Local Team 5th at Academic Decathlon

A team of nine students from Simi Valley High School placed fifth Sunday in the California Academic Decathlon in Fresno and seventh in the competition’s rowdy Super Quiz.

“We’re overwhelmed,” Simi Valley coach Ken Hibbitts said. “Our goal was to place, but when we hadn’t by sixth I thought it was all over.”

A team from El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills was declared state champion in the weekend-long event, which tested students’ knowledge of topics ranging from economics to fine arts. Laguna Hills High School in Orange County placed second, Beverly Hills High School was third and Leland High School in Santa Clara County captured fourth place.

Simi Valley racked up 44,112 points out of a possible 60,000 in the overall competition, and 4,472 points out of a possible 6,000 in the Super Quiz, which is composed of a multiple-choice test and an intense “College Bowl”--type portion that the public is invited to attend.

The Simi Valley students won six individual medals, which were presented during a Sunday ceremony.

“I’m just excited and relieved,” said Michelle Artran, who won three of the medals.

“I don’t even know how to describe how I’m feeling,” said a jubilant Marilyn Artran on her daughter’s achievements. “I’m just amazed and pleased.”