Teams jockey for playoff positions as regular season closes
The regular season of Delco Hi-Q came to a close as its final week of meets finished on Monday, two of which were rescheduled several times due to extenuating circumstances.
Strath Haven’s home meet with Haverford and Archbishop Carroll was delayed almost a month. All teams were eager to see the outcome of this match as the three are strong playoff contenders. Strath Haven dominated out of the gate, answering six of the first eight questions correctly on their first try and the only team to correctly answer the tossup sports category. The home team was aware of their talented competitors, especially the Fords, who were quick on the buzzer and racked up five bonus points. Carroll missed the playoffs but finished with one of their best overall seasons.
Final Scores: Strath Haven 54, Haverford 40, Archbishop Carroll 26
On Friday, Interboro hosted its much anticipated match-up with Chichester and Cardinal O’Hara. This competition had also been postponed several times. This resulted in a smaller team for O’Hara, though they were able to pick up two bonus points. Chichester picked up three bonus points in this meet. Interboro held the lead throughout the game, picking up seven bonus points along the way and showing strength in history, current events and literature. The home team finished with their best score in a decade. All three teams correctly answered the toss-up sports question.
Final Scores: Interboro 47, Cardinal O’Hara 25, Chichester 19
Last Tuesday, Penncrest hosted Delaware County Christian School and last year’s champions, Haverford High School, in a competitive match-up. Every point was a big deal to these teams as they strove to improve their cumulative scores and land a place in the finals. All three teams correctly answered the toss-up sports and their team choice questions, but by the last quarter Haverford had taken a strong lead. Few bonus points were up for grabs, so earning as many points in each category by answering correctly on the first try was vital.
Final Scores: Haverford 56, Delco Christian 49, Penncrest 44
The 70th season of Delco Hi-Q was a competitive one, with standings fluctuating throughout the season. The team with the highest cumulative score will advance directly to the championship round. The six highest scoring teams that follow will enter the semi-final playoff competitions Feb. 20 and 22. The official ranking and playoff schedule will be released later this week.
Delco Hi-Q is a partnership between Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) and FMFCU Partners in Education. FMFCU Vice President Rick Durante serves as Executive Director and Quizmaster, FMFCU Foundation Development & Events Specialist Danielle Griffin is Hi-Q Coordinator, and DCIU’s Dave Bramble is the production engineer. In addition to support from participating schools, Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union and the Wilbur C. and Betty Lea Henderson Foundation are the primary corporate sponsors. Additional support comes from longtime sponsor Kimberly-Clark Corporation and the Delaware County Daily Times.