Local Students Take Top Honors at Annual MATHCOUNTS Competition
Area Middle School Mathletes Compete to Represent Ohio, West Virginia at State Competition at Belmont College
St. Clairsville, OH (March 19, 2026) — Local middle school students recently competed to test their math and problem-solving skills at the 2026 MATHCOUNTS competition. The event was held at Belmont College’s Academic Technical Center in St. Clairsville on Friday, February 13th.
More than 100 competitors from 11 area schools participated in the event, including students from: Bellaire Middle School; Buckeye Trail Middle School, Powhatan Elementary School, and River Elementary School from Ohio, as well as West Virginia Teams from Bridge Street Middle School; Brooke Middle School, Cameron Middle School; Oak Glen Middle School; Triadelphia Middle School; Warwood Middle School; and Wheeling Middle School.
MATHCOUNTS encourages students to put their math and analytical skills to work to solve real-world problems and scenarios in competition with their peers.
For more than 35 years, volunteers, educators, and industry sponsors have come together to make MATHCOUNTS possible for middle school students around the country. The event includes both individual and team competitions. Belmont College has hosted the math enrichment competition for more than 25 years.
Registered local winners proceed to state competitions, where the top four “mathletes” on the winning team and their coach compete to represent their state or region at the national level along with two top individuals. The Ohio State Competition was held on March 7, 2026, at The Ohio State University in Columbus Ohio and the West Virginia State Competition will be held on March 28, 2026, at Braxton County Middle School, Flatwoods, West Virginia.
Non-registered winners compete only for medallions at the local event. At all levels, MATHCOUNTS challenges students’ math skills, develops their self-confidence, and rewards them for their achievements.
Registered team awards for Ohio went to:
1st Place Team – Powhatan Elementary School: Dietrich Aanerud; Mikayla Hall; Hannah Ogilbee; and Isabella Weekley. Coached by: Sheila Thomas.
Also, advancing to state as individuals are Skye Bondy and Jonathan Neff both from Buckeye Trail Middle School.
Registered team awards for West Virginia went to:
1st Place Team – Brooke Middle School: Parker Bee; Ashley McDonough; Kameron Moody; and Keenan Mowry. Coached By: Jami Packer.
2nd Place Team – Triadelphia Middle School: Hudson Bradshaw; Tessa Dailer; Jayden Johnson; and Lucy Murfin. Coached by: Scot Kangisser.
3rd Place Team – Bridge Street Middle School: Spencer Benedict; Kendall Dei; Cael Skrzypek; and Lily Stauver. Coached by Mackenzie Viakley.
All top three teams advanced to the state competition.
Also, advancing to state as individuals are:
- Myles Carroll – Wheeling Middle School
- Jay Crutchfield – Triadelphia Middle School
- Joshua Hudson – Brooke Middle School
- Kamron Pettit – Triadelphia Middle School
- Trevor Richards – Cameron Middle School
- Wyatt Shafer – Oak Glen Middle School
Non-Registered team awards were as follows:
Ohio:
1st Place Team: River Team C: Khloe Bayes, Kendall Jones, Mikayla Lively, Piper Cross
2nd Place Team: River Team B: Keller King, Gavin Howell, Kolson Starkey, Chase Pletcher
1st Place Individual: Kolson Starkey from River Elementary
2nd Place Individual: Jack Martin from Powhatan Elementary
West Virgina:
1st Place Team: Triadelphia Team D: Felix Helms, Nicola Weyand, Gabby Kangisser, Allie Eskins
2nd Place Team: Triadelphia Team B: Levi Dunkin, Garrett Lowther, Hayden Chacon, Nico Muscar
1st Place Individual: Levi Dunkin from Triadelphia
2nd Place Individual: Garrett Lowther from Triadelphia
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