Broadalbin-Perth teams punch tickets to Odyssey of the Mind state tournament

Five of Broadalbin-Perth's eight Odyssey of the Mind (OM) teams earned invitations to continue their seasons at the New York State Championship Saturday, April 5, after competing at the Region 21 tournament at B-P Jr./Sr. High School on March 8.

The district's lone high school team, which includes senior Ryan Michalski, who was a member of last year's world championship team, advanced in Problem 2, Mech-Animal Sidekick. Michalski is joined by seniors Addison Cain, Jace Garrison, Ellie Peters, Hunter Pettit, Peter VonStettina-May, and Emma Watermann, and the team is coached by Kristen Michalski.

The other four advancing teams all come from the elementary school and will compete in Division 1. A B-P team took first place in Problem 4, Save Me Structure, at the regional tournament. The team, which is coached by Lauren Tegnander and Cesar Ortiz, includes fourth graders Abel Crane, Brady DePietro, and Nico Tegnander, along with third graders Reed Bailey, Grayson Gabriel, and Miesha Ortiz.

An elementary team competing in Problem 2 also earned the right to compete at the state championship with a first-place finish at the regional tournament. The team is coached by Andrea Zielinski and Sara Hisert and includes fifth graders Avery Casion, Brooke Gordon, Emilia Histert, Quynn Roberts, Ava Rouse, Finley Zielinski, and Scarlett Zielinski.

Two Division 1 teams earned "wild card" invitations to the state tournament with second-place finishes in Problem 1, The OM-Mazing Race, and Problem 5, AstonOMical Odyssey. The Problem 1 team, which is coached by Amy Wurz and Michele Kelley, includes third graders Sunny Becker, Colton Costanzo, Carter Farrington, J.J. Kelley, Philomena Lane, Oliver Renna, and Parker Wurz. The Problem 5 team is coached by Richard and Kristina Hart and includes fourth graders Rhiannon Acquilla and Lillian DiMezza, and fifth graders Persephony Bogart, Lillyana Geier, Sophia Hart, Mia Menendez, and Mary Thompson.

Another Division 1 B-P team competed in Problem 5 on Saturday. The team, which includes third graders Cecilia Duff, Meredith Lawlor, Wyatt Mirabile, Silvio Montanaro, Christopher Sinness, and Riley Waskiewicz, is coached by Jessica Gigler and Fawn Duff.

Two other teams participated in the regional tournament for practice. Odyssey of the Mind's primary problem is open to students in grades K-2 as an introduction to the program. A second-grade team coached by Jenna Rouse and Nicole Canary competed for the first time and included Peyton Bagwell, Ryan Canary, Kennedy Crane, Adley Rouse, Emma Thelin, and Oliver Young. A team of first graders coached by Nicole Hrinishin competed for the first time and included Thomas Acquilla, Reese Dionne, Gracie Lane, Julia Sinness, and Cooper Young.