Valley High School Wins State Academic Decathlon

A team of jubilant students from a Woodland Hills high school edged out its Orange County rival Sunday to win the California Academic Decathlon and gain a berth in next month’s national competition in Atlanta.

The El Camino Real High School whiz kids relished their victory after a tension-filled awards ceremony during which they claimed 40 individual medals before their team was declared the overall winner.

“What can you say?” El Camino Coach David Roberson said moments later. “The California competition was tough, but these kids were great.

“We’re going to Atlanta,” he said, beaming.

It was the second time in four years that El Camino, representing the Los Angeles Unified School District, has captured the state decathlon.

LAUSD has been turning out powerhouse teams; the winner of the local contest has won the state title for the last four years.

At the end of the two-day competition among 42 teams, El Camino had racked up 49,239 points out of a possible 60,000, narrowly beating Orange County’s Laguna Hills High School, which chalked up 48,419 points. Beverly Hills High School placed third, Simi Valley High School was fifth, and a private school, Alemany High School in Mission Hills, captured ninth place.

Beverly Hills student Eyal Kimchi took top honors for scoring the single most points in the event, 8,602.

The awards ceremony capped a competition that required students to write essays, give speeches and be tested on topics ranging from economics to fine arts. The finale was Saturday’s Super Quiz, a rowdy multiple-choice contest not unlike a game show, conducted before cheering friends and family.

“I’m shaking, it’s just so exciting,” said El Camino team member Arabella David after her team was declared the champion. “There was a lot of stress and doubt. . . . We just didn’t know if Laguna Hills was going to beat us or not.”

“I just can’t believe it,” said an emotional Eldar Brodski, a senior. “I was praying and praying and I guess it paid off.”

Working with two dedicated coaches and studying for seven hours each day after school, as well as on the weekends, probably had something to do with it too. “The kids definitely earned this,” said Sharon Markenson, the assistant coach.

Even going into the event, El Camino was viewed as a strong contender because of its high scores in a LAUSD competition in November.

By comparison, Alemany, which won the private school decathlon in November, was considered an underdog. It was the first time that the Mission Hills team had advanced to the state contest.

Toward the end of Sunday’s award ceremony, El Camino team members were so heavily draped with individual medals that a sound resembling jingle bells broke out each time one of them rose to accept another award.

But it was the wait for the final announcement that nearly sent the students over the edge. The nine team members nervously grasped one another’s hands as the second-place winner was about to be announced.

When Laguna Hills’ name was called out, the El Camino students went wild, knowing that they had won. The realization hit Sarah Sabolek and her teammates, and they screamed and hugged as photographers and boosters engulfed them.

After collecting their awards, Sabolek and the others walked onstage where the Laguna Hills team stood, having already accepted the second-place trophy.

“I’m a little disappointed,” said Laguna Hills’ Khanh Gui, who appeared shaken after she left the stage. “We worked really hard, but El Camino put on a great fight. They were awesome.”