Prince Frederick, Md. – More than 150 middle school students from 18 schools gathered at Calvert High School on Saturday, February 5, 2025, to put their math skills to the test in the 31st annual Southern Maryland MATHCOUNTS competition. The event challenged participants with fast-paced problem-solving rounds, rewarding top performers with the opportunity to advance to the statewide competition.
MATHCOUNTS, a national program designed to encourage mathematical excellence among middle school students, has been a stepping stone for young minds pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. According to program data, three out of four MATHCOUNTS alumni go on to major in STEM fields, a rate nearly three times the national average.
Credit: SMECO
From left, coach Taren Long, Benji McGee, Sterling Muchnick, Chadrik Kingrey, and Austin Worner. Credit: SMECO
From left, coach Mary Skulski, Jaxson Cooper, Harshal Shah, Emily Mynes, and Landon Quick. Credit: SMECO
From left, coach Michele Atwell, Alex Vo, Oscar Neto, Austin Frazier, and Jack Flaherty. Credit: SMECO
From left, coach Carrie Pendleton, Liam Horn, Tobias Dorn, Zebulun Gaines, and Eleanor Sinclair. Credit: SMECO
From left are coach Kathy Dempster, Zac Gingue, and Jacob Byun from Northern Middle School. Gingue placed first in the individual round, which is based on combined scores in the sprint and target rounds. Byun placed second. Credit: SMECO
From left, coach Kathy Dempster, Zac Gingue, Jacob Byun, Gage Reese, and Julio (JJ) Castillo. Credit: SMECO
The competition consisted of multiple rounds designed to assess students’ speed, accuracy, and critical thinking skills. It began with the sprint round, in which competitors answered 30 questions individually, followed by the target round, where students solved complex problems under timed conditions.
In the individual competition, determined by combined scores from the sprint and target rounds, Zac Gingue and Jacob Byun of Northern Middle School took first and second place, respectively.
The top 12 competitors then faced off in the countdown round, a fast-paced, head-to-head contest where they had just seconds to respond to verbal math questions. Zebulun Gaines of Windy Hill Middle School came out on top, while Tigran Krbashyan of The Calverton School finished as the runner-up.
Teamwork took center stage in the final round, as groups of four students collaborated to solve ten challenging problems within 20 minutes. Northern Middle School secured first place with a strong performance by team members Jacob Byun, Julio (JJ) Castillo, Zac Gingue, and Gage Reese, led by coach Kathy Dempster. Windy Hill Middle School followed in second place with teammates Tobias Dorn, Zebulun Gaines, Liam Horn, and Eleanor Sinclair, coached by Carrie Pendleton. Spring Ridge Middle School in St. Mary’s County took third place, with team members Jack Flaherty, Austin Frazier, Oscar Neto, and Alex Vo, under the guidance of coach Michele Atwell. Esperanza Middle School and Chesapeake Public Charter School rounded out the top five.
The competition was made possible by sponsors SMECO and the public school systems of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties. Volunteers from SMECO played a crucial role in scoring tests and ensuring a smooth competition.
Winners of the Southern Maryland chapter competition will advance to the Maryland state MATHCOUNTS contest at McDonogh School in Owings Mills. The top four individual competitors from the state event will earn an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in May for the national championship.
