This program brought to you in part by the Erika Lewis Endowment Fund.

-Coming up, it's Team Krafve... [cheers and applause] ...taking on Team Betancourt... [cheers and applause] ...because this is Varsity Quiz!

[crashing sound] ♪♪♪ [cheers and applause] Hi there.

Welcome.

This is the 56th season of Varsity Quiz.

We've got the best and the brightest high school students matching wits in this unique academic competition.

It's an honor to be your host.

I'm Nathan Tannenbaum.

So we're doing something different, because this match is saluting the young men and women of the Blue League with this year's All-Star Match featuring superstars from some of the 13 different Blue League schools that competed throughout the year.

Students have been randomly assigned to two teams.

This all-star match is a little different than our regular season matches.

We're going to have four timed rounds of up to 20 toss-up questions.

Each question in this lighthearted match is worth 5 points.

Okay, so let's meet our first-round players, starting with Team Krafve.

So, students, as you introduce yourself, please tell us your name, what grade you're in, and what school you go to.

We'll start with Bonnie.

-I'm Bonnie.

I'm in 12th grade from Moapa Valley High School.

-My name is Shelby.

I'm in 10th grade, and I'm from Moapa Valley High School.

-My name is Alan.

I'm a 12th grader, and I'm from Mojave High School.

-My name is Sophia.

I'm a 12th grader, and I'm from Del Sol Academy.

-Those are our starters for Team Krafve.

Thanks you guys.

[applause] So now let's meet our players from Team Betancourt.

-My name is Nestor.

I am a freshman at Northeast Career and Technical Academy.

-My name is Aidan.

I'm a 12th grader from Las Vegas High School.

-My name is Fabian, and I'm a 12th grader from Mojave High School.

-My name is Rhysten, and I'm a 10th grader from Northeast Career and Technical Academy.

-Ladies and gentlemen, that's Team Betancourt.

[applause] Let's go ahead and play Varsity Quiz.

How many states border Idaho?

That's Team Krafve, Sophia: five -Incorrect.

Betancourt, Nestor: six -That is right.

Betancourt's on the board.

Let's keep going.

Which iconic Las Vegas hotel was imploded to make way for a baseball stadium?

Krafve, Sophia: the Flamingo -Incorrect.

Betancourt, Fabian: Tropicana -That's right.

Let's move on.

Our newest sports franchise, the Vegas Thrill, what do they play?

Betancourt, Nestor: lacrosse -No.

[bell chimes, time expires] That's the Desert Dogs.

The Vegas Thrill is a volleyball team that plays out at the Lee Family Forum in Henderson.

Let's keep moving.

What kind of tree is mentioned in the carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas"?

Betancourt, Rhysten: That's a pear tree.

-That's exactly right.

You remember your 12 days.

You got that partridge and all of that?

Yeah, yeah.

Next question.

What football team is named for a poem by Edgar Allan Poe?

That's Krafve, Sophia: the Baltimore Ravens -There you go.

"Never more," yeah.

Commercials for Jack Link's, you know that beef jerky, it features people pulling pranks on what large creature of the Pacific Northwest?

Betancourt, Nestor: Sasquatch -Yeah.

We would have taken Bigfoot, but those are funny commercials.

I love those.

Okay.

So according to Ariana Grande's character in a recent movie, what color does "pink go good" with?

Krafve, Sophia: green -Yeah.

How many times have you seen it since we last talked?

-I haven't had time.

-Okay.

-I'm planning; don't worry.

-Okay.

Last time it was nine.

We're talking Wicked.

Has everybody seen Wicked?

Oh, you gotta go.

It's fantastic.

Next question.

What's the term for a business that operates conventionally, rather than or as well as over the internet?

[bell chimes, time expires] You know, it's got a building.

It's called brick and mortar.

D'oh!

You knew that.

Let's keep going.

What iconic performer does Timothee Chalamet play in A Complete Unknown?

Krafve, Sophia: Bob Dylan -This is our pop culture queen over here.

You got it so far.

Let's keep going.

Originally voiced by James Earl Jones, what Disney character was featured in a namesake live-action prequel in 2024?

Krafve, Sophia: Mufasa -That's right.

Name the man who was a French astrologer, apothecary, physician, and reputed seer, who was best known for his collection of poetic quatrains that allegedly predict the future.

