For those who remained in New Orleans during the holidays, the team kept studying using past ACF Regionals and Division I ACF Nationals sets as a starting point. However, the Kansan prospect's answer regarding the state format's restrictions was that the restrictions were still in effect and, as such made that prospect not viable to Imélie's eyes, and the answer came too late for her to change her mind on that prospect.
On the morning of January 27, Sun readies the buzzer system in the game room he is set to keep scores in, while the Tulane team is in the control room for one last pre-tournament speech prior to the tournament proper, with the entire stash of books at the ready, as well as the trophies.
"Green Wave players! This week and the next are going to be tough weeks for Green Wave quiz bowl, and there's a reason why I made you study using past Division I sets, even though you're playing for a Division II berth; you only have one chance in Division II so should you qualify for ACF Nationals, going forward you will be considered Division I, and then I will be playing in the next two ACF Regionals. Also, we know that everyone will be out for you guys here. Here's your chance to show that the Green Wave can win harder competitions without me! However, please be advised that the ICT Division II has a stronger field than ACF Division II! Helluva Hullabaloo!" Imélie then explains to the team, not realizing the mistake she made regarding ACF Division II.
"Helluva Hullabaloo!" the players shout right before taking positions in the game room
She receives the packets by email and she is not authorized to send them out to moderators until the appointed time where the competition starts. Speaking of moderators, three of the five visiting teams ended up supplying a staffer, but only two of the three held the ACF certification, so Oliver, the ex-Vandebilt Catholic player is the final mod on hand. In another room where Texas' team is waiting:
"Tulane is deprived of its best player; we shall crush the Green Wave's national ambitions, here and now!" Bruce shouts to his team.
As she makes way to Boggs 122, she faces a roomful of attendees that include Tulane students and their families (such as Xavier's parents)...
"Welcome to the 2035 ACF South-Central Regionals, held at Tulane University. It's the first time Tulane hosts this quiz bowl tournament, and it's a great honor for the Green Wave to host the tournament. Good luck to all teams and may knowledge flow!" Imélie delivers her speech while the University allowed the team to rent the five rooms for free in support of Green Wave quiz bowl. The morning session will include five games in round-robin, and the afternoon session as well.
At this point of the tournament, she returns to the control room and there has been no disputes requiring their attention. That said, since she enters scoresheets in SQBS after round 1, she feels confident that, even without her, Tulane can still win, and, while they feel the questions get harder compared to Winter, everyone does. I must refrain from commenting on the Green Wave's performance until the very end, in which case any prizes the Green Wave wins will be mentioned, especially not when I receive the scoresheets from Sun! But, from the looks of it, I think he had some grasp of what it means to be keeping score in collegiate quiz bowl, Imélie thinks, while she keeps flash cards on hand for studying literature and fine arts, whom she knows are her weakest subjects.
The standings at the end of the morning session leave no doubt that even without her, Tulane can still win, since their opponents appear to be affected the same as they were by the increase in question difficulty, if not more so. Good on them for training on Division I ACF Nationals sets, Imélie reviews the standings as the Green Wave is tied with the Longhorns (i.e., Texas) for first at 4-1, since the Longhorns lost to the Green Wave, but the Green Wave lost by only 20 points to the Sooners (a.k.a Oklahoma), and reseeding time has come for her.
The schedule of the second half, as with ACF Winter, was designed so that the teams seeded 1 and 2 would not play each other until the very end of the round. When that round happens, both the Longhorns and the Green Wave go into it with identical 8-2 records, forcing a one-game final game between the two because Texas won a first game this season against the Green Wave. All season long, we sought to defeat Tulane, and here's our chance to do so when it counts the most! Bruce keeps to himself. We win, and we can deny them a chance to qualify for the Nationals. We lose and we must cross our fingers that our A-value is high enough to go to the Nationals.
