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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Upper Lake High School on Saturday clinched the Lake County Academic Decathlon title for the third year in a row, earning a trip to the state competition along with Willits High.
In an event which focused this year on the subject of Africa, Upper Lake edged out Clear Lake High Team A.
Also competing were Clear Lake High Team B and Middletown High.
Willits High School, the only team in Mendocino County, once again made the trip in order to compete so it could be eligible to participate in the California Academic Decathlon March 23 and 24.
“Lake County students are thriving,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg in remarks ahead of the Super Quiz.
In addition to the Academic Decathlon, Falkenberg pointed to the many other events highlighting local students’ academic excellence, including the Mock Trial competition coming up later this month, along with SkillsUSA and music competitions.
He noted at that point that there was not yet a clear winner among the competing Academic Decathlon teams.
“It is all coming down to this Super Quiz,” he said.
After the Super Quiz, Clear Lake High School Team A and Upper Lake High were tied, but once the judges were finished with all of the day’s scoring, Upper Lake once again won, and got to keep the county competition trophy.
Upper Lake High Head Coach Anna Sabalone said she was surprised by the outcome because of the fierceness of the competition.
She said that every competing team wants to represent Lake County at the state competition. “We have to stay on our toes to be able to keep the honor.”
Upper Lake’s team captain and top scorer, Anisha Kalan, 17, won the speech contest among other subjects, and gave her speech on the development of racism to the audience of about 100 people.
This is Kalan’s fourth year in the Academic Decathlon. “Every year is different. It’s a different team.”
At Upper Lake, the Academic Decathlon is a class, so the team works to prepare over time, as well as putting more intense study in before the contest.
Kalan is now in the midst of applying for colleges, among them, Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley and Davis. She plans to study political science.
Dr. Giovanni Annous, who became Upper Lake Unified School District’s superintendent in May, was delighted with the event.
“It brought tears to my eyes,” Annous said after joining the team for a picture.
He noted his students’ excitement, and also lauded the other teams and their students for their cordial and professional behavior toward each other in the course of the competition.
Annous said it’s also exciting to know that hard work pays off. He said students’ jingling medals was a great sound.
He and the coaches were preparing at that point to take the team out for a celebratory dinner in Lakeport. “They deserve every celebration possible.”
Sabalone, an Upper Lake High alumna who was herself an Academic Decathlon competitor, has coached the team for 10 years. She’s assisted by Angel Hayenga and Christal Coatney.
She said her team this year has 13 members – down slightly from past years – with four of them seniors.
“They’re very excited,” about the competition outcome, she said.
However, they won’t jump immediately into the preparation for the state event, as many of them have to prepare for other activities – such as the Mock Trial, a music competition in Chico next weekend as well as basketball.
After the Mock Trial concludes on Feb. 12 – Sabalone also is helping to coach that team – they’ll get down to work on prepping for the state finals, she said.
Upper Lake’s coaches gave a big shout out to fellow staffers and parents – “Especially the parents,” said Hayenga – for their unwavering support.
Part of the process of getting ready will be fundraising. Sabalone said the trip to Sacramento for the state finals is estimated to cost around $6,000, half of which goes for hotel rooms, as well as $500 for registration.
For information on making a donations, call Upper Lake High at 707-275-2338.
The full results of the competition are below.
Clear Lake High School
Superintendent April Leiferman, Principal Jill Falconer, Coach Kristi Tripp
Team members: Brenden Allen, Kaity Avila, Carlos Bernardino, Michael Camacho, Nicabec Casido, Adrian Ceja, Luis Cortez, Zoe Cramer, Anna Del Bosco, Sereno Dominguez, Camille Donald, Anahit Govorgyan, Brent Hinchcliff, Trinitee Hoaglen, Blake Jensen, Brody Jensen, Kyle Jensen, Julia Lyon, Isabella Mattina, Courtney McIntosh, Nathan Porter, Oscar Quilala, Jessica Romero, Felix Salinas, Quintin Scott, Alexa Shepherd, Connor Simons, Kally Vinson, Shawnee Weed, Ethan Wynacht
Middletown High School
Superintendent Catherine Stone, Principal Bill Roderick, Coach Jeff Mielke
Team members: Makenna Brown, Taylor Harris, Steven Harvey, Austin Lapic, Colleen Schimansky, Amy Trapani, Amida Verhey
Upper Lake High School
Superintendent Giovanni Annous, Principal Sandy Coatney, Coaches Anna Sabalone, Angel Hayenga and Christal Coatney
Team members: Alan Balderas, William Cromwell, Daniela Estrada-Flores, Jeff Fannon, Anisha Kalan, Deeya Kalan, Jessica Lee, Kehlani McKelvey, Katlyn Minnis, Robert Porterfield, Brenna Sanchez, Seneca Snow, Maria Tinoco, Sarah Williams
Willits High School
Superintendent Mark Westerburg, Principal Michael Colvig, Coach Mary Colvig
Team members: Jacob Arms, Brieana Evans, Isabelle Grieve, Nicholas Hebel, Elizabeth Henning, Savanna Hofmaister, Mychaela Nowlin, Ariel Reyes, Micah Stamps, Naomi Strickland, Byron Torres, Ian Watson, Alisabeth Wilcox
TEAM PLACEMENT
Lake County
First place: Upper Lake High School, 36,838 points
Second place: Clear Lake High School, 32,575 points
Mendocino County
First place: Willits High School, 33,848 points
AWARDS
Poetry contest
First place: Anahit Govorgyan, Clear Lake High
Second place: Alexa Shepherd, Clear Lake High
Third place: Nicabec Casido, Clear Lake High
The Lake County Arts Council provided awards of $25, $15 and $10, respectively, for the three top finishers.
