SANFORD - Lee Early College's Quiz Bowl Team brought home a second place trophy from the March 24 Regional Quiz Bowl at the Halifax Agricultural Center.

LEC won the Lee County Library Competition in January. Team members were excited to compete at the regional level against Ayden-Grifton High School, KIPP High School, Northside High School and South Lenoir High School. South Lenoir won the competition with 230 points; LEC took second with 105 points.

Quiz Bowl is a Jeopardy-style competition involving four-member teams that must answer questions covering a wide variety of academic and cultural subjects. Each LEC team member has his or her own subject specialty: Jack Grace handles the political science and current events, Andrew Ruiz deals with science and technology, Isaac Haines provides the historical and mythological background, while Samantha Read and Beth Rosser handle the cultural information.

LEC math and science teacher Rodney Schmitz is the team coach. Cody Wicker, a former team member and fifth-year LEC student, helped the Quiz Bowl team members prepare for their competitions.

LEC's team competed regionally in 2011, placing fourth. After this year's win, Schmitz and the team are confident that a first-place trophy will have a place in the school's trophy case by this time next year.

"A Quiz Bowl competitor has to be a quick thinker and a little bit outgoing, because they have to be willing to think - and sometimes just make a guess," Schmitz said. "Our team members do an excellent job of thinking quickly on their feet."

Lee Early College is a collaboration of Lee County Schools and Central Carolina Community College. The school, which opened in 2006, is located on the college's Lee County Campus. Students enter as ninth graders and, within five years, can earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree. There is no cost to the students or families.

For more information about Lee Early College, visit its Web site, www.leeearlycollege.com.