BANGOR – Twenty-three math teams from eastern Maine squared off at Bangor High School on Wednesday to test their mental muscles in the Eastern Maine Math League regional competition.

The meet was one of six regionals held across the state. Next up is the statewide meet to be held April 10 at Alfond Arena on the University of Maine campus in Orono where 95 teams are expected to compete.

The top two teams in each regional already have qualified for the New England competition May 2 in Canton, Mass.

After five individual rounds of 12 minutes each and a team round at Bangor High School – totaling more than two hours of intense concentration and competition – the results were announced.

The Northern Division winner was Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln with 270 points, followed by Lee Academy in second place with 234 points and Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft in third place with 94. The Southern Division winner was the Bangor “Red” team with 282 points, followed by John Bapst Memorial High School of Bangor in second place with 211 points and Orono High School in third place with 154.

The two top teams, Bangor and Mattanawcook, will receive invitations to the New England Math Meet.

Mary Wilbur, president of the EMML, is pleased with the progress her students are making.

“This part of the state is doing a wonderful job and everyone is excelling,” said Wilbur. “Kids who take part in these meets really benefit once getting to college.”

The top scorer in eastern Maine for the math league’s season was Christina Alessi from Mattanawcook Academy. The Northern Division’s top scorers in Wednesday’s regional were first-place Morgan Maxwell of Lee Academy, Alessi in second place and Bruce Stevens of Lee in third place. The Southern Division’s top scorers Wednesday were first-place Matt Ellis of Bangor “Red”, Amanda Criner of Orono and Jue Wang of Bangor “White” who tied for second, and Jeremy Yardley of Bangor Red who placed third.

“We’re very proud of all the students who participated,” said Bangor math team Coach Steve Godsoe. “Over the last eight or nine years we’ve gotten better and it’s great for the kids.”