Speaking of A-value, the wildcard factor that has any fungibility is the strength of schedule. This season it's obvious Tulane is their strongest opponent, and it's the only team against which Texas has a losing record against. And also the only team they never won anything against, prior to the Regionals. On the final tossup, with the game and the title on the line... everyone has a feeling of déjà vu since the Green Wave has a 20-point lead to hold on to. Bruce buzzes in, making everyone shaking on the edge of their seats, knowing what's at stake for them. Ouch, we lost this buzzer race, and we may lose the game because of it. That said our coach left us hanging out to dry for this tournament, mostly because of her plan for what comes after. Better suffer now so we don't have to do so later. Fingers crossed for a neg five. If we win, we're going to ACF Nationals. If we lose, we must also hope that our A-value is high enough to go into Division II, Alyssa starts thinking as Bruce answers the question:
"Rudyard Kipling"
"Ten. For ten points each..."
They convert one bonus part and we go into overtime, they convert two or three and we lose, Xavier thinks, powerless over how the opponent will answer. And, an entire bonus conversion later... the Green Wave lost the ACF Regionals on their home turf, much like Texas lost Winter on theirs.
Demoralized, the Green Wave players make their way back to Boggs 122 where prizes are to be handed out. Trophies, book prizes. And the top scorers as well.
"The winners of ACF South-Central Regionals are... the Texas Longhorns! Please accept this plaque and set of books" Imélie then hands over the plaque and the books.
And then the crowd assembled at Boggs 122, mostly made up of Green Wave fans, with the remainder of the crowd being the other four teams and the staffers, still find a way to cheer on the Green Wave even though they lost the tournament: whether the Green Wave makes it to the ACF Nationals depends on the whims of the strength of schedule.
"And the Division II champions of the ACF South-Central Regionals are... the Tulane Green Wave!"
"Helluva Hullabaloo!" Xavier's parents shout.
But winning the Division II title means the Green Wave gets two sets of books to divvy up among themselves. Not quite as satisfying as making it into the ACF Nationals and then obtaining a bid, because Tulane's hosting autobid was denied, with Imélie as its only player – Imélie was deemed to not be good enough to play ACF Nationals solo.
Once all the rooms have been cleared and the buzzers packed up, Imélie then has a debriefing to make regarding their performance at the tournament.
"Our season is not over, we shall know by Valentine's Day whether we'll go to ACF Nationals or not. Also I apologize if I was wrong about the ACF Nationals; at ACF Nationals they don't make the distinction between Division I and II for the actual tournament, unlike the ICT. Just don't start writing questions for the Nationals until we tell you whether we qualify. As for you, Alyssa, start writing a packet because the registration period for the WNCC has opened. Same goes for me, too" the Green Wave coach then makes an overview of their situation.
"Thank you. Don't forget about the practices!" Alyssa then tells her teammates.
"Honey, please, don't make me keep score in quiz bowl tournaments again! I heard hundreds of tossups, and it makes me want to scream by the end of the tournament. Spectating is OK, but if it's how good quiz bowl plays out..." Sun pleads to his wife.
The following week, Imélie comes to pick up the players on Friday afternoon for a road trip to Atlanta, so they arrive at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis they all recognize for having played at the HSNCT there, not too far away from Georgia State's campus Imélie plays this time around by virtue of her having never played at the ICT. Upon arrival...
"Unlike our last trip out of town, I hope that we will be well-rested by being at this place" Nolan comments, while having in mind his nausea at ACF Winter.
"The real reason why I picked this sectional over the South one at UT Dallas is because it's the closest regional to New Orleans. On the flip side, it's not going to be like at ACF Regionals last week, here no one knows us, and in turn we know no one. Other than Ole Miss" Imélie then explains the rationale behind choosing the Atlanta regional.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
"Yay, new opponents!" Derek exclaims.
"Play well, just be nice to our opponents"
If the Southeastern quiz bowl circuit bears any resemblance to the one I knew as an undergraduate, the A-teams of Vanderbilt, Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Alabama will all be in the Division I bracket, everyone else will be in the Division II bracket, Imélie thinks about what to expect out here at the Southeast SCT. And to think Tulane was absent from the SCT after she graduated, for the university, this represents a triumphal return to the highest levels of quiz bowl. Or rather, the university perceives this as the highest levels of quiz bowl; for so long Tulane hasn't been attending these qualifying tournaments!
This is so much better than ACF Winter! Our opponents must not be taken lightly, however, especially since we know so little about them! Alyssa starts thinking about how traveling must feel between the ACF Winter and the SCT. At the same time, everyone's memories of competing at the HSNCT flash in their dreams when they go to sleep that night.
