Bob Jones Math Team wins first place in three-state tourney

Joey Li, from left, Anthony Zhu, Ada van der Zijp-Tan and Amelia Goldston, who are members of the Bob Jones Math Team, are happy to receive their first-place trophy at the Collierville High School Math Bowl in Collierville, Tenn. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Students in the Bob Jones High School Math Team again have earned bragging rights. Their latest awards were in a first-place win at the third annual Collierville High School Math Bowl in Collierville, Tenn.

Amelia Goldston, Joey Li, Ada van der Zijp-Tan and Anthony Zhu were undefeated in this tournament that involved teams from three states. Kimberly Cox coaches the team and teaches honors algebra 2/trigonometry and honors pre-calculus at Bob Jones.

“Participants could be from grades 9-12, but our team was comprised of only sophomores,” Cox said. Dr. Matthew Holmes and Collierville’s math team sponsored the meet.

Other contestants were Christian Brothers High School, Memphis, Tenn.; Houston High School, Germantown, Tenn. (four teams); Memphis University School; Olive Branch High School, Olive Branch, Miss.; Saint Agnus Academy, Memphis, Tenn. (two teams); and Senatobia High School, Senatobia, Miss.

All students in the tournament had to answer oral questions. “Students were allowed pencil and paper in a race to buzz in with the correct answer before the opposing team,” Cox said. “The morning consisted of six round-robin rounds, followed by a double-elimination tournament in the afternoon.”

“We were undefeated all day long,” Cox said.

The tournament was not set up with separate categories or divisions. Following Bob Jones in first place, Memphis University School ranked in second place, and Christian Brothers High School placed third.

The Collierville High School Math Bowl “was the first time that we have competed in this type of tournament, and they did a fantastic job,” Cox said. “This format really highlighted their strengths in accuracy and speed. I am very proud of them.”