FROM READERS: Columbia school teams bring home state chess trophies
Tim Campbell is owner/lead instructor for the Mid Missouri Chess Academy, which provided coaching support to local teams at the state tournament.
Columbia Public School chess players brought home two team trophies and several individual trophies and medals in the Missouri State Scholastic Chess Championship on Saturday at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City.
- Pictured are the kindergarten to third Grade Columbia Public School competitors at the Missouri State Scholastic Chess Championship Saturday in Jefferson City. From left to right, Vignesh Kumar, Vishnu Arun, Isaac Stiepleman, Gianna Durante, Akhilan Elangovan and Rohan Rao.
- High School competitors, including a 11-player team from Rock Bridge High School, wait for round competition to begin at the Missouri State Scholastic Chess Championship. On the strength of a sweeping series of wins in all of their final round games, the Rock Bridge team earned the 5th place trophy in the high school division.
- The Rock Bridge High School chess team shows off their hardware from the Missouri State Scholastic Chess Championships Saturday in Jefferson City. From left to right, front row, Daniel Raymon, Aishwary Kumar (holding 5th place team trophy), Codey Brazeau (holding his 4th place Board 4 Trophy), Jonathan Ackmann (holding his 4th place Board 2 trophy) Vikram Arun (holding his 8th place Board 1 trophy), back row, Community Supporter Tim Campbell, Skylar Reller, Sam Cramer, Josh Neebe, Jack Vornholt and Rohit Rao. Team member not pictured is Connor Fraser.
Mill Creek Elementary earned the third-place team trophy in the K-3rd grade division, while the Rock Bridge High School team charged to a fifth-place trophy in the High School Division.
Earning individual trophies in their competition divisions were: Isaac Stiepleman, Grant Elementary, 4th in K-3rd; Ashwath Elangovan, Gentry Middle School, 9th in K-6th; Yash Khanna, Gentry Middle School, 10th in K-6th; Codey Brazeau, Rock Bridge High School, 8th in Board 4 High School; Jonathan Ackmann, Rock Bridge High School, 4th in Board 2 High School; and Vikram Arun, Rock Bridge High School, 8th in Board 1 High School.
Earning medals in their competition divisions were: Akhilan Elangovan, Mill Creek Elementary, K-3rd; Zane Durante, Gentry Middle School, K-8th; Shray Kumar, Jefferson Junior High, K-8th; Jack Vornholt, Rock Bridge High School, Board 4 High School; and Rohit Rao, Rock Bridge High School, Board 3 High School.
Overall, 23 Columbia Public School District students competed in the competition that drew 473 players from across the state.
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