2006 NAC

2006 National Academic Championship
Edited by	Questions Unlimited
Champion	Byram Hills
Runner-up	Chaska
Third	Hastings
Fourth	St. Thomas
High scorer	Nate Mattison of Byram Hills (MVP)
Site	Crowne Plaza Riverwalk in San Antonio (May 27-30); Marymount University in Arlington, VA (June 2-5); Crown Plaza O'Hare in Chicago (June 9-12)
Field
Stats

San Antonio champion Byram Hills won the tournament in a 450-305 final over DC winner Chaska. Byram Hills defeated Hastings A 340-310 in one semifinal, and Chaska beat St. Thomas 390-280 in the other.

Tournament Events

For the first time since 1995, no part of the tournament was held in New Orleans. The 1988 and 1989 televised NACs had been held there, as had the first phase of the tournament from 1995-2005. The NAC has not returned to New Orleans since. It is unknown what role the damage done by Hurricane Katrina played in the decision to move the tournament.

Nate Mattison became the first player to win an NAC site MVP award twice, picking up the San Antonio and overall awards after being named Chicago MVP in 2005. He was inducted into the NAC Hall of Fame after the San Antonio playoffs, along with 1999 competitor and Jeopardy winner Dave Madden.

Cabell Midland was named "Rookie of the Year." Klein was named "Comeback Team of the Year" (changed from "Most Improved Team" in past years) for going from 105th in 2005 to 34th in 2006.

Final match

Summary

After a fairly even first quarter, Byram Hills jumped out to a huge lead in the bonus quarter, and picked up nine of ten in in the lightning round. Chaska won the fourth quarter by a decent margin, but Byram hills wound up winning 450-305.

Questions

One question from the tournament was "Felix Mendelssohn conducted a March 11, 1829 performance in Berlin of which J.S. Bach oratorio, leading to a revivial of Bach's music in Europe?"

The tournament summary also contained this passage:

“	Our favorite single question from the 2006 competition follows ... and it represents the first time ever that we've asked a question about one of the competing high schools. "Brother Kenneth Hoagland called off what event at Roman Catholic Kellenberg Memorial High School for what he calls the decadence surrounding the event after watching families charter boats and rent expensive houses for parties?" (Ans. Senior prom) The National Academic Association is proud to salute Headmaster Brother Kenneth Hoagland and their coach Brother Nigel Pratt, not only for bringing outstanding teams every year to Nationals, but also for taking a stand against extravagance and rampant materialism.	„

Field

The 101-team field, as ranked on the QU website:

1. Byram Hills A
2. Chaska
3. Hastings A
4. Saint Thomas Academy
5. Saint Joseph's
6. White Plains
7. El Paso
8. Shanghai American
9. Seton Hall Preparatory
10. Manheim Township
11. Wilmington
12. West
13. Cabell Midland
14. Fairfield Community
15. Harrison A
16. Brebeuf Jesuit
17. Plano East
18. Kinkaid A
19. Penn Manor
20. Clear Lake
21. Shepton
22. Claremore
23. Poquoson
24. Irvington A
25. Fort Worth Country Day
26. Ithaca
27. Kellenberg Memorial
28. John Cooper School
29. Lenape Valley
30. Plano Senior
31. Glens Falls
32. Madison Central
33. Booker T Washington
34. Klein
35. Housatonic Valley
36. Bennett
37. McKinley Senior
38. Delaware Valley
39. Morris Area
40. Horace Greeley A
41. Hershey
42. Pingry
43. Edgemont
44. East Varsity
45. The Latin School
46. High Technology
47. Fisher Catholic
48. Copley
49. Fort Ann Central
50. Jackson Preparatory
51. Holland Hall
52. St. Johns Prep.
53. River Valley
54. Lake George
55. Onslow County
56. Smithtown West
57. Rye Neck
58. Mauldin
59. Scripps Ranch
60. James Island
61. Horace Greeley B
62. Waverly
63. Briarcliff
64. Dallas
65. Syosset A
66. The Bromfield
67. Ridgeland
68. East JV
69. Elizabethtown
70. Hastings B
71. Kinkaid B
72. Lincolnton
73. Grundy Center
74. Irvington B
75. Billings Central Catholic
76. Charleston
77. Wallenpaupack
78. Socorro
79. Horace Mann
80. Lamar
81. Pe Ell
82. Chapel Hill
83. Harrison B
84. New Rochelle
85. Brethren
86. Ripley
87. Herscher
88. Stratford
89. Elkhorn
90. Chautauqua Lake
91. St. Croix Country Day
92. Kremlin Hillsdale
93. St. Joseph's Central
94. Byram Hills B
95. Rye CDS
96. Smithtown East
97. Syosset B
98. Alamosa
99. Manchester
100. Antonito
101. Northridge

Links

2006 National Academic Championship

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