ELLISVILLE – The big powerhouse high schools wasted no time in demonstrating they are on the road to the championship again with dominating performances and big scores. Proving they can repeat as champions, the Wayne County War Eagles seized the Heidelberg High School Oilers and didn’t relent with a commanding, 77 to 20 win. As two of the teams in the Engineering Division, Wayne County set the pace in the points column taking the lead in the division. Last year, the Oak Grove Warriors lost in the championship round to the War Eagles so expect the two foes to tangle all season. In their match this week, the Warriors slayed the Quitman Panthers, 70 to 26, giving Oak Grove the second place spot in the division and Quitman ended up in third place.
Returning Wayne County Math Coach, Ashley Phillips was part of the 2008 and 2011 Wayne County Math Bowl Championship teams. While he’s not new to the “competitive spirit” at Wayne County, he is new to the Bobcat Math League format.
“I understand after the first week how the Math League requires our students to earn their position in the finals, just as a football team would earn a spot in the playoffs,” said Phillips. “I am proud of the outcome of our first match and I am proud of all fifteen members that we have representing our school this year. I feel that we will be very competitive this season and have a great shot at being Champions again because that is the goal that we have set for the team.”
Surprises within the Science Division between perennial contenders Northeast Jones, Presbyterian Christian and West Jones High Schools allowed the Mustangs to land on top as Division leaders. The Mustangs trotted their way to the lead over the Raleigh Lions with a convincing, 44 to 29 win. The match between the Bobcats of Presbyterian Christian and the Tigers at Northeast Jones ended in a 40-40 tie. In the final playoffs in 2017, PCS managed to knock off West Jones, to capture the overall third place winners spot, leaving the Mustangs in fourth place. Anticipate a fierce fight in the Science Division over th
e next five weeks with three top teams each planning to be in the playoffs. With 13-teams participating this season, division rankings are likely to change often with at least one team being “forced” to take a “bye” each week. Laurel High School had this week off and West Jones has the “bye” in week two. These variables have West Jones Math Coach, Courtney Hagan, concerned.
“I am nervous about our team this year because most of my students are new to the team. I have three returning players. I am hopeful we will do pretty well since we only have four matches this year, but I know there is a learning curve for the students when it comes to the advanced STEM questions. I definitely miss the days of just math questions, but sometimes those STEM questions are the ones that help our score. Overall, I am excited to have some younger students that I can rebuild a team with for the next couple of years,” said Hagan.
In the Technology Division, it is not surprising that Sacred Heart dominated competition and is starting the season as division leaders. Fighting on home turf, the Sacred Heart Crusaders cruised to victory over the Wayne Academy Jaguars, 77 to 30. Columbia Academy’s Cougars trounced on the Perry Central Bulldogs, 45 to 5, taking the second place rank in the division with the clear win. Expect the Crusaders to prove they deserved more after going home in the 2017 playoffs in fifth place, tied with Quitman.
A three-way tie exists amongst the top students who accurately answered the most questions. The top Most Outstanding Players with a 70 percent accuracy rate are Matthew Morgan of Presbyterian Christian, Warren Parker of Columbia Academy and Benjamin Dunn of Sacred Heart. Seven “mathletes” tied for fourth place in the individual competition with students scoring a 60 percent accuracy average.
Next week, expect a battle to secure division rankings with Northeast Jones hosting Laurel High School, and Presbyterian Christian enters the lion’s den as they face Raleigh at Jones College. Perry Central hosts division leaders, Sacred Heart and the two academies face off with the match between Columbia Academy and Wayne Academy taking place at Jones College. The Quitman Panthers host its division leader, the Wayne County War Eagles, and Heidelberg hosts the Warriors of Oak Grove.
Results will be posted on the JC Bobcat Math League web page under “Division Standings/Schedules at: http://www.jcjc.edu/bobcatmathleague/ and scores in real time will be posted on the Bobcat Math League Facebook page: Bobcat Math League – Facebook. Weekly results can also be found in local media outlets. For more information about the Bobcat Math League contact Dr. Jessica Bunch (JC Bobcat Math League Commissioner) at 601-477-5422 or email at jessica.bunch@jcjc.edu.