Difference between revisions of "Masonic tournament"

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The '''Illinois Masonic Tournament''' is an annual tournament sponsored by the Illinois Masons. It is a statewide tournament, and is generally regarded as one of the three state championship tournaments in Illinois (with [[IHSA State Championship|IHSA State]] and the newer [[Illinois NAQT State]] being the other two). While the tournament began as a regional tournament in 1983, it did not develop a statewide draw until 1990, so while older than the IHSA Tournament, it did not become a state tournament until after the IHSA Tournament had been established.
+
The '''Illinois Masonic Tournament''' is an annual tournament sponsored by the Illinois Freemasons. It is a statewide tournament, and is generally regarded as one of the three state championship tournaments in Illinois (with [[IHSA State Championship|IHSA State]] and the newer [[Illinois NAQT State]] being the other two). While the tournament began as a regional tournament in 1983, it did not develop a statewide draw until 1990, so while older than the IHSA Tournament, it did not become a state tournament until after the IHSA Tournament had been established.
  
 +
In recent years, the Masonic Tournament attracts over 300 Illinois high schools each year. The schools are divided into three classes based on school size, and each class has twelve Sectionals. The winner of each Sectional advances to the State Tournament. The State Tournament and most Sectionals have 10-12 teams, which are split into two pools and play round robin. The top two teams in each pool advance to a single-elimination semifinal, starting with the 1st place team in one pool playing the 2nd place team in the other pool.
  
−
The Masonic Tournament has largely been fraught with some of the same problems as the IHSA State Tournament (bad distribution, poor questions, geographic representation, a bad format).  In recent years, question quality has improved thanks largely to the work of [[Donald Taylor]] who worked with the Masons to institute change, and [[David Reinstein]] who has taken over as head question writer and editor. The Masonic Tournament is unique in its format, and in awarding cash prizes to top teams.
+
The Masonic Tournament uses a unique match format. Instead of bonus questions, the tournament uses team questions that are just like bonuses, but control over the team questions alternates so that each team is guaranteed to control half of the team questions. Each match consists of six tossups, eight team questions, six tossups, eight team questions, and then four tossups. This format tends to make scores closer.
−
 
 
  
 +
The Masons give money to schools that place highly at Sectionals and State. The total amount of money given each year is over $100,000. The tournament has no entry fee.
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
−
The roots of the tournament can be traced to 1982 when the principals of [[Byron]], [[Stillman Valley]], and [[Winnebago]] High Schools met with a representative of the Winnebago Masonic Lodge to create the ''Northern Illinois Academic Bowl'' (the first invitational tournament in northern Illinois). The first tournament, with 16 teams taken from Boone, Carroll, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties, was held in the Spring of 1983. Stillman Valley defeated Winnebago in the finals to win the first tournament. Hosting duties rotated between Byron, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago for the first five years, though the field of invited teams began to expand beyond the initial counties.  By 1987, the tournament was expanded to all teams in northern Illinois, and in 1988, it was renamed the ''Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl''. 1988 was also the first time that the tournament was not held at a single site, with the winners of the western and eastern sites meeting for a championship. In 1989, two southern Illinois sectionals were added, though downstate teams were not permitted to play for the championship until 1990.
+
The roots of the tournament can be traced to 1982 when the principals of [[Byron]], [[Stillman Valley]], and [[Winnebago]] High Schools met with a representative of the Winnebago Masonic Lodge to create the ''Northern Illinois Academic Bowl'' (the first invitational tournament in northern Illinois). The first tournament, with 16 teams taken from Boone, Carroll, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties, was held in the Spring of 1983. Stillman Valley defeated Winnebago in the finals to win the first tournament. Hosting duties rotated between Byron, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago for the first five years, though the field of invited teams began to expand beyond the initial counties.  By 1987, the tournament was expanded to all teams in northern Illinois, and in 1988, it was renamed the ''Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl''. 1988 was also the first time that the tournament was not held at a single site, with the winners of the western and eastern sites meeting for a championship. In 1989, two southern Illinois sectionals were added, though downstate teams were not permitted to play for the championship until 1990.
  
−
1990 saw the tournament become a state tournament for the first time, with the state finals held at Illinois Wesleyan University. The top four teams from each of four Sectional Tournaments (two in the southern part of the state and two in the north) came to Bloomington to compete for the state title. [[Rockridge]] defeated [[Sullivan]] for the first Masonic State Title (and doing so by 5 points).
+
1990 saw the tournament become a state tournament for the first time, with the state finals held at Illinois Wesleyan University. The top four teams from each of four Sectional Tournaments (two in the southern part of the state and two in the north) came to Bloomington to compete for the state title. [[Rockridge]] defeated [[Sullivan]] for the first Masonic State Title (and doing so by 5 points).
  
