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.
Bryan Vogt (Hamilton County) 35
Keegan Neikes (Sesser-Valier) 35
Trenton Martin (Zeigler-Royalton) 35
Haley Kirkpatrick (Christopher) 24
Jace Cross (Hamilton County) 24
Logan Bowen (Zeigler-Royalton) 62
Cole Buchanan (Benton) 25
Cohen White (Hamilton County) 16
Tyler Buntin (Benton) 16
1st Zeigler-Royalton High School
2nd Sesser-Valier High School
3rd Christopher High School
1st Keegan Neikes (Sesser-Valier) and Trenton Rose (Christopher)
2nd Brylee Martin (Zeigler-Royalton)
1st Haley Kirkpatrick (Christopher)
2nd Zevon Zimbro (Sesser-Valier)
3rd Katie Keith (Sesser-Valier)
1st Evan Beasley (Zeigler-Royalton)
2nd Lucas Smith (Thompsonville), Brennan Pasquino (Zeigler-Royalton) and Eowyn Smith (Wayne City)
1st Tanner Johnson (Webber)
2nd Brennan Pasquino (Zeigler-Royalton), Melanie Henson (Thompsonville) and Logan Bowen (Zeigler-Royalton)
1st Logan Bowen (Zeigler-Royalton)
2nd Stella Krelo (Zeigler-Royalton)
3rd Rachel Mathis (Waltonville)
1st Trenton Rose (Christopher)
2nd Brylee Martin (Zeigler-Royalton)
3rd Alayna White (Wayne City)
1st Wyatt Shively (Zeigler-Royalton) and Raylin Scott (Sesser-Valier)
2nd Declan Potmas (Zeigler-Royalton)
1st Hamilton County High School
2nd Benton Consolidated High School
3rd Pinckneyville Community High School
1st Bryan Vogt (Hamilton County)
2nd Alyssa Brokering (Pinckneyville)
3rd Eli Schlag (Benton)
1st Docker Tedesche (Benton), Gavin Hansen (Hamilton County) and Eli Schlag (Benton)
2nd Alayna Degler - (Pinckneyville) and Landen Carter (Pinckneyville)
1st Jace Cross (Hamilton County) and Bryan Vogt (Hamilton County)
2nd Ethan Kessler (Hamilton County)
1st Cole Buchanan (Benton)
2nd Logan Kelly (Pinckneyville)
3rd Graeme Barclay (Benton)
1st Addison Renshaw (Hamilton County)
2nd Megan Fechter (Hamilton County)
3rd Brylee Varner (Hamilton County)
1st Cohen White (Hamilton County)
2nd Riley Spencer (Benton) and Parker Johnson (Benton)
1st Tyler Butin (Benton)
2nd Henry Wallace (Hamilton County)
3rd Docker Tedesche (Benton) and Parker Johnson (Benton)
1st Mt. Vernon Township High School
1st Zuri Das
2nd Jakiya Sosa
3rd Blake Brown
1st Lily Houle
2nd Gabe Willis
3rd Alistair Clodi
1st Charles Romines
2nd Liam Asbery
1st Liam Asbery
2nd Eli Harris
3rd Drake Hefner
1st Zuri Das
2nd Lily Houle
3rd Alistair Clodi
1st Eli Harris
2nd Logan Armstrong
3rd Ethan Muller
1st Ethan Muller
2nd Silas Stachyra
3rd Logan Armstrong and Drake Hefner