Rio Mesa defeats Buena to keep title

NICE WORK- Members of the Rio Mesa High School defending championship team hold their trophies after recently winning the World Affairs Council of America's California Central Coast WorldQuest competition. From left, World Affairs Council board member Brian Conway, Eli Jacobson, Patrick Browne, Bryce Newman, Daniel Samimi and faculty advisor Chris Moody.

Members of the defending championship team from Rio Mesa High School held back their cross-town rivals, Buena High School, by winning the World Affairs Council of America- California Central Coast annual WorldQuest competition.

After 100 questions in the Jeopardy-styled quiz were answered, both schools led the pack of 14 high school teams by answering 90 correct. The sudden death playoff consisted of five questions about Africa. The Rio Mesa team inched out Buena, a previous WorldQuest winning team.

The Rio Mesa team consists of seniors Patrick Brown, Eli Jacobson, Bryce Newman, Daniel Samimi and faculty advisor Chris Moody. The students are all returnees except one member who was here last year as an exchange student from Germany.

The team will be heading to Washington, D.C. for a second chance to bring home the gold from the National competition slated during spring break next month.

"This team did better today than last year's national champions," said Norma Maidel, vice chair of WACACCC. "The national winning team scored 82 percent to win the title and these kids did better so I think we may have a chance."

Other teams participating in the competition included Newbury Park, St. Bonaventure, Trinity Pacific Christian, Ventura and Westlake.

Moody said that this year he fielded three teams and he is looking forward to future championships from the current "B" and "C" teams.

WACA-CCC is the leading nonpartisan organization committed to developing global awareness and understanding.