Navarro Panthers Shatter Records at Region 4 UIL Academics Tournament; John Kehoe Set for Three-Even
GERONIMO, TX – April 27, 2026 – The Navarro High School UIL Panther Academics Team delivered a stellar performance at the Region 4 UIL Academics Tournament on April 24, at La Vernia High School. Competing against the elite teams of South Texas, the Panthers secured a top-ten finish with overall Sweepstakes and witnessed a historic individual achievement by senior standout John Kehoe.
The highlight of the tournament was the dominance of John Kehoe, who punched his ticket to the state competition in three separate events: Mathematics, Calculator Applications, and Number Sense. Kehoe took home 1st place in Mathematics and 2nd place in both Calculator Applications and Number Sense, setting new personal record scores in the process. This marks a triumphant return to the state level for Kehoe, who continues to cement his legacy as one of the district's most decorated academic competitors.
The Panthers’ success extended to the team standings, where the program achieved milestones never before seen in school history:
- Calculator Applications: The team earned 2nd place overall, posting the highest team score in school history. Alongside Kehoe’s 2nd place finish, Hongyan Liu (9th), Bennett Schmidgall (10th - Personal Record), and Jordyn Brucks (20th) contributed to the record-breaking effort.
- Mathematics: The team also secured 2nd place, marking another school history high score. Kehoe led the charge in 1st place, supported by strong performances from Bennett Schmidgall, Samuel Caez, and Hongyan Liu.
- Overall Sweepstakes: Out of more than 30 competing schools, Navarro High School finished in 9th place overall, proving the depth and versatility of the Panther academic program and the quality coaching of their team sponsors.
“We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments and hard work our Panthers and their coaches put into making it this far,” said Mr. Daniel Meyers, UIL Academics Coordinator. “This has been a banner year for our program. Seeing John Kehoe qualify for State in three events—while our teams set all-time scoring records—speaks to the dedication and culture of excellence these students have built. We are excited for what's in store for John as he takes the stage at the state level.”
Additional Notable Performances
- Accounting: Elizabeth Brooks represented Navarro with a strong 13th-place finish.
- Spelling: The team took 6th place overall, led by Kaylee Henley (8th) and Corrinne Forister (25th).
- Literary Criticism: Rania Bustamante secured 19th place in a highly competitive field.
- Number Sense: The team earned a top-five finish (5th place), with Kehoe’s 2nd-place state-qualifying run and Hongyan Liu finishing 17th.
The journey continues for John Kehoe at the State UIL Academics Tournament, which will be held on May 18–19 at the University of Texas at Austin. Navarro High School looks forward to cheering on our state-bound Panther as he represents the district on the highest academic stage in Texas.
