Tie-Breaker Breaks Achimota Hearts As Experienced Tamale SHS Books Quarterfinal Spot

After a fiercely fought five-round battle, it was a tie-breaker question that saw Achimota School crash out of the 2018 National Science and Math Quiz.

The two-time winners were tipped as likely to be eliminated in Monday's contest, and Tamale Senior High made that prediction come to pass.

They answered the tie-breaker question ahead of Achimota during a tense competition which saw the third opponents Apam also crashing out.

The two leading schools [Achimota and Tamale High] were tied at 45 points each at the end of the contest; pushing the fate of which school should progress to the next stage of the competition into the ‘sudden death’.

After the second clue to the first question, Achimota School rang the bell but answered the riddle question wrongly. Jeremiah of Achimota School who gave the wrong answer was heard audibly apologising to his teammate Sylvia.

Tamale High rang the bell, but also answered wrongly, sending a wild cheer and jubilation from the Achimota students and supporters at the R.S. Amegashie auditorium where the competition was being held.

The next riddle then came and Tamale High School rang on the second clue but answered wrongly. Achimota also attempted but got it wrong as well.

By now the tension in the hall was too hot to elicit any reaction from their supporters.

After a short break, the quiz mistress, Dr Elsie Effah Kaufman, began to read the last riddle and on about, the second or third clue, Yunus of Tamale High -- who had the experience of contesting last year -- rang the bell and answered correctly.

Yes! That sent the whole auditorium into vibration as Tamale SHS progressed with a total of 48 points against Achimota’s 45 points.

“The mighty have fallen,” one Tamale SHS supporter said.

Apam Senior High School finished behind with 35 points.

Achimota SHS took an early lead in the match. After eating up a lot of bonus points, they ended the first round with 18 points with Apam SHS following with 15 whileTamale SHS trailed with 14 points.

The speed race saw Tamale SHS overtaking Apam SHS. They also stood on the heels of Achimota School with 20 points against Achimota’s 21 and Apam sat below with 17.

The Problem of the Day shot Tamale SHS to the top with 26 points, while Achimota SHS trailed 3 points behind them. Apam SHS, meanwhile, added only 2 points to complete that round with 17 points.

The True or False round proved positive for all the schools and the points became very close.

After a tough battle in the last round, Apam accumulated 35 points and Achimota and Tamale SHS had the tiebreaker to deal with.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com| Oswald K Azumah| [email protected]