SYLACAUGA, Ala. – The Pinecrest third grade Mathletes continue to excel in math competitions. The Mathletes won first place in the Virtual Perennial Math National Tournament. The group qualified for nationals by also winning first place in the Dothan Perennial Math competition earlier this month.
Team members include Landon Crocker, Jagger Thomas, Alyssa Pruitt, Caitlyn Holcomb, Nevaeh Livingston, Catie Beth Henderson, Kade Waites, Marlee Reeves, Kendall Holcomb, Hayden Hubbard, and Blaine Harris. Karen Blocker is the coach of the third grade team.
Caitlyn Holcomb placed ninth individually, and rounding out the top 20 were Jagger Thomas, Landon Crocker, Nevaeh Livingston, and Alyssa Pruitt. This team placed first over schools such as ACCESS Academy, Stevens Creek, and Chapel Hill.
The fourth grade team placed in the top ten nationally with team members Anderson Shaw, Casey Malone, Maggie Watkins, Maddie Pope, and Ava Richardson. Anderson Shaw placed fifth individually out of more than eighty competitors. Casey Malone placed fifteenth, and Samantha Carden and Maggie Watkins both had top 25 finishes. Olivia Harmon coaches the fourth grade team.
Pinecrest had two fifth grade teams that placed in the top ten with team members Ashley Murphy, Anna B Shaw, Maddie Hickman, Ben Bearden, Hunter Mims, Lauren Seaborn, Trenton Wellborn, Raya Wingfield, Max Simon, and Lucas Boozer. Maddie Hickman finished in the top 25. Anna Johnson is the coach of the fifth grade team.
Nichols-Lawson Middle School also fielded two teams in the national tournament. The sixth grade team earned overall fifth place with Brycen Wilson, Brady Hubbard, Elizabeth Atkinson, Joshua Holcomb, and Madison Pullen. Joshua Holcomb finished individually in fifteenth place.
The eight grade team finished nationally in eighth place with team members Savannah McCartney, Alyssa Miller, Victoria Wilbanks, Hayden Hope, and Olivia Reams, who also placed ninth individually. Ashley Blocker coaches all of the Nichols-Lawson teams.
“My heart was coming out of my chest when this was announced Monday at our virtual competition,” said Coach Karen Blocker. “The kids were jumping up and down and running around. They were so proud of themselves. It is a time we will never forget. National Champs!”
Blocker and principal Julie Green thank Sylacauga City Schools for sponsoring the Mathletes in competition. They said “Great things are happening in mathematics in our school system and it shows.”
