Reigning champion in the National Science and Maths Quiz, Adisadel College has qualified to the final stage of the 2017 edition.

The school stamped its authority after holding off an agressive Ghana National College and University Practice SHS performance in the first of three semis held at the R.S Amegashie Auditorium at the University of Ghana.

The contest served up a very competitive semi-final to the audience as the gap between the three schools at the end of first, second and third rounds was close.

Contestants for the University Practice SHS

But things changed at the end of round four as Adisadel College recorded 36 points, University Practice SHS had 32 points and Ghana National College had 31 points.

Contestants of the three schools appeared to be sitting on thorns as the Quiz Mistress, Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann readied to submerge them into the fifth round and final round.

The auditorium which was alive few minutes after the fourth round was plunged into silence, heightening the apprehension of the contestants.

University Practice SHS contestants inched closer when the Quiz Mistress started reading the first riddle. Kojo Yankah and Godswill Gadzekpo locked their eyes on the quiz mistress' lips as they tried to predict the answer to the riddle.

The duo within seconds answered the first riddle adding three points to their score. Messrs Yankah and Gadzekpo had the second riddle also right increasing the pressure on Adisadel College.

But the three schools had the third riddle wrong to the disappointment of Dr Kaufmann.

The race was narrowed between the 2016 Champion, Adisadel College and University Practice SHS leaving the final riddle as the heart-breaking decider for the two leading schools.

But the magic to Adisadel College's victory came from Ghana National College which answered correctly the final riddle. This  left a point difference between the two schools.

At the end of the contest, Adisadel College had 36 points with University Practice SHS recording 35 points. Ghana National College which did the work for Adisadel College had 27 points.

University Practice SHS would feel hard done by Ghanacol because with no chance to win, they still went ahead to answer the final riddle. Some would say, they should have left it to the two leading schools to draw the sword.

The victory makes the appearance in the finals, the third consecutive time for Adisco.