With only two of the 28 competitors left in the bee, Ethan Kizzia and Leo Cooper battled it out through four additional rounds of questioning, each of them continuing to give correct answers but the pressure mounting with each question.

"The first time you get one wrong, you're the runner up," Allen said.

It was Cooper to finally make the first stumble, giving a chance at state competition to Kizzia.

Monday, Kizzia completed a written test, the score from that determining if he'll progress to state competition in Anchorage. The test is scored by the National Geographic Bee, sponsor of the local, state and national competition. Kizzia will be notified of his score in February or March.

Earlier this month, Patrick Latimer took first place in McNeil Canyon Elementary School's geography bee, with Brandon Beachy coming in second place. Thirteen students entered the bee. As at HMS, it was a close finish, but Latimer, who won his school's competition in 2008, pushed his way to the first-place position.

Latimer has already completed the written exam and is waiting to hear the outcome.

The winner of the state geography bee will progress to national competition in Washington, D.C., May 19-20, and have a chance at a $25,000 college scholarship. The winner also will travel with a parent or guardian, all expenses paid, to the Galapagos Islands with "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek and the "Jeopardy" crew to experience firsthand the wildlife and landscape of the Galapagos. This is the national competition's 21st year.

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibbenjackinsky.@homernews.com.