2021-2022

Millbrook High School

The Goeller Cup Playoffs were officially back for the 2021-2022 school year. In addition, the MVP award returned, and, for the first time in history, had an official name: The Helmerich Award. This MVP award is named after the other French teacher at Mount Nittany Middle School during Mr. Bracken's student teaching semester. Although he did not directly work with her, Mr. Bracken recognizes the important role played by all teachers at MNMS and State College Area School District in his educator training. Naming this award after Mrs. Kristina Helmericg paid tribute to her influence and assistance during his time at Mount Nittany Middle.

2021-2022 marked the first year that each class had a “team name” and logo (versus 2019 when the logos were all the same with different period numbers). The class logos and team names this year were all intended to be French-related puns. For example, Period 3 was called "The Three Kings" (Les tRois) as the word kings (rois) is a part of the word for three (trois). Period 8 was called "les huîtres" (the oysters) because it contains the number eight in it (huit). Not all classes had a pun name and were maybe just inspired by something French. Each logo, except for two, contained stars representing the class level of French. The only logos lacking stars are for Period 8 and for Period 4.

The competition format was broken into four segments: the first three marking periods would each serve as a competition with a shorter fourth competition would be held in the final two weeks before spring break. At the end of these four contests, classes would be ranked and seeded into the Bracken Bracket for the 2022 Goeller Cup Playoffs. The first-ranked class would earn a first-round bye and automatically advance to the semi-final round of the playoffs.

2021-2022 French Classes:

Period 1

Les Macarons

Period 3

Les tRois

Period 5

Les Cinq Gaulois

Period 6

Les Triomphants

Period 7

L'Éclair

Period 8

Les Huîtres

2021-2022 Non-French Classes:

Period 4

Trail Time

2021-2022 Défi ClassDoJo Regular Season

First Quarter

The first quarter competition started during the first week of school and ended on 15 October 2021. Team points were generally higher than in previous years because the duration of the contest was 9 weeks as opposed to only 2-3 weeks. Period 5, a French I class, won the first quarter contest, earning 751 points. They inherited first-place in the standings by default of the win and they earned one win point.

Quarter 1 Results

Period 5 (French I) -- 751 points
Period 1 (French II) -- 722 points
Period 3 (French II) -- 700 points
Period 6 (French III/IV) -- 649 points
Period 8 (French I) -- 639 points
Period 4 (Trail Time) -- 526 points
Period 7 (French III/IV) -- 322 points

Second Quarter

The second quarter competition ran from mid-October to 13 January 2022. Period 5, winners from quarter 1, dropped significantly in the standings, though they earned more points. Period 1 secured the victory in this quarter by just 7 points over Period 6, earning 1,021 points. They also managed to take over first place in the standings thanks to this victory, earning one win point and overpassing Period 5's point total this round.

Quarter 2 Results & Standings

Results:

Period 1 (French II) -- 1,021 points
Period 6 (French III/IV) -- 1,014 points
Period 3 (French II) -- 966 points
Period 8 (French I) -- 922 points
Period 7 (French III/IV) -- 886 points
Period 5 (French I) -- 882 points
Period 4 (Trail Time) -- 861 points

STANDINGS:

Period 1 (French II) -- 1 WIN -- 1,743 points
Period 5 (French I) -- 1 WIN -- 1,633 points
Period 3 (French II) -- 0 WINS -- 1,666 points
Period 6 (French III/IV) -- 0 WINS -- 1,663 points
Period 8 (French I) -- 0 WINS -- 1,561 points
Period 4 (Trail Time) -- 0 WINS -- 1,387 points
Period 7 (French III/IV) -- 0 WINS -- 1208 points

Third Quarter

The third quarter started after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and ended on 25 March 2022. Period 6 (French III/IV) won the contest with 1,286 points. The victory provided them with 1 win point and overtook Period 5 and Period 1 to claim the top seed.

