Kellenberg Memorial High advances to quiz show finals

In a Manhattan television studio last month, students from Smithtown High School East and Kellenberg Memorial High School chatted easily with each other, even though they were waiting to tape a quiz show to determine which team would prevail as Long Island's winner.

The teens were familiar with the set - the bright lights, the cameras, the studio audience that cheers and applauds on cue - because they had competed several times against some of the brightest students in Nassau and Suffolk.

"The Challenge" is a Cablevision quiz show where students from the tri-state area compete to test their knowledge of history, arts and literature, science and math. Cablevision owns Newsday.

As the Smithtown and Kellenberg students waited for their competition to start, some discussed Bill Gates while others answered questions posed during a taping of two New Jersey schools competing in the same studio.

Smithtown's Pat Kelly, 18, admitted to feeling "a little nervous" as he sized up his competition, five boys wearing the Uniondale Catholic school's uniform: blazers and ties.

"They all match, we don't," he said, glancing at his teammates, Nicole Tchorowski, 18, Steph Chocko, 17, and Sanjay Palat, 16.

The Kellenberg team also was anxious. "I'm not calm," said captain James Lasker, 18.

Their coach, Brother Nigel Pratt, said Lasker and the team - Zack Benedetto, 17, Kevin Oriani, 17, John O'Brien, 16, and Nik Churik, 16 - practiced every Wednesday for three hours.

"I really don't know how we match up with them subject-wise," said Palat, noting that Smithtown's strategy was to be a well-rounded team. Palat's expertise is math, while Tchorowski knows books, Chocko excels at science and Kelly has a strong grasp of history.

A production assistant entered the room and flipped a coin, which determined that Kellenberg would go first.

Meanwhile, the show's host - Coram native Jared Cotter, 28, a former semifinalist on "American Idol" - took a break for a quick wardrobe change between tapings.

"These kids are incredibly intelligent," said Cotter, who co-wrote the hit song "Down," by Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne. "They're so quick. I'll be reading it and trying to figure out the question."

Cotter said he can relate to the pressure the kids face. The champions of the final round win $10,000 for their school. Each member competing in that round wins $500.

When the cameras started rolling, coach Pratt sat in the audience, clapping loudly whenever a question was answered correctly, regardless of the team.

At the end of the multiple-choice round, the score was tied at 130. By the third round, Kellenberg's students picked up steam with Irish lit, a category with which they seemed comfortable.

In the end, Kellenberg was victorious and advanced to the final show airing tomorrow night on MSG Varsity on Channel 14.

"They knew their stuff," Palat said, "and we wish them luck."