History of the Northmont Academic Challenge Team
To the top of the page

The Northmont Academic Challenge Team was founded in November of 1990 in response to a move by the Greater Miami Valley Conference to include academic teams in league competition. At this time, West Carrollton High School joined our league, and they had participated in academic competitions through their prior membership in the Western Ohio League. Wilma Jingling, then with West Carrollton's gifted program, and Jim Sparrow, their academic coach, were instrumental in guiding the development of academic competitions in our league.

Our intention was to strengthen academics at the high school and to offer students an outlet for their academic knowledge. We envision the team as offering students a chance not only to earn recognition for their academic skill but also to meet and interact with their peers from other schools.

Northmont's team in 1990-1991 consisted of 20 students of all grade levels who practiced once a week during January and February. This team finished third in the GMVC. As the program grew, membership in the team increased to about 30-50 students of all grade levels and has remained constant at that level up to the present.

Our efforts in Academic Competition have met with great success.
In 1991-92 through 1994-95, the team finished in first place in the GMVC. This qualified the team each year (4) to compete in the Ohio Academic Competition (OAC) regional rounds at Wright State University. Each year (4), the team finished third at regionals. In 1995-96, Northmont finished third in the GMVC, and in '96-'97, and '97-'98-'99 finished fourth. In 2000, the T-Bolts were back in form to win the GMVC for a fifth time. 2002 brought a change in the league from Greater MIami Valley Conference to Greater Western Ohio Conference--a combination of the GMVC and the Western Ohio League (WOL).  Northmont and the former GMVC competitors now compete in the GWOC-West.  In 2002, the T-Bolts won the first GWOC-West tournament, and in 2003 repeated the win to become GWOC-West champs again.

In 1993-94, the team also traveled to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, to compete in a multi-state tournament of over one hundred teams. Northmont finished third at Vanderbilt's Academic Bowl Competition (ABC). In that same year, a team traveled to the Lima Senior Invitational at Lima Senior High School. That team finished second at Lima. In 1993-94, we also took a team to the Copley Invitational Tournament, at Copley High School near Akron. We left at 5:00 a.m., drove through an ice storm to get there, and finished a disappointing 15th. However, we tried Copley again in 1995-96 and raised our finish to 10th. In February, 1997, the team finished third, defeating Oakwood, but losing to Cincinnati St. Xavier. The JV team won their tournament. In February of 1998, Northmont won the Copley Red Tourney, and in 1999 and 2001 finished second. In 2002, the JV team finished second. Copley invites only teams who have won their league, and the competition is quite strong.

In 1997-98, we entered tournaments at Case Western University, where two teams made the playoffs, and at Turpin High School, where the JV team finished second. In 1998-99, the JV team won the CWRU Junior Varsity Tournament. The team continued to make the CWRU playoffs in 2000-2003.

Each year the team also participates in the Knowledge Master Open, an international contest which is computer based. Northmont has finished as high as third in the state in this competition. We use the KMO as an opportunity for everyone on our team to participate in a competition. The format also encourages teamwork and cooperation among the team members. It also fosters development and recognition of expert areas for our students.

With regard to funding, our team is recognized by the high school and school district, but with the exception of the first year of operation is self-supporting. All expenses, including travel, lodging, food, staffing, and coaching is borne by the participants and the coaches.

In 1998-99, the Board of Education approved an extra-curricular contract for coaches, after ten years of volunteer effort. The program has received three separate grants from the Northmont Education Foundation, which served as seed money for the program. Additionally, monies have been donated on various occasions by parents.

At present, plans are to keep the program self-supporting through the annual tournament, which is supported by community donations. The NACT is our primary fundraiser, and we continue to count on community and business support for its success.

Membership of the Northmont Academic Challenge Team
To the top of the page

Our program is open to any student who wants to participate. We do not "cut" or otherwise discourage participation, although we do, obviously, choose the strongest players for our final competition teams. Usually, and equally obviously, these students are generally seniors and juniors, with few exceptions. However, we are very careful to afford every student the chance to play at least once in a competition match. Recruiting is accomplished in two ways: 1. by invitation through teacher recommendations, and 2. by a general announcement to the student population.

Activities of the Northmont Academic Challenge Team
To the top of the page

The team's season begins in the fall, when preparation for the Northmont Academic Challenge Tournament (NACT) begins.  By October, the team is practicing regularly--once a week on Friday afternoons.  By Mid-October, the teams starts its recruiting efforts invited students to attend an informational meeting followed by a practice. To supplement the open invitation, students are nominated by teachers.  By the end of October, competitions are beginning.