 
The State Tournament then moved to [[Eureka]] High School for four years, before moving to Eureka College for the 1995 and 1996 iterations.
 
The State Tournament then moved to [[Eureka]] High School for four years, before moving to Eureka College for the 1995 and 1996 iterations.
  
−
For many years, the winner of the tournament, in addition to significant money, earned the right to keep the Charles W. Spatz Memorial Trophy. The trophy was a ''large'' traveling trophy. Charles Spatz was an officer and newsletter editor with the Grand Lodge in Winnebago, who was largely responsible for expanding the original tournament to a state tournament.
+
For many years, the winner of the tournament, in addition to significant money, earned the right to keep the Charles W. Spatz Memorial Trophy. The trophy was a ''large'' traveling trophy. Charles Spatz was an officer and newsletter editor with the Grand Lodge in Winnebago, who was largely responsible for expanding the original tournament to a state tournament.
  
 
The [[Robert Grierson Friend of Scholastic Bowl Award]] has four times been awarded to individuals involved in the Masonic Tournament:
 
The [[Robert Grierson Friend of Scholastic Bowl Award]] has four times been awarded to individuals involved in the Masonic Tournament:
Line 22: Line 23:
  
 
==Questions==
 
==Questions==
−
The questions for the tournament were written locally by volunteers. Later they were provided by [[Answers Plus]]. After Answers Plus lost the contract around the year 2000, the tournament went through a number of vendors including [[Academic Hallmarks]] at least 2006-07, but perhaps longer), [[Aegis Questions]] (2008-09) and [[Questions Galore]] (2010-11) until David Reinstein took over as editor starting in 2012.
+
The questions for the tournament were written locally by volunteers. Later they were provided by [[Answers Plus]]. After Answers Plus lost the contract around the year 2000, the tournament went through a number of vendors including [[Academic Hallmarks]] through at least 2006-07, but perhaps longer), [[Aegis Questions]] (2008-09), and [[Questions Galore]] (2010-11) until David Reinstein took over as editor starting in 2012.
  
 
==Match Format==
 
==Match Format==
−
The Masonic Tournament used approximately the [[IHSA]] format and distribution through 2009, including what was then all-at-once, 3-5 part 30 point bonuses, then switched to a unique format for 2010. In the current Masonic tournament, the match starts with 6 tossups, then alternates 8 team questions (which work like bonuses, but each team controls half of them no matter who answers the tossups), then 6 more tossups, then 8 more team questions, then 4 more tossups. The bonuses bounce back, and they became one part at a time starting in 2013.  This tends to keep scores closer, since bonuses are no longer tied to tossup success.
+
The Masonic Tournament used approximately the [[IHSA]] format and distribution through 2009, including what was then all-at-once, 3-5 part 20 point bonuses, then switched to its unique format for 2010.
  
 
==Tournament Format==
 
==Tournament Format==
−
For most of the tournament's history, it used what was called a double-elimination format at Sectionals and State, though it was actually a single-elimination tournament with a consolation bracket. Around 2010, they switched to a tournament format that has two pools of 6 teams each play round robin, followed by the top two teams in each pool moving on to a single-elimination playoff.
+
For the first 25 years or so, it used what was called a double-elimination format at Sectionals and State, though it was actually a single-elimination tournament with a consolation bracket. Around 2010, they switched to a tournament format that has two pools of 6 teams each play round robin, followed by the top two teams in each pool moving on to a single-elimination playoff.
 +
 
 +
Until 2007, the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl used "wild-card" bids to fill the 16-team field with the best 2nd-place team statewide in the Sectional round advancing to State. Today, Sectional runners-up can still advance to the State Tournament in the event the Championship team cannot attend.
  
 
==Results==
 
==Results==
−
{|-
+
{| class="wikitable"
−
|
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 
−
|-
 
 
! Year
 
! Year
 
! Host
 
! Host
 +
! Class
 
! Champion  
 
! Champion  
 
! Runner-up
 
! Runner-up
Line 42: Line 43:
 
! Fourth Place
 
! Fourth Place
 
! Consolation  
 
! Consolation  
−
|-
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1983
 
|1983
 +
|colspan=2|[[Winnebago]]
 +
|[[Stillman Valley]]
 
|[[Winnebago]]
 
|[[Winnebago]]
−
|[[Stillman Valley]]
+
|colspan=3 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|Winnebago
 
