SACRAMENTO — In victory and in defeat, the Academic Decathlon brings out the inner warrior in almost all of its nearly 500 competitors. Moorpark High School, which captured the state title here Monday, was no exception.
"I beat my brother by 16 points," said Moorpark senior Christie Calle, who compiled the most points in the Varsity division made up of A students. Her brother, Colin, placed second in that group.
Fifty-four teams competed over the weekend in 10 events, ranging from speeches and interviews to math. Each team has up to nine members representing A, B and C students.
Decathlon: An article in Tuesday's California section about Moorpark High School's victory in the state Academic Decathlon said Moorpark senior Christie Calle and her brother, Colin, finished first and second, respectively, in the Varsity division and described that category as made up of A students. The Calles' division, Varsity, is for students with a C average. The category for A students is the Honor division.
The Super Quiz is the only event open to the public; North Hollywood High was announced as the winner of that competition here Sunday night, but after a recount, Moorpark was given the title Monday. North Hollywood finished fifth in the overall competition.
Larry Jones has coached the Moorpark team since 1991 and came close to retiring last year. But after district officials asked him back, Jones said he couldn't refuse. "It's just too important for the kids," he said.
Jones beamed as he hugged his students, many of whom had multiple medals hanging around their necks. "This never gets old," he said.
Moorpark High Principal Kirk Miyashiro called the school in Ventura County to break the news. "Tell everyone," he said. Then he turned to Jones and said, "You're coming back next year."
If the 29th annual California Academic Decathlon was war, then the team from Granada Hills Charter High School fancied itself the brave Spartans who defended Greece from marauding invaders as depicted in the movie "300," which the students watched repeatedly.
"We're here to attack and conquer," said Caitlin Russell, a 5-foot-1 Granada Hills junior.
The team placed sixth, as it had in the local competition.
All seven Los Angeles Unified district schools that competed in the state round finished in the top 20. Palisades Charter High School in Pacific Palisades placed second, and defending national champion El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills finished third.
Before the start of the Super Quiz, in which each team member had to answer questions about the Civil War, the Granada Hills team huddled to do their Spartan war cry.
"Ah-whoo, ah-whoo, ah-whoo!" they shouted.
"They sound like a football team," said one of Granada's first-time co-coaches, Sharon Connelly-Menotiades.
- Laguna Hills High Is 3rd in Academic Decathlon Mar 15, 1999
- Academic Decathlon Team to Be Honored Apr 15, 1998
- Moorpark's Academic Champs to Be Feted at Rally Apr 28, 2003