In November, the team will participate in the tournaments at St. Charles High School, and Fisher Catholic High School.

In December, the team participates in the KMO. In January, we travel to Cincinnati for the Turpin High School Walt Comstock Memorial Tournament.

At the end of January, we sponsor our own competition, the NACT.  In its premiere year, 1996, eighteen schools from the southwestern Ohio area participated, and 1997 through 2004, the tournament grew to include thirty-two area high schools, fielding fifty-six varsity and reserve teams.

In early February, three weeks of seeding rounds for the GMVC begin at Tippecanoe High School. Once a week, for three weeks, teams and coaches travel to Tipp for preliminary rounds. At the end of February, the team travels to Case Western Reserve University and to Copley High School for tournaments.

In mid-March, the finals of the GMVC are held at Tippecanoe.

Our season ends in April, either with a banquet or with a trip to the regionals of the OAC.  A win at regionals qualifies our team for a trip to the state OAC in May.

High Q and the Northmont Academic Challenge Team
To the top of the page

In 1993-94, Channel 7 (WHIO-TV) inaugurated its High-Q academic competition show. Participation in the competition is by "luck of the draw." Channel 7 draws the names of 25-30 teams in its viewing area to compete throughout the year. We have been lucky enough to be chosen in all but one of the nine years the show has been produced, and we have consistently been strong in this competition as well.

In 1993-94, Northmont's team, captained by Michael Hake, won the finals of the competition after defeating three teams in regular play and two more teams in the semi-finals and finals. The HO-HO's (nicknamed for their on-air seating order:  H, O, H, O)--3 seniors and one junior--each won thousand dollar scholarships to college.
Team: Captain Michael Hake, Keith Henseler, Rachelle Okragly, and Shira Ovide)

In 1994-95, a new team, anchored by that same junior, then a senior, won two successive matches, qualifying for an automatic place in the '95-'96 competition.
Team: Captain Keith Henseler, Karee Brown, Brian Davis, Bryan Hissong, Justin Hollander, David Jones, Genny Roberts

In the 1995-96 matches, six new players were able to qualify for the semi-finals where they finished fourth.
Team: Captain Genny Roberts, David Jones, Ben Dietsch, Bryan Hissong, Justin Hollander, Ryan Overfield, Brian Rash 

In 1996-97, another new team of six players, including one freshman and one sophomore, faced a strong Richmond, Indiana, team as their third consecutive opponent. Northmont put up a strong showing, but lost the match by only five points.
Team: Capt. David Jones, Joe Alexander, Karee Brown, Stacy Eppley, Joel Helton, Lauren Obenour, Kevin Shuller, Tom Struckman, Rob Rickmon

1n 1997-98, Northmont won its second High-Q Championship with a team captained by senior Joel Helton.
The Julio's (so-called after Helton's nickname) were unbeatable as they crushed all contenders.  This fifth season marked the end of the original playoff formula in which every team winning four matches qualified for the playoffs.
Team: Joel Helton, Joe Alexander, Rob Brower, Bryan Jacobs, Valeska Okragly, Kevin Shuller, Bill Snodgrass, Tom Struckman

In 1998-99, Northmont's name was not drawn to play.

In 1999-2000, the Bolts qualified for the High Q Playoffs, setting a new record for most points scored in a game--715 against Stebbins. (Northmont also posted 585 points against Centerville in 1993-94, a record that stood until 1998.) The team, captained by Tom Struckman, carried their high total score of 1875 into the last week of competition, when Centerville posted matches totaling 1880. Also qualifying for the playoffs were Celina and Tippecanoe. In the playoffs, Northmont faced Celina in the opening match, losing by 20 points. Celina went on to win the tournament defeating the other semi-finalist, Centerville.
Team: Tom Struckman, Jacobs, Matt Feltner, Martin Lavelle, Ceilidh Orr, Will Pender)

In 2000-2001, Northmont played early in the fall earning a score of 1875 which held up until the last week of competition when Oakwood posted 5 points more. The Bolts finished as the fifth place team, just out of the playoffs.
Team: Ceilidh Orr, Jason Broander, Jennifer Gibson, Richard Gunter, Igor Landa, Eric Lowry)

In 2001-2002, adversity must have inspired the team.  When time for the first match arrived, three players faced schedule conflicts, but with those ironed out, the team went on to post decisivie wins over opponents Anna, Lebanon, and to qualify for the playoffs.  Taping late in the year, their point score held them in third place.  Playoffs rolled around during the week of the annual NACT, but captain Jason Broander brought his team to a win over quarter-finalist Yellow Springs.  Although the final match against Beavercreek saw the team outplayed by a very powerful team from southeast of Dayton, the Thunderbolts earned scholarship monies from Channel 7 for the third time in eight years.   
$2000.00 in Scholarship money to: Broander, Kevin Engel, Jennifer Gibson, Igor Landa, Eric Lowry 

In 2002-2003, Northmont's name was not drawn to play.