−
|unknown
 
−
|unknown
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1984
 
|1984
−
|
+
|colspan=7 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1985
 
|1985
−
|
+
|colspan=7 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1986
 
|1986
−
|
+
|colspan=7 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1987
 
|1987
−
|
+
|colspan=7 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1988
 
|1988
−
|
+
|colspan=7 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1989
 
|1989
−
|
+
|colspan=7 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1990
 
|1990
−
|[[Illinois Wesleyan University]]
+
|colspan=2|[[Illinois Wesleyan University]]
 
|[[Rockridge]]
 
|[[Rockridge]]
 
|[[Sullivan]]
 
|[[Sullivan]]
−
|unknown
+
|colspan=3 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|unknown
 
−
|unknown
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1991
 
|1991
−
|[[Eureka]]
+
|colspan=2|[[Eureka]]
−
|
+
|colspan=5 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1992
 
|1992
−
|Eureka
+
|colspan=2|[[Eureka]]
−
|
+
|colspan=5 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1993
 
|1993
−
|Eureka
+
|colspan=2|[[Eureka]]
 
|[[Maine East]]
 
|[[Maine East]]
−
|
+
|colspan=4 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1994
 
|1994
−
|Eureka
+
|colspan=2|[[Eureka]]
−
|Winnebago
+
|[[Winnebago]]
−
|
+
|colspan=4 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|1995
 
|1995
−
|[[Eureka College]]
+
|colspan=2|[[Eureka College]]
−
|
+
|colspan=5 style="text-align:center;background: #eee;"|
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|4 May 1996
+
|1996
−
|Eureka College
+
|colspan=2|[[Eureka College]]
 
|[[MacArthur]]
 
|[[MacArthur]]
 
|[[Belvidere]]
 
|[[Belvidere]]
−
|[[Princeton]]
+
|Princeton
 
|[[Dixon]]
 
|[[Dixon]]
 
|[[Niantic-Harristown]]
 
|[[Niantic-Harristown]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|10 May 1997
+
|1997
−
|
+
|colspan=2 style="background: #eee;"|
 
|[[Woodruff]]
 
|[[Woodruff]]
 
|[[Streator]]
 
|[[Streator]]
−
|[[Princeton]]
+
|Princeton
 
|[[MacArthur]]
 
|[[MacArthur]]
 
|[[Edwards County]]
 
|[[Edwards County]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|4 Apr 1998
+
|1998
−
|
+
|colspan=2 style="background: #eee;"|
 
|[[MacArthur]]
 
|[[MacArthur]]
 
|[[Sterling]]
 
|[[Sterling]]
Line 172: Line 120:
 
|[[Auburn]]
 
|[[Auburn]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|8 May 1999
+
|1999
−
|
+
|colspan=2 style="background: #eee;"|
 
|[[Moline]]
 
|[[Moline]]
 
|[[New Trier]]
 
|[[New Trier]]
Line 180: Line 128:
 
|[[IMSA]]
 
|[[IMSA]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|18 Mar 2000
+
|2000
−
|
+
|colspan=2 style="background: #eee;"|
 
|[[Stevenson]]
 
|[[Stevenson]]
 
|[[Streator]]
 
|[[Streator]]
Line 188: Line 136:
 
|[[Auburn]]
 
|[[Auburn]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|2 Mar 2001
+
|2001
−
|
+
|colspan=2 style="background: #eee;"|
 
|[[Salem]]
 
|[[Salem]]
 
|[[Fenwick]]
 
|[[Fenwick]]
 
|[[Moline]]
 
|[[Moline]]
 
|[[Stillman Valley]]
 
|[[Stillman Valley]]
−
|unknown
+
|style="background: #eee;"|
 
|-
 
|-
−
|2 Mar 2002
+
|2002
−
|
+
|colspan=2 style="background: #eee;"|
 
|[[Springfield Southeast]]
 
|[[Springfield Southeast]]
 
|[[Limestone]]
 
|[[Limestone]]
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|[[Danville]]
 
|[[Danville]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|8 Mar 2003
+
|2003
−
|[[Springfield Southeast]]
+
|colspan=2|[[Springfield Southeast]]
 
|[[Wheaton North]]
 
|[[Wheaton North]]
 
|[[Sterling]]
 
|[[Sterling]]
 
|[[Stillman Valley]]
 
|[[Stillman Valley]]
 
|[[Pleasant Plains]]
 
|[[Pleasant Plains]]
−
|Auburn
+
|[[Auburn]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|6 Mar 2004
+
|2004
−
|Springfield Southeast
+
|colspan=2|[[Springfield Southeast]]
 
|Wheaton North
 
|Wheaton North
 
|[[Morton]]
 
