Rebels edge Greybull for small school state title

BASIN — On Saturday, April 7 the Riverside academic challenge team wrapped up its season with an impressive showing at the State Finals competition. 

The team, which is juniors Adelle Stone and James DesRosier and freshmen Emily Crouse, Haily Rivers, Roger DesRosier, Skylar Tharp and Sam Crouse, battled their way to a second-place ranking overall and small schools state champion.

The team played four rounds of competition alternating between 60 questions of toss up and 25 questions of toss up bonus where the team that answers the initial question gets first chance at the four follow up questions. 

At the end of these four rounds the Riverside team was top in its bracket securing a place in the championship but was tied exactly with Greybull High School’s team for the small schools state champion title, according to coach Stuart DesRosier.

The two teams played another round of 10 questions to determine who would bring home the title. At the end of the 10 it was Riverside 4, Greybull 2.

The championship round was a head-to-head competition between the smallest school to send a team and the largest school in the state. Cheyenne East High School’s team fielded two seniors and a junior against Riverside’s two juniors and two freshmen (Sam Crouse and Skylar Tharp). 

The final round was a dog fight with the lead changing three times with the final scores separated by only one question, DesRosier said.

James DesRosier was chosen as an Academic All State, one of the top five competitors from throughout the season chosen by the coaches based on GPA, knowledge and past performance at meets over the season. 

These five players will represent Wyoming in a cross-border match against Montana held in Billings this June. This marks the end of the Academic Challenge season with Riverside winning Small Schools champion at every meet and placing in the top three spots in every WAC sponsored meet as well as first in the Big Horn Basin Knowledge Bowl and first in the Yellowstone Academic Tournament in Billlings.