Coaches for the Northmont Academic Challenge Team
To the top of the page

	Mr. William Patrizio In 2003-2004, Chemistry teacher Mr. Bill Patrizio took over duties as head coach of the team.  Not one to ease into anything, Mr. P. held his first NACT, took his team to High-Q competition, and traveled to 3 competitions.
	Mrs. Carol B. Roberts An English teacher and the yearbook adviser, Mrs. R. was with the team from its inception in 1990 until her retirement as a coach in 2003.  Mrs. Roberts was instrumental in moving the team forward to inter- and intra-state competition.  Mrs. R.'s teams were dramatically successful in their thirteen years of competition posting eight league championships, two High-Q wins, and one High-Q second place.  Mrs. Roberts' "baby," the NACT, evolved into one of the most highly respected and well attended tournaments in the state.  Since 1998, Mrs. Roberts has served as a member of the OAC Steering Committee and until 2002, director of  the Southwest Regional Tournament.  In 2003, Mrs. Roberts directed the first West Central Regional Tournament.
	Mr. Jacob Roe In his second year of teaching German at NHS, Herr Roe joined the coaching staff in the fall of 2001.  With Mrs. R., he helped guide the team to a $2000 win at High Q and a first place finish in the GWOC.
	CWO/1 Guy Kowalski In the fall of 2001, Chief Kowalski volunteered to coach and work tournaments.  With Herr Roe, Chief ran the breakfast for NACT 2002.  He continues to volunteer as a practice coach and tournament worker.
	Mrs. Stephanie Corcoran An English teacher and a former student of Mrs. Roberts, Northmont alumnae Mrs. Corcoran coached in 2000 as the freshman coach, and reads for the tournaments.  Mrs. Corcoran is also an instructor for Wright State University's education department.
	Mr. Joel Helton Northmont alumnus and former academic team captain, Mr. Helton coached as varsity assistant in 2000.  In 1998, "Julio's" team won Channel 7's High Q, won the Tippecanoe Tournament, and won the Copley Tournament.  In addition, the team posted 3 second place finishes.  Mr. Helton attends the University of Dayton on academic scholarship.
	Mrs. Beth Crouse Also an English teacher, Mrs. Crouse coached the team from 1991 until 1998 as assistant to Mrs. Roberts.  It was under the leadership of Mrs. R. and Mrs. C. that the team experienced many of its most successful moments, including 4 league championships and 5 regional appearances.  Mrs. Crouse continues to volunteer as a reader for tournaments.
	Mrs. Diane Grant A foreign language teacher, Mrs. Grant worked with the underclassmen until 1998 as an assistant to Mrs. Roberts.  Mrs. Grant continues to serve as the trainer for readers volunteering for the NACT.
	Ms. Linda Thomas Math teacher Ms. Thomas coached the team from 1992 through 1994, and was official driver for the team as well.  Ms. Thomas was with the team at its beginnings, through two GMVC championships and the first NACT.  Ms. Thomas continues to volunteer as a reader.
	Mr. Frank Bely Mr. Bely, a mathematics teacher, was with the team from 1992 through 1996 as a reader and driver.  Mr. Bely continues to volunteer as a reader.
	Mr. Ed Miller Also a math teacher, Mr. Miller coached the team from 1992-1994, through three GMVC championships.  Mr. Miller continues to volunteer as a reader and moderator for Northmont's tournaments.
	Mr. Steve Shaltry AP Biology teacher Steve Shaltry coached the teams from 1992-1994 through the same three GMVC wins.  Mr. Shaltry is Head Track Coach at NHS.

Contact the Northmont Academic Challenge Team
To the top of the page
Back to the NACT Info Page

By Email:
wpatrizio@northmont.k12.oh.us

By Snail Mail:
Northmont Academic Challenge Team
C/O Bill Patrizio
Northmont High School
4916 W. National Road
Clayton, OH 45315

By Voice Mail:
(937) 832-6603

By Fax:
(937) 832-6037