Unitil applauds champs following another successful season on popular NH PBS academic quiz show   

HAMPTON, N.H., (May 21, 2025) – Merrimack High School claimed its third championship title in a row and fifth overall after defeating Tilton School during this season’s “Granite State Challenge” championship game.

Merrimack’s reigning champs beat Tilton with a final score of 570 to 310 in the long-running academic quiz show that aired May 15 on New Hampshire PBS. The only school to win five championships in the game’s 43-year history, Merrimack has taken home the title in 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 and now 2025.

Unitil is a lead sponsor of the popular game show, which features high school students from across New Hampshire putting their academic knowledge to the ultimate test. 

“We would like to congratulate Merrimack on another big win, but the exceptional members from Tilton’s team should also be proud of their hard work and accomplishments this season as they made it to the championship, which is no easy task,” Unitil External Affairs Director Alec O’Meara said. “The outstanding team from Merrimack continues to impress year after year. It’s also remarkable that only one player on this year’s team competed in last year’s championship game and the rest were newcomers, which speaks to the winning strategy that the team’s coaches have developed as these bright high school students prepare for competition.”

“Granite State Challenge” requires players to demonstrate quick reflexes and factual recall in all major disciplines – math, science, social studies, language arts, and fine arts. The teams are also questioned about current events, entertainment, sports, and topics specific to New Hampshire.

Susan Adams, education manager at New Hampshire PBS and co-producer of “Granite State Challenge,” described the students who participate in the game as “well-rounded, curious, enthusiastic and some of the best representatives of New Hampshire.”

“This was an exciting year for Granite State Challenge. We had the youngest team, Bedford High, make it to the semifinals, the team from the Tilton School was brought together as part of a senior legacy project by one of the players, and the team from Merrimack High was going for a record-breaking third win in a row and a fifth overall win since 2021. Their only defeat came at the hands of Portsmouth High in 2022,” Adams said.

Students on the Merrimack team were seniors Erin Murray, team captain, Liam MacIsaac, and Maeve LaRock, along with junior Avis Clever, who served as an alternate last year. The team’s three alternates were senior Hikari McDowell and juniors Lauren Murby and Bridget Clark. The team was coached by chemistry teacher Dr. Sara Campbell and physics teacher Liz Dumais.

Playing for Tilton were seniors Lex Condodemetraky, captain, and Sebastian DeVeaux, and juniors Niko Condodemetraky and Jamie Scott. Junior Turner Bottomley and sophomore Nathaniel Colon served as alternates. The team was coached by Spanish teacher Keelan Mackenzie, and Lauren Robinson, a social media and content specialist.

For players on the Merrimack team, the secret to their success is simple: lots of hard work.

“The kids are really the driving force. They have to decide how much they want it, and I have been blessed to have students who are driven the last seven or eight years. They are the ones who are in my room whenever they are free, or practicing at home,” Campbell said.

But preparation is also key to Merrimack’s historic winning streak. The players practice everything from trivia to buzzing to the interview portions with Campbell playing the role of game show host Jon Cannon.

“Watch the game, practice the game. Make sure that your team knows what to expect from start to finish. That will provide them with a comfort level while at the studio for filming that will allow them to focus solely on the questions, and not the rules,” she said.

While most of the players were new this year, they’ve gained experience with trivia competition through New Hampshire Quiz Bowl League, which holds regular tournaments for students. Campbell said she believes that having the students participate in trivia-based competitions helped them adapt to “Granite State Challenge” much faster.

Murray, the team’s captain, was the only player who competed in last year’s championship game. She became hooked on the game when she used to stay for practices and help out when her older brother, Rainier, served on the team. She began to know the questions, was able to buzz-in faster and was inspired to keep going.

“I think the most challenging part of this year was coordinating a team. At the start of the season we struggled to get the team together due to greatly conflicting schedules and personal plans. Things got better toward the end of the season, but I was definitely a bit nervous that we would struggle with teamwork at the beginning,” Murray said.

She stressed that the team owes much of its success to Campbell, who “pushed us every practice and put the pressure on from the beginning to work really hard.”

MacIsaac also praised Campbell for her efforts to create a winning team. “She is extremely dedicated to making us the best team possible and does a great job of getting the team prepared for every match,” he said.

As a first-year player, MacIsaac said he always enjoyed playing trivia with his family.

“I was very impressed by the success the team had in the past and I wanted to try to match that same success myself. The competition was extremely competitive and fun. I am so glad I decided to do it as it is probably one of my favorite things I ever did, and getting to raise the championship trophy above my head was the cherry on top,” he said.

LaRock also competed for the first time this season after being encouraged by Murray, her friend, and her father.

“The experience was better than I ever imagined. Our team became so close and I enjoyed staying after school every day to practice with them. I also learned a lot about myself, and that I was more capable than I originally thought. I would say the most challenging thing about competing is the individual pressure you put yourself under. Everyone makes mistakes, gets questions wrong, and feels stupid at times, but you have to remember that you are trying your best and that your team is always there to support you,” she said.

While this season is now over, teams will soon begin preparing for next year. Campbell said she’s always willing to share advice with anyone who will listen. She even offered tips to help Bedford High School get its team set up to compete.

“The best thing you can do is to simulate the game. Don’t just practice toss-ups, practice Three Strikes and 60-second rounds. Practice with buzzers. A lot of our opponents will comment on how fast we are at buzzing, and that’s because we practice that a lot. If any coach wants to get in contact with me for a more in-depth conversation, I would be more than happy to talk with them,” she said.

For more information on “Granite State Challenge,” visit nhpbs.org/gsc.