Chess league commends players at annual dinner

MADISON –Madison City Chess League held its first citywide MCCL Annual Dinner to celebrate the players’ many accomplishments during the year.

More than 160 individuals attended the celebration of chess at Asbury United Methodist Church’s Fellowship Hall in late May. Trophies from individual and team victories during competitions served as table centerpieces.

“The House of Staunton donated mugs, water bottles, cups, hats, Frisbees and dog tags,” MCCL Executive Director Ranae Bartlett said. The door prizes had “the Super Nationals logo so all attendees could come home with a party favor.”

Opening the event, string musicians and chess players Zachary Calinsky, Will Fox, Amy Park, Geon Park and Caroline Wang performed Pachelbel’s “Canon in D.”

Madison City Chess League Executive Director Ranae Bartlett recognized award-winning students at the City, State, and National K12 chess championships. Bartlett recognized Bill Nash, coordinator for 2016 State Chess Championship and 2017 State Scholastic Chess Championship; Will Stevenson, coach for All Star East Chess Club, an honors group of second- and third-graders; and volunteer photographer Scott Wilhelm.

Ed Mullin received Coach of the Year honors as mentor at both Madison and West Madison elementary schools and coach of All Star West Chess Club. “Coach Ed can be seen at every local, state and national tournament helping our kids citywide review their games,” Bartlett said.

Educator of the Year is Dorinda White, Principal of Rainbow Elementary School for the past 10 years. “Under her leadership and support, students at Rainbow have won the state elementary team championship four years in a row. Mrs. White has recognized the educational value of teaching kids chess.”

The 78 students were congratulated who attended Super Nationals VI Tournament in Nashville. Students who rated phenomenal scores included Om Badhe, Will Fox, Hayden Billmann, Ryan Shurtz and Harsha Matta.

Several students received other awards at the dinner:

* Justin Diehl — Most Improved, Liberty Middle School.

* Sohan Mynampally — ChessKid Award, Liberty.

* Om Badhe, Will Fox, Sohan Mynampally and L.J. Saurman — MCCL Team Cup, Liberty.

* Hayden Billmann — Most Improved, Discovery Middle School.

* Maanasi Limaye and Thomas Nguyen — Most Valuable Player, Discovery.

* Grace Billmann and Hugh Mitchel — Most Improved, Bob Jones High School.

* William Spanier — Most Valuable, Bob Jones.

* Ethan Kueck, Jonathan Yang, Amelia Dobbs, Kennedy Gore, Victor Lundy, Ryan Shurtz and Constance Wang – ‘Graduating’ members, Rainbow.

* Constance Wang and Victor Lundy – Top Sixth-Graders, Rainbow.