Lower Lake Academic Decathlon Coach Nancy Harby, Emily Riggs and Kate Lyons at the awards ceremony. Photo by Robert Riggs.

LOS ANGELES – Three students won individual medals as a team of nine Lower Lake High School students, led by coach Nancy Harby, represented Lake County in the 28th Annual California Academic Decathlon, which concluded Sunday in Southern California.

In the Varsity category for Division III schools, Jared Focose won a bronze medal for Art and Jamie Walker won a bronze medal for Economics. Focose and Walker won their medals Friday in competition conducted at the LAX Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles.

Also in Division III Varsity, Kayla Huff garnered her bronze medal for Interview on Saturday at a competition conducted at Venice High School in Venice.

The Lower Lake team earned the right to represent the county last month when they captured the Lake County Academic Decathlon championship, snapping the seven-year reign by Upper Lake.

The Lower Lake students praised the benefits of participating in the competition, both at the county level and in the state competition.

Focose, one of the state medalists, said the competition greatly improved his study skills. “I had never really studied for anything else, before this,” he commented.

Lower Lake scored 33 points Saturday in the Super Quiz relay, the public portion of the competition, which occurred at the Collins Court of the John Wooden Center on the campus of University of California, Los Angeles.

In other announced results for Norcal Division III schools in the public portion of the Super Quiz, St. Helena scored 27 points; Marysville, 34; and Novato, 37.

Emily Riggs registered the top overall score among the Lower Lake participants in the competition. Riggs was awarded a $500 scholarship for placing among the top high school seniors in the 2007 Academic Decathlon.

The other “decathletes” from Lower Lake High School representing Lake County at the state event included Team Captain Kate Lyons, Emmalena Illia, Manual Pantoja, Anthea Tuley and Joe Riggs.

Fifty-five schools from venues throughout California appeared in the three-day event.

The Division III overall team gold medal winner was Summerville Union High School from Tuolumne County. Yosemite Union of Madera County won silver, while Novato High School of Marin County captured the third place bronze medal.

Northern California swept the top three team honors in Division II competition. Vanden High School of Solano County finished first, while Oakdale (Stanislaus) was silver and Casa Grande of Sonoma won the bronze.

At left, Kayla Huff won her bronze medal in Interview; center, Jamie Walker won a bronze in Economics; and Jared Focose, pictured with Joe Riggs, won a bronze medal for Art.

{mos_sb_discuss:2}