[bell chimes, time expires] Oh, you're going to kick yourself.

Nostradamus.

No, not so much?

Well, look him up.

Here we go.

After the recent death of Jimmy Carter at the age of 100, how many living US Presidents remain?

Betancourt, Nestor: 16 -Incorrect.

Krafve, Shelby: 12 -No, it's five.

But that's okay.

We're gonna-- this is an all-star game.

We're just having fun.

You guys having fun?

Let's keep it going.

This title character reunites with her guide, Maui, in what 2024 Disney sequel?

Betancourt, Rhysten: Moana -I don't think we can take that.

We need more.

All right, anybody?

Krafve, Sophia: Moana Motunui -No.

I don't-- I don't know.

[confers with judges] Yeah, it's Moana 2.

It's not a trick question, okay?

Next question.

"Home Means Nevada," that's our state song, but what's the name of our state bird?

Betancourt, Nestor: the roadrunner -Incorrect.

That's a good guess, though.

Krafve, Bonnie: the mountain bluebird -That is right.

-[indistinct] -Yeah.

Let's keep going.

Name the practice of advancing clocks to make better use of the longer daylight available during summer so darkness falls at a later clock time.

Krafve, Alan: daylight savings -I think we can take that.

Although, as a person who has been doing the weather for more than 25 years, technically, it's daylight saving time.

Okay, let's make it singular from now on, okay, Alan?

Deal?

-Yes, sir.

-All right.

Let's keep going.

Beginning in Glendale, Arizona, in March 2023, what was the final stop of The Eras Tour?

Krafve, Sophia: Vancouver, Canada -Duh!

All right, that's the end of Round 1.

You may be wondering about the names of these teams here, like we have Krafve and Betancourt.

Well, let me tell you.

Team Betancourt is named for a gentleman named Carlos Betancourt.

Now, Carlos coached Varsity Quiz teams for 16 years, but he stuck around.

He was a moderator for both Junior Varsity Quiz and VQ.

He was one of the first members of the Varsity Quiz Hall of Fame after his 2012 retirement from CCSD.

Carlos continued to volunteer for both VQ and Junior Varsity Quiz.

So that's the meaning of Team Betancourt.

Now, Team Krafve honors the memory of Dick Krafve.

Dick was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Las Vegas, the honorary Varsity Quiz head judge.

Man, he was judging matches twice a week for 32 years.

He's also one of the first members of the Varsity Quiz Hall of Fame, as well as a member of the CCSD Hall of Fame.

Let's come back for Round 2.

Having fun on the VQ Blue League All-Star.

The score going into Round 2: Team Krafve has 35 points to Team Betancourt's 20.

We have a whole bunch of new players.

We'll start with Team Krafve.

Introduce yourself, starting with you, Harmony.

-My name is Harmony.

I'm in 11th grade at Centennial High School.

-My name is Logan.

I'm a senior at Del Sol Academy.

-My name is Katelyn.

I'm a freshman at Las Vegas High School.

-My name is Isabella, and I'm a freshman at Valley High School.

-Ladies and gentlemen, the new players for Team Krafve.

Right on!

[applause] All right.

I think we have a couple of returning players, but we've got a couple of new players.

So let's go down the line with Team Betancourt.

-Hi, my name is Nestor.

I'm a sophomore at Northeast Career and Technical Academy.

-Hi, my name is Michael.

I'm a junior at Spring Valley High School.

-Hi, my name is Dylan.

I'm a junior at Spring Valley.

-Hi.

My name is Rhysten, and I am a sophomore at Northeast Career and Technical Academy.

-Very good.

All right, you guys ready?

Yeah, give a round of applause.

Team Betancourt.

[applause] So this is lighthearted.

We're going to get in as many questions as we can, and starting with this one: Featuring "Kooks" and "Pogues," name this popular teen drama on Netflix.

Team Betancourt, Dylan: Outer Banks -That's right.

You're a regular viewer?

-Yes, sir.

-Okay.

Formed in 1959, the Dallas Texans would later become what Super Bowl winning team?

Krafve, Logan: the Dallas Cowboys -No.

Good guess, though.

Betancourt, Nestor: the Houston Texans -No.

They actually ended up moving to a completely different state and ended up becoming the Kansas City Chiefs.

