Downs qualifies for state scholars bowl
By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN
Another school Monday joined a growing list of Class 1A area teams that qualified for Saturday's scholars bowl state championships.
Lakeside High School in Downs went undefeated in the finals Monday on its way to claiming the championship at the 1A Wilson regional tournament.
The Wilson tourney had been postponed from Thursday because of bad weather.
Lakeside now will compete at Saturday's 1A state meet at Rosalia-Flinthills.
The Knights will be one of five area teams that make up the 16-team state field.
Qualifying for state from other 1A regionals last week were Ness City, Quinter, Rexford-Golden Plains and Bird City-Cheylin.
The champion of the Wilson regional wasn't decided until the fifth and last round of the finals, where Lakeside and Claflin met, both with 4-0 records.
Lakeside defeated Claflin 60-20 to win the regional championship and advance to state for the third straight year.
Two other tournaments involving area schools also were Monday.
No area team was able to make the top three at either the 2A regional at Brookville/Ell-Saline or the 4A meet at Kingman.
Oberlin-Decatur Community will be the area's lone representative at the 2A season finale at Goessel after finishing third at the Leoti regional.
Area 3A and 4A teams still have a shot at state, with the final regional meets in those two classes postponed for a second time Monday.
The 3A Lakin regional is scheduled for today, with a 4A meet at Kingman set for Wednesday.
Both have been postponed twice because of bad weather.
Goodland will be trying to join Thomas More Prep-Marian, which won its own regional meet last week, at the 3A state meet at Cimarron.
Goodland will compete at Lakin, whose regional field includes last year's state champion and runner-up, Wichita-Collegiate and Lakin.
Area teams competing at the 4A Kingman tourney will be Colby and Russell. The 4A state meet will be at Topeka-Hayden.