After an extensive grading period, the brackets of the Cougar Daily March Madness Bracket Challenge are scored. With no participants correctly selecting the eventual champion Villanova, or advancing Villanova to the finals for that matter, competition was close.

Coming in first by a single point over Coronado track coach Mr. Kane was junior, and one of Mr. Kane’s runners, Clay Rahaman, with 118 pts. and a national champion of North Carolina. Trailing the leading duo by only seven pts. was second round winner Zack Asay with an overall pick of Michigan State University and 110 pts. That last contestant with over 100 pts. Was freshman Nick Vernacchio with a national champion of North Carolina and 102 points.

Just barely in double digits was sophomore Ashlynn Garcia with 99 pts. followed by Cougar Daily News Editor Tegan Chambon, 12, with 97 pts. Sophomores Judah Voss and Delaney St. Pierre finished with 96 pts., trailed by sophomore Ashton Rodgers and Mr. Thomas’s first bracket, each with 95 pts, and Chase McElhany, 11, and Sariah Stafford, 12, each with 94 pts. Finishing up the 90’s was “Be You But Better” author Alaina Africano, 11, with 91 pts. and sophomore Conor Strizich with 90 pts.

Atop the 80’s was sophomore Jaelyn Hershberger with 89 pts. As well as Jackie Godec, 11, and Mara Abernethy, 10, with 87 pts. freshman Austin Mayfield, formerly at the bottom of the bracket challenge, totalled 85 pts., outscoring Cougar Daily advisor Mr. Stoughton. Sophomore Bethany Heitland concluded the 80’s with a score of 80 pts.

Cougar Daily staff writer Sam Strait, 10, scored 74 pts., followed by Logan Baumberger, 11, with 69 pts., Coronado running coach Mr. Hugill with a total of 68 pts, and Taylor Dutton, 10, Mr. Thomas’s second bracket, Abby Bean, 11, and 2015-2016 student body president Tegan Gough, 11, each with 67 pts.

Bringing up the rear with the least points were Bryce Payne, 11, with 54 pts., and Jose Benavides, 12, with 44 pts.