After nail-biting competition, Templeton Middle School seventh-grader Andrew Tai emerged as the Geography Bee champion.

Tai took home the title as the 2013 school champion after numerous rounds of intense questions. He was up against seven other school finalists. The other finalists were Samuel Golding, Benjamin Heberer, Jonathon Liedtke, Dominic Pino, Jacob Poulsen, Cole Roepke and Danielle Spence. Poulsen took second place, and Spence took third place.

All Templeton students participated in a preliminary round by taking a 25-question written test. Students who scored highest on that test advanced to the semi-final round which was held Jan. 8. The eight finalists took part in the Jan. 10 final round.

As the school champion, Tai took a written test to qualify for state level competition. Up to 100 of the top scorers in each state will be eligible to compete April 5 in state level National Geographic Bee events. The winner of each state bee will travel to Washington, D.C., in May to participate in the national event.