INA, Ill. (February 7, 2025) — The brightest young minds from area high schools went head-to-head Wednesday at Rend Lake College. It was the annual Academic Challenge in Engineering and Sciences (ACES) Regional where Zeigler-Royalton, Hamilton County and Mt. Vernon took home top team honors.
The competition included students from Benton, Christopher, Hamilton County, Mt. Vernon, Pinckneyville, Sesser-Valier, Thompsonville, Wayne City, Webber, and Zeigler-Royalton. Students were tested in biology, chemistry, computer science, English, graphics, mathematics and physics.
OVERALL WINNERS
Biology
Bryan Vogt (Hamilton County) 35
Keegan Neikes (Sesser-Valier) 35
Trenton Martin (Zeigler-Royalton) 35
Chemistry
Haley Kirkpatrick (Christopher) 24
Computer Science
Jace Cross (Hamilton County) 24
English
Logan Bowen (Zeigler-Royalton) 62
Engineering Graphics
Cole Buchanan (Benton) 25
Mathematics
Cohen White (Hamilton County) 16
Physics
Tyler Buntin (Benton) 16
Meet the Teams
Benton Consolidated High School
Christopher High School
Hamilton County High School
Mt. Vernon Township High School
Pinckneyville Community High School
Sesser-Valier High School
Thompsonville Schools CUSD 174
Waltonville High School
Wayne City High School
Webber Township High School
Zeigler-Royalton High School
2025 ACES Regional Team & Individual Results
Division 300
TEAM WINNERS
1st Zeigler-Royalton High School
2nd Sesser-Valier High School
3rd Christopher High School
Biology
1st Keegan Neikes (Sesser-Valier) and Trenton Rose (Christopher)
2nd Brylee Martin (Zeigler-Royalton)
Chemistry
1st Haley Kirkpatrick (Christopher)
2nd Zevon Zimbro (Sesser-Valier)
3rd Katie Keith (Sesser-Valier)
Computer Science
1st Evan Beasley (Zeigler-Royalton)
2nd Lucas Smith (Thompsonville), Brennan Pasquino (Zeigler-Royalton) and Eowyn Smith (Wayne City)
Engineering Graphics
1st Tanner Johnson (Webber)
2nd Brennan Pasquino (Zeigler-Royalton), Melanie Henson (Thompsonville) and Logan Bowen (Zeigler-Royalton)
English
1st Logan Bowen (Zeigler-Royalton)
2nd Stella Krelo (Zeigler-Royalton)
3rd Rachel Mathis (Waltonville)
Mathematics
1st Trenton Rose (Christopher)
2nd Brylee Martin (Zeigler-Royalton)
3rd Alayna White (Wayne City)
Physics
1st Wyatt Shively (Zeigler-Royalton) and Raylin Scott (Sesser-Valier)
2nd Declan Potmas (Zeigler-Royalton)
Division 700
TEAM WINNERS
1st Hamilton County High School
2nd Benton Consolidated High School
3rd Pinckneyville Community High School
Biology
1st Bryan Vogt (Hamilton County)
2nd Alyssa Brokering (Pinckneyville)
3rd Eli Schlag (Benton)
Chemistry
1st Docker Tedesche (Benton), Gavin Hansen (Hamilton County) and Eli Schlag (Benton)
2nd Alayna Degler - (Pinckneyville) and Landen Carter (Pinckneyville)
Computer Science
1st Jace Cross (Hamilton County) and Bryan Vogt (Hamilton County)
2nd Ethan Kessler (Hamilton County)
Engineering Graphics
1st Cole Buchanan (Benton)
2nd Logan Kelly (Pinckneyville)
3rd Graeme Barclay (Benton)
English
1st Addison Renshaw (Hamilton County)
2nd Megan Fechter (Hamilton County)
3rd Brylee Varner (Hamilton County)
Mathematics
1st Cohen White (Hamilton County)
2nd Riley Spencer (Benton) and Parker Johnson (Benton)
Physics
1st Tyler Butin (Benton)
2nd Henry Wallace (Hamilton County)
3rd Docker Tedesche (Benton) and Parker Johnson (Benton)
Division 1500
TEAM WINNERS
1st Mt. Vernon Township High School
Biology
1st Zuri Das
2nd Jakiya Sosa
3rd Blake Brown
Chemistry
1st Lily Houle
2nd Gabe Willis
3rd Alistair Clodi
Computer Science
1st Charles Romines
2nd Liam Asbery
Engineering Graphics
1st Liam Asbery
2nd Eli Harris
3rd Drake Hefner
English
1st Zuri Das
2nd Lily Houle
3rd Alistair Clodi
Mathematics
1st Eli Harris
2nd Logan Armstrong
3rd Ethan Muller
Physics
1st Ethan Muller
2nd Silas Stachyra
3rd Logan Armstrong and Drake Hefner
