A combined chess team from Waupaca High School and Waupaca Middle School recently competed in the U.S. Chess Federation’s National Junior High School Tournament in Atlanta, Ga.
Eight students from Waupaca were among 12 players from Wisconsin that competed in an event that had more than 1,300 participants.
Waupaca placed 13th place in the National K-9 Blitz Tournament and eighth-grader Ryan Hemmila finished 6-6-0 and took home the third-place class trophy for players rated Under 1,200.
Other players finished as follows: William Johnson, 6-6-0, 98th (out of 200); Caleb Roggenbauer, 4-7-1, 146th; Drake Hiddemen, 4-8-0, 156th; Dante St. Thomas, 4-8-0, 160th; Isabella Elandt, 2-9-1, 179th; and Erik Hemmila 2-10-0, 182nd.
Waupaca finished eighth in a field of approximately 100 schools in the main tournament. Ryan Hemmila went undefeated with six wins and a draw and won the individual national championship for the K-9 Under 1250 Section.
“Atlanta is lucky for us,” coach Tim Hiddemen said. “In 2006, we were here and Alex Hanke won the U800 national championship.”
The rest of the team finished as follows: Johnson, 5-2-0, 19th; Roggenabuer, 3-4-0, 129th; Hiddemen, 1-5-1, 198th; St. Thomas, 1-6-0, 205th; Erik Hemmila, 1-6-0, 208th; and Elandt, 1-6-0, 211th.