Much like other clubs at Manhattan High, Scholars Bowl has been working with the COVID-19 guidelines, including social distancing, wearing masks and using an online buzzer system called Buzzin.live rather than using a physical buzzer. Most meets are over Zoom as well, which has provided some challenge, but hasn’t affected the team too much. 

“The Zoom meets are challenging because sometimes the sound cuts out when you’re answering, but most of the time it works out okay,” junior Grace Higgins said.

Practice hasn’t changed as much, although the practices are one to two times a week, set towards the evening to accommodate with the current schedule. During practice the team also uses Buzzin.live.

Tournaments have decreased compared to last year, as many schools who used to host meets aren’t hosting this year, however, this does open up some tournaments they haven’t been able to go to.

“It has provided the opportunity to attend tournaments at places we typically wouldn’t drive to,” coach Ted Dawdy said.

The goals continue to stay the same: improve as a team, win League, win Regionals, win State. The team won State last year, and there is hope to win it again.

“I just want to say that I am really pleased that our program is in great shape right now,” junior Abrar Nasser said. “We were able to win State last year, and I think we are really motivated to go and do the same this year.”

The team has been placed in the East Regional for the Regionals Meet, and it’s known to be highly competitive. 

“We were assigned to the East regional which is the most competitive regional in the state.  Last year the four teams from the East region were also the top four teams at the state tournament,” Dawdy said.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association has reworked Regionals, doubling the regional sites and the top two from each regional will go on to State. 

The team hopes to get to a position where they are winning as many meets as they can leading up to the bigger meets.

“My opinion is that we should be in a position pretty soon where we are winning or close to winning every meet we compete in,” Nasser said, “and I definitely believe that is a realistic goal.”

The team will have a meet with Blue Valley North today.