1979 National Finals

The 17th National Bible Quiz Finals took place August 14-15, 1979 in Baltimore, Maryland covering the book of John. Terry Carter was the National Coordinator. The event took place at several different hotels in the downtown area and with on-time points (10) still being the rule this caused a certain amount of chaos among the teams!

The event was won by Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA which finished with only one loss. The second place team was Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA which finished second for the second year in a row and would go on to finish second in 1980 and establish a record for second place finishes in consecutive years.

The team from Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA was not the same church which had won National Finals in 1971 (First A/G New Orleans), but this victory, combined with First A/G, New Orleans eventual 3 victories, means that the city of New Orleans had produced the most National Champions until 2007 when Briargate won their fourth national championship. The team from Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA was comprised of only 3 persons, but this did not prevent them from victory. Their only loss came at the hands of the defending National Champions from Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA in the first round where they lost by 200 points. Undeterred, the champions went on to win 6 straight matches and claim the 1st place trophy.

The top quizzer at the 1979 National Finals was Rhett Laurens of Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA. Rhett was in the second of four National Finals in which he would place among the top 6 scorers - a record to this day. Mark Gilmer, also of Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA, was also among the top 6 scorers marking the second consecutive year this team had placed 2 quizzers among the top 6. Also, Greg Kelley of Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH, later a National Finals coach with Montgomery AL, placed among the top 6 for the second consecutive year.

Results

Teams

The results are based on win-loss record. When equal records exist, the ties are broken first by head to head; second by head to head and point differential; and third by head to head, point differential and point total.

# Team Record Total Avg Margin Avg Margin
1 Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA 6 / 1 1055 150.71 235 33.57
2 Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 5 / 2 800 114.29 -95 -13.57
3 Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 4 / 3 1265 180.71 530 75.71
4 Verdigris A/G, Claremore, OK 4 / 3 915 130.71 15 2.14
5 Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 4 / 3 910 130 140 20
6 Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 3 / 4 1130 161.43 355 50.71
7 Portage A/G, Portage, WI 2 / 5 610 87.14 -290 -41.43
8 First A/G, Fairbanks, AK 0 / 7 285 40.71 -940 -134.29

Individuals

Only top 6 quizzers were announced at the 1979 National Bible Quiz Tournament. The total points for each quizzer is unknown.

# Quizzer Church
1 Rhett Laurens Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA
2 Randy Moss Verdigris A/G, Claremore, OK
3 Greg Kelley Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH
4 John Bayko Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD
5 Bill DeSoto Portage A/G, Portage, WI
6 Mark Gilmer Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA

Teams

Great Lakes Region

  • Church: Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH
  • Pastor: Elbert H. Kelley
  • Coach: Elbert H. Kelley
  • Team:
    • Tim Bender
    • Greg Kelley
    • Maureen Kellogg
    • Lisa Landrum
    • Rick Landrum
    • Brenda Miltenberger
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Won against Portage A/G, Portage, WI 165 to 20
    • Round 2: Lost to Evangel Temple, Decatur, GA 140 to 230
    • Round 3: Won against Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 260 to -25
    • Round 4: Lost to Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA 85 to 135
    • Round 5: Lost to Verdigris A/G, Claremore, OK 125 to 150
    • Round 6: Lost to Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 150 to 160
    • Round 7: Won against First A/G, Fairbanks, AK 205 to 55

Gulf Region

  • Church: Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA
  • Pastor: Tom Miller
  • Coach: Rev. & Mrs. Tom Miller
  • Team:
    • Louie Jackson
    • Kav Jackson
    • Donnie Miller
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Lost to Evangel Temple, Decatur, GA 80 to 280
    • Round 2: Won against Portage A/G, Portage, WI 155 to 60
    • Round 3: Won against First A/G, Fairbanks, AK 190 to 40
    • Round 4: Won against Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 135 to 85
    • Round 5: Won against Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 170 to 110
    • Round 6: Won against Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 160 to 120
    • Round 7: Won against Verdigris A/G, Claremore, OK 165 to 125

