The 2002 Texas Large School Championship was held in Wichita Falls from March 1st to 3rd.
Scoring Controversy
In 2002, the top four large school teams in Texas were separated by only 518 points. The Houston chronicle reported that "lost scores and computer snafus by decathlon officials" occurred at the competition, postponing the awards ceremony and causing confusion over the results. A Texas Academic Decathlon official testified that a competitor from J. Frank Dobie High School turned in his written Super Quiz scantron form to the proctor with the score card inside the testing booklet instead of on top of the booklet, as instructed by the proctors. His Super Quiz written score was disqualified and he received zero points. The competitor, however, testified that he "followed all procedures and placed his testing card on top of the testing booklet on his desk, leaving it for the proctor to pick up." http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3531270
Dobie did not receive individual subject scores until all testing was completed; upon discovering the disqualification, the team demanded an internal audit of the TAD officials' actions, which the TAD complied with. Despite the audit's discovery that the missing written Super Quiz scored 495 out of 600, which would have placed Dobie ahead of Lubbock in score, Lubbock was awarded the State Championship. All competition materials from the state championship were subsequently destroyed per USAD rules; Dobie considered this destruction of evidence.
Dobie (located in Houston) went to a Houston judge, who ordered a rematch between the two schools to determine the State Champion. Lubbock went to a Lubbock-area judge, who declared Lubbock High School the rightful winner. When Lubbock refused to attend the rematch, the Houston judge declared J. Frank Dobie High School the State Champion. Finally, the Texas Supreme Court took up the case just days before the National Competition began. Lubbock claimed that there were also testing irregularities that penalized their team and matched or exceeded in point value what Dobie claimed it deserved.
The Texas Supreme Court ruled that the courts should not be involved in the administrative decisions of a private organization and overruled the Houston decision, clearing the way for Lubbock to compete at Nationals legally. By that time, both teams had already left Texas for Arizona and received the news shortly before Nationals began. J. Frank Dobie High School did not compete at Nationals.
Catherine Lee, a Lubbock decathlete, said of the incident, "It's been kind of surreal."
Media Coverage
Lubbock Online NPR Broadcast Irving ISD
Houston Chronicle Coverage:
03/23/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3529864
03/28/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3531270
03/30/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3531937
04/03/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3532895
04/04/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3533289
04/05/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3533676
04/09/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3534648
04/10/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3535116
04/11/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3535349
04/12/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3535830
04/15/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3536431
04/16/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3536600
07/08/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3561283
08/13/2002: http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3572148
Overall Team Scores
Large Schools
| Rank |
Team |
ISD |
Score
|
| 1 |
Lubbock High School |
Lubbock |
47,740
|
| 2 |
J. Frank Dobie High School |
Pasadena |
47,381
|
| 3 |
Keller High School |
Keller |
47,303
|
| 4 |
Nimitz High School |
Irving |
47,222
|
| 5 |
James E. Taylor High School |
Katy |
46,002
|
| 6 |
Plano Senior High School |
Plano |
45,017
|
| 7 |
Martin High School |
Arlington |
44,975
|
| 8 |
Clements High School |
Fort Bend |
44,925
|
| 9 |
Plano East Senior High School |
Plano |
44,777
|
| 10 |
Edward S. Marcus High School |
Lewisville |
43,926
|
| 11 |
William Howard Taft High School |
Northside |
43,689
|
| 12 |
Garland High School |
Garland |
43,475
|
| 13 |
Richard King High School |
Corpus Christi |
43,339
|
| 14 |
Duncanville High School |
Duncanville |
42,918
|
| 15 |
Monterey High School |
Lubbock |
42,891
|
| 16 |
Richardson High School |
Richardson |
42,617
|
| 17 |
Creekview High School |
Carrolton-Farmers Branch |
42,542
|
| 18 |
Arlington High School |
Arlington |
42,497
|
| 19 |
Oliver Wendell Holmes High School |
Northside |
42,452
|
| 20 |
Clear Creek High School |
Clear Creek |
42,440
|
| 21 |
La Porte High School |
La Porte |
42,217
|
| 22 |
Coronado High School |
Lubbock |
41,916
|
| 23 |
Lamar High School |
Arlington |
41,647
|
| 24 |
Fossil Ridge High School |
Keller |
41,541
|
| 25 |
Katy High School |
Katy |
41,018
|
| 26 |
Sandra Day O'Connor High School |
Northside |
40,916
|
| 27 |
Pasadena High School |
Pasadena |
40,623
|
| 28 |
Moody High School |
Corpus Christi |
40,459
|
| 29 |
Klein High School |
Klein |
39,813
|
| 30 |
Kempner High School |
Fort Bend |
39,532
|
| 31 |
Rowlett High School |
Garland |
39,431
|
| 32 |
Harlingen High School |
Harlingen |
38,997
|
| 33 |
Deer Park High School |
Deer Park |
38,667
|
| 34 |
Coronado High School |
El Paso |
37,879
|
| 35 |
De Soto High School |
De Soto |
37,605
|
| 36 |
Marshall High School |
