GUELPH – Wellington County students made a strong impression during the annual chess tournament at St. Peter Catholic School.
The tournament, on Feb. 28, included over 200 students overall, with about 12 representatives from each of the 18 elementary schools in the Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB).
Seeing so many students playing chess “makes your heart glow,” chief arbiter Hal Bond told the Advertiser.
“Chess is such a good exercise for brains.”
Chess player Soloman Sargent is a student at St. Mary Catholic School in Mount Forest. He was one of the over 200 Wellington Catholic District School Board students who participated in the annual chess tournament at St. Peters Elementary School on Feb. 28.
Referee and Rotarian Mahmud Hassain was also pleased with the turnout.
“I’m absolutely amazed that there are over 200 here,” Hassian said, describing himself as “chess crazy.”
St. Joseph Fergus students came in third place overall during the Feb. 28 tournament, with students in Grades 3, 4 and 5 placing in the top three within their grades:
Sullivan Skinner placed first of all the Grade 5 students, Xavier Lago placed second out of the Grade 4 students, and Cole S. placed third out of the Grade 3 students.
From left: Grade 4 student Xavier Lago, Grade 5 student Sullivan Skinner, Grade 6 students Caiden Pederson and Trace Savage, Grade 5 student Vaughn Turner and Grade 6 student Lucas Gonzalez. Gonzalez told the Advertiser “I’m here to win!” He’d won three of the four games he’d played so far that day, and tied the fourth.
Rockwood student Derek D., who attends Sacred Heart came in first place of the Grade 7 students.
And in the Grade 8 St. Mary Mount Forest student Clair W. came in first and St. John Arthur student Connor J. placed second.
