Presby Senior High School, Bompata, has secured its place in the One-Eighth Stage of the 2026 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) after a composed performance saw it lead from the opening round to the final whistle.The contest at the SMS Auditorium had the makings of a tight battle, particularly with Sacred Heart Senior High School coming into the national stage on the back of an impressive regional performance.Sacred Heart had finished the regional stage on 71 points, a performance that had raised expectations ahead of the national contest. But with the scores reset for the preliminary stage, that earlier feat offered no advantage on the day.Presby SHS, Bompata quickly established control. It opened Round One with 22 points, seven ahead of Sacred Heart’s 15, while Mansen SHS managed just 2 points.The lead widened in the second round as Presby added 13 points to move to 35. Sacred Heart could only move to 16, with Mansen remaining on 2.Sacred Heart showed signs of a fightback in the Problem of the Day round, picking up 8 points compared to Presby’s 7. But the effort was not enough to significantly alter the contest.At the end of Round Three, Presby remained firmly in front on 42 points, with Sacred Heart on 24 and Mansen on 5.The fourth round offered Sacred Heart another opportunity to reduce the deficit.It did make progress, moving to 36 points, while Presby extended its score to 49. But with a 13-point gap still separating the two schools, Sacred Heart needed a near-perfect finish to overturn the contest.That comeback never came.Presby SHS, Bompata eventually crossed the finish line on 58 points, 19 points clear of Sacred Heart’s 39. Mansen SHS ended the contest on 7 points.For Presby, the victory was built on consistency. From the first round, the school kept itself ahead and resisted every attempt by Sacred Heart to close the distance.Sacred Heart’s regional performance had suggested it could pose a serious challenge, but the national stage demanded a fresh performance, and Presby proved the more effective side on the day.For debutants Mansen SHS, the contest ended at the preliminary stage after a difficult outing. The school managed 7 points by the close of proceedings, but its appearance marks the beginning of what could be a longer journey in the competition.Presby SHS, Bompata now joins the growing list of schools advancing to the One-Eighth Stage, with the national title race gathering momentum.