on the other two girls to answer the bonus part.


    ¡°Arahant¡± Nadine answers.


    ¡°Arahants are regarded by different schools of Buddhism as possessing different levels of this attribute¡±


    Once again, the VA players draw a blank. Not even Nadine seems willing to hazard an answer, so the clock ticks on the VAs. With less than one second to go, Audrey, who up to this point, often seemed to be a clutch player, supplies an attempt to an answer:


    ¡°Enlightenment¡±


    ¡°Perfection, that¡¯s twenty for the bonus¡±


    No one can always get it right all the time, but better get it wrong on a bonus than on a tossup, Audrey sighs after getting this bonus question wrong.


    However, as with their last game, this game proves a tightly contested game, with both teams fighting tooth and nail for every point they can grab. So much that, with one tossup left to go, VA A is in the lead by a measly five points, and the clock is ticking on everyone, including the moderator.


    ¡°Final tossup: The high-performance variant of this chemical lab technique uses high-pressure pumps to push the mobile phase in a cylinder¡±


    Damn it! We took AP Chemistry together, and never was any kind of high-performance lab technique used! Pablo ruminates, while the signal for the end of regulation time rings. With neither team buzzing in¡­


    ¡°Stationary phases of this method are separated by either their bed shapes or the physical state¡­¡± the moderator is interrupted.


    However, since not even Pablo or Audrey could answer this question, they aren¡¯t even in position to buzz in. The Monarchs¡¯ (i.e. Archbishop Mitty¡¯s) science player then buzzes in, hoping to score.


    ¡°Chromatography!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen!¡± the moderator rules.


    ¡°We skip the entire bonus¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s the game. Score?¡±


    ¡°Archbishop Mitty three hundred seventy, VA three hundred sixty¡± the scorekeeper says.


    Shoot! Now we know how it feels to lose a game because of a buzzer-beater! Audrey and Cora have both been on both ends of this situation as basketball players, hopefully we get a somewhat easier opponent in the next game, Nadine ruminates, as VA A waits half an hour for their next game.


    And VA B is also 6-2, having won its game and hence a playoff spot.


    ¡°Woohoo! We¡¯re both into the playoffs!¡± Cora comes to meet with Audrey shortly after VA B¡¯s game ended on a different floor of the hotel.


    ¡°Here¡¯s to hoping we both win at least one more prelim game! After this tournament ends, we will have all summer to focus on basketball!¡± Audrey formulates her wishes.


    ¡°And me on football!¡± Pablo raises his voice.


    My dad changed his tune about me playing college football after I got an offer from Cornell. He¡¯s OK with making me go at, like, LSU or Tulane¡¯s camps, Pablo ruminates upon receiving text messages about asking his permission to attend more collegiate camps from his dad.


    Of course, before their next game, another cheesy line is then told to both squads before they get to their respective game rooms:


    ¡°We lost the previous game by a measly ten points. A buzzer-beater! Audrey and Cora know what I mean by a buzzer-beater. Stay focused, don¡¯t hesitate to provoke opponents into buzzer races! And the winners¡¯ bracket is ours to gain!¡± Nadine harangues the players.


    ¡°Venomous! Agendas!¡± Pablo shouts in the hallway.


    While both teams win their respective ninth games, whose opponents are both schools with no history of playing VA, when their final game comes¡­


    ¡°Damn it! We are playing Hunter A!¡± Gerard screams in panic, wracked by his bad memories of last year¡¯s game against them.


    ¡°Rather than to panic, Gerard, you should listen actively. I¡¯m sure you know some-thing, or else you wouldn¡¯t have played quiz bowl in the first place!¡± Warren tries to console Gerard for the umpteenth time.


    Yet, it seems like luxury conference rooms are reserved for top teams this year, this late in the prelims. On top of that, both VA teams play their final prelim games in the same cluster of conference rooms.


    So while VA A, playing against Early College at Guilford, seems to simply go through the motions and looks headed to win by a margin, while not too tight, doesn¡¯t amount to a blowout, here VA B, is headed towards one of these all-too-common nail-biting tossup-bonus cycles. A repeat of that game last year. With VA B trailing by 30 points, everyone is on edge¡­


    ¡°Final tossup: The second movement from Beethoven¡¯s seventh symphony is named after this tempo¡±


    This clue makes everyone shudder. Of course, since the musical content of quiz bowl leaned much more heavily towards the works, artists and the currents than musical theory,


    ¡°This tempo originally implied a pace slightly faster than andante but is now slightly slower than allegro¡±


    Why tell us about the evolution of the tempo? None of us are in band! The Hunter arts and literature player ruminates, unwilling to buzz in. Yet Gerard¡¯s nerves make him feel like that Hawk (i.e. Hunter¡¯s) player should enter a buzzer race against him. Which the Hawk wins, but only because Gerard was faking.


