By Jamie Scharff (Dec. 10, 2001)

Senior Evan McCulla, junior Dan Bray and sophomore Evan 
Cunningham scored 495 points to lead Mason's It's Academic
team to a victory last Saturday at the WRC TV studios
George Mason’s academic competition team came away victorious Saturday when they defeated neighboring Fairfax school George Marshall and DC private school Sidwell Friends in a hard-fought close game of the TV quiz show It’s Academic. The Mustangs were locked in a see-saw contest, which saw the lead change hands several times before Mason pulled away from perennial powerhouse Sidwell Friends, who came in with an all-senior veteran team expecting to win. The game ended with Sidwell furiously trying to come back but with Mason hanging on to the lead, winning with a total of 495 points, to Sidwell Friends’ 480, and George Marshall’s 390.

The George Mason team, consisting of senior Evan McCulla, junior Dan Bray, and sophomore Evan Cunningham took the lead for good when they were the only team to get all eight of their questions in the packet round. This earned the team a vital 25-point bonus, which would prove to be needed for the final margin. When Sidwell Friends’ team closed the margin in the final grab bag round, Mason came up with enough responses to regain their cushion. They extended the lead to 35 points by getting in on the buzzer after the clue "Islands off the coast of Ecuador..." and responding with the correct answer "Galapagos." This answer, with only about 12 seconds left in the game, really clinched the win for the Mustangs, as there was only enough time left for long-time host Mac McGarry to get in one more 20 point question. This exciting match will be aired on Channel 4 at 10:00 on Saturday, January 26.

This was a great win for the team, as it came against top-notch competition, and comes on top of an ongoing Scholastic Bowl competition season in which the team has won all of their first three matches. They have defeated Clarke County, 180-130, Madison County 235-160, and Brentsville 185-125. The Scholastic Bowl competition uses some different rules, but comes down to the same skills – knowledge and speed. Sophomores Rahul Gupta and Kaitlin Bottock, and senior Michael Cashman are the other top competitors for the Scholastic Bowl team, as well as serving as alternates for the It’s Academic competition. These students, along with all the regulars of the It’s Academic/Scholastic Bowl club, sponsored by Mr. Scharff, have worked hard (and had fun) playing trivia games in their practices, and so far this year it is paying off in a very successful season. The District Tournament for Scholastic Bowl will be January 31, and the taping of the It’s Academic playoff round will be Saturday, March 23.