Gabe Dougherty wins regional 24 Challenge
Photo submitted to Times Observer Beaty-Warren Middle School seventh-grader Gabe Dougherty won the seventh- and eighth-grade division of the Regional 24 Challenge Tournament Wednesday at PennWest Edinboro.
In the 24 Challenge, competitors are shown cards with four numbers or variables and have to use mathematical operations to make them total 24.
Beaty-Warren Middle School seventh-grader Gabe Dougherty is the regional champion in the seventh- and eighth-grade division, defeating competitors from all over northwestern Pennsylvania.
On Wednesday, Dougherty represented Beaty at the Regional 24 Challenge at PennWest Edinboro.
He was joined by numerous others from Warren County.
Warren County School District held its third annual Challenge 24 Tournament this month with organizers Principal Elizabeth Kent and teachers Fallon Bachman, Meggi Brown, Pamela Brown, Rebecca Downey and Traci Vile.
There were rounds for classes in grades four through eight at schools throughout the district.
The top four students in each competition group – fourth and fifth, sixth, and seventh and eighth – moved on to the district finals May 9 at Beaty.
At the district event, Greyson Webber of Eisenhower took first in the fourth and fifth grade division, followed by RJ Frederick (Eisenhower), Liliana Sandagate (WAEC), and Clayton Hammerbeck (Beaty).
Among the sixth-graders, Peyton Vincent of Beaty took first, Liam Hanson of Eisenhower second, Mathew Mobley of Eisenhower third, and Serenity Lang of Beaty fourth.
Dougherty took first among the seventh and eighth graders. Carly Russell of Eisenhower finished second, Sophia Wallace of Eisenhower third, and Samara Salva of Youngsville fourth.
All of those top four finishers, plus Maddie Morrison (EMHS), Gabriella Hodak (YMHS), Bryce Grolemund (Beaty), Vance Darr (Beaty), Ian Lewis (YES), Trent Miles (Beaty), Ellise Wilson (Beaty), Ashton Carrington (Beaty), and Jackson Warner (WAEC) moved on to the regional events held Tuesday for grades four and five and Wednesday for six, seven, and eight.
Dougherty said he doesn’t spend a lot of time practicing the 24 Game. When he does, he’s memorizing patterns.
At the seventh- and eighth-grade level, the game featured single digits, two digits, and variables.
“It’s about speed for the memorization,” he said.
Competitors are shown the card. The first to buzz in has to immediately state the last step in the process and has 15 seconds to use all of the numbers and variables on the card to get to 24 using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Dougherty gave an example of a card showing 8, 3, 2, and 2. “Eight divided by two is four. Three times two is six. Six times four is 24.”
There were three competitors in the finals – Dougherty almost had to face a classmate in that final three.
Grolemund reached the semifinal round and missed the finals by one point, Dougherty said.
The finals were not close. Dougherty said he scored 30 points, while his opponents scored 16 and 0.
Dougherty has one year left of eligibility and, competing at Regionals twice and winning the division once, he is feeling good about his odds of becoming a back-to-back champion.