They're going for a three-peat.

Do you think they can do it?

It's got-- so by the time this airs, we'll already know, but that's going to be a great game between the Bills and the Chiefs, if anybody cares.

Next question.

This celebrity interview show, hosted by Sean Evans, features a guest tasting various levels of condiment-covered chicken.

Betancourt, Dylan: Hot Ones -Yeah.

Now, I've seen that show.

Everybody seen the Hot Ones?

Would you go on that show?

-Of course.

-Okay.

That's pretty hot stuff.

Moving on.

This is one of the most difficult questions we've ever asked.

How many quarts are in a gallon?

Krafve, Logan: 4 -Duh!

You've won the bake off.

That's right.

We keep going, though.

We're not done.

What singular titled card game was invented by a barber who was trying to settle an argument about the rules of Crazy Eights?

It has since turned into the best selling card game in history.

Betancourt, Rhysten: Uno -That's a big time.

Everybody play Uno?

Man, oh, man.

That's the first game my kid ever played.

Here we go.

What is Lorelai and Rory's favorite coffee spot?

Betancourt, Nestor: Starbucks -Oh, that's a good guess, but no.

[bell chimes, time expires] Anybody?

First of all-- and I'm going to make myself embarrassed.

Who are Lorelai and Rory?

[laughter] What is it?

-The Gilmore Girls, okay.

Their favorite coffee spot is apparently Luke's.

I learn things on this show.

Let's keep going.

In 1953, there was a limited run of which book?

It was a Ray Bradbury dystopian novel about a future where books are burned.

It was made with asbestos binding, reportedly to make those books unburnable.

Krafve, Logan: Fahrenheit 451 -Yes.

I hope you get to read that.

It's amazing.

In what state would you find the Wasatch Mountain Range?

Betancourt, Nestor: Utah -Right next door.

Here we go.

Where would you order a Golden Eagle and a Poppin' Boba Fire Lizard Rebel?

Krafve, Logan: Dutch Bros -Yeah.

You all Dutch Bros people?

I've never been.

Are you a regular?

I've heard it's like, sugary stuff mostly.

-I like it better.

-There you go.

Nestor loves the Starbucks, apparently.

-No.

-You're just giving an answer.

Okay.

Next question.

If a "vampire" just got his "driver's license," what pop star might he be listening to?

Betancourt, Rhysten: Olivia Rodriguez -So close.

No.

Krafve, Logan: Olivia Rodrigo -Yeah.

You'll be fine, Rhysten.

And she doesn't care as long as you keep listening.

Next question.

What's the capital of the state of New York?

Betancourt, Nestor: Albany -That is correct.

What gas do plants absorb from the atmosphere to help them grow?

Krafve, Katelyn: carbon dioxide -That's right.

Points for you guys as we keep going.

What popular talk show host was the first winner of American Idol?

Betancourt, Nestor: Ellen DeGeneres -Oh, that's a great guess, but no.

Krafve, Logan: Kelly Clarkson -Yeah.

We're all Kelly Clarkson people?

Have you heard of American Idol?

[laughter] You guys don't even watch American Idol?

Oh, gosh, we're all old, everybody, but we're going to keep going.

What-- This Time magazine "Icon of the Year" has musical hits that include "Crocodile Rock" and "Candle in the Wind."

Betancourt, Dylan: Sir Elton John -There you go.

Which is the only planet in our solar system not named after a god?

Betancourt, Dylan: the Earth -Yeah.

Like, that's kind of amazing, right?

Oh, darn, we're out of time.

Hey, before we go, we want to introduce you to our coaches.

The coach for Team Krafve, Donald Keith.

The coach for Team Betancourt, Sarah Moore.

We'll be back with Round 3.

The Score going into Round 3: Team Krafve has 65 points to Team Betancourt's 55.

We've got a real close match going on here.

Let's meet our new players, again, starting with Team Krafve, Bonnie.

-I'm Bonnie.

I'm still in 11th-- 12th grade, and I'm from Moapa Valley High School.

-All right.

-I'm Alan.

I'm a 12th grader, and I am from Mojave High School.

-I'm Sophia.

I haven't graduated yet, still in 12th grade, and I'm from Del Sol Academy.

-I'm Ruben.

I'm a 9th grader at Valley High School.

