LHS Academic Challenge Team Headed To Nationals Again

The Lakewood High Academic Challenge team has had a stellar season, topped off by its third straight invite to the National Academic Tournament. The team earned its third straight West Shore Conference Championship, finishing the regular season 7-0 and then going undefeated at the conference tournament with another 7-0 record. Over the past three seasons, the team has earned an astounding 27-1 record. This is the last season in the West Shore Conference for the team as the district becomes a member of the Southwestern Conference beginning next school year.

A highlight of the team's season was its victory over Strongsville and Massillon Jackson high schools in its round of the NewsChannel 5 Academic Challenge show, taped February 22. The show will air on News Channel 5 on May 2. The TV team was composed of senior Ben McKinsey, junior Robbie Fehrenbach and sophomore Ian Bell.

For the past two years, the team competed in the National Academic Tournament in Washington, D.C. This year, the team will travel to Chicago June 6-8 for the tournament. A finish in the top third of teams in last year's tournament earned Lakewood the right to return this spring.

Besides the three who competed on the TV show, other team members are varsity members Jamie Fesko, Alex Grunder, Renee Klann, Fox Milenski and Jon Pizzo. Junior varsity members are Kevin Cush, Abe Dalisky, Calvin Dolatowski, Brian Donaohoe, Seamus Holian, Erika Hakko, Damian Jouriles, Lucy Kress and Veronica Lee.

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Volume 11, Issue 6, Posted 4:41 PM, 03.17.2015