MANSFIELD – Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center once again hosted high school teams from the surrounding area in Friday’s Academic Challenge tournament.
Students competed as teams, answering questions about a wide range of topics including literature, fine arts, geography, history, math, and science.
At the varsity level, 18 teams faced off in two brackets. The winner of each bracket then faced off to determine the ultimate champion.
Lexington (winner of bracket A) took the overall championship, with the team of Katie S, Thomas S., Maggie S, and Wes H.
Ashland (winner of bracket B) took runner-up overall with team members Andy Roblin, Jacob Stump, Andrew Pascarella, Anna Slade, Rachel Robinson, and Alice Cao.
In the junior varsity tournament, there were 16 teams competing in two brackets. The top teams from each bracket faced off in the final.
For bragging rights, Ashland B, composed of Erica Cao, Micah Mauriocourt, Jocelyn Honaker, Jaden Backensto, Jacob Slade, and Logan Frazer squeaked out the victory by only one point over fellow schoolmates on the Ashland A team.
Prior to the tournament, Mid-Ohio ESC hosted the High School Winter Academic Challenge League in a virtual format.
In varsity league competition, the 14 competing teams split into two divisions.
The winner of Division A was Mount Vernon with team members Emily Hammond, Nick Grega, Makenna Hughes, John Humphrey, and Charlie Comfort.
The winner of Division B was Lexington with team members Katie S., Thomas S., Maggie S., Wes H., and Seth D.
The junior varsity league winner was the team from Lexington with members Grant M., Chloe D., Jen C., Jacob H., Russell C., and Matthew W.
The runners-up came from Ashland B. Team members were Erica Cao, Logan Frazer, Jocelyn Honaker, Micah Mariocourt, Jaden Backensto, and Jacob Slade.
Colleen Haynes, Mid-Ohio ESC Gifted Coordinator, said both the tournament and league ran very smoothly.
“It was exciting watching these students in action. On display was not only a wealth of knowledge, but also a deep sense of integrity and good sportsmanship! Congratulations to all student participants.”
The 4th through 8th grade Academic Challenge teams also continued its season this month. Many coaches, students, and parents expressed their excitement to be experiencing in-person tournaments once again as over eighty teams convened these past two weeks at Mid-Ohio ESC.
On March 9, the 5th grade meet was held, and the A Team from Mansfield’s Spanish Immersion took the top spot.
Members were Noah King, Liam McCumsky, Jarrett Bame, Asher Robbins, and Mason Weidemeyer. Meanwhile Lexington’s team of Odin S., Noah T., Sirar G., and Jesse S. placed second.
On March 10, 4th graders competed with two teams tying for first. Wooster’s Cornerstone Elementary team with members Sloane Hoffee, Nevan Starlin, Everett Kelly, and Arlo Dodd; and Lexington Central’s team with Silas M., Timmy J., Coulter S., and Aiden S. were the dual champions.
On March 15, the A Team from Wooster emerged the victor among the 6th grade competitors. Team members were Andrew James, Eli Dean, Nόemi Bokrossy, and Josiah Sexton.
The Crestview A Team of Carter Blum, Zoe Kuhn, and Titus Kelley placed second.
Competitors in 7th and 8th grade competed on March 16.
Wooster Team A came in first place with team members Luci Dean, Brooklyn Chelakadan, Tim Michel, Braelynn Sexton, Danny Jeon, and Aaron Vandegrift.
Second place went to Danica Sturgill, Bryce Tudor, Chris Lucas, and Cameron Porter of Madison Team A.
“Students brought so much enthusiasm as they competitively interacted, bringing even more fun to these meets,” Ally Schleichert, Mid-Ohio ESC Gifted Coordinator said. “Congratulations to all the teams, but especially to our champs!”
MOSEC
Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center provides specialized academic and support services to 11 school districts and over 18,000 students in Crawford, Morrow and Richland Counties. Client districts receive services from curriculum, gifted and special education consultants, speech pathologists, psychologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists and physical therapists.