Marshall |
37,602
|
| 37 |
W.B. Ray High School |
Corpus Christi |
37,363
|
| 38 |
Mansfield High School |
Mansfield |
37,318
|
| 39 |
Bryan High School |
Bryan |
37,011
|
| 40 |
Harlandale High School |
Harlandale |
30,267
|
Medium Schools
| Rank |
Team |
ISD |
Score
|
| 1 |
Friendswood High School |
Friendswood |
47,250
|
| 2 |
New Caney High School |
New Caney |
44,706
|
| 3 |
J. J. Pearce High School |
Richardson |
43,441
|
| 4 |
Flour Bluff High School |
Flour Bluff |
43,341
|
| 5 |
Frisco High School |
Frisco |
40,296
|
| 6 |
Pine Tree High School |
Pine Tree |
40,058
|
| 7 |
Uvalde High School |
Uvalde |
37,378
|
| 8 |
Estacado High School |
Lubbock |
37,222
|
| 9 |
Hillcrest High School |
Dallas |
37,032
|
| 10 |
Alamo Heights High School |
Alamo Heights |
36,980
|
| 11 |
Burges High School |
El Paso |
36,750
|
| 12 |
Lamar High School |
Arlington |
36,506
|
| 13 |
Montgomery High School |
Montgomery |
36,467
|
| 14 |
Carroll High School |
Corpus Christi or Carroll |
36,444
|
| 15 |
W.T. White High School |
Dallas |
36,158
|
| 16 |
Alice High School |
Alice |
36,156
|
| 17 |
Tivy High School |
Kerrville |
36,011
|
| 18 |
Nederland High School |
Nederland |
35,860
|
| 19 |
Waxahachie High School |
Waxahachie |
34,995
|
| 20 |
Highland Park High School |
Highland Park |
34,439
|
| 21 |
Luther Burbank High School |
San Antonio |
33,517
|
| 22 |
San Marcos High School |
San Marcos |
33,120
|
| 23 |
West Mesquite High School |
Mesquite |
32,435
|
| 24 |
Santa Fe High School |
Santa Fe |
32,179
|
| 25 |
Poteet High School |
Mesquite |
30,464
|
Small Schools
| Rank |
Team |
ISD |
Score
|
| 1 |
Taylor High School |
Taylor |
38,940
|
| 2 |
Robert G. Cole High School |
Fort Sam Houston |
34,942
|
| 3 |
Westwood High School |
Westwood |
34,869
|
| 4 |
Sinton High School |
Sinton |
33,717
|
| 5 |
Bandera High School |
Bandera |
33,241
|
| 6 |
Stacey High School |
Lackland |
33,045
|
| 7 |
Splendora High School |
Splendora |
32,080
|
| 8 |
Huntington High School |
Huntington |
31,830
|
| 9 |
Lago Vista High School |
Lago Vista |
31,702
|
| 10 |
Somerset High School |
Somerset |
31,401
|
| 11 |
Liberty High School |
Liberty |
30,929
|
| 12 |
Hudson High School |
Hudson |
30,336
|
| 13 |
Dalhart High School |
Dalhart |
30,188
|
| 14 |
Randolph High School |
Randolph Field |
29,607
|
| 15 |
Goliad High School |
Goliad |
29,435
|
| 16 |
Denver City High School |
Denver City |
27,569
|
| 17 |
Diboll High School |
Diboll |
25,671
|
| 18 |
Aubrey High School |
Aubrey |
24,954
|
| 19 |
Palacios High School |
Palacios |
23,065
|
| 20 |
Cleveland High School |
Cleveland |
22,572
|
Large School Individual Results
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
Reza Mojtabaee-Zamani |
Keller |
9,167
|
| 2 |
Grant Boroughs |
Keller |
8,703
|
| 3 |
Ryan Navejar |
Moody |
8,630
|
| 4 |
Unknown |
Clements |
8,578
|
| 5 |
Patricia Peter |
Lubbock |
8,523
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
Melody Cole |
Chester W. Nimitz |
8,423
|
| 2 |
Catherine Lee |
Lubbock |
8,293
|
| 3 |
Unknown |
J. Frank Dobie |
8,063
|
| 4 |
Unknown |
Unknown |
7,963
|
| 5 |
Eric Miller |
Keller |
7,940
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
Unknown |
J. Frank Dobie |
8,200
|
| 2 |
Marco Hinojosa |
Taft |
7,991
|
| 3 |
Unknown |
J. Frank Dobie |
7,618
|
| 4 |
Jonathan Scott Larson |
Taft |
7,574
|
| 5 |
Unknown |
Plano East |
7,495
|
| 6 |
Christopher Haug |
Chester W. Nimitz |
7,480
|
Art
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
Reza Mojtabaee-Zamani |
Keller |
|
| 3 |
Grant Boroughs |
Keller |
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Economics
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
Reza Mojtabaee-Zamani |
Keller |
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
Alan Taylor |
Keller |
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Essay
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
Rachel Carter |
Keller |
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Interview
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
Reza Mojtabaee-Zamani |
Keller |
|
| 3 |
Patrick Lan |
Keller |
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
Eric Miller |
Keller |
|
| 2 |
Lam Huynh |
Marcus |
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Language and Literature
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
Reza Mojtabaee-Zamani |
Keller |
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Mathematics
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
Reza Mojtabaee-Zamani |
Keller |
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
Rachel Carter |
Keller |
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Music
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
Reza Mojtabaee-Zamani |
Keller |
|
| 2 |
Patrick Lan |
Keller |
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Science
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
Grant Boroughs |
Keller |
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Speech
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
Grant Boroughs |
Keller |
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
Lam Huynh |
Marcus |
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Super Quiz
Honors
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
Reza Mojtabaee-Zamani |
Keller |
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
Scholastic
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
Alan Taylor |
Keller |
|
Varsity
| Rank |
Student |
School |
Score
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
