Whitefield Academy students participated in making Georgia chess history on Saturday, February 9, as more than 1,000 Georgia elementary and middle school students gathered to compete for invitations to the state championship in March. This was the first tournament of its size for Georgia players and four Whitefield teams took home trophies.
Whitefield students on the K-3 team finished third overall, and beat out 16 other schools to win the Cobb County Championship. Third grader Zoe Justice was the only Whitefield student to win every round, scoring five points on the day to lead the team. Third graders Jonathan Rhudy and Peyton Golden, along with first grader Drew Justice, each contributed four points to the team total. Third graders Rylie Keeble (with three points) and Mary Linley Marshall rounded out the K-3 team to give the team a total of 20 out of a possible 25 points.
The K-1 team, comprised of first graders Walker Paxton (four points), Ryan Walker (three and a half points), Christian Wiggins (three points), Bryce Bowling (three points), and Archer McBride (two and a half points), accumulated 16 points in the five-round competition. The young players achieved a fifth place finish in Georgia's first-ever state qualifier for K-1.
Whitefield's K-5 team managed a 19th place finish in a large field of over 40 teams. Fifth graders Cole Peterson and Danny Megathlin, along with fourth graders Jack Krahel and Jake Petersen, led the team with three points each. Fifth grader Jackson Lewis also contributed to the team score with two wins and a draw to finish with two and a half points. The team also included fifth grader Everett Sinclair and fourth graders Joel McKinney and Connor Ladd.
The Middle School team earned a sixth place finish. Eighth grader Daniel Justice and sixth grader Zachary Justice led the team each with four wins on the day. Sixth graders Luke Petersen and Caleb Corliss each contributed three wins to the team score, while eighth graders Ethan Powell and Michael Baldwin rounded out the team with two wins each. This was the first year that Whitefield was able to field a Middle School team in state competition and they are to be congratulated for their success in this endeavor.
Each of the four Whitefield teams is positioned to qualify for the state championship tournament to be held in March.
Whitefield students on the K-3 team finished third overall, and beat out 16 other schools to win the Cobb County Championship. Third grader Zoe Justice was the only Whitefield student to win every round, scoring five points on the day to lead the team. Third graders Jonathan Rhudy and Peyton Golden, along with first grader Drew Justice, each contributed four points to the team total. Third graders Rylie Keeble (with three points) and Mary Linley Marshall rounded out the K-3 team to give the team a total of 20 out of a possible 25 points.
The K-1 team, comprised of first graders Walker Paxton (four points), Ryan Walker (three and a half points), Christian Wiggins (three points), Bryce Bowling (three points), and Archer McBride (two and a half points), accumulated 16 points in the five-round competition. The young players achieved a fifth place finish in Georgia's first-ever state qualifier for K-1.
Whitefield's K-5 team managed a 19th place finish in a large field of over 40 teams. Fifth graders Cole Peterson and Danny Megathlin, along with fourth graders Jack Krahel and Jake Petersen, led the team with three points each. Fifth grader Jackson Lewis also contributed to the team score with two wins and a draw to finish with two and a half points. The team also included fifth grader Everett Sinclair and fourth graders Joel McKinney and Connor Ladd.
The Middle School team earned a sixth place finish. Eighth grader Daniel Justice and sixth grader Zachary Justice led the team each with four wins on the day. Sixth graders Luke Petersen and Caleb Corliss each contributed three wins to the team score, while eighth graders Ethan Powell and Michael Baldwin rounded out the team with two wins each. This was the first year that Whitefield was able to field a Middle School team in state competition and they are to be congratulated for their success in this endeavor.
Each of the four Whitefield teams is positioned to qualify for the state championship tournament to be held in March.