|[[Morton]]
−
|Auburn
+
|[[Auburn]]
 
|[[Galena]]
 
|[[Galena]]
 
|[[Bradley-Bourbonnais]]
 
|[[Bradley-Bourbonnais]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|5 Mar 2005
+
|2005
−
|[[Springfield Southeast]]
+
|colspan=2|[[Springfield Southeast]]
 
|[[Fremd]]
 
|[[Fremd]]
−
|Auburn
+
|[[Auburn]]
−
|Morton
+
|[[Morton]]
 
|[[Pittsfield]]
 
|[[Pittsfield]]
 
|[[IMSA]]
 
|[[IMSA]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|4 Mar 2006
+
|2006
−
|[[Springfield Southeast]]
+
|colspan=2|[[Springfield Southeast]]
 
|[[Fremd]]
 
|[[Fremd]]
 
|[[Peoria Heights]]
 
|[[Peoria Heights]]
 
|[[Bloomington]]
 
|[[Bloomington]]
 
|[[Elmwood]]
 
|[[Elmwood]]
−
|Auburn
+
|[[Auburn]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|3 Mar 2007
+
|2007
−
|Springfield Southeast
+
|colspan=2|[[Springfield Southeast]]
 
|[[Maine South]]
 
|[[Maine South]]
 
|[[New Trier]]
 
|[[New Trier]]
Line 244: Line 192:
 
|Auburn
 
|Auburn
 
|-
 
|-
−
|1 Mar 2008
+
|2008
−
|[[Glenwood]]
+
|colspan=2|[[Glenwood]]
−
|Auburn
+
|[[Auburn]]
 
|[[Carbondale]]
 
|[[Carbondale]]
 
|[[Sterling]]
 
|[[Sterling]]
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|[[Springfield (IL)|Springfield]]
 
|[[Springfield (IL)|Springfield]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|28 Feb 2009
+
|2009
−
|Glenwood
+
|colspan=2|[[Glenwood]]
−
|Carbondale
+
|[[Carbondale]]
−
|Auburn
+
|[[Auburn]]
 
|[[Peoria Christian]]
 
|[[Peoria Christian]]
 
|[[Warrensburg-Latham]]
 
|[[Warrensburg-Latham]]
−
|New Trier
+
|[[New Trier]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|6 Mar 2010<br>Class A
+
|rowspan=2|2010
−
|[[Riverton]]
+
|rowspan=2|[[Riverton]]
 +
|Class A
 
|[[Litchfield]]
 
|[[Litchfield]]
 
|[[Latin School]]
 
|[[Latin School]]
 
|[[Macomb]]
 
|[[Macomb]]
 
|[[St. Joseph-Ogden]]
 
|[[St. Joseph-Ogden]]
−
|
+
|rowspan=200 style="background: #eee;"|
 
|-
 
|-
−
| <br>Class AA
+
|Class AA
−
|
 
 
|[[St. Ignatius]]
 
|[[St. Ignatius]]
−
|Stevenson
+
|[[Stevenson]]
−
|Auburn
+
|[[Auburn]]
−
|IMSA
+
|[[IMSA]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|5 Mar 2011<br>Class A
+
|rowspan=2|2011
−
|Riverton
+
|rowspan=2|Riverton
 +
|Class A
 
|[[Lisle]]
 
|[[Lisle]]
−
|Macomb
+
|[[Macomb]]
−
|PORTA
+
|[[PORTA]]
−
|Peoria Christian
+
|[[Peoria Christian]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| <br>Class AA
+
|Class AA
−
|
+
|[[Stevenson]]
−
|Stevenson
+
|[[Carbondale]]
−
|Carbondale
+
|[[IMSA]]
−
|IMSA
+
|[[Fremd]]
−
|Fremd
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|3 Mar 2012<br>Class A
+
|rowspan=2|2012
−
|[[Springfield]]
+
|rowspan=2|[[Springfield]]
 +
|Class A
 
|[[Peoria Christian]]
 
|[[Peoria Christian]]
 
|[[Peoria Heights]]
 
|[[Peoria Heights]]
−
|Carlinville
+
|[[Carlinville]]
 
|[[Keith Country Day]]
 
|[[Keith Country Day]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| <br>Class AA
+
|Class AA
−
|
+
|[[IMSA]]
−
|IMSA
+
|[[Auburn]]
−
|Auburn
+
|[[Carbondale]]
−
|Carbondale
+
|[[Latin School]]
−
|Latin School
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|2 Mar 2013<br>Class A
+
|rowspan=2|2013
−
|Springfield
+
|rowspan=2|[[Springfield]]
−
|Litchfield
+
|Class A
−
|Peoria Christian
+
|[[Litchfield]]
 +
|[[Peoria Christian]]
 
