Crusader Cup (3/21/09) N. Greenville Univ. (Tigerville,SC)

[eldermaas]

North Greenville University (Tigerville, SC) will hold the Crusader Cup tournament on March 21, 2009. This tournament, usually held in the Fall, had to be postponed, and some changes to the tournament have been made:

Rather than using questions written in-house, we will be using NAQT set IS-84A. As a result, schools who have attended Cedar Shoals’ Jaguar Bowl III, South Caldwell’s Western NC Shootout, or (plan to attend) Snead State’s Scholars Bowl, should not attend our tournament. The questions will be pyramidal is structure, and the bounceback rule will apply.

As a result of staffing and facility limitations, the most significant change to this tournament is the cap at 32 teams. Until 12:01am March 1st, each school will be allowed to register two teams. After that date, schools which have expressed interest in bringing more than two teams will fill the remaining spots. Schools will be notified after March 1st as to the status of their additional teams. Unlike previous years we will not separate Varsity and Junior Varsity teams into separate divisions.

Eligibility: Teams will consist of up to four players at a time, with no more than two alternates. Substitutions may be made only between matches, not during. Additionally, once the tournament begins, rosters will be set. Eligible players must be 9th – 12th graders currently enrolled in the school for whom they compete.

Format: The tournament will be an untimed competition consisting of rounds of 15 toss-up and 15 bonus questions with bounce back bonuses. We expect to run the tournament as a modified round robin. Teams will be divided into four brackets and will play games within that bracket (with potentially one cross-bracket game) for the first five rounds. After lunch, teams will be ranked according to win-loss record (PPG and head-to-head used if necessary) and will play comparable teams from other brackets. The top team from each bracket will be paired to play in semi-finals. Winners will play in the finals. Two third-place trophies will be awarded to the other semi-finalists.

Time: We will begin with registration at 8:30am in Hamlin Recital Hall, with opening comments at 9:00am and play at 9:15. We expect to finish by 3:00pm, if not before. We will break for lunch around noon.

Cost: The base fee for the tournament is $50 per team (4 starting players and 2 alternates) with a $5 discount available for a working lockout buzzer (two discounts per team) and $10 discount for an experienced full-time reader. Minimum fee per team is $30. Payment for fees should made at check-in. Question sets will be provided after the tournament to all schools (one set per school).

NOTE: We request that you e-mail your intention to attend (with the number of teams, keeping in mind the March 1st restriction). In previous years, registration and payment were sent in before the tournament. This year, full registration and payment will be done at check-in only. Those interested in attending may contact James Washick (jswashick at juno dot com).

[eldermaas]

The following teams have expressed their intent to attend:

Berea (1)
Daniel (2)
Greenville (2)
Hillcrest (2)
Irmo (1)
James Island (1)
N. Myrtle Beach (1)
Spartanburg (2)
St. James (1?)
Wren (1)

Total: 14

If your school should be listed or if you are bringing a different number of teams, let us know (jswashick at juno dot com):

[eldermaas]

Field as of 3/1/09:

Berea (1)
Blue Ridge (1)
Chapman (1)
Chattahooche (2)
Christ Church (2)
D.W. Daniel (2)
Dorman (4)
Eastside (2)
Greenville (2)
Greenville Tech Charter (1)
Greer (1)
Hillcrest (2)
James Island (1)
N. Myrtle Beach (1)
Southside Christian (2)
Southside HS (2)
Spartanburg (2)
Wade Hampton (1)
Wren (1)

Total: 31

Unconfirmed: St. James

[eldermaas]

We have worked out some of our space and staffing issues and have raised the cap to 32 teams. The field has been updated to reflect new additions.

[eldermaas]

We have been given permission to use our tournament as a qualifier for the 2009 PACE NSC. The top 4 teams will qualify.

[eldermaas]

We are sending out some early information (directions, map, rules, team roster, and optional entry form) to those who have expressed interest in attending. If you are planning to attend but have not received a recent e-mail, contact James Washick (jswashick at juno dot com). We have had trouble contacting St. James so far but think we have reached all other listed teams.

[Rountree]

Chattahoochee is planning on sending 1 team that is an amalgamation of A, B, and C Teamers to the Jag Bowl at Cedar Shoals next weekend. Would your tournament be opposed to allowing us to send our other (non-Jag Bowl-attending) A and B Teamers to your tournament? We were looking for a tournament that weekend and yours could work nicely. Please let me know asap. Thanks!

[eldermaas]

Because NGU has its Spring Break next week (thus I will be largely incommunicado), and our tournament is at the end of the week following, we are closing the field this weekend (we are at 30 teams right now). Most of the teams who normally attend have already contacted me, so we are not expecting any major changes.

St. James (from Murrells Inlet) has been removed from the field since we have been unable to establish contact since October (when they originally expressed interest). If Mr. Mahaffey (or someone from the team) can contact us (jswashick at juno dot com) this weekend, we can still try to fit them in.

The field will be fixed (to allow us to notify our potential volunteers) at 12:01am 3/8/09 barring any unforseen circumstance. After that time, any teams expressing interest will be wait-listed and will be contacted when a team or teams drop(s) out.

[eldermaas]

Dorman A won over Southside A in the finals. Greenville Tech Charter and an unaffiliated group called 'Mudkip' shared third place. Statistics will be forthcoming.

[eldermaas]

Stats are available at:
http://results.scobo.net/NorthGreenville/CCsp2009

We had some problems with individual stats early on in the tournament (about half the rooms didn't record students names), so we skipped the individual awards this year.

A great deal of thanks to my readers and scorekeepers (Thompson, Schoolfield, DeCiantis, Sepko, Crissy, Shin, Strawhorn, Martin, Hendrix, Garrick, Craft, Joye, Gambrell, Bedenbaugh, Childers, Schell, Hawkins, Spearman, Bradford, Leister, Abbott, Martinez, Cogdill, and Brown) as well as my jacks-of-all trades (Copeland and Hall). A huge thanks to Mandee Orrell who kept stats for the fourth year in a row.