Rapid City players sweep state chess championships
By Journal staff
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Rapid City chess players swept the four individual state championship titles at the recent 2009 South Dakota Scholastic Chess Championships at Garretson.
Fourth-grader Michael Knudson of the Rapid City Home School Association won his fifth consecutive state title. Meanwhile, Rapid City Stevens High School student Kyle Jensen won his fourth straight title.
Noah Johnson and Matt Wingert, both of the Rapid City Home School Association, won the K-3 and K-8 divisions, respectively. Jerry John Casteel of Rapid City South Middle School, won third place in the middle school section.
Knudson won the K-5 division this year, adding to his four K-3 division titles.
Jensen’s K-12 title follows his previous three titles in the K-8 division. He is now eligible to represent the South Dakota Chess Association at the annual Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Champions, sponsored by the U.S. Chess Federation, during the Aug. 1-8 U.S. Chess Open in Indianapolis.
The state chess championships drew 87 students from throughout the state to compete in four sections according to school grade level.
The Pierre Indian Learning Center in Pierre took the state title in the K-8 section, with the Greater Sioux Falls Home School Association winning the K-12 section.
Source: http://www.rapidcityjournal.com
That’s impressive numbers.