Franklin County (public)
Bexley - always has great potential to do well at quizbowl. They had an impressive performance, with lack of regular quizbowl play considered, at NAQT States. Third highest PPB in the field. Currently ranked in the top 150 of Fred Morlan's rankings. Don't understand why they don't play more.
Canal Winchester - nothing exists, as far as I know.
Columbus public - not going to write about all of the schools in the district. Only a few do the NAQT league. The only two schools that have any quizbowl playing tradition (excluding Walnut Ridge, whose tradition only lasted during the 1970's and 1980's) are Columbus Alternative and Whetstone. Whetstone used to go to events at Northmont/Wright State, Ohio State, and area OAC events; they've since stopped, unsure why (coaching change? Budget?) Columbus Alternative, which is the Columbus analog of Walnut Hills, often played at events at Ohio State and St. Charles, and they've made the occasional appearance at Olentangy Liberty. I think they've had the same coach the entire time (nice person!) They do that weird 'answer questions online' thing by Question Unlimited, but unlike a lot of their competing counterparts in the Cleveland area, I think they probably do it because its something that can easily be done after school while everyone is together (students attending CAHS can come from all parts and neighborhoods of the city) and less so "oh, lets win something easy." They have a coach that has always appeared to be pretty interested and dedicated to his team's involvement, but they may be hamstringed by lack of resources and budget limits, as I know their building specifically (in terms of attention, maintenance and renovation) gets neglected by the district.
Dublin - Scioto and Jerome obviously play. Coffman will only play an event or two here and there (their coach has an account on this board, for what its worth.) Not much more detail to be said for Dublin.
Gahanna-Lincoln sent three teams to an Olentangy Liberty event once and won a bracket there. Unsure what they've been up to since.
Grandview Heights - I thought at one point Jarret Greene was going to try and get them active, but JG has since moved to Vermont. Small district, but very good academic reputation.
Groveport - sent teams to Waverly (of all places) a few years ago. Something like they had three or four different people that served as co-coaches, as was explained to me back then. Unsure of what they've been up to lately.
Hamilton Township - nothing exists, as far as I know.
Hilliard - Davidson and Bradley, as far as I know, have no programs (anymore.) Have heard that Darby has looked into getting into quizbowl.
New Albany - as best as I know, they have a program that is alive. Their coach is pretty nice, and has always been interested in the game, but from what I understand they have a very unusual and unfortunate budget & financing situation imposed upon them by their district (kids have to pay several hundred dollars just to be on the academic team? Pay-to-play is horrible.) Never understood why their district has such a policy, because the community of New Albany has an affluent image, they have a lot of expensive real estate in their district, and always good academics, but that doesn't mean that every kid can afford pay-to-play (nor should they be forced to in the first place.)
Reynoldsburg - never has had anything to my knowledge. Unsure if they can feasibly get something off of the ground, because they're actually two different high schools located on opposite ends of the district that effectively grants a diploma from a singular 'Reynoldsburg High School.' Maybe Greg would know more about what I'm talking about.
Southwestern City Schools - Grove City is the only one active. Westland has attended St. Charles OAC in the past. Franklin Heights has nothing, to my knowledge. Remains to be seen if Central Crossing will do anything next year or in the future, because I'm not sure if them attending NAQT States is so much the coach being really interested in the game, or if it was Danny Cordary wanting to play a Saturday event (or if it was his dad that wanted them to give it a shot.) Central Crossing is a unique situation, because their best player, who has graduated this year, is the son of a very accomplished 'In the Know' and Jeopardy! contestant (not to mention a pretty well-known politician, if you follow that) so it could be that he got into the game to follow in the footsteps of his dad. Put simply, if CC attends more events in the future - that's great, but if they don't then it should be understandable why not.
Upper Arlington - does one or two small events a year, has done NAQT states multiple times in the past. Should be a lot more active, in my opinion.
Westerville - don't know anything about Central or South, am told that North has a good team in league play.
Whitehall-Yearling - does MSL only. It would be a very good idea, if they go to an event, if they were placed in a JV or novice division.
Worthington - Kilbourne, as far as I know, just does NE ITK. Thomas, its the same deal, but they did attend a Liberty event and won a morning bracket.