|[[Cumberland]]
 
|[[Cumberland]]
−
|Elmwood
+
|[[Elmwood]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| <br>Class AA
+
|Class AA
−
|
 
 
|[[Loyola Academy]]
 
|[[Loyola Academy]]
 
|[[Macomb]]
 
|[[Macomb]]
 
|[[IMSA]]
 
|[[IMSA]]
 
|[[Carbondale]]
 
|[[Carbondale]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|1 Mar 2014<br>Class A
+
|rowspan=2|2014
−
|Springfield
+
|rowspan=2|[[Springfield]]
−
|Newman Central Catholic
+
|Class A
−
|Carterfield
+
|[[Newman Central Catholic]]
−
|Litchfield
+
|[[Carterfield]]
 +
|[[Litchfield]]
 
|[[Cumberland]]
 
|[[Cumberland]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| <br>Class AA
+
|Class AA
−
|
+
|[[IMSA]]
−
|IMSA
+
|[[Fremd]]
−
|Fremd
+
|[[Stevenson]]
−
|Stevenson
+
|[[Auburn]]
−
|Auburn
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 7 March 2015<br>Class A
+
|rowspan=3|2015
−
| [[Bloomington]]
+
|rowspan=3|[[Bloomington]]
 +
|Class A
 
| [[Casey-Westfield]]
 
| [[Casey-Westfield]]
−
| [[Riverdale]]
+
| [[Riverdale (IL)]]
 
| [[Keith Country Day]]
 
| [[Keith Country Day]]
 
| [[Blue Ridge]]
 
| [[Blue Ridge]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|<br>Class AA
+
|Class AA
−
|
 
 
| [[Newman Central Catholic]]
 
| [[Newman Central Catholic]]
 
| [[Macomb]]
 
| [[Macomb]]
 
| Latin School
 
| Latin School
−
| [[University Lab (Urbana)]]
+
| [[University of Illinois Lab|University Lab (Urbana)]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|<br>Class AAA
+
|Class AAA
−
|
 
 
| [[IMSA]]
 
| [[IMSA]]
 
| [[Bloomington]]
 
| [[Bloomington]]
 
| [[Fremd]]
 
| [[Fremd]]
 
| [[Stevenson]]
 
| [[Stevenson]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 5 March 2016<br>Class A
+
|rowspan=3|2016
−
| Bloomington
+
|rowspan=3|[[Bloomington]]
 +
|Class A
 
| [[Keith Country Day]]
 
| [[Keith Country Day]]
 
| [[Warrensburg-Latham]]
 
| [[Warrensburg-Latham]]
 
| [[Carrollton]]
 
| [[Carrollton]]
 
| [[Cumberland]]
 
| [[Cumberland]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|<br>Class AA
+
|Class AA
−
|  
+
| [[Latin School]]
−
| Latin School
+
| [[University of Illinois Lab|University Lab (Urbana)]]
−
| [[University Lab (Urbana)]]
 
 
| [[Macomb]]
 
| [[Macomb]]
 
| [[St. Teresa]]
 
| [[St. Teresa]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|<br>Class AAA
+
|Class AAA
−
|
 
 
| [[Hinsdale Central]]
 
| [[Hinsdale Central]]
 
| [[Stevenson]]
 
| [[Stevenson]]
Line 387: Line 319:
 
| [[Fremd]]
 
| [[Fremd]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 4 March 2017<br>Class A
+
|rowspan=3|2017
−
| Bloomington
+
|rowspan=3|[[Bloomington]]
−
| Riverdale
+
|Class A
−
| Keith Country Day
+
| [[Riverdale (IL)]]
−
| Blue Ridge
+
| [[Keith Country Day]]
 +
| [[Blue Ridge]]
 
| [[Athens]]
 
| [[Athens]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|<br>Class AA
+
|Class AA
−
|  
+
| [[Latin School]]
−
| Latin School
+
| [[University of Illinois Lab|University Lab (Urbana)]]
−
| University Lab (Urbana)
 
 
| [[Southwestern]]
 
| [[Southwestern]]
 
| [[Byron]]
 
