17-03-2025
Jefferson Wins Scholastic Bowl competition
ASHTABULA — After hours of competition, Jefferson Area High School prevailed by coming back from a deficit to defeat Conneaut High School to win the 2025 Scholastic Bowl Saturday at Kent State Ashtabula.
Gino Giblock and Joy Heath threw their arms in the air, rejoicing while teammate Zane Ketola looked to the ceiling and Reagan Williams spun to the right after the final question that gave the Falcons the 190-175 victory over Conneaut.
The Falcons were down by 25 points with two questions to go, and came up big with bonus points to earn the victory. JAHS took over as champions from the Geneva squad that won in 2024.
For more than three hours, students from Jefferson, Edgewood, Geneva, Lakeside, Saint John, A-Tech, Pymatuning Valley and Conneaut high schools answered questions on a wide variety of topics, including music, history, literature, science and sports.
Grand River Academy competed in the dual meet competition throughout the school year but students are presently on spring break. Grand Valley did not find enough students to field a team this year.
The event started in the late 1980s, and has been a big part of the county academic scene ever since.
Conneaut earned the right to face Jefferson after fighting back through the elimination bracket by defeating Saint John. If the Spartans had won the first match with Jefferson, they would have had to beat the Falcons again to win the championship in the double elimination competition.
The event is sponsored by the Ashtabula County Educational Service Center, under the direction of Denise Hunt, supervisor of the ESC's Gifted/Talented program.
The students have been competing since January in regular competitions at schools throughout the county, leading up to the championship.
Greg Bossick oversaw the dual meet season and Saturday's Scholastic Bowl championship. He lives in Delaware, Ohio, and has been involved with area competitions for more than a decade.
Debra Barrickman, a member of the Ashtabula Area City and A-Tech school boards, attended the event to support the kids, and the event brought back good memories, she said.
'I used to run these,' she said. 'I love this.'
Hunt said she senses a change in the mood of students involved in the competition.
'The energy has changed. The kids are excited,' she said.
She said it has been a bit of a slow process growing numbers in the competition after the coronavirus pandemic.
'I think they [students] are finding other ways to get connected with other people,' Hunt said.
