MasterMinds Championship
Rochester-1994
Penfield 245, McQuaid 140
With WXXI announcing the end of
their
long-running
'Brainstormers' tv show, prospects for a replacement program did not
look
promising, But the creation of the MasterMinds program breathed new
life
into the idea.
Fresh off a very different kind of season where schools had an
opportunity
for the first time to play multiple games, win or lose, it seemed
fitting
that Penfield should be one of the finalists. Winner of
several
consecutive
Brainstormers titles, including the swan song in 1993, Penfield
could
rightly
be viewed as the preeminent local academic team. Despite
losing
in the regular
season to Wilson Magnet, its first loss in any game in several
years,
the
Chiefs went 4-1 in the regular season, won the league title and
advanced
to the playoffs. Wins over Greece Olympia (285-85) and Livonia
(290-75)
put Penfield in the winner's bracket final against McQuaid.
Penfield lost
that game but beat Livonia 345-115 in the loser's bracket finals to
get
into
the championship.
McQuaid, a regular season foe of Penfield, lost to the Chiefs in the
regular
season but earned a spot in the playoffs with a second place finish
in
the
league. McQuaid beat Gates Chili (245-180) and narrowly edged
Victor (175-170)
to earn a spot in the winner's bracket finals. McQuaid beat
Penfield 150-135
to advance to the championship game.
Penfield beat McQuaid 260-160 giving each team one loss. That
set
up a final
with the winner to claim the first MasterMinds Championship.
Penfield started Jeff Crean (captain), Mike Yates, Salas Sabnis and
Chris
Richards with Sonu Bisen replacing Yates at the half.
McQuaid started Fred Bush (captain), Craig Simeson, Aaron Nolan and
Dan
O'Connor
with Pat Bernal coming in as a halftime substitute for Aaron Nolan.
Penfield scored the first 60 points of the game with Jeff Crean
answering
two toss-ups and Chris Richards one. The team converted just
30
of 80 bonus
points.
Fred Bush put McQuaid on the board and the Knights converted a full
20-point
bonus to close the margin to 60-30.
Two more Crean toss-ups help Penfield bump the lead back up to
95-30.
The two teams traded the next three toss-up questions before
halftime
with
Penfield holding a 135-85 lead.
Salas Sabnis helped Penfield extend the lead to 165-85 to start the
second
half, but Fred Bush got the next two toss-ups to close McQuaid to
165-115.
Jeff Crean got a toss-up correct to put Penfield up 205-115.
After a Penfield penalty, a Fred Bush toss-up and the accompanying
bonus points pulled McQuaid within
55 at 200-145.
But a McQuaid penalty and two Jeff Crean toss-ups gave Penfield the
win at 245-140.
Box Score
Penfield: Jeff Crean 75, Mike Yates 0, Chris Richards 10,
Salas
Sabnis 5,
Sonu Bisen 0
McQuaid: Fred Bush 35, Aaron Nolan 10, Craig Simeson 0, Dan
O'Connor 10,
Pat Bernal 0
Penalties: Crean, Sabnis, Bush