The Heritage Hall Academic Bowl team kicked off its quest to repeat as state champions with a season-opening win at the district tournament held on Oct. 8. Strong showings by seniors Ben Bowen, Jacob Livesay, Elise Sanders, and Aneirin Truong, as well as sophomores Katie Curran and Sarah Curran led to the team’s victory.

Following the loss of some key leaders and players last year due to graduation, the Chargers went into the tournament with a new lineup. Coach Robert Ring was impressed with what he saw, stating, “Making it to the state finals in your first year of competition then coming back to win it all the second year sets a high standard. Coming into a rebuilding year after the loss of four starters I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the team was prepared and demonstrated its ability to compete at a high level.”

Led by a solid group of senior starters with a wide range of knowledge, Ring is confident another successful season is in making. "While there is an element of luck when it comes to the topics, we are well-prepared in a variety of disciplines. If we continue to play as well as we do in our practice rounds, we should have a successful season,” he said.