— Submitted photo —The Hart High School Varsity Quiz Bowl Team includes: front row, left to right: Amber Miguel and Mia Perea; second row: Eddie Martinez, Alisya Cruz, Julia McTaggart and Coach Brett Ramseyer; back row: J.J. Bizon, Austin Merten and Peter Tuinstra.
Pirate News is a presentation of Hart Public Schools in partnership with Oceana County Press.
EAST LANSING — The Hart Varsity Quiz Bowl squad competed in its third consecutive Class B State Finals at Michigan State University Saturday, April 12.
“In a grueling 10-match day of five preliminary matches and five finals matches, the team battled to earn seventh place in the state,” said Coach Brett Ramseyer.
“I had great hopes for this team headed to the state meet,” said Ramseyer. “This is the most balanced team of my career. We lost two-time all-stater Jesse Lenon, but we have four starters who complement one another in their expertise where any game can see any one of the four take over the game and lead the team to a win. They make it very hard for me to sub them out because even if they are not taking toss-up questions, they help the team on bonuses.”
Hart qualified for state with its third consecutive undefeated WMC Rivers Division championship and hoped to medal at this year’s finals. In the five-match preliminary round, the team went 2-3 losing to eventual state champion Utica Academy and Interlochen and Ludington. Hart topped Reed City and Ionia.
“This landed the team in the second tier finals group with no hope of a medal, but a chance at the top spot of seventh place in the group,” said the coach. Hart defeated Armada in a start-to-finish, tight match 180-135. Then, Hart dominated WMC Lakes Division champion Manistee 170-105 in a match that was never close. The turning point of the day was a victory over Ludington 240-140 avenging the morning loss. Airport ran into a Pirate onslaught in a 245-85 win for Hart.
Finally in the 10th and most tense match of the day, Hart faced Haslett. The Pirates took the early lead 100-40, but Haslett stormed back at the end of the half to close the gap to 100-85. Haslett then surged ahead at the start of the second half and it looked like the match would slip away, the Vikings leading the Pirates 160-120. At this point Hart’s youngest member sophomore Peter Tuinstra took a toss-up that pulled the Pirates to a 155-150 deficit.
“With only two questions left in the match I leaned forward and whispered to the team, ‘We gotta have it,’” said Ramseyer.
Tuinstra heeded the call and took the toss up and then the team combined to sweep the bonus to flip the script on the match and take a 190-150 lead. “With one question left Haslett could have still won the match, but it required a perfect power toss-up answer to score 15 and then a clean bonus sweep of 30. Odds were in our favor since this is like heaving a full court shot at the buzzer to win, but Tuinstra nailed the door shut on Haslett by taking the final toss-up and the Pirates won 200-150,” said Ramseyer.
The win over Haslett secured a seventh place finish in the state and the top possible in the group for Hart with a perfect 5-0 record in the playoffs to cap the best final season record of 17-5 in Hart history. “We only lost to four teams all year. One of them was the state champion, another was in the state finals top tier playoff and the other two we beat in the state final playoffs. This Hart group is truly a top team in the state of Michigan. I’m so proud of them and what they achieved this year. Unprecedented. Lots of fun,” said Ramseyer.
– Submitted photo — The Pirates prepare for battle at the state competition.
Senior captain Mia Perea and senior Julia McTaggart led the team with four years of varsity experience. “Those two grew this program with me for four years. Each of them improved their individual scoring every single year and their veteran leadership really anchored this squad, who I really feel is the best team I have ever coached,” said Ramseyer. Perea finished her career with 1,135 points and will attend Michigan State University in the fall. McTaggart scored 805 career points and will attend the University of Michigan. “I will miss those two girls who made every quiz bowl season fun.”
Joining the team for the first time this year were sophomore Peter Tuinstra and senior J.J. Bizon. “Those boys really were a great surprise as I did not know if they had much interest in quiz bowl before the season, but they became a two-headed monster for us with Peter crushing science, tech, and math questions while J.J. nailed down sports, world history and current events,” said Ramseyer.
Tuinstra led the team in scoring this entire season with 625 points. Bizon was second in team scoring with 620 season points. Perea scored 550 season points, McTaggart 330, senior Austin Merten 35, and senior Alisya Cruz 5. Senior Amber Miguel and sophomore Eddie Martinez also joined the team at state.
The accolades for the team individuals were Mia Perea: twice all-conference first team, 29th in the state playoffs; Julia McTaggart: twice all-conference first team, 62nd in the state playoffs; J.J. Bizon: 2025 all-conference first team, 20th in the state playoffs; and Peter Tuinstra, 2025 all-conference first team, 22nd in the state playoffs.
“Despite all the honors and achievements of this team I took the most joy Saturday in senior Austin Merten earning his varsity letter at the state playoffs. I only award varsity letters based on merit of scoring either 50 points in a season in interscholastic matches or scoring at the state tournament. Austin stuck with us all season and struck at a pivotal time in the first finals playoff match against Armada. He nailed down two toss-ups to cement that victory for us. It took every member of our team to make this season a success. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity I had to work with these fine young people,” said Ramseyer. “What a great way to end my career. Thank you, team.”
After 25 years, Ramseyer will retire from his teaching career at Hart High School at the end of the school year.
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