1981 National Finals

The 19th National Bible Quiz Finals took place August 12-14, 1981 in St. Louis, Missouri at the Cervantes Convention Center covering the book of Matthew. Terry Carter was the National Coordinator and Thom Loven was the official question writer.

The event was won by Renton A/G, Renton, WA (pictured) after a 3-way tie for first place at the end of round-robin play. The second place team was Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO. The third place team which was tied with these teams at the end of regulation was Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD.

The team from Renton A/G, Renton, WA became the first National Champion from the Northwest Region, but it wasn’t an easy victory. At the end of round-robin play, Renton was tied with Springfield and Lanham for first place. The tie-breaker, based upon point total, gave the bye to Springfield in the first playoff, but only by 5 points! In fact, those 5 points were all that separated Renton and Springfield in the standings as both teams had posted equal margins of victory. Renton went on to win two consecutive playoff matches against Lanham and Springfield and claim the victory. The next national champion from the Northwest Region was Bothell, WA in 2005.

The top quizzer at the 1981 National Finals was Kari Brodin of Renton A/G, Renton, WA with an average of just over 109 points per quiz - a record at the time. Notably, Rhett Laurens and Mark Gilmer, both of Evangel Temple, A/G, Decatur, GA each finished in the top 6 as they had done in 1979 - a record to this day. Kari would go on to coach Bothell, WA to four consecutive second place victories from 2006 to 2009.

Results

Teams

The results are based on win-loss record, and a three-team playoff for first place. 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 W L Total Avg Margin Avg Margin
1 Renton A/G, Renton, WA* 5 2 1170 167.14 330 47.14
2 Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO* 5 2 1175 167.86 330 47.14
3 Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD* 5 2 1100 157.14 95 13.57
4 Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 4 3 1275 182.14 405 57.86
5 Faith City A/G, Michigan City, IN 4 3 845 120.71 -75 -10.71
6 Central A/G, Superior, WI 2 5 980 140 -165 -23.57
7 Greely First A/G, Greely, CO 2 5 865 123.57 -415 -59.29
8 First A/G, Tecumseh, OK 0 7 865 123.57 -515 -73.57

* Won in playoff.

Individuals

Only top 6 quizzers were announced at the 1981 National Bible Quiz Tournament.

# Quizzer Church Total Avg
1 Kari Brodin Renton A/G, Renton, WA 765 109.29
2 Ken Henderson First A/G, Tecumseh, OK 735 105
3 Adrian Edwards Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 635 90.71
4 Rhett Laurens Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 555 79.29
5 Paul Lewis Evangel Temple A/G, Springfield, MO 535 76.43
6 Mark Gilmer Evangel Temple, A/G, Decatur, GA 505 72.14

Teams

Great Lakes Region

  • Church: Faith City A/G, Michigan City, IN
  • Pastor: Randy Hopkins
  • Coach: Vickie Hopkins
  • Team:
    • Bill Barnes
    • Shirley Barnes
    • Brian Weeks
    • Kevin Weeks
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 100 to 170
    • Round 2: Won against First A/G, Tecumseh, OK 175 to 100
    • Round 3: Won against Renton A/G, Renton, WA 110 to 105
    • Round 4: Lost to Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO 35 to 165
    • Round 5: Won against Central A/G, Superior, WI 165 to 145
    • Round 6: Lost to Greely First A/G, Greely, CO 125 to 155
    • Round 7: Won against Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 135 to 80

Gulf Region

  • Church: Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO
  • Pastor: Calvin LeMon
  • Coach: Jim Edwards
  • Team:
    • Jennifer Curtis
    • Craig Edwards
    • Sarah Johansson
    • Paul Lewis
    • Tavia Lewis
    • Kevin Montgomery
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Lost to Renton A/G, Renton, WA 75 to 225
    • Round 2: Won against Greely First A/G, Greely, CO 215 to 35
    • Round 3: Lost to Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 125 to 210
    • Round 4: Won against Faith City A/G, Michigan City, IN 165 to 35
    • Round 5: Won against First A/G, Tecumseh, OK 170 to 150
    • Round 6: Won against Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 165 to 130
    • Round 7: Won against Central A/G, Superior, WI 260 to 60
    • Playoff 2: Lost to Renton A/G, Renton, WA