    ¡°Andantino!¡± the Hawk answers.


    ¡°Neg five¡± the moderator rules.


    Because the power mark has been exhausted, they see fit to wait until the For ten points cue to buzz in.


    ¡°For ten points, denotes a moderately fast tempo in modern music¡±


    Gerard then buzzes in for real, after not buzzing in at all today. ¡°Allegretto!¡±


    ¡°Ten. Pencil and paper ready¡± the moderator orders the VA players.


    Yes! Gerard finally got an answer correctly today! Cora keeps to herself, realizing that VA needs to answer 2 bonus parts correctly. The bonus begins in earnest:


    ¡°A baker wants to double the height of a cylindrical cake. For ten points each, how many times more flour does the baker need compared to the original recipe?¡±


    ¡°Two¡± Gerard answers.


    ¡°Given that the original recipe required x amount of whipping cream for a cake of radius r and height h, how much whipping cream does the baker need now? You have ten seconds!¡± The signal for the end of regulation time rings.


    Let¡¯s see: you only need whipping cream to cover the top and side. So we have x = ¦Ðr(r+h), Gerard starts regaining clarity. And yet all 4 players, who all took Geometry, attempt to independently solve the problem in the time allotted. Once the time is up:


    ¡°Our answer is x times r plus two h over r plus h¡± Gerard answers the second question.


    ¡°Assuming strawberries are only used to top the cake, how many times more strawberries do the baker need compared to the original recipe?¡±


    ¡°One!¡± Gerard answers.


    ¡°Thirty for the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡± the mod turns to the scorekeeper.


    ¡°Hunter three hundred fifty-five, VA three hundred seventy!¡±


    ¡°Way to go, Gerard! You gave us a bye for the winners¡¯ bracket!¡± Cora congratulates him.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess, I came in clutch¡± Gerard tries to play nice with Cora.


    Am I good only for pencil-and-paper-ready types of questions? Not sure I¡¯m worth keeping on the quiz bowl team anymore¡­ Gerard starts moping, when he realizes that he didn¡¯t score nearly as much on tossups this year compared to last year. Surely the rising sophomores, or Cora, can replace my usefulness in pencil-and-paper-ready questions¡­

 Chapter 69: Intra-Team Clash

    At the lunch table, in some restaurant around the competition site, the VA athletes check their email inboxes for news from colleges. Like Pablo, who got an email from the special teams coach at Richmond, who¡¯s also responsible for tight ends.


    Unlike a lot of Division I-bound prospects, who choose for whom to play based mostly on football factors, you take academics seriously, so you¡¯re a good fit for Richmond¡¯s coaching culture. We love your game, which made you one of the key players who kept a 4-6 team afloat in a tough state. On behalf of Richmond¡¯s football team, I hereby offer you a full ride to the University of Richmond, Pablo reads Richmond¡¯s email, realizing that he had no luck with NWU, Duke or Vanderbilt. At least not yet.


    ¡°Woohoo! All I really need to seal the deal with Richmond is knowing the playing time I¡¯ll get. I know that, since Richmond is in the Patriot League, the competition will be much tougher than in the Ivy League, but at Cornell, I know what playing time I will get¡± Pablo then forwards the email from Richmond to his dad.


    ¡°As for me, I have been issued an invitation to play, all-expenses-paid, at the inaugural Vans All-Academic Game!¡±


    ¡°Vans? Are you talking about the same Vans that sponsors the VMC?¡± Lilina asks, her eyes wide open. ¡°Their shoes aren¡¯t made for playing basketball on!¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m invited to play at the Vans All-Academic Game, too! They picked twenty of the best rising senior boys and girls each, with the added criteria of the academic index and the strength of academic schedule as a first step¡± Cora explains how both Audrey and her even got to play at the Vans All-Academic Game.


    ¡°One might be wondering what the cutoff academic index is to even play at the Vans All-Academic Game!¡± Pablo asks the two hoopers.


