A team of Jim Thorpe eighth-graders prevailed in the 2022 Academic Challenge Eighth competition, hosted by Panther Valley.

The Thorpe team, made up of students from L.B. Morris and Penn-Kidder campuses, defeated Catasauqua twice in the double-elimination final, after Catasauqua had dealt them a loss earlier in the event. Tamaqua took third place.

“It was quite a good competition,” said Amy Burkey, an adviser for the Jim Thorpe team.

The event, the 32nd edition of the ACE competition, took place over three days last week at Panther Valley Junior-Senior High School. Panther Valley teacher Mark Lavine moderated the event.

The teams went head to head answering questions across subject areas like history, math, science and current events.

“It’s like ‘Jeopardy’ for eighth-graders,” Burkey said.

Jim Thorpe’s team was made up of Penn-Kidder students Keira Reese, Luke Bosi and Gabriella Cerra; and L.B. Morris students Max Priore, Abigael Kuhn and Catie Taddei.

A total of eight area schools took part in the competition: Jim Thorpe, Panther Valley, Lehighton, Palmerton, Northern Lehigh, Northwestern Lehigh, Tamaqua and Catasauqua.