Princeton High School scholastic bowl wraps up ‘breakthrough’ 2024-2025 season

Princeton High School’s Scholastic Bowl Team continued to build upon its recent successes throughout the 2024-25 season, solidifying its reputation as one of the top programs in the area.

The season was marked by record-breaking achievements, particularly for the varsity team, while the JV squad displayed growth and development.

Varsity team summary

The 2024-25 varsity team achieved a historic season, setting new benchmarks for success that had not been seen in over a decade. This exceptional team compiled an impressive record of 71-31, boasting a 74% win rate.

The most significant achievement of the season was winning the Three Rivers Area Conference Championship for the first time in program history.

“I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication this team has shown all season,” said Coach Brody Anderson. “This team was truly special, accomplishing things that hadn’t been done in many years. I have no doubt they will go far in life. I’m also excited about the future of the program with our JV team moving up. Under continued training, they are going to be a formidable force, and I look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the coming years.”

This feat was especially meaningful as Princeton had not captured a conference title since the NCIC era under former coach Tameran Polowy. The conference win was a testament to the dedication and hard work of the players and coaching staff.

Another moment came when Princeton made its first appearance at the NAQT State Tournament, finishing fifth in the Small Schools Division while defeating traditional powerhouses like Winnebago, Eureka and St. Teresa.

Senior Clayton Rokosz stood out with a 10th place finish in individual scoring at the tournament. The team continued its impressive run of firsts, with three players – Tim Lewis, Clayton Rokosz, and Max Wilborn – earning IHSSBCA All-Sectional Honors in the same year, an achievement for the program.

The team also made its mark in several tournaments throughout the season, with notable finishes including: second place at Riverdale Early Season Tournament, second Place at Streator Rotary, where Max Wilborn claimed first place overall, and Clayton Rokosz placed 10th on the All-Tournament team; third Place at La Salle-Peru Invitational “Nerd Bowl,” where Princeton JV took first place in their division; third Place at Masonic Sectionals; thirrd Place at Winnebago Invitational, the team’s best performance at this tournament since 1996; fifth Place at the NAQT State Tournament (Small Schools Division); runner-Up at the IHSA Regionals.

Individually, the team’s top performers included: Max Wilborn (senior): 335 tossups (first Place All-Conference, IHSSBCA All-Sectional Honors); Clayton Rokosz (senior): 284 tossups (second place All-Conference, IHSSBCA All-Sectional Honors); Tim Lewis (senior): 118 tossups (15th Place All-Conference, All-Sectional Honorable Mention); Gavin Pinter, (senior): 101 tossups (19th Place All-Conference); Arianne Tirao (senior): 53 tossups.

Individual awards presented at the end-of-season banquet were: Legacy Award: Arianne Tirao (four-year player); MVP: Clayton Rokosz; Most Improved: Tim Lewis; Sportsmanship: Gavin Pinter; Most Toss-Ups: Max Wilborn.

The Princeton JV team made a statement this season, achieving growth and progress under the guidance of Assistant Coach Wendy Fredrickson.

“This has been a season that built into a perfect crescendo,” Fredrickson said. “The JV team’s season started slow and quiet during the practice season and quickly built up steam to become a strong team that stayed strong to a finish that was heard far and wide. I am proud and honored to be the coach of such a phenomenal group of students. Their dedication to practice really showed in their success.”

The JV team nearly tripled its win total from the previous year, concluding the season with a highly impressive record of 38-13 and a win rate of 75%.

Notable achievements included: first Place at La Salle-Peru Invitational “Nerd Bowl” where they defeated Geneseo, Putnam County, Kaneland, Streator and Sterling; first place at Kaneland Invitational, part of a week where they swept all eight matches; second place in the Three Rivers Conference, highlighted by a 230-120 victory over Sherrard to conclude the season.

Key individual performers for the JV team included: Trevyn Munson (freshman): 233 tossups (MVP, Butterfield Tournament, first place L-P Invitational); Hanna Claiborne (sophomore): 103 tossups; Aiden Robinson (freshman): 89 tossups; Isabella Simmering (sophomore): 38 tossups.

End-of-season awards for the JV team included MVP: Isabella Simmering; Most Improved: Hanna Claiborne; Sportsmanship: Illyana Jones; Most Toss-Ups: Trevyn Munson.

The 2024-25 season was a breakthrough year for the Princeton Scholastic Bowl program, defined by hard-fought victories, first-time accomplishments and continued growth.

The establishment of the Tiger Cup Invitational, a new local tradition aimed at revitalizing scholastic bowl competition in the area, further showcased Princeton’s dedication to expanding the program’s reach and influence.

The 2024-25 season was one of Princeton’s most successful in history, highlighted by a conference championship, strong tournament performances and the launch of the Tiger Cup Invitational. This new tradition, which Princeton won by going undefeated, was designed to provide a local tournament for area teams and beyond, continuing to grow the quiz bowl community.

With the growth of the JV team and the leadership demonstrated by the varsity team, the future of the PHS Scholastic Bowl program looks brighter than ever. The Princeton Scholastic Bowl Team thanks the administration, school board, parents, community members and the Princeton Masonic Lodge for their continued support and generosity in hosting its end-of-season banquet.