-Great.

That's Team Krafve.

Thanks.

[applause] And Team Betancourt, we'll start with Emily.

-I'm Emily.

I'm in 11th grade, and I'm from Centennial High School.

-Hi, my name is Jaidy.

I'm a junior at Global Community High School.

-I'm Dylan.

Still a junior, Spring Valley High School.

-Hi.

I'm Keyla, and I'm a junior at Global Community High School.

-Global Community High School representing.

That's Team Betancourt.

[applause] All right.

Let's keep this party going, starting with this question: What recent animated movie became the highest grossing animated film globally?

Team Krafve, Bonnie: Avatar -Incorrect.

Good guess.

Betancourt, Keyla: Look Back -No.

This surprised me.

Have you guys seen Inside Out 2?

I didn't even see Inside Out 1.

That's how far behind I am.

Name the software application by Apple for Mac, iPad, and iOS devices that allows users to create music or podcasts.

Krafve, Sophia: Garage Band -That's right.

Anybody a Garage Bander?

It's pretty amazing.

Next question.

This artist created that painting where it looks like melting watches.

Betancourt, Dylan: Salvador Dali -That is right.

That's one of the weirdest paintings ever.

The oldest tree in the world is what type of tree?

Betancourt, Jaidy: sequoia -No.

That's a really good guess.

Krafve, Bonnie: redwood -No.

It's the bristlecone pine, believe it or not.

We all learned something today.

Next question.

This wild cat lives in the Tibetan Highlands.

Betancourt, Dylan: snow leopard -That is right.

Points for Team Betancourt.

Let's keep going.

Which part of the brain controls balance and equilibrium?

Betancourt, Jaidy: ear -No.

[bell chimes, time expires] The cerebellum, but you knew that.

Next question.

In the sentence, "The squirrel ran into the tree," which of those words is a preposition?

That's Krafve, Bonnie: into -Correct.

Keep going.

What's the term for the imaginary lines that run parallel to the equator?

Betancourt, Dylan: the prime meridian -Incorrect.

Krafve, Alan: longitude -No.

You're going to kick yourself.

Longitude is the up and down ones.

And you were thinking too hard, Dylan.

But we got points, and we're going to keep on going.

What's the-- what is the largest gland in the human body?

Betancourt, Dylan: pituitary -No.

We were looking for the liver.

There you go.

What's the name of the company where Wile E. Coyote shops for gadgets to help him catch the Road Runner?

[bell chimes, time expires] Oh, it's Acme.

Do you like the Road Runner cartoons?

Oh, you got to go and check them out.

Which mighty warrior of Greek myth was dipped into the River Styx as a baby, making him nearly invulnerable?

-I think I broke the buzzer.

-Krafve, Sophia: Achilles -Yes.

Was that going to be your answer, Alan?

-Yeah.

-Okay, the team got the point.

So that's the whole thing.

Okay.

What's the largest active volcano in the world?

[bell chimes, time expires] Oh, we stumped you.

Mauna Loa.

Next question.

What is the most populated US state?

Bettencourt, Dylan: California -Sure is, except they're all moving here.

You heard me.

[laughter] Anna Kendrick may be best known for playing Becca in which series of musical comedies about the world of acapella competitions?

Krafve, Bonnie: Pitch Perfect -Yeah.

I haven't seen that.

Is it good?

-Yes.

-I'm gonna have to check that out.

What's at the center of the Milky Way galaxy?

Betancourt, Jaidy: the black hole -That is correct.

I thought someone was gonna say McDonald's or something.

[laughter] Next question.

This legendary Major League Baseball pitcher is the all-time leader in both wins and losses, but best known today as the namesake of an annual award given to the best pitchers in a season.

[bell chimes, time expires] You guys don't follow baseball?

The Cy Young Award.

Stick that in the back of your mind.

And I believe it's time to take a break and come back with Round 4.

All right.

We're going into our final round, and we have a very close all-star match.

Team Krafve has 85 points to Team Betancourt's 75.

Let's go ahead and introduce yourselves, even if you've done it before.

We'll start with Shelby.

-I'm Shelby.

I'm a sophomore, and I go to Moapa Valley High School.

-I'm Harmony in 11th grade at Centennial High School.

-I'm Logan.

I'm a senior at Del Sol Academy.