    ¡°My guess is about the medium band for Harvard, and not just because it¡¯s played at Lavietes Pavilion at Harvard!¡± Audrey answers.


    Jesus! The question is: how much of a drop in talent would the need for such high academic records yield, when compared to the top hoops talent? We all know top boys basketball talent just isn¡¯t going to get to, like, 3.95/1500, or its ACT equivalent, not even close! These two will certainly get meaningful minutes but beyond that, it¡¯s anyone¡¯s guess, Pablo starts thinking of what the players would really be like at that game. Like Jeremy Lin¡¯s high school self at best.


    At the end of the meal, and before the playoff cards can be picked up, Pablo makes a confession with Audrey:


    ¡°Promise me that, if I sign at Richmond, you will as well!¡± Pablo tells her. ¡°The past two years have been some of the happiest days of my life, quiz bowl or not!¡±


    ¡°By now, you know that Richmond can¡¯t expect much out of the transfer portal in football, since a lot of the top talent tended to do what is called majoring in eligibility, and even then, will rarely meet Richmond¡¯s standards for transfer athletes¡± Audrey explains to him. ¡°So that¡¯s a yes from me. Please be advised that, if we both sign on with Richmond, neither of us will be able to play quiz bowl in college¡±


    ¡°No big deal, really¡± He prepares to kiss her. ¡°Quiz bowl won¡¯t pay our bills, our sports will, especially through NIL. However, did you receive an offer from Richmond?¡±


    ¡°Yes, last night. As I told you a while ago, there¡¯s nothing wrong with playing FCS football, no more than there¡¯s anything wrong with me not playing for a Power-Six: there¡¯s always the transfer portal if you play well¡±


    As they kiss each other, Audrey comes to a grim realization. Playing for Richmond will mean that I will be playing against a Carrie-led Rhode Island! Assuming that she doesn¡¯t flunk out of URI freshman year...


    But then Nadine realizes that, while she hears about where her athlete teammates could be headed in college, she has yet to even think of where to attend. More than the other rising seniors on the team, my collegiate prospects are tied to how we perform at the HSNCT. Which is perhaps why I cared more about winning here than my teammates, especially when it feels like an arms race of achievement these days. And yet, I face the same dilemma as my predecessors: the allure of elite colleges is very enticing, but at the same time, maybe some non-elite college might be a better fit. Which one is going to be the better fit will depend on my level of comfort with not always being the best academically, as well as my goals after graduation.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal to be insecure about college. Our opponents are just as insecure as you are. As much as VA might be the kind of school where we as faculty try to ensure that where you go after graduation won¡¯t define you, and our quiz bowling successes are due to us having fewer stressors on hand, by now you know how rarefied the quiz bowling world really is¡± Warren tries to allay his players¡¯ concerns.


    ¡°True, quiz bowl attracts high achievers, but I am not performing so hot in class!¡± Gerard whines.


    ¡°At the HSNCT, you¡¯re an academic outlier¡± an opposing coach of a playoff team overhears Gerard and comments. ¡°Often outliers of your kind are specialists¡±


    When the card assignment is made, VA A holds the 7 card, and VA B holds the 11 card. Which means that they aren¡¯t going to play each other for a bit.


    ¡°Remember, Cora, two losses and you¡¯re out!¡± Nadine warns her teammate.


    ----------------


    The people left behind at home, such as George and Malcolm, look at the liveblog to follow both teams at the HSNCT. And cross their fingers that either team gets filmed by NAQT. Otherwise, they use the HSNCT Companion App to follow the results of the tournament.


    ¡°Woohoo! VA A wins against Norcross!¡± George exclaims, while VA B hasn¡¯t finished its first playoff game.


    ¡°VA B lost against Chattahoochee A!¡± Malcolm, a little ashamed, tells his football teammate. ¡°I really hope my girlfriend isn¡¯t a liability as a quiz bowler!¡±


    ----------------


    But their second playoff game comes and both VA squads, even though it¡¯s now do-or-die for the B-team, keep winning games. Chattahoochee A and IMSA for the A-team, Archbishop Mitty A, and DCC B for the B-team.


    In round 25, it¡¯s VA A¡¯s turn to lose, against Maggie Walker A, but VA B finds a way to win against TJHSST B in a nail-biting game, much like their game against Archbishop Mitty A.


    Back in Atlanta, the players look at each other¡¯s cards and they realize that something isn¡¯t right.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that I am dreaming! We are playing each other in the same game!¡± Cora gasps, realizing that VA B is going to play VA A.


