Travis Griffard studies, sure, but the extra time isn't that necessary.

He just tends to retain most of what he learns in class, he said.

"People always told me I'm too smart, all through middle school and high school," the senior at Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy said on Tuesday.

But if you're in a science competition and there's a buzzer in front of you, teasing a win, too smart is what you want.

That was true for Charter's varsity academic team this Saturday, when Griffard and his teammates took home a second place trophy from the Inland Northwest Science Bowl competition at Whitworth University in Spokane.

The event included 54 teams from 27 schools, some smaller than Charter and some considerably larger, said Darren Gabrielsen, the academic team teacher.

"Considering the size of our school and the ones we were going up against, the competition felt like David and Goliath," Gabrielsen said, adding that the 5-member varsity team went up against 11 different schools.

Tapping a buzzer when they knew the answers, the teenage academics fielded high school and college-level questions about everything fun under the science umbrella, including biology, physics, mathematics and chemistry.

Gabrielsen noted that while Charter had previously competed against other Idaho schools, this year they were grouped in with eastern Washington schools with larger populations.

Pullman High School, the final school Charter went up against, took first place.

"The coach said all of the team but one were kids of professors," Gabrielsen said. "It's a tough group of kids."

The team regrets missing nationals, but second place was still a victory, said senior and varsity member Jonah Grubb.

"Realistically, it's sort of what we expected," the 18-year-old said, referring to the schools they were up against.

The Charter team prepared with practice questions during daily class time with Gabrielsen, Grubb added, and by researching popular science bowl subjects.

"Glacier questions come up all the time," said Grubb, who plans to study physics after graduating.

Varsity member Michael Harlan, 16, added that he reads scientific journals for fun anyway, which helps. Leif Fredericks, also a team member, agreed he enjoys reading up on subjects that already appeal to him.

There's a reason these guys are on the academic team, after all.

"Foremost is following your own curiosity," Grubb said.