Submitted by Aum Mundhe
February 20th saw the sixth annual Funfest tournament run by East Brunswick’s team. This year’s edition was run on the NAQT IS-198A set. The tournament was a great success logistically, occurring with barely a hitch. As any worthwhile field should be, the tournament was dominated by New Jersey teams in both numbers and performances. Although many teams did not bring their full “A” team, Funfest showed the depth of talent that so many New Jersey teams have at their disposal.
Livingston
The first place Livingston A squad consisted of second overall scorer Carolyn Meng (139.5 PPG and 54 powers) supplemented by lit/myth specialist Rosa Xia (31 PPG). Livingston did not have a full team, but the abilities of both of these players allowed them to put up a 24.49 PPB, the highest in the field. Remarkably, Livingston A only played a single game (the final) in which they won by under 200 points on their way to an undefeated record.
The Livingston B team went 1-4 in a tough morning bracket before winning all of their consolation rounds, beating a Morristown-Beard A team that qualified for SSNCT.
Ridgewood
Ridgewood B finished second place, remarkable for a solo team. Junior Aiden Dartley (165.45 PPG) led all individuals in PPG and finished with 68 powers, a total that did not just best any individual but topped the mark of any team. He lost in a close final to Livingston A, but showed his mettle beforehand, winning a number of tough games against teams like Millburn and Edison A. Remarkably, Aiden is not even Ridgewood’s top scorer at normal tournaments, but his continued improvement over the last two years undoubtedly makes Ridgewood one of the most potent teams in the region for this year and the next.
Ridgewood A won their prelim bracket before ultimately finishing seventh overall. Nicole Pruitt (72 PPG) led a team of Ridgewood’s normal B team players to an 8-3 overall record, and they finished with 20.29 PPB, showcasing the depth that Ridgewood would have next year even beyond Aiden.
John P. Stevens
John P. Stevens finished fourth, winning their prelim bracket before losing only to Ridgewood B and Ithaca A. Their team consisted of sophomores Nishanth Bhargava (74.55 PPG) and Sophia Pan (24.09 PPG) and Michael Galsin (26.82 PPG). Impressively, none of these players are on their school’s normal A team, again showcasing the depth of their rapidly growing program. Just two years after the graduation of Karan Menon looked set to doom their club, the JPS team’s dedication and successful outreach has given it the pieces for a bright future.
Biotech
Biotech A have continued their rise in quizbowl, becoming a solid team after years of playing only a couple tournaments annually. They were a balanced team as well, with senior Isabelle Papa scoring 46 PPG, while her teammates Michael Tepperman (32 PPG), Kavin Nakkeeran (14.5 PPG), and Srivatsa Mutukula (29.5 PPG) scored their fair share. They lost to Ridgewood A in prelims, but were able to go 3-2 in a tough playoff bracket before ultimately finishing in fifth place, missing out on an HSNCT qualification but nabbing a berth to SSNCT.
West-Windsor Plainsboro North
WWPN A finished in sixth place after narrowly losing to Biotech in their crossover match. They were incredibly well-balanced, with all 5 of their players scoring between 17 and 30 PPG, and their balance showed in their 20.31 PPB. Four of their players are sophomores and the other a junior, so if they can successfully build off of this performance, WWPN can make the leap to become a top team in the region within the next two years.
WWPN B finished 4-6, sneaking into playoffs, where they were able to beat a good Edison B team. WWPN B was mostly underclassmen as well, so the depth they have could be utilized into making a strong dynastic program in the same way they are in Science Bowl and other competitions.
Edison
Edison A (eighth) and B (ninth) both finished within a spot of each other. Edison A was led by captain Ali Ahmed, whose 10 powers and 55 PPG anchored his team. Their 20.9 PPB was higher than three of the teams above them, indicating their strength on bonuses. Additionally, Edison A were perhaps unlucky to not finish higher, as they lost close games to Ridgewood B and John P. Stevens by margins of 20 and 25 points, respectively.
Edison B was led by Yash Mandavia, whose 69 PPG was good for seventh overall in the field. They were able to make playoffs, where they lost all but one of their games; however, that victory was against a solid Ridgewood A team. Such an impressive win showed their mettle and ability. Edison, just like their crosstown rivals J. P. Stevens, did not field a single senior on Saturday, and two teams nearing 20 PPB will be a good sign for their growth in the future as they continue to improve.
Other standout performers include Millburn, led by third overall scorer Benjamin Hu (105.38 PPG), who were perhaps unlucky to be placed in a bracket with third-placed Ithaca A and second-placed Ridgewood B, especially because Ben was only present for 10 tossups between the two games. Nonetheless, they comfortably topped the top consolation bracket, winning all of their games by 450 points or more. Morristown-Beard A also qualified for the SSNCT, another great step in the growth of their team.
Out of state teams included third placed Ithaca A, as well as their B/C teams, Regis, and Rochester. The out-of-state teams performed well for those having to compete with the sublime talent in the state of New Jersey, and we hope to compete with them at future tournaments!