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    ¡°We must get to the control room immediately!¡± Pablo asks both squads.


    Upon arriving at the control room, believing there are irregularities in the card system and hence feel it¡¯s too early to be playing each other in the elimination bracket, they ask to clear up the confusion. The response from NAQT¡¯s management is clear:


    ¡°It¡¯s just bad luck that you got there long before the possibility of a game pitting two teams from the same school became a possibility. However, because of the matchup, the game is scheduled to be played in the grand ballroom, in front of the camera!¡± the HSNCT¡¯s director rules to both teams.


    Is that it? Bad luck? Warren ruminates as both teams are herded into the Marquis Ballroom, under the eyes of hundreds of people, eliminated contestants and other hotel guests who just attend games at the HSNCT. And, of course, no one expected VA B to go on a tear and climb to the top-20.


    ¡°Before the game begins, know that it will be rough, but it was due to happen sooner or later. That one of the squads will be eliminated. Regardless of what happens next, this is shaping up to be one of the best seasons of VA quiz bowling: the good news is that one squad will climb to the top ten¡± Warren explains to both squads before they get seated.


    With the camera going live momentarily, both teams get seated, and they went through these intra-team clashes in the regular season several times. The main difference is the presence of actual spectators in the game, since most regular season games are played to no crowds at all.


    ¡°This is round twenty-six, the sixth playoff round of the 2031 NAQT High School National Championship Tournament. This is an elimination bracket game between the six card and the eighteen card. From Louisiana, we have Venomous Agendas A and B. The winner of this game will continue the tournament, and the loser finishes tied for thirteenth place. Best of luck to both teams, and here¡¯s tossup one: This German city was the seat of the Reichsgericht during the Second and Third Reichs¡± the moderator reads the first tossup.


    No one on either team had any clue what the Reichsgericht¡¯s actual significance was to the Second and Third Reichs, and hence appeared unwilling to buzz in.


    ¡°It was the major target of the first day of the Big Week in World War II¡±


    Eek¡­ what the hell are these questions? Lilina starts getting restless, as is the male freshman on the B-team, who normally answers history questions. With the power mark being exhausted, the next clue is given.


    ¡°During the Napoleonic Wars, a massive battle known as the Battle of Nations¡­¡± the moderator gets interrupted by a player.


    Lilina buzzes in. ¡°Leipzig!¡±


    ¡°Ten¡± the moderator then reads the preamble to the bonus VA A earned with this answer.


    But rapidly, the next tossup makes players nervous, since VA B wants to show on what feels, to everyone involved, like playing on national TV, that they can actually play on national TV:


    ¡°Tossup two: This novel¡¯s protagonist served four years for manslaughter and hitches a ride on a truck with farm hands¡±


    The female freshman buzzes in. ¡°The Grapes of Wrath¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Ouch. I can¡¯t know everything, and neither can the B-teamers. Other A-teamers from major quiz bowl powers I understand being beaten to a tossup against, but a B-team freshman? Why is it that it¡¯s only now that it fazes me? Is it the stakes getting much higher now than they did during the regular season? Nadine seems more humbled about this experience than any other experience of being beaten to a literature tossup by someone younger than herself. Not that it didn¡¯t happen before, though.


    Oh boy. Because both sides know that the other can punish any mistake made, they try to avoid negging and, as such, this quiz bowl game plays out like a chess game with buzzers. Unscripted, but not necessarily the most entertaining show in the world.


    And, while the players might feel like they are playing on national TV, the cold, hard truth is that the audience¡¯s nationwide character of NAQT¡¯s livestream is only reflected in the locations of the viewers. There are only a few hundred people watching the game at most, and they seem to power quite a bit of tossups, often scored during buzzer races, while negging very little.


    Yet, as Gerard goes into the last tossup until halftime, his hand shakes, making him a loose cannon for the B-team. Making everyone on the B-team cross their fingers that he doesn¡¯t accidentally buzz in.


    ¡°Here¡¯s tossup twelve: Microwave thermal treatment transforms this mineral into porcelain and ceramic¡±


    Eww... What kind of question is this? Gerard appears, more than ever, willing to throw up. However, his willingness to throw up doesn¡¯t translate to willingness to buzz in.


    ¡°This material was used in car brakes...¡± the moderator reads, interrupted by Pablo mid-clue.


