Moorpark Academic Team Captures Title
For the sixth time in the last decade, Moorpark High School won the Ventura County Academic Decathlon, education officials announced Sunday.
The nine-member team scored a total of 43,278 points, beating its nearest opponent, Santa Susanna High School, by more than 5,000 points. Oxnard High School was third.
“It was a thrill to watch and to see the pride their families have,” said Larry Jones, Moorpark’s coach. “I’m incredibly proud of these kids.”
Teams from Moorpark High won the title in 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998 and 1999. And a Moorpark team was also the 1999 national Academic Decathlon winner.
The awards were presented Sunday afternoon during a ceremony at the Thousand Oaks Civics Arts Plaza. On Saturday, 20 teams packed the Oxnard High School gymnasium for a game-show style event called the Super Quiz, in which Moorpark prevailed.
Final scores were tallied Saturday night and on Sunday morning, following 10 events that spanned two weekends and included testing on subjects such as math, art and science.
The Moorpark team won top honors in all 10 events, Jones said. Additionally, Moorpark students received top individual honors in three categories. The overall individual winner was Moorpark senior Zachary Ramirez, 18.
Moorpark advances to the state finals in Los Angeles next month. The national finals will be held in Anchorage in April.
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