JuniorSharks: Vine Christian vrs Angels' Ridge

The last contest of the quarterfinals episodes of Junior Sharks 4 saw Vine Christian and Angels' Ridge in action.

The two schools were on collision to join semi-final candidates comprising Manna Int., Kotoka JHS and ICS.

Vine Christian and Angels' Ridge it could be argued, are both worthy of a place at the medal podium of Junior Sharks 4.

In fairness to both schools, their performance in the Junior Sharks 4 have been par excellence.

Unfortunately for a quiz of such nature, one school, irrespective of calibre has to bow out at some point. Who would it be this time round?

Round 1

It was Angels' Ridge which set in motion the competition with the first batch of questions in Round 1.

Angels' Ridge had to let a few problematic questions pass and attempt them a second time.

Aside that, all the questions were knocked home without much exertion. But for the question, "who is the mother of Prempeh I"? Angels' Ridge had a perfect score in Round 1.

The answer to that missed question was "Yaa Achiaa". Only the exited DPS match this elephantine seventy(70) points by Angels' Ridge in Round 1 of any contest seen in Junior Sharks Season 4.

Kofi Boateng especially was at his best in this remarkable feat by Angels' Ridge. Junior Sharks Season 3 first runner-up, Vine Christian, took over the answering responsibilities.

They indeed did put up a splendid performance which can be described as above-average.

Angels' Ridge dizzying score, however, made Vine's fifty (50) points appear meagre.

Round 2

Vine Christian from the sound of the bell quickly set out to atone for their lag in the first round.

Unsurprisingly, their efforts paid off as they led the second round with a fifteen(15) points difference. Ryan Tagoe, we dare say is in the reckoning for an individual award at the end of Junior Sharks Season 4.

That is with the proviso that his school was to progress further in the competition.

The young man hardly put a foot wrong in any round. Vine Christian ended the round with forty (40) points while Angels' Ridge settled for twenty-five (25) points.

Round 3

Tabulating the points so far in Rounds 1 and 2, the difference was only five(5) in favour of Angels' Ridge.

This background ushered the STEM Round nicely for rapid fire. It was Vine Christian who interrupted the reading of the first question and hit ten(10) points home.

Thereafter, the chiming of buzzes from both schools in quick succession reverberated through the auditorium. Contestants were frantically giving answers even before being acknowledged to give an answer.

Time keeper's bell and contestants' buzzers sounded concurrently. A situation that called for quiz consultants' adjudication to allow answers to pass or not.

In all, the electrified activity in this Round only went to show how much a win meant to each school.

When the tide of eagerness had subsided, Vine Christian had forty(40) points. Angels' Ridge had jumped in front again with fifty( 50) points.

Round 4

Unless endowed with clairvoyance, no one could stick their neck out for a winner of this contest. The scores for both schools in the preceding rounds could be likened to a play ground see saw- up in one round, down the next.

Thus and not unusual in this competition, the last Round held the winner of this contest tightly in its bosom. With time not being our best ally, English, Maths, Science and General Knowledge dons quickly advanced.

Ryan Tagoe for Vine Christian was up against Spelling Bee expert Kofi Boateng in the English segment. Ryan confidently buzzed to pick the first question.

He again frustrated Kofi as he neutralized his buzz to pick second question. Math geniuses were Abor and Bryan for Angel's Ridge and Vine Christian respectively.

Bryan gave a wrong answer on the first question but Joseph could not capitalise on it for full marks. Joseph made amends on the second question and nailed it to loud cheers from his supporters.

Kendra and Michael emerged as Science 'sharks' for Angels' Ridge and Vine Christian.

The sigh of relief that jetted out when each of them got the first and second questions correct encapsulated the sea of emotions in this contest.

Up next were the Social Scientists.

The contenders were Elikem and Nii Teiko for Angels' Ridge and Vine Christian respectively. Nii Teiko had his job cut out for him: pick the last two questions for twenty (20) points and pip Angels' to it or wave the competition goodbye. For their first task, they were to identify the photo of the late strongman of Libya, Mu'ammar Al- Gaddafi.

It could be that both were too young to fully grasp the circumstances of Gaddafi's death in 2011. Or that they are not au fait with news of the Sahel region. None got it right.

But as soon as the video of the popular dance of the South Americas was uploaded, Elikem's buzzer pitched highest. And he was right with the answer.

The scores at the end of the last Round showed thirty (30) apiece. By extrapolation, Vine Christian would have qualified to the semis against any of the schools already in the semis.

Their total score of one hundred and sixty (160) best the total individual scores of the winners of the three previous quarter final contests. And with the combined total score of three hundred and thirty-five (335), this last but definitely not least contest stood out as the highest scoring in Junior Sharks Season 4.

It was truly a contest that will be etched in the memory of all.

With a round of applause we say "Well done to both schools"- ala affable Quiz mistress, Madam Evelyn Agyapong.


#Sharks@5 is endorsed by the Ministry of Education and brought to you by kind sponsorship of Kellogg's.

Supported by: Academic City College, Family Health Medical School, Lewis University, Vivo Energy, Indomie, Schweppes, Ashesi University and Chopbox.