    Car brakes? I gave my teammate Audrey car brakes after being driven to a quiz bowl tournament! Pablo tries to think of what material was previously used in car brakes but the question wording implies it can no longer be used for that application.


    ¡°Asbestos!¡± Pablo answers at the end of the 3 seconds allotted.


    ¡°Fifteen¡±


    Once the halftime signal is given, it¡¯s then that Gerard leaves the stage in search of a toilet to vomit in. And yet, the lead the A-team holds is only fifty points at this stage.


    ----------------


    Even though the viewers come from all over the country, or at least the regions where pyramidal quiz bowl is played, by far the largest cluster of viewers for that game is in Jefferson Davis Parish. Pablo¡¯s parents watch NAQT¡¯s livestream with other parents of quiz bowlers:


    ¡°Finally, a chance to watch our son playing quiz bowl!¡± Pablo¡¯s mom tells the other parents.


    ¡°If you told me last year that our daughter would get this deep at the HSNCT, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it. Yet, here we are, and VA is one question away from a second top-ten in a row!¡± Cora¡¯s mom is awed by her own daughter being the best player in that game.


    ----------------


    But by some trick of fate, VA A is somehow tied against VA B with one tossup to go. The entire game, an entire season, boiling down to one question.


    ¡°Tossup twenty-four: This Mesopotamian myth involves the titular character casting a spell to unify the languages of the world¡±


    Oof. Even I don¡¯t remember much about Mesopotamian mythology, which is not often asked about in quiz bowl. Greek, Norse and Egyptian mythology are asked about much more often, Nadine ruminates, when they seem to have hit a blind spot.


    ¡°Both the titular character and the Lord of Aratta engage in battle using magic-using champions¡±


    It¡¯s then that the tension of the game appears to be heating up. The two basketball players appear locked into a buzzer race, as if they were bigs fighting over the ball in the initial tip-off of a basketball game. However, neither was willing to buzz in.


    ¡°The titular character invents writing in response to his messenger¡¯s complaints¡±


    Nadine beats the basketball players locked into a stalemate. ¡°Enmerkar!¡±


    ¡°Ten. For ten points each, answer these questions about NCAA penalties. A school can be penalized for simply hiring a coach for whom this penalty is in effect¡±


    Because Lilina and Nadine both signal they don¡¯t know the answer, it falls on the couple to answer the bonus part, and maybe even the whole bonus.


    ¡°Show-cause penalty!¡± Pablo answers near the end of the 5 seconds allotted.


    ¡°Violations leading to coaches committing them getting show-cause penalties can prevent their teams from playing in this type of event¡±


    ¡°Postseason ban!¡± Audrey shouts.


    ¡°This penalty can be assessed to programs for even more severe violations than those warranting postseason bans only¡± the moderator reads the final bonus part.


    This must be used only for exceptional kinds of violations, Pablo thinks of what such a penalty could be used for. Postseason bans are used for pretty big team-wide violations, and only shutting down the whole program¡­


    ¡°Death penalty!¡± Pablo shouts in turn.


    ¡°Thirty on the bonus, and that¡¯s the game. Score?¡± the moderator turns to the scorekeeper.


    ¡°VA A three hundred eighty-five, VA B three hundred forty-five¡±


    ¡°VA B finishes tied for thirteenth place!¡± VA B¡¯s players walk out from the stage, their heads hunched after incurring a close loss.


    But VA A¡¯s next opponent, Amador Valley, drives home the heavy morale cost of their previous win. Spent of relentlessly playing through multiple opponents of ever-increasing strength, VA A¡¯s run through the tournament ends without VA A ever leading at any point in the game.


    The result hits VA A like a truck, half an hour after this harrowing game against VA B:


    ¡°And that¡¯s the game. Score?¡±


    ¡°Amador Valley four hundred ten, VA two hundred forty¡±


    ¡°VA finishes tied for eighth place!¡±


    Ouch. VA was in a ¡°win-now mode¡± in quiz bowl, and our only improvement came under the form of VA B finishing thirteenth rather than twenty-first! Warren ruminates after seeing VA A lose against Amador Valley.


    ¡°Already a top-ten finish at the HSNCT is a good result for all of us. We would never have done it without our love!¡± Pablo prepares to kiss Audrey once again, as he did multiple times this weekend.

 Chapter 70: No More Quiz Bowl

    Before the team boards the minibus back to Jennings, the players have announcements to make.