Quarter 3 Results & Standings

Results:

Period 6 (French III/IV) -- 1,286 points
Period 8 (French I) -- 1,149 points
Period 1 (French II) -- 1,076 points
Period 3 (French II) -- 949 points
Period 7 (French III/IV) -- 888 points
Period 5 (French I) -- 879 points
Period 4 (Trail Time) -- 619 points

STANDINGS:

Period 6 (French III/IV) -- 1 WIN -- 2,949 points
Period 1 (French II) -- 1 WIN -- 2,819 points
Period 5 (French I) -- 1 WIN -- 2,512 points
Period 8 (French I) -- 0 WINS -- 2,710 points
Period 3 (French II) -- 0 WINS -- 2,615 points
Period 7 (French III/IV) -- 0 WINS -- 2,096 points
Period 4 (Trail Time) -- 0 WINS -- 2,006 points

Fourth Quarter

The fourth contest was a short two-week competition that started at the beginning of the 4th marking period and lasted until spring break on 13 April 2022. The idea of this series was to be a "last chance" opportunity for a class to earn a late-season victory and move up in the standings. Period 7 (French III/IV) and Period 8 (French I) tied in points for this short contest, both earning 490 points. The tie was broken by looking at the negative points for each class. Period 7 had only lost 37 points whereas Period 8 lost 62. Therefore, Period 7 was awarded the victory. Both classes were only one point ahead of Period 1 which earned 489 points.

Quarter 4 Contest Results & Final Regular Season Standings

Results:

Period 7 (French III/IV) -- 490 points [-37 points]
Period 8 (French I) -- 490 points [-62 points]
Period 1 (French II) -- 489 points
Period 5 (French I) -- 425 points
Period 3 (French II) -- 424 points
Period 6 (French III/IV) -- 381 points
Period 4 (Trail Time) -- 334 points

FINAL STANDINGS:

Period 6 (French III/IV) -- 1 WIN -- 3,330 points
Period 1 (French II) -- 1 WIN -- 3,308 points
Period 5 (French I) -- 1 WIN -- 2,937 points
Period 7 (French III/IV) -- 1 WIN -- 2,586 points
Period 8 (French I) -- 0 WINS -- 3,200 points
Period 3 (French II) -- 0 WINS -- 3,039 points
Period 4 (Trail Time) -- 0 WINS -- 2,340 points

2022 GOELLER CUP PLAYOFFS

This school year would mark the second time that the Goeller Cup would be awarded to the winning class of this end-of-year competition and the third time ever that this single-elimination contest was held.

ROUND 1

Period 6 (French III/IV) earned the overall top-seed for the playoffs and an automatic berth into the semi-finals with 1 win and 3,330 points. Period 1 (French II)’s first-round matchup was against Period 4 Trail Time, the Millbrook version of study hall. Third-ranked Period 5 (French I) faced sixth-ranked Period 3 (French II) and fourth-ranked Period 7 (French III/IV) took on fifth-ranked Period 8 (French I). Through each class's first two days of competition in round 1, there was a lot of back-and-forth, especially between Periods 7 and 8. Notably, even Period 4 Trail Time managed to stay close to Period 1 for their first two days. Mr. Bracken was out sick on what would have been the third class day of competition so the duration of round 1 was changed from 5 class periods to 4 to keep even time between classes.

#2 Les Macarons vs. #7 TrailTime

In the first round, Period 1 (Les Macarons) eliminated Period 4 (TrailTime) by a score of 3-2. They only trailed in the series after the first day of competition, which was a class day for Period 4. The TrailTime students did keep it interesting by winning overall points (329-326) and positive percentage (100%), but they were unable to gain an upper hand in any of the other categories.

Total Points

329 vs. 326

Avg.Pts. per Student

23.29 vs. 14.30

Positive Point %

100% vs. 96.47%

French Usage %

28.49% vs. 11.85%

Highest Student

37 vs. 27

#3 Les Cinq Gaulois vs. #6 Les tRois

Period 3 (Les tRois) maintained at least a 4-1 lead throughout the entire first round and won the series by the same score against Period 5 (Les Cinq Gaulois), who started with a major disadvantage due to negative points during their first competition day. Period 5 was only able to rally from their negative first day to win overall points. With the Period 3 victory, a semi-final battle between French II classes - Period 1 vs. Period 3 - was set. This was the only series of the first round where the lower-seeded team advanced.

