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Chess team state champs

Waupaca students also compete in Ohio

Waupaca High School’s chess team recently wrapped up its season under first-year coach Bryan Fay.

“This season was very successful for our program,” he said. “Led by our 12 seniors, we were able to capture the first regular-season conference championship in school history, going 10-2 on the season, winning by three full points over the second-place teams.”

The team also competed at the Wisconsin State Scholastic Chess Tournament and returned home with the Division 3 state championship, the fourth state title in school history.

“We had some individual success there as well, with seniors Ryan Hemmila, Ian Mast and Derek Van Den Bogart capturing board championships as well as seventh-grader Logan Janssen winning a board championship competing in a lower high school division.”

Seven team members also traveled to Columbus, Ohio, for the National Scholastic K-12 Chess Championship.

“We took seven players and had some individual success as well, including Logan Janssen finishing ninth in the 440-player Under-1,200 Division and Derek Van Den Bogart finishing 19th in the 225-player Under-800 Division,” Fay said. “Other players finishing above .500 for the tournament were William Johnson, Ryan Hemmila, Nathan Stewart and Brandon Krcmar.”

This year’s team included 12 seniors.

“Though we’re losing 12 seniors, we’ll be returning some nice younger players, including Janssen, Stewart, Isabella Elandt and Delaney Rowland,” Fay said. “We’ve also got an impressive amount of middle school players coming through the system. While I anticipate some growing pains, I expect us to challenge again next year and be poised for the future.”

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