| [[Byron]]
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|<br>Class AAA
+
|Class AAA
−
|  
+
| [[Stevenson]]
−
| Stevenson
+
| [[Barrington]]
 +
| [[IMSA]]
 +
| [[Hinsdale Central]]
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan=3|2018
 +
|rowspan=3|[[Bloomington]]
 +
|Class A
 +
| [[Athens]]
 +
| [[Elgin Academy]]
 +
| [[Cumberland]]
 +
| [[Warrensburg-Latham]]
 +
|-
 +
|Class AA
 +
| [[University of Illinois Lab|University Lab (Urbana)]]
 +
| [[Latin]]
 +
| [[Williamsville]]
 +
| [[Southwestern]]
 +
|-
 +
|Class AAA
 +
| [[Auburn]]
 +
| [[Stevenson]]
 +
| [[IMSA]]
 +
| [[Fremd]]
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan=3|2019
 +
|rowspan=3|[[Bloomington]]
 +
|Class A
 +
| [[New Berlin]]
 +
| [[Elgin Academy]]
 +
| [[Edwards County]]
 +
| [[Galena]]
 +
|-
 +
|Class AA
 +
| [[University of Illinois Lab|University Lab (Urbana)]]
 +
| [[Chicago Christian]]
 +
| [[Latin]]
 +
| [[Williamsville]]
 +
|-
 +
|Class AAA
 +
| [[IMSA]]
 +
| [[Oak Park-River Forest]]
 +
| [[Auburn]]
 +
| [[Barrington]]
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan=3|2020
 +
|rowspan=3|[[Bloomington]]
 +
|Class A
 +
| [[Villa Grove]]
 +
| [[Edwards County]]
 +
| [[Keith Country Day]]
 +
| [[Galena]]
 +
|-
 +
|Class AA
 +
| [[University of Illinois Lab|University Lab (Urbana)]]
 +
| [[Chicago Christian]]
 +
| [[Latin]]
 +
| [[Williamsville]]
 +
|-
 +
|Class AAA
 +
| [[Stevenson]]
 +
| [[IMSA]]
 +
| [[Hinsdale Central]]
 +
| [[Barrington]]
 +
|-
 +
|2021
 +
|colspan=7|Canceled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan=3|2022
 +
|rowspan=3|[[Bloomington]]
 +
|Class A
 +
| [[Elgin Academy]]
 +
| [[Roanoke-Benson]]
 +
| [[Cumberland]]
 +
| [[New Berlin]]
 +
|-
 +
|Class AA
 +
| [[Herscher]]
 +
| [[Southwestern]]
 +
| [[Timothy Christian]]
 +
| [[Williamsville]]
 +
|-
 +
|Class AAA
 +
| [[University of Illinois Lab|University Lab (Urbana)]]
 +
| [[IMSA]]
 +
| [[Fremd]]
 +
| [[Auburn]]
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan=3|2023
 +
|rowspan=3|[[Bloomington]]
 +
|Class A
 +
| [[Metro-East Lutheran]]
 +
| [[Keith Country Day]]
 +
| [[Cumberland]]
 +
| [[Roanoke-Benson]]
 +
|-
 +
|Class AA
 +
| [[Southwestern]]
 +
| [[Latin School of Chicago]]
 +
| [[Johnston City]]
 +
| [[Rochester (IL)]]
 +
|-
 +
|Class AAA
 
| [[Barrington]]
 
| [[Barrington]]
−
| IMSA
+
| [[IMSA]]
−
| Hinsdale Central
+
| [[Auburn]]
−
|  
+
| [[Bloomington]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 3 March 2018<br>Class A
+
|rowspan=3|2024
−
| Bloomington
+
|rowspan=3|[[Bloomington]]
−
| Athens
+
|Class A
−
| Elgin Academy
+
| [[Metro-East Lutheran]]
−
| Cumberland
+
| [[Goreville]]
−
| Warrensburg-Latham
+
| [[Cumberland]]
−
|
+
| [[Blue Ridge]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|<br>Class AA
+
|Class AA
−
|  
+
| [[Johnston City]]
−
| UIUC Lab
+
| [[Lisle]]
−
| Latin
+
| [[University of Illinois Lab]]
−
| Williamsville
+
| [[Riverdale (IL)]]
−
| Southwestern
 
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|<br>Class AAA
+
|Class AAA
−
|  
+
| [[Barrington]]
−
| Auburn
+
| [[Fremd]]
−
| Stevenson
+
| [[Sandburg]]
−
| IMSA
+
| [[IMSA]]
−
| Fremd
 
−
|
 
 
|}
 
|}
 +
Grayed out boxes indicate that the information is missing or not applicable.
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
 +
*[[Illinois Masonic State Tournament Records]]
 
*[[IHSA|IHSA State Championship]] - Illinois High School Association State Tournament
 
*[[IHSA|IHSA State Championship]] - Illinois High School Association State Tournament
 
*[[NAQT Illinois State Championship]]
 
*[[NAQT Illinois State Championship]]

Latest revision as of 12:45, 15 March 2024

The Illinois Masonic Tournament is an annual tournament sponsored by the Illinois Freemasons. It is a statewide tournament, and is generally regarded as one of the three state championship tournaments in Illinois (with IHSA State and the newer Illinois NAQT State being the other two). While the tournament began as a regional tournament in 1983, it did not develop a statewide draw until 1990, so while older than the IHSA Tournament, it did not become a state tournament until after the IHSA Tournament had been established.