    ¡°I announce that I will no longer play quiz bowl¡± Gerard realizes that his poor play did him in, and likely VA B as well. ¡°I might have had good teammates, who made this season more bearable than it would have otherwise been, but there comes a time where I need to prioritize my mental health¡±


    ¡°Because all three of us seem headed to play our sports in college, I don¡¯t think it makes sense for us, or at least not for me, to keep playing quiz bowl¡± Pablo comments.


    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you, Pablo. I know how demanding it is to put ourselves into position to play our sports in college¡± Audrey answers him.


    ¡°Yeah, your brains couldn¡¯t catch a break any more than mine could. We¡¯re all brilliant, but even we have our limits!¡± Cora sighs.


    ¡°And yet, you were all able to step up to the plate when we needed it!¡± Nadine tells the departing players.


    Let¡¯s get real: since I am not all-state, I think that Richmond is about as good as it¡¯s going to be for me. And Audrey will be able to contribute to the Spiders on the court from day one, Pablo ruminates about what the future has in store for him. I need to check my football calendar for scheduling an official visit, as well as the Spiders¡¯, before I can commit.


    Oh, of course, it seemed that a lot of the top students leave the state for college, and they couldn¡¯t exactly be blamed. For some reason, it appears that high-achieving VAs had a relatively high tendency to attend smaller colleges. Starting with Hugh, who ends up attending the College of Wooster for musical therapy.


    As for Savannah, she winds up attending Holy Cross for accounting.


    And Tanith, after failing to qualify for debate-Nats in high school, follows her brother to Wofford, and majors in government.


    However, Bart, who, academically, proved not to be so good, decided that college wasn¡¯t for him and instead worked as a forklift operator after graduating.


    Because George wasn¡¯t particularly strong in class, so he decided to go to LSU, as did several other VAs in his tier.


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    And Malcolm, despite finishing senior season with all-district honors as a free safety, had no luck with Division I programs, even FCS, and hence forgoes playing in college. Nevertheless, he attends Skidmore.


    Speaking of senior season, VA finished 4-6 for the third season in a row, causing the head coach to be fired at the end of the season and hence not get tenured as a teacher.


    Now, on to the basketball players: first, Lacassine¡¯s Susan ends up playing for the Tribe, having decided that W&M was her best fit, majoring in history, especially when she got some playing time right out of the gate.


    Tamara and Vanessa both attend UL-Lafayette, not wanting to stray too far from home, unlike some of her teammates as VAs, and attend as ordinary students, without even considering walking on the Raging Cajuns. They major in psychology and marketing respectively.


    Carrie turns out to be a solid contributor to the Rams at URI, both academically in kinesiology, and on the court, but after two seasons as a Ram, she feels like moving up academically and hence uses the transfer portal for that purpose.


    Heather ended up being one of the top freshmen bigs in the ACC, even as she majors in mathematics of all things. Only time will tell whether she becomes dominant enough to compel her to enter the WNBA Draft.


    Along with Audrey and Heather, Cora made it to the girls¡¯ basketball Academic All-American first team. Audrey and Cora led the West team to victory at the Vans All-Academic Team, leading Cora to play for Northwestern, where she majors in economics.


    With Tamara proving to be the better dribbler and passer between Vanessa and her, she was put in as point guard, leaving the VAs with a hole in the small forward position, and Tamara proved not to play on the same level as Carrie. Which caused the VAs to be unable to defend its title via a (surprise to the VA fans) exit during the semifinals.


    Finally, we have the quiz bowlers: Gerard left VA and transferred to Welsh, where the academic environment wasn¡¯t nearly as competitive as at VA. In the absence of advanced courses, he managed to reclaim his mental health as well as put his GPA back on track. He went on to major in electrical engineering at LSU.


    Nadine, on the other hand, despite her accomplishments as a quiz bowler, only held relatively small roles in theater. And she ends up attending Notre Dame, playing quiz bowl for the Fighting Irish and majoring in English.


    Lilina, being far more accomplished in her secondary activity than Nadine was, ends up attending the University of Chicago for applied math.


    It turns out that, despite his solid academic record, Pablo would wind up not getting any attention from his targets: Northwestern, Duke, Vanderbilt and Rice. Tulane offered him to simply walk on, which he believes is a red flag. In the end, it made him sign at Richmond, and Audrey along with him. Surprisingly, the town didn¡¯t seem to be too harsh on the couple: they knew that happiness was key for collegiate success, academic or athletic.