Rowdy Raider

Tournament Formerly Known as Rowdy Raider

The Rowdy Raider Invitational is an annual quizbowl tournament that was previously held at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and is now held at Northmont High School. (The tournament moved locations after the tournament director left his job at Wright State to move to Northmont). The tournament director of the event is David Jones, quiz bowl coach at Northmont High School. With the exception of the initial tournament, the tournament is hosted on the first Saturday in December, and uses NAQT IS questions.

History

To date, there have been 18 iterations of the Rowdy Raider Invitational. These tournaments are summarized below:

Rowdy Raider I - April 2007, IS-62: Despite only 12 teams attending the event, the field was very strong, featuring Dunbar (KY) led by Papa Chakravarthy, Garfield Heights, led by Dan Humphrey, Tippecanoe led by Ryan Haas and Fisher Catholic led by Steven Wellstead. After 6 rounds of prelims, the top 6 teams advanced to a single-elimination bracket, with both Dunbar teams earning first-round byes, but the tournament was won by Walnut Hills 370-300 over Tippecanoe A.

Rowdy Raider II - December 2007, IS-70: The tournament featured 20 teams. After 6 rounds of prelims, the top 8 teams advanced to a single-elimination bracket. Both of Dunbar's teams made the finals, with Dunbar A defeating Dunbar B 345-190 to win the tournament, while Russell A defeated Defiance A, 275-200, in the consolation match to claim 3rd place.

Rowdy Raider III - December 2008, IS-79: The tournament featured 27 teams, broken into three preliminary divisions of 9 teams each, with five other teams filling out an 8-team single-elimination bracket. The three divisions were won by Russell (KY), Simon Kenton (KY) and St. Charles. Simon Kenton defeated Walnut Hills 260-180 to claim the championship with an undefeated 11-0 record.

Rowdy Raider IV - December 2009, IS-88: The tournament featured 32 teams. A power matching format was used that was well-received by teams in attendance (except for South Range, who lost an early match they shouldn't have, and subsequently missed the top 16 after posting a 2-3 record). After the morning power-seeding, the top 16 teams were divided into 4 groups of 4, the winner of each qualifying into a single elimination playoff. The final four was composed of both Dunbar teams, Solon, and Russell. At the end of the day, Dunbar A defeated Solon 435-110 to claim the tournament title, their second.

Rowdy Raider V - December 2010, IS-98: The tournament saw one of the best fields to ever attend an Ohio quiz bowl tournament, including all of the Ohio and Kentucky powers, plus Chattahoochee (GA) and Parkersburg (WV). The 32 teams were divided into 4 preliminary brackets of 8, which were won by Northmont, Olmsted Falls, Walnut Hills and Parkersburg. Next, the teams were re-bracketed into 8 divisions of 4 based on performance, with the winners of the top two divisions playing for the title. Northmont and Olmsted Falls entered the title game with identical 10-0 records, with Northmont claiming the title with a 375-275 victory.

Rowdy Raider VI - December 2011, IS-109: This was the first year in which the tournament shifted locations to Northmont High School. 30 teams participated in the tournament. The 5 preliminary brackets of 6 teams each were won by Dunbar, Northmont, Olmsted Falls, Warren G. Harding, and Danville. Teams were then re-bracketed into five 6-team brackets, with the top two parallel brackets still eligible for the title. Northmont defeated Dunbar to win their bracket at 10-0, while Olmsted Falls emerged from a circle of death with Sycamore and Warren G. Harding to win their bracket. In the championship game, Olmsted Falls defeated Northmont 370-265, avenging their loss in last year's final.

Rowdy Raider VII - December 2012, IS-120: 28 teams participated in the tournament. The tournament used the same system as the previous year, with some cross-bracket play to ensure each team played 10 games. Preliminary brackets were won by Northmont, Fisher Catholic, St. Charles, Walnut Hills and Sycamore. Teams were re-bracketed into divisions of 6 (divisions of 5 in lower brackets), and played another full round robin. In the end, Northmont and Sycamore emerged at 10-0 for the day, and competed in the championship match, which was won by Sycamore on the last question 415-345.

Rowdy Raider VIII - December 2013, IS-130: The tournament was the first to feature a junior varsity division. Because of this, the varsity division featured just 12 teams, the smallest field since the first tournament. The teams were split into 2 brackets of 6 to start, won by Northmont and DCC. After lunch, the teams were split into a championship and consolation bracket of 6 teams each, with the top two playing in an advantaged final. DCC entered the final with the advantage over Northmont thanks to a 5-point win in Round 10, but Northmont won both games of the disadvantaged final, 525-165 and 430-285, to win their second tournament title.

Rowdy Raider IX - December 2014, IS-140: This tournament featured 32 teams and no junior varsity division. The top 2 from each of four 8-team preliminary brackets advanced to the next round of championship bracketing, with both winners of the two 4-team championship brackets playing for the title. The preliminary brackets were won by Northmont, DCC, Sidney, and Copley, with Northmont and DCC winning the afternoon brackets for the second straight year. Northmont trounced DCC in the title match, 580-150, to win their third tournament title and second straight.

Rowdy Raider X - December 2015, IS-150: This tournament featured 24 teams. The top 3 in each of four 6-team preliminary brackets would advance to the two 6-team championship brackets, with the winners advancing to the title game. The preliminary brackets were won by Russell, Sidney, Dublin Scioto, and Culver (IN). After a round-11 win over Fisher Catholic gave Russell a spot in the title game, Solon defeated them to win the tournament, 435-205.

