Radnor, PA – After an exciting and closely contested match against Radnor High School and Upper Darby High School, Marple Newtown High School captured the 78th Delco Hi-Q Championship, claiming the prestigious Donna Zerby Trophy.
Marple Newtown entered this year’s championship determined to finish the job after coming up just short last season as the runner-up. The team battled through a challenging semi-final round to earn another opportunity at the title.
Upper Darby returned to the Championship stage for the first time in more than two decades, marking its 22nd appearance in the finals and its first since 1999. Radnor High School, competing on its home stage, entered the championship as the regular-season powerhouse after finishing first out of 21 teams.
The championship contest lived up to the moment. The match began at a fast pace, with all three teams answering question after question correctly. The lead shifted between Marple and Radnor several times, and by halftime Radnor held a narrow two-point advantage, leaving the outcome wide open. In the second half, Marple Newtown took a bold risk by buzzing in on a Toss?Up question before it was fully read by Quizmaster Rick Durante, answering correctly and picking up an extra four points.
With every team answering their remaining questions correctly, the match came down to the final math Toss-Up. After Upper Darby and Radnor answered incorrectly, Marple Newtown buzzed in with the correct response with only two seconds left, claiming the extra four points to seal the win.
Fans from all three schools, including teachers, students, and administrators, filled the auditorium in strong support of their teams. The audience also included elected officials such as State Representative Heather Boyd and State Representative Lisa Borowski, while Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon delivered opening remarks. Final Scores: Radnor: 53; Upper Darby: 35; Marple Newtown: 58
Following the thrilling conclusion, Marple Newtown was awarded the Donna Zerby Trophy as the 2026 Delco Hi-Q Champion. Representatives Steve Buxton of the Henderson Foundation, Mike Magnavita, CEO of Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union, and Dr. Maria Edelberg of the Delaware County Intermediate Unit presented the trophy. FMFCU Foundation also awarded $3,000 to Marple Newtown, while Radnor received $2,500 for their second-place finish and Upper Darby earned $2,000. With the win, Marple Newtown advances to the National Hi-Q Championship, which will be held virtually this spring, where they will represent Delaware County on the national stage.
Delco Hi-Q is the oldest, continuous academic quiz competition in the United States, and is a partnership between Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) and FMFCU Foundation. FMFCU Vice President Rick Durante serves as Executive Director and Quizmaster, FMFCU Assistant Vice President Danielle Griffin as Hi-Q Assistant Director, and DCIU’s Dave Bramble as the production engineer. In addition to support from participating schools, Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union and the Wilbur C. and Betty Lea Henderson Foundation are the primary corporate sponsors. Additional support comes from longtime sponsors Kimberly-Clark Corporation and the Delaware County Daily Times.
