Central’s J.E.T.S. team was met with success at regionals this past Monday at Naperville North High School, with Hinsdale students placing first in four out of five academic categories. Placing second overall as a team behind Naperville North, Central’s J.E.T.S. team is looking forward to continuing its run in the state competition.

J.E.T.S. is an academic team made up of about 30 students picked through a combination of a tryout process and invite. During competitions, the students are tested in two specific subjects, ranging from computer science to English, and their total points determine individual and team placements.

First place individual finishes from Joseph Shayani competing in physics, Chris Merchantz in chemistry, Claire Walker in English, and Lucas Mayer in computer science boosted Central to enough points to take home the second place trophy as a team.

“Our strong showing in the regional is a good indicator of the quality of our team,” said Lucas Mayer, a senior who placed third in state last year in the computer science category. “Hopefully we can place or even win state this year,” he said. One of our goals is to beat the Naperville schools because they are always strong contenders.”

Rajiv Desphande, a sophomore who competes in chemistry and math, believes the team is a great opportunity for strong students to display their talents in various subjects. “Every student who placed, and even those who didn’t, was very well-prepared to compete, and everyone had a good time,” Desphande said.

The J.E.T.S. team will travel to North Central College in Naperville to compete in the sectional competition next.