Libby High School came away with one victory during its first-ever appearance in the Big Sky Regional Science Bowl.

Competing on Feb. 20 in Billings, the team of Levi Neubauer, Chelsey Oedewaldt, Nick Reny, Elizabeth Rogers and Daniel Webster had a tough challenge with matches against schools that had experienced success in the past competitions.

Playing in a format similar to Jeopardy, Libby’s victory came over Billings Skyview, an opponent that Coach Jasper Howell said has been known to be a Science Bowl powerhouse with several trips to national competitions. Libby lost its first three matches to Fergus, Absarokee and eventual champion C.M. Russell.

But the Loggers were on their game in the win over Skyview.

“The kids dominated this match and won handily,” Howell said. “We were down 1-3 but still had a chance if we could beat Billings Central.”

Billings Central pulled out a win over LHS to keep the Loggers from advancing deeper into the event.

“In the last match against Billings Central team we were ahead most of the match but we lost momentum with a rookie mistake, which cost an 18-point swing, and we lost a close one,” Howell said.

Billings Central went on to finish as the tournament runner-up.

“With a bit more experience this team could have been very competitive,” Howell said. “I was proud of their performance.”

With its victory, C.M. Russell advances to the national Science Bowl competition this spring in Chevy Chase, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.