Scholars embark on path to Washington

WESTFALL - Athletes are not the only ones warming-up for an intense season ahead. The Delaware Valley High School scholastic bowl team is also preparing for their league games which will begin the end of this month and continue through April. The team recently placed seventh in a tournament that took place in Easton on March 9. Finishing where they did is uncharacteristic of the team, according to Coach Kevin DeVizia a math teacher in the high school. The group played two matches against a total of four teams, and managed to score the highest amount of points against the team that would eventually place first. Dismissing the loss as a “nice warm-up for some of the newer players”, DeVizia looked forward to their upcoming matches against teams from across the tri-state area. He said that “the team complements each other very well.” Although they graduated four key seniors from last year, there are still many impressive players left on the team. Jasper Schneider, high school senior and team member for four years, was described as a “very strong player with a lot of experience.” Three-year members, Tim Wolfe and Donald Bickmann, were also highlighted as great assets to the team due to their past experience and vast knowledge. Freshman Alyssa Tomaskovic was pointed out as “amazing and confident” fresh talent. “She rounds out the team very well and I expect her to be a great player,” added DeVizia. Last year’s team finished in first place at the local level with a perfect record of 8-0, and went on to nationals where they finished sixteenth. Surpassing that will be difficult DeVizia acknowledged, but he is certain they will surprise other teams that will probably expect this year to be a rebuilding year for Delaware Valley. Although Devizia doesn’t “know how well the team will perform until they start playing others”, he is confident that they will do well. National competition will be held in Washington D.C. this year. DeVizia encourages the community to come out and watch their matches which take place Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Delaware Valley High School media center at 4 p.m. starting at the end of this month.