ARLINGTON — During its final prep session before the state tournament, the Arlington High School Knowledge Bowl team was challenged with questions ranging from verb tenses and literature quotes to math problems, historic scientific discoveries and current political events.

AHS sophomore Benjamin Rosenthal will join seniors Quinn James, Dakota Brenner and James Piscioneri in competing at state at the AHS campus on Saturday, March 14, at 9:30 a.m. While their teammates engaged them in a regular practice round after school on March 9, the team’s biggest potential obstacle could be its lack of significant competition to date.

“We haven’t had any challenges, and we’ve come in first in every match,” said Quinn, who acknowledged that the team has benefitted from being placed in the 3A division, down from last year.

Faculty advisor Ben Mendro admitted that his main concern is making sure “they don’t get complacent.”

Still, with hour-and-a-half practice rounds every week, using questions that have come up frequently in previous Knowledge Bowl competitions, even Mendro credited his students with being well-prepared.

“This is probably the most exceptional team we’ve had in the past ten years,” Mendro said.

Mendro touted the value of Knowledge Bowl to its participants, not only in forcing them to think quickly, but also in reinforcing the lessons they’ve received in class.

“It validates what they’ve learned,” Mendro said. “I’ve heard so many kids at competitions, not just from our school, say, ‘Thank God for Mrs. So-and-So’s class.'”

While Knowledge Bowl covers a broad swath of random facts, Hi-Q is limited to a set body of information, although there’s quite a bit of overlap between AHS’s two teams.

On Tuesday, March 10, Arlington’s Hi-Q team came in first with 53 points against Lake Stevens with 28 and Meadowdale with 19. The Hi-Q finals are set for Tuesday, March 17, at Archbishop Murphy at 9:45 a.m.