WATERLOO - One by one, Greg Power's middle school opponents fell by the wayside.

Sometimes they could get a few points on the quick-thinking Holmes Junior High student.

But as the equations flew and buzzers rang at the lightning round of the regional MathCounts competition, it was Power who was left in the winner's seat at the front of the Hawkeye Community College auditorium Saturday.

"I knew I could do it because I was second last year," Power said. "It's good to do it."

While Power placed first in individual competition, Union Middle School had the first-place team out of the 25 schools competing.

Union, which also finished at the top last year and fifth at state, practices one class period a week and then increases training as the events approach, said Union Coach Mike Schmidt.

Top finishers in the Union team were Natalie Hanson, Sarah Freeland, Kamryn Kronschnabel, Drake Mossman and alternate Brittany Appleton.

Participants were tasked with solving a series of number and story problems.

During the final round, two students face off to come up with the answer first.

One question asked competitors to figure the height of a house, considering the length of the home's shadow is 56 feet, and the 21-foot tree next to it is casting a 24-foot shadow.

The answer is 49 feet.

No one got the shadow riddle, but a number of times students were able to come up with correct answers before moderator Mark Durbahn could finish reading the equally challenging questions.

"They are incredibly quick," Schmidt said.

The annual regional contest is sponsored by the Northeast Iowa Engineering Association as a way to get middle school students interested in engineering careers.

"The competition is growing more and more," said Durbahn, who helped organize the event for the association. This year 230 students participated, he said.

Filling out the top five individual competitors were Freeland in second place, Hanson in third place, Shane McFadden of Bosco System in fourth and Roy Ju of Holmes in fifth.

Second place among the teams was Holmes Junior High followed in order by Turkey Valley Community Schools, Timothy Christian School and Decorah Middle School.

The top teams will advance to state competition in Des Moines in March. The top four individuals from those teams then proceed to the national contest.

Contact Jeff Reinitz at (319) 291-1578 or jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com.