Personally, I don't harbor a whole lot of hopes on our performance at the ACF Nationals, if we make it, but while I didn't think of it as sabotage, as to why I left the team to hang out to dry, more about building up the other players' experience for ACF Nationals, I don't think they are ready for the Nationals just yet. However, from what I heard about Division II ICT, the questions appear more approachable, Imélie ponders what that implies to them, and what an ICT berth would imply to the Green Wave. Whether a "Tulane B" at next year's SCT, which would just not be the same as at ACF competitions, would manage with just 3 players as opposed to 4. But between the 3 prospects, she feels she has all the core topics covered: Bethany has history and RPMSS, the second female prospect has literature and fine arts, and the final prospect is a science player. If a fourth player is absolutely necessary for the SCT, and I'll only know tomorrow night if that's the case – already that the ACF Fall forced my hand and expand the program to 8 for next year, I may as well take the ex-Vandebilt Catholic player, and put Oliver on next year's Tulane B.
The following day, for some reason, Tulane is scheduled to play Georgia State in their opening game. But unlike the nail-biters vs Texas, nor the other teams the Green Wave blew out, such as Baylor or New Mexico State, the few Georgia State fans in the game room are surprised to see the Green Wave – even without Imélie – blow them out and be faster on the buzzer than the Georgia State Panthers are. Eighteen tossups later, the diminutive crowd is definitely split in two: the Georgia State fans that seem to be willing to boo the Green Wave as Georgia State is shut out of the scoreboard, and fans of other teams that start commenting on the extraordinary character of what is happening during that game, but don't blurt out the answers.
"Can you believe it? This is history in the making!" a spectator comments on how the Green Wave is getting every tossup right, and the vast majority of the resulting bonuses.
"Tossup number nineteen..."
That question is about the Nizam-I Cedid and the French Revolution, the latter being a topic that Imélie knew well enough to function at practices, but for some reason it was not something Derek was too confident in. France was a driver in the Nizam-I Cedid but they're asking about what drove the Ottomans to ask France for help. Fingers crossed and... shoot! My teammate buzzed in, Derek's train of thought is derailed by Alyssa buzzing in.
"Treaty of Iasi" Alyssa then addresses the referee.
"Fifteen"
At this point, the score is 700-0 for the Green Wave, they got 19 tossups right, of which 10 were powers, but what that spectator called history in the making was the Green Wave being on track for what is known as a grail, the quiz bowl equivalent of a perfect game in baseball and that required just one more tossup. The crowd is simply bewildered by what the Green Wave is on track to do, and certainly Alyssa being a major contributor during this game.
"One final tossup..." a spectator comments.
"This is it, the question that will make or break their place in quiz bowl history!" another spectator comments, realizing there are less than a dozen spectators in attendance that aren't Georgia State fans, Imélie included (as they didn't make a substitution), but also roughly the same number of Georgia State fans.
This question is about geography, which turns into a buzzer race that this game pretty much was deprived of up to this point. Oh man, they're shutting us out! a Georgia State player starts thinking, and this kind of blowout demoralizes them in a way they never thought possible. In a desperate attempt to break the shutout, a Panther (i.e. Georgia State player) buzzes in...
"Thailand"
"Neg five"
And, unwilling to play like vultures, the Green Wave players wait until the end of the question to answer, even though several of them knew the clues well enough to have powered it. When the rest of the question past the "For ten points" mark is read...
"Cambodia" Derek buzzed in.
"Ten"
And then the team proves unable to convert more than one bonus on this part, leaving the final score as 750 to negative 5.
"They did it! They accomplished the grail!" a spectator shouts.
"And don't go around thinking that other games would play out like this" Imélie warns her team as they move to the next game.
While the team continues winning games, without Imélie playing, against teams such as Ole Miss, Alabama B, Georgia Tech B, Emory, Auburn A and South Carolina C (in chronological order), scores vary wildly from one game to the next. Opponents start wondering why is it that Tulane is playing in Division 2, and especially Ole Miss... it was more about the relative lack of collegiate experience of the undergraduates. And they don't suspect that Imélie's quiz bowl experience as an undergraduate was, simply put, hampered by her terrible teammates, the best of which was approximately as good as the ex-Vandebilt Catholic player in high school.
