On Wednesday, Sept. 22, the Scholars Bowl Battle of the Brains event in the Hays High School Lecture Hall was cut short due to a fire alarm being set off. According to principal Shawn Henderson, the alarm was triggered by a stray volleyball hitting an uncaged fire alarm.

Before the alarm sounded, the Scholars Bowl team faced off against some Hays High staff members in a series of five rounds.

The staff challenging the students included orchestra teacher Joan Crull, assistant principal Becky Hickert, debate/forensics teacher Jennifer Rajewski and science teacher Lynn Zimmerman. Moderating the event was Henderson.

The Scholars Bowl students participating in the Battle of the Brains were freshmen Brett Dreher, Peter Hyatt, John Weisenborn and Madox Zimmerman, sophomores Brooks Baczkowski and Kay Dees, juniors Tony Arial, Evan Dealy and Bradyn Dreher and senior Liahna Hyatt.

“The questions are centered around world language, science, social studies, current events, math and language arts,” Liahna Hyatt said.

Five students faced off against four staff members and a student. A new student was rotated in every round because the staff team was short a player.

The students won round one with the final score being 80-40. The students lost round two, with the teachers winning, 80-30. The third round was a very close race. The staff won, 70-60, when Crull correctly answered a 1970s sports question about Wayne Gretzky. The teachers won again with a score of 100-40. Since the final round ended early due to the potential fire hazard, the score was 60-10 with the students in the lead.

“I enjoy watching the Battle of the Brains because my brother participates in it,” freshman Kiera Dealy said.

                                                                                 24jfeyerherm@usd489.com