DURHAM – Contoocook Valley Regional High School scored a game-winning correct answer in the fourth round of the Granite State Challenge to beat Nashua High School South, 330-310.

Representing the ConVal Cougars was team captain and junior Lukas Baker along with fellow juniors Ben Michaud, Remy Kekuewa-Colon and Brian Alonso. The team was led by coaches and social studies teachers Eric Bowman and Chris Heider.

The Nashua South Purple Panthers were led by captain and senior Calvin Song. He was joined by juniors graders Henry Long, Eric Picanco and Thanasi Miris. The team was also led by social studies teacher Lex Duval and English teacher Kelli Thornhill-Telerski. The Nashua High South alternates were junior Caroline Kelly and freshman Samarth Sharma.

Round One

The first round set the pace for a great duel of the minds. ConVal’s Michaud answered the first question of the match correctly with “Sputnik.” Nashua South’s Long, Song and Picanco answered the next three questions correctly putting 60 points on the board.

ConVal’s Kekuewa-Colon and Baker game back with three correct answers to two geography questions and one history question.

The round continued, neck and neck, as players answered questions about pop culture, science and literature. Each of the Purple Panthers answered a question correctly in the first round as Miris correctly answered the last question of the round, a picture question asking to name the animal (Prairie Dog). The round ended with the teams tied at 110.

Round Two – Three Strikes and You’re Out

In the second round, ConVal went first and correctly answered four questions. Baker answered both of his questions correctly, but the team was stumped on a few others and struck out despite only using one pass.

This gave Nashua South the opportunity to take the lead and the team took a slight edge after answering five questions correctly and using two passes before striking out on three consecutive questions. All four Panthers stayed strong in the round as they each answered at least one question right and they took a 10-point lead into the second half of the match.

Round Three – 60-Second Round

Since ConVal was behind, it had first choice at the category as the alternates joined the team. The Cougars chose “Mega Words,” a category that could have been dangerously challenging, but all answers in the category were words that included “mega” within them. The Cougars successfully answered eight questions, including ones about Megan Thee Stallion, megalodons and megaphones and picked up 80 points in the round.

The Panthers chose the category called “State Songs,” where each answer was a song title that included the name of a U.S. state. Iconic songs such as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” and The Eagles’ “Hotel California” were two of the Panthers’ correct answers out of the seven they got. This meant that after the third round, the Cougars and Panthers were tied at 230 going into the final round.

“I was excited going into the last round, because I knew that there were a lot of points to be had, and it was just really fun to be part of such a closely competitive game,” said Bowman.

Final Round – Toss-Up

Round four was extremely competitive with both teams remaining tied after four questions as Song got two right for Nashua, and Baker and Michaud got one each for ConVal.

The Unitil Power Question, which is worth double points, asked for the author of “1984” and Song correctly answered “George Orwell” to gain the Panthers a 40-point lead. However, Baker and Kekuewa-Colon responded for ConVal answering a question each to tie the game at 310. With less than 10 seconds remaining, host Jon Cannon had just enough time for one last question about a New York Airport and ConVal’s Michaud buzzed in and correctly answered “JFK” to win the game.

“I think we did great work,” said Baker. “We definitely improved in the categories. We probably are going to work on passing strategically, before we play in the quarterfinals, but I think all in all we’re going to take home another win.”

“I think the way they played in the three strikes round really just says everything about their camaraderie, and how they work as a team,” said Duval. “Of course, it’s not the outcome you want, but when I look back and I think about how they really worked as a team.”

“They left congratulating the other team wishing them well and at the end of the day we care more about the sportsmanship than anything else,” said Thornhill-Telersky. “So really proud of how they behaved and how they acted and how they performed.”

ConVal will play the winner of the Merrimack High School and Winnisquam High School Granite State Challenge in a quarterfinal game on April 17.