FROM STAFF REPORTS

HOOVER—The Spain Park Scholars Bowl team earned their third state championship in four years, placing first at the Alabama Scholastic Competition Association state tournament on April 8.

The Spain Park team went undefeated, 5-0, in pool play, then beat LAMP of Montgomery in the quarterfinal round, 475-240.

Spain Park topped Huntsville in the semifinals, 395-300, before beating Gadsden City in a best-of-three final round, winning two 415-250 and 450-260.

“These young men certainly earned and deserved this title,” Scholars Bowl coach Todd Parker said. “I could not be prouder of the self-discipline, perseverance and hard work they put in over the last two years that allowed them to have the opportunity to achieve what they did (on April 8).”

Team captain Jack Peters and Stanley Badio were Spain Park’s top scorers throughout the tournament and season, although the April 8 victory was a team effort with each member earning enough points to take the state championship.

The Spain Park Scholars Bowl Team qualified for the national tournament in Dallas in May.

The team includes Peters, senior; Badio, senior; Austin Peinhardt, senior; Daniel Picard, junior; Jack Gutshall, junior; and Grady Freeman, sophomore.

“I would especially like to recognize the three seniors on this team who not only did all that was asked of them in practice, but also went above and beyond seeking out knowledge and information on their own because of their desire to be their best and because of their love of learning,” Parker said.