Poster contest
First place: Kaity Avila, Clear Lake High
Second place: Trinitee Hoaglen, Clear Lake High
Third place: Camille Donald, Clear Lake High
The Lake County Arts Council provided awards of $25, $15 and $10, respectively, for the three top finishers.
Super Quiz
First place: (tie) Clear Lake High Team A, Upper Lake High
Second place: Clear Lake High Team B
Third place: Willits High
SUBJECTS
Science
First place: Isabella Mattina, Clear Lake High
Second place: Sereno Dominguez, Clear Lake High
Third place: (five-way tie) Mychaela Nowlin, Willits High; Savanna Hofmaister, Willits High; Jessica Romero, Clear Lake High; Brenna Sanchez, Upper Lake High; Sarah Williams, Upper Lake High
Economics
First place: Anisha Kalan, Upper Lake High
Second place: Daniela Estrada-Flores, Upper Lake High
Third place: Nicholas Hebel, Willits High; Ian Watson, Willits High
Music
First place: Brenna Sanchez, Upper Lake High
Second place: Sarah Williams, Upper Lake High
Third place: Ian Watson, Willits High
Mathematics
First place: Amida Verhey, Middletown High
Second place: Jacob Arms, Willits High
Third place: Michael Camacho, Clear Lake High
Social Sciences
First place: Zoe Cramer, Clear Lake High
Second place: Sarah Williams, Upper Lake High
Third place: Anisha Kalan, Upper Lake High
Art
First place: Zoe Cramer, Clear Lake High
Second place: Maria Tinoco, Upper Lake High
Third place: Kehlani McKelvey, Upper Lake High
Language and Literature
First place: (four-way tie) Savanna Hofmaister, Willits High; Ian Watson, Willits High; Jessica Romero, Clear Lake High; Michael Camacho, Clear Lake High
Second place: (three-way tie) Kaity Avila, Clear Lake High; Zoe Cramer, Clear Lake High; Anisha Kalan, Upper Lake High
Third place: (tie) Sarah Williams, Upper Lake High; Brent Hinchcliff, Clear Lake High
Essay
First place: Amida Verhey, Middletown High
Second place: Maria Tinoco, Upper Lake High
Third place: Nicholas Hebel, Willits High
Interview
First place: (tie) Brieana Evans, Willits High; Brent Hinchcliff, Clear Lake High
Second place: (tie) Amida Verhey, Middletown High; Isabella Mattina, Clear Lake High
Third place: Michael Camacho, Clear Lake High
Speech
First place: Anisha Kalan, Upper Lake High
Second place: Daniela Estrada-Flores, Upper Lake High
Third place: Isabella Mattina, Clear Lake High
TOP FINISHERS FOR EACH ACADEMIC LEVEL
Honors category (3.75-4.00 grade point average)
First place: Anisha Kalan, Upper Lake High
Second place: Zoe Cramer, Clear Lake High
Third place: Michael Camacho, Clear Lake High
Scholastic category (3.00-3.74 GPA)
First place: Ian Watson, Willits High
Second place: Brenna Sanchez, Upper Lake High
Third place: Elizabeth Henning, Willits High
Varsity category (2.99 GPA or below)
First place: Sarah Williams, Upper Lake High
Second place: Alisabeth Wilcox, Willits High
Third place: Jeff Fannon, Upper Lake High
HIGHEST SCORING STUDENTS, PER SCHOOL
Clear Lake High School: Zoe Cramer
Middletown High School: Amida Verhey
Upper Lake High School: Anisha Kalan
Willits High School: Savanna Hofmaister
The Lodge at Blue Lakes provided $100 scholarships for each of the schools' top-scoring students, along with additional gift certificates to the lodge.
Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.