By Evan Cunningham (December 20, 2002)

With its most recent win, a 230-95 victory over Clarke County last Saturday, the Mustang Scholastic Bowl team ran its record to 7-0 and has so far belied the conventional wisdom that a state championship team might suffer a letdown in the year following its ultimate victory. 
 

The season after winning a state championship is often harder than winning the championship itself. Teams can be plagued by overconfidence, nervousness, and having to step out from under the giant shadow of Mason alum Evan McCulla (on a side note, "It’s Academic" host Mac McGarry can no longer make dual Evan jokes, and junior assistant captain Evan Cunningham is now the number one Evan). McCulla currently holds the Mason record for most points in a season, and was the unofficial state MVP last season.  But the Mustang Scholastic Bowl team has come back after their glorious last season, and gone undefeated in early district matches under the leadership of coach Jamie Scharff. Mason first beat Rappahannock and Madison County at Rappahannock by scores of 245-110 and 230-95 respectively.

Members of the 7-0 Mason Scholastic Bowl Team  (left to right) Dan Bray, Evan Cunningham, Casey  Smirniotopoulos, Caitlin Bottock, Joe Mauro have their hearts (and heads) set on another state  championship.   (Photo by Michael Hoover)

In their next match, the Mustangs defeated Clarke County 265-110. At the four-team meet at Strasburg on December ninth, Mason mopped up the competition, beating Madison County 245-95, Strasburg 245-80 and Manassas Park 190-80. The score of 190 was Mason’s lowest this season. Captain Dan Bray’s only comment was "We were tired." 

Mason’s most recent match against Clarke County resulted in another win, 230-95. This was a home meet with an insanely low attendance rate among the players themselves; even team captain Dan Bray and the only other senior Pat Jones did not make it to the game. But Coach Scharff thought his neutered team could still do the job, and sent in a team consisting of only juniors and sophomores. But Bray showed up after the match, apologized for being late, and stuck around long enough to have his picture taken and say these profound words about the team: "I think that this year's team has shown a lot of promise. We have dominated in district play and hope to continue our success. With the help of veteran coach Jamie Scharff, esq. I think we can win another state title." 

Cunningham said, "Winning the state championship would be right up there with seeing the Scharffs on Couple’s Jeopardy and having an all-girl’s school join our district. Last year, Dan compared our team to the 2002 St. Louis Rams. The Rams met an untimely defeat and are lousy this year, so I won’t presume to make a like comparison. I will just say that Dan’s leadership rivals that of Kurt Warner, or Brett Favre, and any accolades we receive are direct representations of his skill."

The Mustangs are well on their way to the state tournament, with only three more district-season meets before the district tournament. Despite the loss of two seniors, Evan McCulla and Mike Cashman, the Mustangs have an experienced team. It’s the second year of Bray’s captainship, and Cunningham, along with fellow juniors Rahul Gupta, Kaitlin Bottock, Joe Mauro and senior Pat Jones are expected to have good consistent seasons. Casey Smirniotopoulos, the lone sophomore on the team, rounds out Mason’s roster. 

Mason’s rampant success may change in the postseason, however. The average score of Mason’s opponents is a lowly 95. A team can earn 100 points by never buzzing in and solely answering the team rounds. "Things will have to change," says coach Scharff, "we need to work on speed, and stop being so timid." 

Mason’s next match is January 6 at Manassas Park, with Brentsville and Rappahannock. The next home meet is on January 13, against Brentsville and Strasburg. All matches are open to the public.