In a storybook ending to an already incredible season, Morris High School has captured its first-ever National Championship – seizing the Very Small School title at the 2025 NAQT Very Small School National Championship Tournament (SSNCT).
The determined students of Morris fought their way through a gauntlet of 148 of the nation’s best teams, finishing with a jaw-dropping 14-2 record. Their only two losses? Both at the hands of the overall national champions from West Point High School – a testament to the elite company Morris now keeps.
But among the very small schools, there was no one better.
‘This is what dreams are made of ’ is no doubt the sentiments of Coach Jeremy Avery, along with his team feels, beaming with pride.
“The tournament was an incredible experience. We competed with the best teams in the country and found ourselves among the very elite,” Avery said.
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NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
NATIONAL
championsh/p
April 25-27.2025 Hyatt Regency O’Hare A Dream Season for Morris
The national title was the crowning jewel in what has been a truly magical run for the Morris Academic Team:
• District Champions
• Regional Champions
• 2025 OSSAA 3A State Academic Champions
• Now – National Champions Morris fielded two fierce teams in the Traditional Public Schools Division (for schools under 500 students): • Team A: Captain Ean Merrill, Gage Dixon, Nicole Gehring and Keyton Tiger-Harjo
• Team B: Captain Braden Ramirez, Avery Berry, Grace Bowling and Maximos Frazier With lightning-fast buzzer reflexes and encyclopedic knowledge spanning science, history, math, literature, mythology, geography and pop culture, the Morris students put on a display that will be remembered for years to come. Many of these students had already sharpened their skills on national stages:
• Merrill and Tiger-Harjo competed at the 2024 High School National Championship in Atlanta.
• Bowling and Frazier gained experience at the 2024 Middle School Nationals near Chicago.
• Berry, Dixon, Gehring, Merrill and Tiger-Harjo were key players in the 2024 SSNCT playoff run.
— Coaches Who Built a Dynasty
Behind the scenes, coaches Jeremy Avery and Diana Force were the architects of this historic success – bringing experience, strategy and relentless belief in their students.
The students did everything – They studied. They pushed themselves. They refused to quit. Every single point, every single match – they earned it.
The NAQT SSNCT is widely regarded as the ultimate proving ground for small school programs. It isn’t just a battle of smarts – it’s a battle of endurance, speed and sheer willpower. And Morris rose to the challenge, silencing doubters and making believers across the nation.
— A Legacy Begins
Just one year ago, Morris hinted at greatness, placing eighth overall in the 2024 SSNCT playoffs.
This year, they finished the mission. They etched their name forever into the national record books.
Today, Morris High School stands proudly – not just as champions, but as inspiration for small schools everywhere: proof that with teamwork, passion and grit, even the smallest towns can achieve greatness on a national stage.
Congratulations to the 2025 NAQT Very Small School National Champions – Morris High School!
You made history. And this is just the beginning.