-I'm Katelyn.

I'm a freshman at Las Vegas High School.

-We want to get in as many questions as we can, so we'll hold off on the applause as we move to Team Betancourt.

-I'm Emily.

I'm in 11th grade, and I'm from Centennial High School.

-I'm Michael.

I'm a junior, and I'm at Spring Valley.

-I'm Fabian, and I'm a senior at Mojave High School.

-I'm Aidan, a senior from Las Vegas High School.

-Great to have you here, but let's just get into this so we can find out who's gonna win.

Here we go.

Chartreuse is a bright, vivid color that is a shade of what color?

Krafve, Shelby: green -That's right.

Let's keep going.

What title movie dog is infected with rabies after saving his family from a rabid wolf?

Krafve, Logan: Cujo -No.

[bell chimes, time expires] We're going into the Wayback Machine.

You have to Google or IMDb Old Yeller.

Ask your grandparents.

Next question.

After losing his farm in the country of Smalton, Bill and his two children, Cricket and Tilly, move in with his mother Gramma who lives on a small farm in the middle of a city known as "Big City."

Name this animated comedy series.

Betancourt, Fabian: Big City Greens -Yeah.

You're a regular viewer?

-My cousins are.

-Oh, your cousins are.

Well, close enough.

I've never seen it, have you?

Is it good?

Funny, not funny?

Yeah?

I'll have to check it out.

Next question.

This island is separated from Australia by the Bass Strait.

That's Krafve, Michael: Tasmania -That's right.

His biggest hit samples the baseline from the Queen and David Bowie collaboration "Under Pressure."

It urges the listener to "stop, collaborate, and listen."

Name this rapper best known for the 1990 hit "Ice Ice Baby."

Krafve, Logan: Vanilla Ice -Yeah!

[laughter] That's cool that you know that, because that is like so yesterday, dude.

But we move on.

What major event happened on December 7, 1941?

Krafve, Harmony: Pearl Harbor -Yes.

Bikini Bottom is terrorized by an "Alaskan Bull" variety of these animals.

A bibliophile is said to be the "book" variety of what annelids?

Krafve, Shelby: plankton -No.

You're-- I like what you're thinking, though.

Betancourt, Michael: crabs -No.

You're on the right track, but it's a worm.

Yeah.

"It's the best day ever!"

Who will be the featured performer at halftime of Super Bowl LIX?

Betancourt, Michael: Kendrick Lamar -Pardon me?

-Kendrick Lamar.

-Yeah.

It's not Drake, okay?

Next question.

What was the only thing left in Pandora's jar?

Krafve, Katelyn: hope -That's right, because you don't want to open up-- yeah, okay.

This document declared that the King of England was subject to the rule of law.

It became the basis of jurisprudence in England.

[bell chimes, time expires] Oh, the Magna Carta.

Mm-hmm, all right.

This Wind in the Willows character has a "Wild Ride" attraction at Disneyland.

Okay, Katelyn from Krafve: Big Thunder Mountain -No.

Is that time?

[bell chimes, time expires] I'm disappointed.

Mr. Toad!

Okay, all right, nothing to hang your head on.

We keep moving.

After escaping exile on the island of Elba, Napoleon was restored as the emperor of France until his final defeat at what battle?

Betancourt, Michael: the Battle of the Bulge -No.

Krafve, Harmony: Waterloo -Yes.

I was going to say it's an Abba song, but you know.

Although historians debate whether it actually happened, which theologian supposedly nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany, October 31 of 1517?

Betancourt, Michael: Martin Luther -That's right.

This Ivy League institution has 42 Division 1 intercollegiate sports teams, more than any other university.

Krafve, Logan: Duke -No.

Good guess.

Betancourt, Emily: Harvard -It is.

You got the final points.

Let's find out who won.

One of the best all-star matches we've had, because the final was close.

It's Team Krafve with 110 points to Team Betancourt's 100.

Congratulations to Krafve, the champions of the Blue League All-Stars.

But a round of applause for all of our all-stars.

Yeah!

[cheers and applause] Okay.

So that wraps up the Blue league All-Stars, but we want you to join us next week, because we'll start the road to the Silver League Championship.

It's going to be Palo Verde taking on Green Valley right here on Vegas PBS!

♪♪♪