These intellectual athletes enjoy their own Super Bowl

Benjamin Grove

Thursday, Feb. 4, 1999 | 11:29 a.m.

There are no cheerleaders, noisy crowds, or packed stadiums in the Clark County School District's Varsity Quiz championship. But there is a scoreboard.

And on Monday it read: Green Valley High School 130, Valley High 145.

The not-quite-instant replay of the match will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 on KLVX Channel 10.

In a rematch of last year's championship, Valley High defeated its rival -- and last year's winner -- in the district's 30th annual Varsity Quiz championship, an emotional contest that brings together the brainiest students in the valley for a battle of wits.

"It was like all the adrenaline that runs through the Incredible Hulk, and multiply it by 3," Valley senior John Vajner said.

Varsity Quiz contests began in late October with 24 high schools competing for a shot at this week's championship round. The contests follow a simple quiz show format: four students compete for each school as a host reads five-point questions that span a variety of categories, including math, history, science, sports and the arts.

Students begin training -- studying -- for several hours a week in September.

Coordinators and students say Varsity Quiz gives nonathletes a taste of the thrill of competition.

"This is the only place that I get to show off," said Green Valley sophomore Chris Young, one of the youngest captains the school has ever had. "It makes me feel good."

Green Valley has competed in the championship round five years in a row, winning three. Valley students began the third and final round Monday trailing 110-80

"I just sat there with butterflies in my stomach," Valley coach Christena Fox said.

Varsity Quiz students also compete for $5,000 in scholarship money, with $2,000 going to the first place team.

"This is as close to the Super Bowl as we're ever going to get," Valley captain Aaron Hinkley said, clutching his team's lucky tennis ball.