It seems like so many quiz bowlers stop playing in college even at schools that play it. Presumably because they feel like other activities would be of better use for post-graduation jobs or some such thing. In the end this leads to situations like Georgia State's. Which attracts students that might not be able to go to Emory, Georgia or Georgia Tech. If, in sports, 2-3% of high school athletes play in college, I wonder how many high schools do quiz bowl, but approximately a hundred colleges do, most of which attract mostly high-achieving students, with a little bit over a thousand players in the collegiate circuit, give or take. On any given year there are about 300-400 that graduate or stop playing for some other reason. Consider also that some state formats, such as Colorado, Illinois, Kansas or Missouri, don't translate so well to college quiz bowl. Let's say that, conservatively, there are roughly fifty thousand players in the high school circuit nationwide, of which roughly sixteen thousand graduate each year. So the odds of playing quiz bowl in college are approximately the same as playing sports in college, Imélie reflects on what makes the Baylors and Georgia States of this world happen.
"Although I didn't believe that the time was right to talk about this until now, the ICT, as per usual, is held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel O'Hare, in Chicago. If we finish on the podium, we qualify for it. So we win, we book two nights there but it's no use driving there from New Orleans, so please save up some money for your plane tickets to Chicago if we win here. And for the ACF Nationals as well" Imélie then sees fit to talk about the Intercollegiate Championship Tournament.
"So we win here today, we go to Chicago for spring break and this is how our season is going to end?" Xavier asks.
"We have one shot at a Division II title so make it count! Last time Tulane went there you weren't even born! ACF Regionals shall be avenged!" Imélie attempts to encourage her players before the playoffs.
"Our opponents here may be new, for the most part, they are mostly of the same levels as at Winter, minus Texas A" Alyssa comments based on avenging this heart-breaking loss to Texas at ACF Regionals.
"And the questions, too! These feel mostly between Fall and Winter questions, and the Nizam-I Cedid question was among the hardest we were asked today!" Nolan comments.
"I will only play against opponents that were not previously in the same bracket for the prelims" Imélie announces to Xavier and Nolan.
Tulane in the prelims of the Division II SCT is just without compare. They go into the playoffs undefeated and then they feel like they can win. In Soviet Russia, quiz bowl plays you. Except that the modern quiz bowl game didn't exist in its current form until well after the Soviet Union collapsed, Derek muses upon hearing about a Georgia State fan talk about his assignment. Yet the Soviet Union used international academic contests for political gain, as does China today, and even to turn an academic contest into an international affair to do so, to the extent the United States were not. You only need to look at mathletics and how readily the Soviets paraded around the achievements of their mathletes, even more so females. So one might be wondering where would quiz bowl be today if the Soviet Union got into quiz bowl. A better gender balance? Or just a game played more globally?
The playoffs begin and wow. Just... wow. Being in the topmost bracket made no difference to them since the other pool was approximately the same strength as their own pool. South Carolina B and Georgia B being the strongest from the opposite pool, and Clemson A to a lesser extent. But even they couldn't prevail against Tulane any more than Georgia Tech B or Emory could. Imélie ends up playing a grand total of 3 games. When the awards ceremony gets underway, the Green Wave players are handed a multi-tiered trophy that they lift together for a group picture.
"And the Division II winner of the 2035 NAQT Southeast Sectional Championship Tournament is... Tulane!" the TD then announces to the crowd.
Tulane never won a sectional tournament before, ACF or NAQT, so this is already a major accomplishment for Green Wave quiz bowl. And, while Alyssa was the Green Wave's best scorer, she managed to only be the third-best scorer of the tournament, despite having the highest power percentage. (Imélie didn't hear enough tossups for prize considerations) I guess I'll take a chance on the Kansas scholars bowl player and hold an online meeting with that person since I am left with no choice now that the ICT forced my hand, Imélie ponders, now that Tulane's spot at the ICT is secured.
She then proceeds to book the Green Wave's room at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare for the requisite 2 nights, while checking against the A-Value status for ACF Nationals, but it appears that the Green Wave's strength of schedule is too low for Tulane to attend the tournament.
"This is our chance to bring back Helluva Hullabaloo from this quiz bowl season!" Imélie then shouts.