Eighty-five students from Homer area schools in grades three through eight competed in a chess tournament at West Homer Elementary School on Friday.

Schools represented at the tournament included Chapman School, Connections, Fireweed Academy, McNeil Canyon Elementary, West Homer Elementary and Homer Middle School.

Charley Ringer was one of the teachers at the event. The 2023-2024 school year is his first year teaching seventh grade P.E. and the Quest program at Homer Middle School. He took on coaching the chess club this year, also. Homer Middle School had 24 students participating in the tournament this year.

The tournament was orchestrated by local volunteer Andy Haas, with approximately 20 volunteers and several teachers from the various schools assisting with monitoring students at the event.

Haas described how the tournament functions. Each student plays just within their own grade level with a maximum of 20 students per grade. The HMS seventh grade had 20 participants this year and four eighth grade students.

“The kids are really just great,” Haas said. “They’re all really into it and there are some exceptionally good players.”

Haas noted that there will be another chess tournament taking place at the Chapman school in Anchor Point on March 3 for students in grades three and up, including space for adult participants.

Results

Third grade

First place: Emma Field

Second place: Tanner de Creeft

Third place: Jack Partidge

Fourth grade

First place: Max Fefelov

Second place: Dylan Waltenbaugh

Third place: Ashton Wilson

Fifth grade

First place: Daxton Kuipers

Second place: Sadie Gibson

Third place: Halsey Turner

6th grade

First place: Liam Robinson

Second place: Graysen Oster

Third place: Dawson Wolfe

7th grade

First place: Elijah Williams

Second place: Brandon Alexander

Third place: Jackson Parsons

8th grade

First place: Kingston Longpre

Second place: Robbie Wilson

Third place: Teddy Nevzoroff-Maly