Total Points

343 vs. 305

Avg.Pts. per Student

23.46 vs. 14.29

Positive Point %

99.35% vs. 90.26%

French Usage %

30.62% vs. 17.89%

Highest Student

42 vs. 31

#4 L'Éclair vs. #5 Les Huîtres

The series between Periods 7 (French III/IV) and Period 8 (French I) was extremely competitive. It was a historic series, at the time setting points records in four of the five categories between the two classes. The two classes combined for a total of nearly 1,000 points. Period 7 was on A Days and Period 8 was held on B Days. After each class day, the lead would shift back and forth between the two classes, often with all five categories leaning to one side. Entering the final day, Period 7 was ahead 5-0. Period 8 had the last class of the round but in the end, it was Period 7 who secured a 3-2 win, marking the first day that the series lead did not change. Their first-round victory set up a semi-final match-up between French III-IV classes, facing off against top-seeded Period 6.

Period 5 set a record (at the time) for the most points in a playoff series with 576 points and the most points earned by one student at 46. Period 7 set records (at the time) for the highest average points per student at 29.35 and French usage percentage (36.45%).

Total Points

576 vs. 499

Avg.Pts. per Student

29.35 vs. 24.00

Positive Point %

97.27% vs. 92.16%

French Usage %

36.45% vs. 33.28%

Highest Student

46 vs. 39

ROUND 2 | SEMI-FINALS

#1 Les Triomphants vs. #4 L'Éclair

Period 6 eliminated Period 7 in the semi-final round by winning 3 categories to 2. Another close series that essentially hinged on the results of positive points percentage with an extremely close margin. Period 6 won it 92.83 to 92.19, a difference of only 0.64 points! Period 6 also took total points and French percentage (259-236 and 26.52%-24.22%, respectively). This is the first time in Goeller Cup history that a 6th-period class advanced to the finals.

Total Points

259 vs. 236

Avg.Pts. per Student

13.88 vs. 11.77

Positive Point %

92.83% vs. 92.19%

French Usage %

26.52% vs. 24.22%

Highest Student

33 vs. 32

#2 Les Macarons vs. #6 Les tRois

Period 3 eliminated Period 1 in the semi-final round by a score of 3-2 which came down to the fifth and final day of competition. It was a close battle that changed hands throughout the series. Period 3 won average points per student, positive point percentage, and French-speaking percentage. They lost the highest-earning student category by 1 point and overall class points by 7.

This is the second time that a Period 3 class advanced to the finals; the first being the inaugural playoffs at State College Area School District.

Total Points

343 vs. 305

Avg.Pts. per Student

23.46 vs. 14.29

Positive Point %

99.35% vs. 90.26%

French Usage %

30.62% vs. 17.89%

Highest Student

42 vs. 31

ROUND 3

2022 GOELLER CUP FINAL

Period 6 "Les Triomphants" versus Period 3 "Les tRois"

#1 Les Triomphants vs. #6 Les tRois

In the 2022 Goeller Cup Finals, Period 3 defeated Period 6 by a final score of 3-2, becoming the 2022 Goeller Cup Champions. Period 6 started off their first day in a challenging position with their positive point percentage at 85% but they recovered over the next four class periods to bring it up to 98%. Period 3 did not lose any points in the Finals until the last day of competition. This ended up being the deciding category, with a margin of only 0.45 separating the two - the closest margin in history, favoring Period 3! They were a smaller class, so they held an advantage - and won - in the Average Point per Student category. Period 3 also was able to pass Period 6 in French-speaking points on the final day. Khris M. was awarded the Helmerich Award as the MVP for earning the most points during the playoffs. Every student in Period 3 was a first-time winner of the Goeller Cup.