Published: Jul 14, 2012 by James Lex
In my last blog post, I explained how I was looking for three qualities in the eventual national champion. Now that a week has passed since Owasso, OK was crowned the National champion, I reflect on how they possessed all three of these critical qualities.
The first was longevity. From Sunday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon, Owasso quizzed every game with the exact same intensity. When the Final Four rolled around, there was no team strategy of, “Ok guys, ‘now’ we turn on the burners.” They were focused all week long.
The second characteristic I was searching for was consistency. In looking at a basic points per game average, Owasso was strong from front to back, averaging 195.71 in the prelims and 196.58 in the round robin. Granted, captain Daniel Wagner did not start prelim games, so the team average would have been higher. But how many teams could have averaged 195 with the captain on the bench? Maybe one. Overall, their consistency in the rounds and within the team itself was impressive.
The third quality was emotional stability. With three national championships already under their belts, it was no surprise to see Owasso so comfortable and confident in their Final Four matches. When the final against Wesley Chapel started, they were smooth and methodical in everything they did, from quizzing to coaching to conferring. Despite Abby Rogers’ strong performance, they were unfazed and clearly in control of the entire match.
With the longevity, consistency, and stability Owasso demonstrated all week long, hats off to the Oklahoma crew for a great year, a phenomenal Nationals, and another national championship!