Dead Language Gets New League on Life : Education: High school students versed in Latin and the classics hold a spirited competition to test their knowledge of ancient lore and physical abilities.

More than 1,200 students of Latin from throughout the state met at Marina High School’s gym Saturday during the second day of intense competition at the 28th annual California Junior Classical League Convention.

Students representing 36 high schools, 12 from Orange County, participated in a competition called Certamen (pronounced kur tah men )--an intellectual college bowl-type event--and academic testing in ancient mythology, history and Latin-related subjects. The convention also included sports events, some of which were modeled after Roman and Greek Olympic-style games, and the raucous spirit contests, in which the loudest-cheering school gains points toward the coveted sweepstakes award.

Dressed in togas, the students engaged in something that resembled primal screaming as they tried to capture the spirit award for their schools. Peninsula High School of Palos Verdes won in that category.

By mid-afternoon, teachers and score tabulators were predicting a close race between Peninsula and University High School in Irvine for the top spot overall.

“It’s going to be between us and Peninsula,” predicted Andy Pearson, 16, after winning the boys’ 800-meter race. “We’re the biggest and most competitive.”

The University High School junior signed up to compete in other running events, the basketball and volleyball tournaments and took the maximum three academic tests. Pearson said he feels confident he will earn some gold medals.

Results of the more than 40 contests will be announced today in the Marina gym at 10 a.m. with the winners advancing to the national competition in Ohio in July. Winners also will receive medals and trophies and some students will get scholarships.

The Junior Classical League tests students in everything from Latin vocabulary to performing arts to athletics, both modern and ancient.

But the high-pressured Certamen , which began Friday night, is the most popular event. Each school has a team of four students who compete in the Jeopardy-like game, in which contestants press buzzers to answer questions.

The Certamen is divided into three levels--beginning, intermediate and advanced.

Semifinalists included University High School and Peninsula teams along with teams from Woodbridge High in Irvine and Los Angeles County’s Hoover High.

Ninth-grade student Robert Graham, 14, of Marina answered the question: “What is a Pyrrhic (pronounced pure ick ) victory?” Carefully enunciating each word, he said, “It’s a victory when the costs are too high.” Later he said, “I got it right but I was nervous. I only studied for an hour before the first round Friday.”

His team didn’t make it past the second of three qualifying rounds.

Maile Brossa’s team did, however. The Woodbridge senior answered several questions correctly--with ease, she said. Her team had spent months preparing.

So did most of the top contenders. “This is serious competition,” said Rosalind Harper, a Peninsula Latin teacher. “But there’s a dose of fun in it too.”

Joan Cunning, a teacher who accompanied the Hoover team, agreed. “The hard work that goes into preparing for this is tremendous,” she said. “But the spirit of camaraderie, unity in competition, dedication and self-esteem the kids get from this convention is something they will take with them for the rest of their lives.”

The convention’s president, Lola Stavroudis, a 17-year-old Marina senior, said the event focuses on bringing Latin students together. “Latin is not dead,” she said. “It’s still alive.”

Besides all the competitions, students learned some traditional Greek folk dances, watched “Dead Poets Society,” attended a ballroom dance at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Long Beach and held a mock chariot race.

Marina’s Latin teacher, Lynn Harding, who along with dozens of her students organized the event, said: “Latin students are so much in the minority on high school campuses that this convention is a chance to meet others and feel proud.”