North Central Region

  • Church: Central A/G, Superior, WI
  • Pastor: Arden Adamson
  • Coaches: John & Amy Fregard
  • Team:
    • Pam Adamson
    • Chris Bustrak
    • Carol Elmgren
    • Diane Elmgren
    • Melissa Elmgren
    • Duane Graves
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Won against Greely First A/G, Greely, CO 190 to 105
    • Round 2: Lost to Renton A/G, Renton, WA 120 to 155
    • Round 3: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 115 to 230
    • Round 4: Won against First A/G, Tecumseh, OK 225 to 155
    • Round 5: Lost to Faith City A/G, Michigan City, IN 145 to 165
    • Round 6: Lost to Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 125 to 180
    • Round 7: Lost to Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO 60 to 260

Northeast Region

  • Church: Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD
  • Pastor: William K. Ferguson
  • Coach: John S. Bayko
  • Team:
    • John D. Bayko
    • Andy Gaidurgis
    • Adrian Edwards
    • Linda Malone
    • Ken Mullinax
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Won against First A/G, Tecumseh, OK 195 to 145
    • Round 2: Won against Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 145 to 135
    • Round 3: Won against Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO 210 to 125
    • Round 4: Lost to Renton A/G, Renton, WA 130 to 220
    • Round 5: Won against Greely First A/G, Greely, CO 160 to 120
    • Round 6: Won against Central A/G, Superior, WI 180 to 125
    • Round 7: Lost to Faith City A/G, Michigan City, IN 80 to 135
    • Playoff 1: Lost to Renton A/G, Renton, WA

Northwest Region

  • Church: Renton A/G, Renton, WA
  • Pastor: Don Duncan
  • Coach: Russ Barrans
  • Team:
    • Jon Bergman
    • Kari Brodin
    • Sean Davis
    • Denise Franklin
    • Marsha Hamilton
    • Rocky Tom
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Won against Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO 225 to 75
    • Round 2: Won against Central A/G, Superior, WI 155 to 120
    • Round 3: Lost to Faith City A/G, Michigan City, IN 105 to 110
    • Round 4: Won against Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 220 to 130
    • Round 5: Won against Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 175 to 160
    • Round 6: Won against First A/G, Tecumseh, OK 170 to 70
    • Round 7: Lost to Greely First A/G, Greely, CO 120 to 175
    • Playoff 1: Won against Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD
    • Playoff 2: Won against Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO

South Central Region

  • Church: First A/G, Tecumseh, OK
  • Pastor: Robert Rider
  • Coach: Marty & Melody Stacey
  • Team:
    • Charissa Dennis
    • Ken Henderson
    • Mark Quinn
    • Desiree Rider
    • Fari Rider
    • Kari Rider
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Lost to Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 145 to 195
    • Round 2: Lost to Faith City A/G, Michigan City, IN 100 to 175
    • Round 3: Lost to Greely First A/G, Greely, CO 140 to 210
    • Round 4: Lost to Central A/G, Superior, WI 155 to 225
    • Round 5: Lost to Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO 150 to 170
    • Round 6: Lost to Renton A/G, Renton, WA 70 to 170
    • Round 7: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 105 to 235

Southeast Region

  • Church: Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA
  • Pastor: Paul Baldwin
  • Coach: Alex Cohilas
  • Team:
    • Angela Carson
    • Maria Cohilas
    • Mark Gilmer
    • Rhett Laurens
    • Rob Laurens
    • Andrea Williamson
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Won against Faith City A/G, Michigan City, IN 170 to 100
    • Round 2: Lost to Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 135 to 145
    • Round 3: Won against Central A/G, Superior, WI 230 to 115
    • Round 4: Won against Greely First A/G, Greely, CO 215 to 65
    • Round 5: Lost to Renton A/G, Renton, WA 160 to 175
    • Round 6: Lost to Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO 130 to 165
    • Round 7: Won against First A/G, Tecumseh, OK 235 to 105

Southwest Region

  • Church: Greely First A/G, Greely, CO
  • Pastor: Ron Mickley
  • Coach: Ken Johnson
  • Team:
    • Paula Mickley
    • Travis Neihaus
    • Darla Rotharmel
    • DeAnn Shoemaker
    • Cindi Tucker
    • David Zumbro
  • Round Robin:
    • Round 1: Lost to Central A/G, Superior, WI 105 to 190
    • Round 2: Lost to Evangel Temple, Springfield, MO 35 to 215
    • Round 3: Won against First A/G, Tecumseh, OK 210 to 140
    • Round 4: Lost to Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA 65 to 215
    • Round 5: Lost to Trinity A/G, Lanham, MD 120 to 160
    • Round 6: Won against Faith City A/G, Michigan City, IN 155 to 125
    • Round 7: Won against Renton A/G, Renton, WA 175 to 120

Memories

  • Kari Brodin
  • Evangel Temple A/G, Decatur, GA vs. Faith City A/G, Michigan City, IN