The Quizbowl Resource Center

There's been enough chatter about an online high school poll. Now I'm going to do something about it.

Starting this moment, through 12:00 AM Saturday (that is, before NAQT prelims), I'll take emails from registered users of this site listing the top 10 high school teams they've seen. Justifications are appreciated. 1st place team gets 10 points per ballot, second gets 9, et al. Total points at the end will determine the winner. You may rank B teams as well. My only request is that you not participate if you have not seen at least 3 teams from outside your region (whom you would be willing to rank) play this year. This should limit ballots made up entirely of one region. Please also list your real name, hsquizbowl name, and quizbowl affiliation.

Send ballots to selimthegrim at gmail dot com.

I'm glad this is coming back, and I hope it fares well. Or at least give us something to talk about -- both in terms of arguing about who should(n't) be ranked, and how rankings should be done.

Due to insufficient response, I'm extending this through PACE weekend. If your opinions are based on seeing these teams at a national tournament, please provide justification.

I'll make one final call for results through this Wednesday to include PACE weekend. I need at least 10 ballots, I have 6 or so, to make this even near valid, so please do oblige if you are just sitting around and have some free time.

Top 15 teams in order, with number of votes received.

Thomas Jefferson A (VA) 70
State College (PA) 50
Dupont Manual (KY) 41
Richard Montgomery A (MD) 35
Solon (OH) 35
Lakeside (WA) 31
Thomas Jefferson B (VA) 28
Mission San Jose (CA) 24
Dorman (SC) 18
Raleigh Charter (NC) 15
Detroit Catholic Central (MI) 13
Brookwood (GA) 13
Walton (GA) 10
Maggie Walker Governors (VA) 10
James Island (SC) 9
Jesuit Brebeuf (IN) 8

Other teams receiving votes:

Heritage (GA) 6
Lincolnshire Stevenson (IL) 6
St. Andrew’s (MS) 6
Dunbar (KY) 5
Wheaton North (IL) 4
Indian Springs (AL) 4
Blake (MD) 3
Rockford Auburn (IL) 3
Lafayette Harrison (IN) 2
Ezell Harding (TN) 2
Princess Anne (VA) 1
Winnetka New Trier (IL) 1
Apollo (KY) 1
Richard Montgomery B (MD) 1

I voted to make it an even 10 ballots. In the interest of transparency, here is my own ballot. Feel free to pick it apart.

TJ
SC
MSJ
Lakeside
Solon
RM
TJ B
DuPont
Gov
DCC

How were the other 9 first place votes distributed?

1 for Brookwood, 1 for DuPont, and the rest for TJ.

EDIT: Sorry, 9 total ballots instead of 10. Can't count.

So TJ wasn't on the ballots at all of two that didn't have them 1st? I think we have a Cal-UT situation!

Well, I think the condition is that the voter must have seen that team in play. Oh well...

E.T. Chuck wrote:Well, I think the condition is that the voter must have seen that team in play. Oh well...

Actually, not quite.

I wrote:My only request is that you not participate if you have not seen at least 3 teams from outside your region (whom you would be willing to rank) play this year.

I didn't necessarily state that you were stuck just ranking those particular three teams, however some people interpreted it that way. Having that kind of exposure gives you the credibility and hopefully the knowledge gleaned from such teams to rank others you've heard about and whose performance you can judge by the metric of seeing how they've done against the out-of-region teams you did get to play. Wow, that was a long sentence.

Perhaps another way to rank is by overall program strength over the years and not just this season. That is, what schools have the top programs year in and year out. Here are my top ten programs:

1. Dorman
2. Brookwood
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. James Island
5. Irmo
6. Dunbar
7. Richard Montgomery
8. DCC
9. St. Johns (Texas)
10. Ezell Harding

Again, unscientific, but fun to talk about.

Oops...I left out Walton...sorry...They absolutely belong in the list

mknupp wrote:Perhaps another way to rank is by overall program strength over the years and not just this season. That is, what schools have the top programs year in and year out. Here are my top ten programs:

1. Dorman
2. Brookwood
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. James Island
5. Irmo
6. Dunbar
7. Richard Montgomery
8. DCC
9. St. Johns (Texas)
10. Ezell Harding

Again, unscientific, but fun to talk about.

That to me boils down to coaches and their longevity. I'd still put State College in there, probably at #1 or #2 myself.

when i voted, I only voted for teams I had seen play. I was under the impression that is what was wanted. NOW (post nationals) I would vote differently for sure.

What would your ballot look like now?

!. Thomas Jefferson
2. State College
3. everyone lese