The 2021 state tournament for Knowledge Bowl looked very different this year. Normally teams who qualified, attend a resort in Brainerd, for the competition. Unfortunately, this year this couldn’t happen. Instead, the teams got together in smaller groups and held a state meet virtually.
The Sleepy Eye team, consisting of Adam Johnson, Stephanie Fernandez, Alex Joramo, Gunny Coulson, and Brooke Arneson, started the day in last place after the written round but kept their spirits high as they knew that they could only get better. After four rounds, the Sleepy Eye team ended the day in 17th. The day didn’t end as well as they hoped, but they all knew it was a huge accomplishment to qualify at this level. This was the last meet for senior Stephanie Fernandez, but for the rest of this team (who has been together since the 7th grade), they will have a few more years to get back to state.
Coaches Mindy Berkner and Alyssa Stevensen enjoyed watching their team compete. One of the few positives that came with the changes this year brought was that the coaches got to sit and really watch how their teams interact with each other and how they come up with their answers. The end is always bittersweet, but the season has had many positives that will be taken into next year.