Math Team earns win at first competition

Math+team+poses+after+earning+first+place+at+the+Math+League+meet+Sept.+28.

Photo by Charles Vokes

Math team poses after earning first place at the Math League meet Sept. 28.

By Mayeli Vivaldo, Editor in Chief

At their first competition, math team earned first place at the Math League meet Sept. 28.

Saint Ignatius, Romeoville, and Larkin attended the competition.

“We were going against some very good teams,” freshman Christina Champagne said.

Math team coach Charles Vokes was one of the judges at the event.

“It helped with preparation but it was intimidating because I was like, ‘wow, our math team coach is the one judging me,’” Champagne said.

Students were given the topics they would compete in beforehand.

“They practiced questions and tests that went with the topics that they’re doing. We practiced as long as we could until the competition,” Vokes said.

Ratios and proportions were given to the freshmen; area, perimeter, and volume to the sophomores; algebraic geometry to the juniors; and triangle trigonometry with application to the seniors.

“I did (feel comfortable with my topic). It was percents and I love percents. It was a good topic for me,” Champagne said.

The teams at the event competed individually rather than together with their teammates.

“There was an intimidating factor (with it) because you’re like, ‘I want to do well because I’m the only one. If I don’t do so great, my team can’t help me out,’” Champagne said.

Math team won the competition with 100 points.

“I kept them in the dark, I knew we won first place because I was running it,” Vokes said. “Their (the team’s) reaction was cool. They were going nuts. I don’t remember a time last year where we scored triple digits at all.”

Junior Alexis Maggiore earned overall best junior and Champagne earned overall best freshman at the competition.

“I did not expect to be best freshman. I was just so happy. I could not believe it,” Champagne said.

The next competition for math team will be Nov. 1 at Maine East High School in Park Ridge.