El Camino Real Wins Citywide Decathlon; West High Captures County Competition

El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills won the Los Angeles City Academic Decathlon, edging out University High School in West Los Angeles by five points--the narrowest margin in the 11-year history of the competition in city schools, officials announced Tuesday.

In the separate decathlon competition among 68 Los Angeles County high schools, West High School in Torrance captured its second straight title.

The academic decathlon gives high schools a way to recognize students with brains in a manner usually reserved for athletes with brawn. Teams of nine students compete on multiple-choice tests in subjects ranging from economics to fine arts to mathematics. Students compete as a team in the “Super Quiz,” the game-show style contest that is the decathlon’s only public event.

Each of the decathlon’s 10 events has a possible 10,000 points. The city and county competitions were held Nov. 16 and the results were announced Tuesday at separate banquets.

At the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, where more than 1,600 people attended the city awards banquet, officials said El Camino Real accumulated 48,250 points out of a possible 60,000, eking out a victory over University High School, which had 48,245 points. Taft High School, also in Woodland Hills, was third with 47,460. El Camino also won the city competition in 1989.

More than 1,000 people turned out for the county schools’ banquet at the Quiet Cannon Restaurant in Montebello. West High, with 44,911 points, edged out William S. Hart High School in Newhall by 232 points in the potential total of 60,000 for the 10 events. Glen A. Wilson High School in Hacienda Heights finished third with 44,010 points.

The winning schools will compete in the state decathlon March 6-8 at Cal State San Bernardino for the right to represent California April 10-12 in the national competition in Boise, Ida.