In recent years, the Masonic Tournament attracts over 300 Illinois high schools each year. The schools are divided into three classes based on school size, and each class has twelve Sectionals. The winner of each Sectional advances to the State Tournament. The State Tournament and most Sectionals have 10-12 teams, which are split into two pools and play round robin. The top two teams in each pool advance to a single-elimination semifinal, starting with the 1st place team in one pool playing the 2nd place team in the other pool.

The Masonic Tournament uses a unique match format. Instead of bonus questions, the tournament uses team questions that are just like bonuses, but control over the team questions alternates so that each team is guaranteed to control half of the team questions. Each match consists of six tossups, eight team questions, six tossups, eight team questions, and then four tossups. This format tends to make scores closer.

The Masons give money to schools that place highly at Sectionals and State. The total amount of money given each year is over $100,000. The tournament has no entry fee.

History

The roots of the tournament can be traced to 1982 when the principals of Byron, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago High Schools met with a representative of the Winnebago Masonic Lodge to create the Northern Illinois Academic Bowl (the first invitational tournament in northern Illinois). The first tournament, with 16 teams taken from Boone, Carroll, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties, was held in the Spring of 1983. Stillman Valley defeated Winnebago in the finals to win the first tournament. Hosting duties rotated between Byron, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago for the first five years, though the field of invited teams began to expand beyond the initial counties. By 1987, the tournament was expanded to all teams in northern Illinois, and in 1988, it was renamed the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl. 1988 was also the first time that the tournament was not held at a single site, with the winners of the western and eastern sites meeting for a championship. In 1989, two southern Illinois sectionals were added, though downstate teams were not permitted to play for the championship until 1990.

1990 saw the tournament become a state tournament for the first time, with the state finals held at Illinois Wesleyan University. The top four teams from each of four Sectional Tournaments (two in the southern part of the state and two in the north) came to Bloomington to compete for the state title. Rockridge defeated Sullivan for the first Masonic State Title (and doing so by 5 points).

The State Tournament then moved to Eureka High School for four years, before moving to Eureka College for the 1995 and 1996 iterations.

For many years, the winner of the tournament, in addition to significant money, earned the right to keep the Charles W. Spatz Memorial Trophy. The trophy was a large traveling trophy. Charles Spatz was an officer and newsletter editor with the Grand Lodge in Winnebago, who was largely responsible for expanding the original tournament to a state tournament.

The Robert Grierson Friend of Scholastic Bowl Award has four times been awarded to individuals involved in the Masonic Tournament:

  • Garrie Burr, Senior Grand Warden of the Masonic Grand Lodge of the state of Illinois (1996 - the first FoSB award).
  • Wendell Walch, for his running the Masonic Tournament (1998-2004), and increasing the number of regional sites all of which helped promote Scholastic Bowl (2006).
  • Frank Conry, Neil Pavlus, and Nelson Pyle; the former principals at Byron, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago who first encouraged a Masonic Lodge to sponsor a Scholastic Bowl Tournament, greatly promoting and spreading Scholastic Bowl (2012).
  • Dale Thayer, for running the tournament after Wendell Walch left the job in 2004.

Questions

The questions for the tournament were written locally by volunteers. Later they were provided by Answers Plus. After Answers Plus lost the contract around the year 2000, the tournament went through a number of vendors including Academic Hallmarks through at least 2006-07, but perhaps longer), Aegis Questions (2008-09), and Questions Galore (2010-11) until David Reinstein took over as editor starting in 2012.

Match Format

The Masonic Tournament used approximately the IHSA format and distribution through 2009, including what was then all-at-once, 3-5 part 20 point bonuses, then switched to its unique format for 2010.

Tournament Format

For the first 25 years or so, it used what was called a double-elimination format at Sectionals and State, though it was actually a single-elimination tournament with a consolation bracket. Around 2010, they switched to a tournament format that has two pools of 6 teams each play round robin, followed by the top two teams in each pool moving on to a single-elimination playoff.

