Cottondale academic teams win 2025 Academic Bowls

The Cottondale Middle and High School academic teams earned top honors at the 2025 Jackson County Academic Bowl held March 14 at Chipola College, showcasing their knowledge and teamwork in a competitive quiz bowl-style event.

The high school division featured eight teams from across the county, with some schools fielding multiple squads. Six teams competed in the middle school bracket. After a day of intense intellectual competition, Cottondale emerged victorious in both divisions.

Coach Clay Dilmore, who has led numerous championship teams over the years, expressed pride in his students’ performance. “I’m not sure how many teams I’ve coached that have won this tournament, probably six or seven over the years,” Dilmore said. “Since the county switched to NAQT’s format, this has been a fun tournament for us. We’ve fortunately been competitive for the past several years.

In the middle school division, two Cottondale students stood out in particular: Elijah Reynolds and Royce McLeod. Reynolds was the top overall scorer in the tournament, helping lead his team to victory.

“Our kids work hard, and it shows,” said Dilmore. “Elijah and Royce were incredible, and we also have great talents like Landon Pumphrey, John Ross Green, and Mason Seay. I’m blessed to coach such a hardworking and driven group of students.”

Despite their recent success, Coach Dilmore also took a moment to highlight the growing rivalry with Marianna High School (MHS), giving praise to Coach Christi Shelfer and Taylor Munroe for their program’s impressive progress.

“I want to give a shout out to Christi Shelfer and MHS,” he said. “They beat us at the Chipola Invitational on May 9. Their program has grown by leaps and bounds this year, and I hope we can improve our game and make this rivalry something that pushes both of our teams towards national competitiveness.”

As Cottondale continues to build its academic legacy, the school community celebrates the hard work and dedication of its students and coaches, and looks forward to more success in future tournaments.

Both teams and Coach Dilmore were recognized Thursday afternoon at the school board at the combined workshop and meeting. The Board congratulated the teams and their coach for a job well done.