LA PLATA, Md. – More than 170 students participated in the Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) winter chess tournament held this past Saturday, Feb. 23 at Henry E. Lackey High School. Registrations increased from the fall event, with 125 participants competing in October to 170 at the winter event. The tournament is open to interested students in kindergarten through Grade 12.
The tournament follows a Swiss-style format in which each student plays four games. Students compete in eight grade-level divisions and trophies are given to division champions. Students who earn a top finisher award in their respective categories receive a medal, and all participants receive a certificate for their performance. Felix Cummings served as the tournament director. The following students were recognized for placing in their division.
Kindergarten through First Grade
· Luke McDonald, kindergarten, Goddard School, champion
· Henry Blass, kindergarten, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School, top finisher
· Summer Dudley, kindergarten, William A. Diggs Elementary School, top finisher
· Gabriella Hughes, first grade, Mary H. Matula Elementary School, top finisher
Second-Grade Division
· Colin Andres, Dr. James Craik Elementary School, champion
· Luke Barrett, Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School, top finisher
· Caleb Halverstadt, William B. Wade Elementary School, top finisher
· Enzo Loredo, Craik, top finisher
· Mackenzie Mears, Higdon, top finisher
· Hrishi Soni, Matula, top finisher
Third-Grade Division
· James McDonald, T.C. Martin Elementary School, champion
· Emma Bowler, Martin, top finisher
· Samuel Cabrera, J.C. Parks Elementary School, top finisher
· Gregory Fletcher, Matula, top finisher
· Kendal Johnson, Matula, top finisher
· Elijah Jones, Wade, top finisher
· Rowan Leonard, Higdon, top finisher
· Konnor Powers, Gale-Bailey Elementary School, top finisher
· Sophia Sage, Higdon, top finisher
Fourth-Grade Division
· Emily Cooley, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy, champion
· Joshua Burton, Malcolm Elementary School, top finisher
· Sophia Hughes, Wade, top finisher
· Richard King, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School, top finisher
· Patrick Rand-Crawford, St. Mary’s Bryantown, top finisher
· Trevor Thompson, Mitchell, top finisher
· Jayden Williams, Matula, top finisher
Fifth-Grade Division
· Jacob Golder, Matula, champion
· Liam Andres, Craik, top finisher
· Justin Bean, Higdon, top finisher
· Simon Dean, Diggs, top finisher
· Journey Gardner, Matula, top finisher
· Ethan Harris, Mitchell, top finisher
· James Herring, Craik, top finisher
· Nathanael Jean-Gilles, Wade, top finisher
· Mason Stakes, Craik, top finisher
Sixth-Grade Division
· Timothy Martinez, Theodore G. Davis Middle School, champion
· Nathan Carter, Milton M. Somers Middle School, top finisher
· Alfred Johnson Cruz, Mattawoman Middle School, top finisher
· Caleb Rogalski, Piccowaxen Middle School, top finisher
· Manav Soni, Somers, top finisher
Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Division
· Rahul Mahato, eighth grade, John Hanson Middle School, champion
· Mark Hughes, eighth grade, Davis, top finisher
· Andrew Miller, eighth grade, Somers, top finisher
· Benjamin Moore, eighth grade, Somers, top finisher
· Nicole Silbermann, eighth grade, General Smallwood Middle School, top finisher
· Maciah Turner, eighth grade, Matthew Henson Middle School, top finisher
Ninth through Twelfth-Grade Division
· Sahil Patel, sophomore, North Point High School, champion
· Jacob Barbee, freshman, St. Charles High School, top finisher
· Ethan Hall, junior, St. Charles, top finisher
· Jacob Miller, sophomore, St. Charles, top finisher
· Christopher Snyder, sophomore, St. Charles, top finisher
· James Tabourne, senior, North Point, top finisher