These Rainbow Elementary School chess teams competed in the Alabama Scholastic Chess Championship at the University of Montevallo. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Check(mate) this out … one of the chess teams at Rainbow Elementary School has claimed the state championship.

Rainbow competed at the Alabama Scholastic Chess Championship at the University of Montevallo on March 16.

Rainbow has “a strong feeder pattern of kids who try to compete at state, which enables us to eventually field a team that can win the title,” parent volunteer Ranae Bartlett said. “The kids who went and competed are the future of Rainbow Elementary Chess and truly deserve recognition.”

Rainbow sent four teams to compete at state and was the only school from North Alabama to compete in the elementary section at Montevallo.

The winning Rainbow Blue team includes Michael Guthrie, Boone Ramsey, Jenson Wilhelm and Mercedes Zich.

Rainbow’s other two elementary teams were in a five-way tie for second place. After tie breaks, these Rainbow teams were in fifth and sixth places. “That is a very strong showing from one school,” Bartlett said.

The Rainbow Green team in fifth place includes Will Bao, Hayden Billmann, Maanasi Limaye and Jonah Tuttle. The sixth-place Rainbow Purple team members are Alex Edwards, Erin Kueck, Leah Lessmann and Steven Lockwood.

Rainbow’s K-3 team claimed fourth place. Team members are Madeline Edwards, Ben Lessmann, Constance Wang and Jonathan Yang, along with alternate Ethan Kueck.

In addition to the four teams, 14 Rainbow students entered individual competition with about 150 students on March 15.

Rainbow’s individual winners were Michael Guthrie, second place, elementary section; Will Bao, first place, elementary under 600 section; and Constance Wang, fourth place, primary section. These students were the only participants from North Alabama to receive individual awards.

Before ending their tournament season, Rainbow chess players will enter the National Junior High Championship in Atlanta in April.

Also at the state tournament, the Madison City Chess League captured first place in the elementary club section. Columbia Elementary School’s team placed third in the primary section (K-3).