Awudome Senior High School will miss the 2020 edition of the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) after an unexpected defeat during the Volta Regional qualifies.

The Tsito-based school, though not considered top contenders in the Primetime competition, it has consistently made it to the single-elimination stages in recent years.

They were, therefore, expected to run over Akatsi Senior High and Technical School, Sokode SHS and Ave SHS in the Tuesday tie which had one spot at the preliminary stages of the 2020 NSMQ.

Awusco failed to live up to the task, and Akatsi SHTS was there to pick up the spoils.

Ho - End of Contest

Akatsi SHTS 28pts Awudome SHS 22pts Sokode SHS 15pts Ave SHS: 12pts Congratulations Akatsi SHTS!#NSMQ2020 #NSMQ2020RegionalQualifiers pic.twitter.com/vNGFv7gB3B — NSMQ Ghana (@NSMQGhana) February 25, 2020

After matching the favourites toe to toe for the entire contest, the Akatsi-based school snatched their well-fought victory in the final round, guaranteeing their presence at the University of Ghana in Accra come May.

For Awusco, they have to go back to the drawing board and try again next year; and while doing that find a strategy to make it past the one-eighth stage at the nationals.

In 2019, after a decisive victory in the prelims, they were paired with Tepa SHS and Islamic SHS, Kumasi.

An unsatisfactory performance saw them place last in that contest after garnering only 19 points against Tepa SHS’s 40 points which won the contest.