Until 2007, the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl used "wild-card" bids to fill the 16-team field with the best 2nd-place team statewide in the Sectional round advancing to State. Today, Sectional runners-up can still advance to the State Tournament in the event the Championship team cannot attend.

Results

Year Host Class Champion Runner-up Third Place Fourth Place Consolation
1983 Winnebago Stillman Valley Winnebago
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990 Illinois Wesleyan University Rockridge Sullivan
1991 Eureka
1992 Eureka
1993 Eureka Maine East
1994 Eureka Winnebago
1995 Eureka College
1996 Eureka College MacArthur Belvidere Princeton Dixon Niantic-Harristown
1997 Woodruff Streator Princeton MacArthur Edwards County
1998 MacArthur Sterling Streator Centralia Auburn
1999 Moline New Trier Carlinville PORTA IMSA
2000 Stevenson Streator New Trier Eureka Auburn
2001 Salem Fenwick Moline Stillman Valley
2002 Springfield Southeast Limestone Guilford Auburn Danville
2003 Springfield Southeast Wheaton North Sterling Stillman Valley Pleasant Plains Auburn
2004 Springfield Southeast Wheaton North Morton Auburn Galena Bradley-Bourbonnais
2005 Springfield Southeast Fremd Auburn Morton Pittsfield IMSA
2006 Springfield Southeast Fremd Peoria Heights Bloomington Elmwood Auburn
2007 Springfield Southeast Maine South New Trier Springfield Moline Auburn
2008 Glenwood Auburn Carbondale Sterling PORTA Springfield
2009 Glenwood Carbondale Auburn Peoria Christian Warrensburg-Latham New Trier
2010 Riverton Class A Litchfield Latin School Macomb St. Joseph-Ogden
Class AA St. Ignatius Stevenson Auburn IMSA
2011 Riverton Class A Lisle Macomb PORTA Peoria Christian
Class AA Stevenson Carbondale IMSA Fremd
2012 Springfield Class A Peoria Christian Peoria Heights Carlinville Keith Country Day
Class AA IMSA Auburn Carbondale Latin School
2013 Springfield Class A Litchfield Peoria Christian Cumberland Elmwood
Class AA Loyola Academy Macomb IMSA Carbondale
2014 Springfield Class A Newman Central Catholic Carterfield Litchfield Cumberland
Class AA IMSA Fremd Stevenson Auburn
2015 Bloomington Class A Casey-Westfield Riverdale (IL) Keith Country Day Blue Ridge
Class AA Newman Central Catholic Macomb Latin School University Lab (Urbana)
Class AAA IMSA Bloomington Fremd Stevenson
2016 Bloomington Class A Keith Country Day Warrensburg-Latham Carrollton Cumberland
Class AA Latin School University Lab (Urbana) Macomb St. Teresa
Class AAA Hinsdale Central Stevenson IMSA Fremd
2017 Bloomington Class A Riverdale (IL) Keith Country Day Blue Ridge Athens
Class AA Latin School University Lab (Urbana) Southwestern Byron
Class AAA Stevenson Barrington IMSA Hinsdale Central
2018 Bloomington Class A Athens Elgin Academy Cumberland Warrensburg-Latham
Class AA University Lab (Urbana) Latin Williamsville Southwestern
Class AAA Auburn Stevenson IMSA Fremd
2019 Bloomington Class A New Berlin Elgin Academy Edwards County Galena
Class AA University Lab (Urbana) Chicago Christian Latin Williamsville
Class AAA IMSA Oak Park-River Forest Auburn Barrington
2020 Bloomington Class A Villa Grove Edwards County Keith Country Day Galena
Class AA University Lab (Urbana) Chicago Christian Latin Williamsville
Class AAA Stevenson IMSA Hinsdale Central Barrington
2021 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022 Bloomington Class A Elgin Academy Roanoke-Benson Cumberland New Berlin
Class AA Herscher Southwestern Timothy Christian Williamsville
Class AAA University Lab (Urbana) IMSA Fremd Auburn
2023 Bloomington Class A Metro-East Lutheran Keith Country Day Cumberland Roanoke-Benson
Class AA Southwestern Latin School of Chicago Johnston City Rochester (IL)
Class AAA Barrington IMSA Auburn Bloomington
2024 Bloomington Class A Metro-East Lutheran Goreville Cumberland Blue Ridge
Class AA Johnston City Lisle University of Illinois Lab Riverdale (IL)
Class AAA Barrington Fremd Sandburg IMSA

Grayed out boxes indicate that the information is missing or not applicable.

See Also

Links

High School Quizbowl in Illinois

Organizations
State Tournaments
Awards & Honors
Major Tournaments
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