Questions about Egyptian politicians, Greek philosophers, obscure cathedrals and organic molecules were thrown out to four teams who battled against a ticking clock to deliver correct answers in time.
On Wednesday evening, four students from Hedrick 5 South won the Office of Residential Life College Bowl, a quiz tournament encompassing the entire Hill, with a crushing score of 230 to 70.
After winning the preliminary competitions between floors of each residential building, 18 teams advanced to the all-Hill Tournament. During Wednesday night’s semifinals and finals, four teams vied for first place.
The final four teams represented Hedrick Hall, Hedrick Summit, De Neve Cedar/Dogwood and Rieber Terrace. In the final round, it was Hedrick 5 South versus Hedrick Summit’s Trivia Troupe.
“We feel great, and it was a lot of fun,” said Michael McGalliard, a first-year history student and captain of Hedrick 5 South. “(We each) have our different strengths so it worked out well.”
When teams were forced to confront a question about organic chemistry, teammate Brian O’Neil answered it with little hesitation.
“Brian is our South Campus guy,” McGalliard said. “The rest of us are North Campus, so we really need him.”
Each member of the winning team received $150 in BruinCard cash and an $850 scholarship to any Kaplan Test Prep course.
During the tournament, audience members picked sides quickly, cheering on the teams as they raced to answer toss-up and bonus questions. Once a 10-point toss-up question was read, anybody from either team could buzz in. If he or she answered correctly within 10 seconds, the team would be given an opportunity to answer a 20-point bonus question. Team players could confer with each other for 20 seconds in the bonus rounds.
However, the competition did not go without goofs, many of which elicited laughs from the audience. When asked to identify the she-wolf who raised Remus and Romulus during the semifinal round, a stumped McGalliard answered, “Shakira.”
Questions were chosen prior to the match, and were organized in such a way that those who were more knowledgeable about the subject could buzz in first. Subjects ranged from the more academic, such as literature and mathematics, to the more mainstream, such as pop culture and sports.
“This program has been on the Hill for some time now,” said James Engler, assistant resident director of Hitch Suites. “It gets students really in touch with their academic interests.”
Faculty-in-residence are responsible for coordinating the ORL College Bowl each year. The two masters-in-ceremony and most of the judges were UCLA faculty members, who helped deliver the questions.
“The idea is that we have such huge brains that together, we’ll know the right answer,” joked Jonathan Furner, a faculty-in-residence in Delta Terrace and associate professor of information studies.
Scott Carter, assistant director of residential life, said the program, which began in 1982, was largely dependent on “faculty initiative.”
While program directors prepared for the next round of the competition, Engler asked the audience members trivia questions and handed out prizes.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said O’Neil, a first-year mechanical engineering student and member of Hedrick 5 South. “Our RAs have been really good in encouraging (the competition).”