After Fierce Competition with Belchertown High School, Lenox Memorial Takes Home the Collamore Cup.
The historic 60th season of As Schools Match Wits concluded on Saturday, May 22, with the broadcast on NEPM TV of the championship match between Belchertown High School and Lenox Memorial. Last year’s 59th season was cut short by COVID-19, but with new safety guidelines and carefully designed protocols, the 60th season proceeded with the participation of twenty local high schools.
Four teams participated in the semifinal rounds, which were broadcast on NEPM on Saturday, May 15. Lenox Memorial was pitted against Amherst Regional and Belchertown High faced Smith Academy. Belchertown High and Lenox Memorial advanced to the championship.
Victory was particularly sweet for Lenox Memorial, given the cancellation of last season’s playoff and championship rounds. “Lenox Memorial and Belchertown were truly the two best teams this season and worthy of winning the Collamore cup,” noted Mark St. Jean, Westfield State University Executive Producer for As Schools Match Wits. “But it was really good to see Lenox win a hard-fought championship match because after the 2019-2020 season’s qualifying round, they were the number one seed heading into the playoffs. Unfortunately, those playoffs never happened due to the pandemic. So, it was nice they had a chance to come back and win it this season."
ASMW pits teams of western New England high schoolers against each other in a fun, but competitive game of academic performance. The competition is open to both public and private high schools throughout western New England.
Faculty advisors play an important role in the process and many jumped at the opportunity to sign up their school’s teams this year. “It has been an honor and a privilege to work with our team this year, said Stephen Vigneux, Belchertown High School’s ASMW Faculty Advisor. “They are terrific students and wonderful people. As seniors, I know they have missed out on many opportunities due to the pandemic, so being able to compete and distinguish themselves on ASMW this season by making a run to the championship match has been such a gift. Kudos to everyone who made this incredible season of ASMW possible and my deepest gratitude to my team members for representing themselves and our Belchertown High School community so well.”
But, in the end, it all comes down to the students. “This season of ASMW has been most gratifying for us — that there was an opportunity for the students to compete,” said Dr. Charles Mattina and Matthew Gottfried, Lenox Memorial ASMW Faculty Advisors. “We've been extremely fortunate to have an extraordinary group of four kids, pared down to three for each match, and they worked their butts off to get to the finals under the most challenging of circumstances. They are thrilled and the two of us are thrilled.”
According to ASMW host Beth Ward, “This season’s championship match was one of the most exciting to date! Despite this crazy year with so many logistical challenges due to Covid-19, our high school teams and our staff pulled off an amazing season!” Tony Dunne, NEPM Executive Producer for As Schools Match Wits, concurs, “Pandemic protocols didn’t stop this year’s championship match – the culmination of our historic 60th season – from being one of the most memorable matches we’ve held in recent memory. Both Belchertown and Lenox are incredibly accomplished and competitive teams, and their battle for the Collamore Cup is one for the ages! We’d like to thank all of the schools that competed this year amid such unprecedented and uncertain circumstances, and I’d like to extend my personal thanks to Mark St. Jean, Alex Simisky and our partners at Westfield State University for creating the incredibly safe and secure environment that allowed us to proceed with the 60th anniversary season.”
The championship match and all matches of the 60th season can be watched at video.nepm.org.
ABOUT WESTFIELD STATE UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1839 by Horace Mann, Westfield State was the first co-educational college in America to offer an education without barrier to race, creed, or economic status. Westfield State University is dedicated to equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to succeed. This season marks the 15th year that As Schools Match Wits has been produced on our campus in Westfield State’s Department of Communication.
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