Rowdy Raider XI - December 2016, IS-160: This tournament featured 28 teams. The top 2 in each of four 7-team preliminary brackets would advance to the two 4-team championship brackets, with the winners advancing to the title game. The preliminary brackets were won by Dublin Scioto, Solon, Beavercreek, and Fisher Catholic. Sidney won Championship Bracket #1, but after all four teams in Championship Bracket #2 took at least one loss, the second spot in the title game was given to Dublin Scioto, the runner-up from Bracket #1. Dublin Scioto defeated Sidney in the title game, 475-200, with Scioto's Clark Smith finishing the tournament with 133.64 PP20.

Rowdy Raider XII - December 2017, IS-170: This tournament featured 28 teams, with the same format as the prior year. The four preliminary brackets were won by Beavercreek, Dublin Scioto, Miami Valley, and Russell. Beavercreek won Championship Bracket #1, while Miami Valley won Bracket #2, advancing after beating Clark Smith and Dublin Scioto by 170 points in Round 10 with a two-player team. Beavercreek defeated Miami Valley 455-285 to win the tournament title.

Rowdy Raider XIII - December 2018, IS-179: This tournament featured 34 teams in the varsity division, the largest field the tournament had seen, plus a 6-team junior varsity division. The teams were split into six preliminary brackets, four 6-team brackets and two 5-team brackets, with the top two from each bracket advancing to two 6-team championship brackets, with the winners playing in the title game. The preliminary brackets were won by DCC, Beavercreek, Miami Valley, Solon, Henderson County (KY), and Glasgow (KY), and the championship brackets were won by Beavercreek and Miami Valley. Despite the fact that Beavercreek would win the 2019 HSNCT and had the tournament's all-time top scorer Hari Parameswaran clocking in at 139.09 PP20, they were defeated by Miami Valley in the title game, 455-285.

Rowdy Raider XIV - December 2019, IS-188: This tournament featured 30 teams, with the same format as Rowdy Raider VI. The five preliminary brackets were won by Miami Valley, Beavercreek, Woodford County (KY), Dunbar, and Russell, while Dublin Scioto and St. Charles were the two teams to advance who did not finish in the top 2 of their prelims. Miami Valley and Dunbar won their championship brackets, with Miami Valley winning the title game 495-260 to secure back-to-back tournament titles.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no Rowdy Raider tournament in 2020, the only year since the tournament's founding that it was not hosted.

Rowdy Raider XV - December 2021, IS-206: This tournament featured 24 teams, plus an 8-team junior varsity division, with the same format as Rowdy Raider X. The four preliminary brackets were won by Glasgow A, two Solon teams, and Beavercreek. The championship brackets were won by Solon A and Beavercreek, with Solon A having to fend off their B team in Round 10 to advance. In a close battle, Beavercreek defeated Solon in the title game, 425-360, to win their second tournament title.

Rowdy Raider XVI - December 2022, IS-215: This tournament featured 28 teams, with the same format as Rowdy Raider XI. The four preliminary brackets were won by Solon, DCC, Beavercreek, and Copley. Solon and DCC won the two championship brackets with identical records of 9-0. In another close title game, Solon defeated DCC, 295-270, to win their second tournament title.

Rowdy Raider XVII - December 2023, IS-224: This tournament featured 24 teams, with the same format as Rowdy Raider X. The four preliminary brackets were won by Northmont, Beavercreek, Walnut Hills, and Little Miami. The two championship brackets were won by Northmont and Beavercreek, both unbeaten. Northmont defeated Beavercreek in an extremely close title game, 335-330, to win their first title in nine years and fourth overall.

Rowdy Raider XVIII - December 2024, IS-233: This tournament featured 24 teams, with the same format as the prior year. The four preliminary brackets were won by Northmont, Little Miami, Russell, and Copley. The two championship brackets were won by Northmont and Russell, who advanced over two-loss Little Miami despite losing to them head-to-head. Northmont defeated Russell in blowout fashion, 505-80, to win their second straight title and fifth overall.

Varsity Division Champions

Rowdy Raider I: Walnut Hills (OH)

Rowdy Raider II: Dunbar (KY)

Rowdy Raider III: Simon Kenton (KY)

Rowdy Raider IV: Dunbar (KY) (2)

Rowdy Raider V: Northmont (OH)

Rowdy Raider VI: Olmsted Falls (OH)

Rowdy Raider VII: Sycamore (OH)

Rowdy Raider VIII: Northmont (OH) (2)

Rowdy Raider IX: Northmont (OH) (3)

Rowdy Raider X: Solon (OH)

Rowdy Raider XI: Dublin Scioto (OH)

Rowdy Raider XII: Beavercreek (OH)

Rowdy Raider XIII: Miami Valley (OH)

Rowdy Raider XIV: Miami Valley (OH) (2)

Rowdy Raider XV: Beavercreek (OH) (2)

Rowdy Raider XVI: Solon (OH) (2)

Rowdy Raider XVII: Northmont (OH) (4)

Rowdy Raider XVIII: Northmont (OH) (5)

Junior Varsity Division Champions

Rowdy Raider VIII: Northmont B (OH)

Rowdy Raider XIII: Fisher Catholic B (OH)

Rowdy Raider XV: Talawanda B (OH)