North Central Region

  • Church: Portage A/G, Portage, WI
  • Pastor: Harley Kennedy
  • Coach: Don Batty
  • Team:
    • Bill DeSoto
    • Karen Harp
    • Warren Hazard
    • Mark Kingsley
    • Rich Maxwell
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Lost to Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 20 to 165
    • Round 2: Lost to Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA 60 to 155
    • Round 3: Lost to Verdigris A/G, Claremore, OK 65 to 115
    • Round 4: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 65 to 160
    • Round 5: Won against Evangel Temple, Decatur, GA 145 to 135
    • Round 6: Won against First A/G, Fairbanks, AK 195 to 50
    • Round 7: Lost to Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 60 to 120

Northeast Region

  • Church: Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD
  • Pastor: William K. Ferguson
  • Coach: John & Nancy Bayko
  • Team:
    • John D. Bayko
    • Jonathan Love
    • Linda Malone
    • Donald Lo Schiavo
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 100 to 110
    • Round 2: Won against First A/G, Fairbanks, AK 175 to 25
    • Round 3: Won against Evangel Temple, Decatur, GA 145 to 125
    • Round 4: Lost to Verdigris A/G, Claremore, OK 100 to 130
    • Round 5: Lost to Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA 110 to 170
    • Round 6: Won against Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 160 to 150
    • Round 7: Won against Portage A/G, Portage, WI 120 to 60

Northwest Region

  • Church: First A/G, Fairbanks, AK
  • Pastor: Edward Hughes
  • Coach: Elizabeth Baker
  • Team:
    • Ceri Beach
    • Rebecca Heacock
    • Beverly Houger
    • Pam Swanson
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Lost to Verdigris A/G, Claremore, OK 60 to 120
    • Round 2: Lost to Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 25 to 175
    • Round 3: Lost to Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA 40 to 190
    • Round 4: Lost to Evangel Temple, Decatur, GA 0 to 235
    • Round 5: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 55 to 105
    • Round 6: Lost to Portage A/G, Portage, WI 50 to 195
    • Round 7: Lost to Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 55 to 205

South Central Region

  • Church: Verdigris A/G, Claremore, OK
  • Pastor: Harold Brannon
  • Coach: Mrs. Vera Purkey
  • Team:
    • Brad Dorsey
    • Randy Moss
    • Darla Riley
    • Devin Rohr
    • Rhonda Weaver
    • Greg Wood
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Won against First A/G, Fairbanks, AK 120 to 60
    • Round 2: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 185 to 195
    • Round 3: Won against Portage A/G, Portage, WI 115 to 65
    • Round 4: Won against Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 130 to 100
    • Round 5: Won against Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 150 to 125
    • Round 6: Lost to Evangel Temple, Decatur, GA 90 to 190
    • Round 7: Lost to Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA 125 to 165

Southeast Region

  • Church: Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA
  • Pastor: Paul Baldwin
  • Coach: Alex Cohilas
  • Team:
    • Mark Gilmer
    • Rhett Laurens
    • Bobby Pruett
    • Andrea Williamson
    • DeAun Williamson
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Won against Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA 280 to 80
    • Round 2: Won against Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH 230 to 140
    • Round 3: Lost to Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 125 to 145
    • Round 4: Won against First A/G, Fairbanks, AK 235 to 0
    • Round 5: Lost to Portage A/G, Portage, WI 135 to 145
    • Round 6: Won against Verdigris A/G, Claremore, OK 190 to 90
    • Round 7: Lost to Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA 70 to 135
Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA

Southwest Region

  • Church: Calvary Temple A/G, Riverside, CA
  • Pastor: Melvin L. Bennett
  • Coach: JoAnn Collins
  • Team:
    • Billy Muniz
    • Carmen Muniz
    • Danny Muniz
    • Keith Short
    • Becky Summers
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Won against Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 110 to 100
    • Round 2: Won against Verdigris A/G, Claremore, OK 195 to 185
    • Round 3: Lost to Northridge A/G, Dayton, OH -25 to 260
    • Round 4: Won against Portage A/G, Portage, WI 160 to 65
    • Round 5: Won against First A/G, Fairbanks, AK 105 to 55
    • Round 6: Lost to Canal Street A/G, New Orleans, LA 120 to 160
    • Round 7: Won against Evangel Temple, Decatur, GA 135 to 70