‘Friend against friend'

SKANEATELES - Eleven-year-olds in Heather Buff's class got the fidgets at the very thought of competing against schoolmates last week. State Street School was setting up for its eighth annual Newbery Quiz Bowl May 30 - a Jeopardy-style challenge that saw representatives from six fifth-grade classes match heads over their knowledge of six Newbery Medal books.

Almost, but not entirely forgotten were notions of earning free ice cream cones for their class at Doug's Fish Fry. Two girls and three boys spent most of the time before the event sizing up the competition, assessing their own knowledge and generally psyching themselves up.

“It's like friend against friend,” said Brad Williams, tugging at a T-shirt that read Team Buff.