Five area high schools, 7 teams, battle in annual Scholars’ Bowl; 2024 #1 HVA has 2 teams
Teams from Farragut High School, Hardin Valley Academy, Webb School of Knoxville, Christian Academy of Knoxville and Knoxville Catholic High School all will compete for this year’s championship.
“Tennessee Scholars’ Bowl, an exciting academic tournament featuring students from 46 high schools in East Tennessee and Southeast Kentucky, began airing its 41st season on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 on East Tennessee PBS (WETP-TV),” a press release stated. “New episodes will air weekdays at 5:30 p.m. ET through April 3.”
The host and head writer of Tennessee Scholars’ Bowl is Frank Murphy, who returns for his ninth season on the show.
“Murphy is an experienced broadcaster, podcaster and improviser in the Knoxville area,” the release stated. Public, private, parochial and homeschooled students all compete in Tennessee Scholars’ Bowl.
“Tennessee counties represented in the 2025 tournament are Anderson, Blount, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Monroe, Roane, Scott, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington. Several schools sent multiple teams to the tournament,” the release stated.
According to the press release, teams of four students from each school answer questions in literature, language, science, art, math, geography, music, sports, history, religion, current events and other subjects.
Each game is a single elimination match. Winning teams advance to rounds of 32, 16, eight and four before the final two teams compete for the Frank Miller Memorial Trophy and a $1,000 cash stipend in the championship game.
“After the first-round games are completed, the ‘Threshold of 32’ begins airing on Feb. 20,” the release stated. “The ‘Smart 16’ begins airing on March 14.”
“The ‘Educated 8’” begins airing March 26; The ‘Philosophical 4’ begins airing April 1; and the championship game will air April 3.
Recent Tennessee Scholars’ Bowl champions include Hardin Valley Academy as defending champ (2024); J. Frank White Academy in 2023; Maryville in 2022; Hardin Valley Academy again in 2021; Cedar Springs Homeschool in 2020 and 2019; Webb School of Knoxville in 2018; and Farragut in 2017.
Putting faces to teams
This year’s local teams consist of the following:
• Farragut: Roshan Ramanan, Evan Conger, Aiden Wu, Uday Sujithkumar, Arman Oguz and Nisha Ramanan. Coaches are Christopher Hampton and Tiffany Booker;
• Christian Academy of Knoxville: Michael Bonanno, Jack Magee, Tim Acosta and Andrew Mansfield;
• Hardin Valley Academy (Team A): Zoe Cristy, Zaineb Hasan, Brock Connatser and Seojin (Ryan) Moon;
• HVA (Team B), Arturo Hernandez, Julian Lee, Jake Laws and Rahma Al-Qasir;
• Webb School (Team A): Alex Kalinin, Daisy Howard, Alexandra Mirochnikoff and Nolan Humphrey;
• Webb (Team B): Steohen Koella, Penny Willoughby, Jackson White and Sam Kowalski;
• Knoxville Catholic: Alwaro Pint, Thomas Murphy; Nate (no last name provided) and Xavier Flores.
Opening round schedule
Meanwhile, the first-round PBS broadcast dates are as follows for the seven local teams — all beginning at 5:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 15: Grace Christian Academy (Isaiah Pointer, Kate Mullins, Kyle Spurloc and Lauren Thornton), versus Hardin Valley (Team B);
• Friday, Jan. 24: Sequoyah versus Webb (Team B);
• Wednesday, Feb. 5: Christian Academy Knoxville versus Hardin Valley Academy (A);
• Monday, Feb. 10: Career Magnet versus Webb (A);
• Friday, Feb. 14: Harriman versus Knoxville Catholic;
• Thursday, Feb. 20: Farragut versus Rockwood.