In sum, the Franklin County publics have come further in quizbowl than they were five or so years ago, but its one of those 'they'll come in bits or spurts, and whether or not they'll be consistent in attending remains to be seen' deals.
Franklin County (private)
Columbus Academy - used to be active, haven't seen them play in years however. Would be a great school to see active again.
Diocese of Columbus - St. Charles obviously plays. Ready is the one that has the next-most miles under their belt, but still not a very active program. Hartley would be the third-most active in recent history, but again, not much there. Hartley would attend, and I believe Ready would also, the Golden Shamrock and St. Charles OAC. After that, barely anything. DeSales and Watterson have been in the NE In the Know League forever, but have never done Saturday events.
Harvest Prep - never had a team for the longest time, but started one up two or three years ago. Became pretty active, pretty quick - which is surprising seeing as how small the school is and how nothing existed previously before their current coach came along.
all of the tiny Christian schools - only Tree of Life is active, but they're a peculiar case - they went to Smithville and Mason (and maybe St. Charles OAC?) but nothing (else) in the Columbus area. Gahanna, Madison, Patriot Prep, and Northside may all be too small to even consider making a team worth their while.
Grove City Christian - nothing exists, but they're a 'growing' private school that has a reputation for academics and athletics.
Oakstone Academy - I usually have a very good finger on the pulse of what schools exist and what their teams look like, but for the longest time I had never even heard of Oakstone (probably because they're in Westerville, which is far from where I live and aren't in the OHSAA.) Anyways, they do In the Know, attended St. Charles OAC this past fall and was initially registered for OAC Fall at Ohio State, but withdrew due to a schedule conflict with the school play (I believe.) Their coach has an account on this board, also, so I'm sure they do consider more events in the Central Ohio than what they attend when it comes to making a schedule. I enjoyed reading for them at St. Charles, too.
Wellington - they won 'In the Know' two years ago; in case anyone is wondering, this is the same school referred to as 'Wellington Academy' (or whatever they're listed as) on the OAC State Champions/State Runners-Up list from when they made the state finals in either the 1980's or 1990's. They went to a Liberty event and NAQT States in the same spring, two years ago. Haven't heard much about them lately.
Worthington Christian - they may, or may not, be too large to be an NAQT small school under the private designation (am pretty sure they are near 300 students in grades 10-12.) Good academic reputation, strong reputation for participating in extracurricular activities - but not even an appearance on 'In the Know' ever, I don't believe. No active team, although they'd make a lot of sense to have one.
Not too sure what really can be done to get more of these schools participating. Watterson and SFD need to be leaders of the pack and dip their toes into Saturday quizbowl, if not, then they should stop advertising about 'being about the academics.'
Licking County I'm going to write Licking the same way I write Madison, Pickaway and Union, as I'm not too familiar with most of the schools and its not worth my time finding the nuance between 'schools that aren't active but have a team' versus 'schools that aren't active and don't have a team.'
Schools that I know have active, long-standing teams: Granville, Heath, Licking Heights, and Newark.
Schools that I know have a team but are new: Lakewood and maybe Johnstown.
Newark Catholic folded theirs a few years ago, I believe.
Don't know anything about Northridge, Granville Christian, or Licking Valley.
County that has schools playing in a league where the questions are good (MSL), county that has schools playing in ESC competition where the questions are bad. Licking Heights and Granville, and possibly Lakewood, could always come onto the scene and be a consistent attendee (even if its one or two Saturday events out of the year), but we'll see.
Madison County London and West Jeff have teams that play in a league, don't believe Madison Plains does.
Pickaway County All of the schools have teams, but they only do league play with the exception of Logan Elm - who will go to St. Charles OAC from time to time, in addition to MSL.
Union County Fairbanks may play in that Five-County League everyone has heard of. Think the same is true with Marysville. Jonathan Alder is the hosting school for that league's operations. That league is the same one as mentioned earlier for the Olentangy buildings that are on Questions Unlimited. Not a league that adheres to 'good quizbowl' practices by any stretch of the imagination.
Don't really have anything substantial to write about the state of quizbowl for the last three counties. If any of them, outside of Logan Elm (who already does,) come to a Saturday event, then that's impressive.
_________________ Thomas Moore Ohio Wesleyan '18
Retired from online, for good.
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