I think most of us are familiar with the tale of David polishing off Goliath, and many of us, I'm sure, have enjoyed a film called "Hoosiers" in which a small Indiana high school basketball team reached the state's finals and somehow pulled off a miracle. Well, this is one of those rare stories wherein heart, determination and intellect won the day against impossible odds and made thousands of Napans proud of 10 of our children.

A few weeks ago at St. Bernard's High School in Playa del Rey, the St. Apollinaris 2005 Academic Decathlon team, winner of the Santa Rosa Diocese title for the sixth time in the nine-year history of the event pulled off another miracle. Our kids took on the best and brightest, the "Big Guys" from the Diocese' of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernadino among other talented teams and became the first Catholic Academic Decathlon team in the state to have won the championship twice, (2001 and 2005.)

But, let's begin at the beginning, and for me that was an interview of Jan Andres, an amazing lady and mom of St. A students, who coached the team this year as she'd done in 1997 and 1998 when the academic tournament began.

Jan outlined the rugged endurance test's 10 events, two of them team efforts involving a Logic Quiz and a Super Quiz sandwiched around eight individual events including Religion, English, Literature, Science, Mathematics, Current Events, Social Studies and Fine Arts, a grueling test of anyone's intellect, a sort of "Super Jeopardy" faced head on by extraordinary children.

She also explained the scoring system in a contest in which a maximum of 24,000 points may be awarded and how important those two team efforts really are. Each of the eight individual efforts are worth a maximum of 1,000 points each, while the two team efforts hold the key to success, valued at 8,000 points maximum for each test.

I asked Jan how the team was gathered and what prepping went on and learned that it started with St. A's principal Pat Granucci, who used report cards and teacher interviews to identify likely candidates for the team. If Pat Granucci ever decides to become a "Major League" scout, a job awaits her. She, with the help of her teachers, can sure come up with winners.

Jan told me of the work that goes on to shape an academic team who must keep up with their school work, but must also be drilled in their specialties in the time permitted, to go up against California's best Catholic school scholars.

This year, St. A's Academic Decathlon team consisted of six eighth-graders; Paige Andres, Math; Mark Marden, English/Spelling; Dustin Moon, Science; Nick Richmond, Social Studies; Miranda Ruane, Fine Arts and Gianna Wright, Literature. Also, four seventh-grade students, Maggie Agardi, Current Events; Jeff Dunbar, Religion; Alex Schutz, Team and Sara Warner, Team. Ten remarkable and very brave young people.

After the team won the Santa Rosa Diocese championship this year, the sixth time for St. A's in the tournament's nine-year history, they were off to the state finals to meet the best and brightest that the much larger California Dioceses had to offer in the state championship in Los Angeles. Time would prove that our exceptionally bright students would stand up to the test.

When the last question had been answered, our children had once again done us proud. In the team events each worth 8,000 points, St. A's had tied for first in the Super Quiz and placed second of nine schools competing in the Logic event. In addition, Richmond won the individual test in Social Studies with a score of 960 out of a possible 1,000 points and both Andres and Moon took second place honors. As Jan Andres mentioned, "It was a total team effort," and that effort chalked up 18,413 points out of a possible 24,000 to crown "our" champions, who won going away.

At the end of the rainbow was a well earned stopover at Disneyland, and if any kids earned a treat, our 10 Napa champions did.

Jan asked me to mention the many good people who lent a hand, and starting of course with the children's' parents. Here goes. So hats off to Pat Granucci and Santa Rosa Superintendent of Schools' Dr. John Collins. Congratulations and thanks to all of St. A's teachers and a special thanks to Jim Mulvey, seventh-grade social studies and Carolyn Smith, eighth-grade English and spelling. Also Willie Kempskey, advanced math; Bridget Ring, literature; Jeanne Huffsmith, science; Michelle Hoffman, current events; Sister Philomena, religion and love and caring and so many more.

In closing, our appreciation to Jan and her husband Tom, and Jan's loyal and tireless assistant coaches, Karen Egan and Cindy Richmond who led the victory march.

Last, but not least, a salute to the late Father Michael Cleary who demanded academic excellence in his school and got it, with the 2001 team giving him a final present and "Hurrah" with a state championship, and then there's "Father Joe," Monsignor Joseph Alzugary, who has taken up the flame and he too strives for academic excellence. So this victory was for both the late Father Mike and the thankfully present "Father Joe."

Ev Parker can be reached at evjenpar@mailbug.com or at 224-9956.