Led by Sophomore Sheena Zeng, a young Thomas More Prep-Marian Monarch team posted 17 points to claim the 3A State Chess Championship. The tournament took place at the University of Kansas Memorial Union. Zeng was aided by 4 point performances by junior Sheldon Weber and freshmen Japheth Briney and Seth Perrett. Freshman Hunter Flax provided 3 points in a back-up capacity.
The Monarchs led the 3A Division through most of the tournament’s 6 rounds, but trailed Erie at the end of Round 5. A strong 3 point final round by the Monarchs and a slim 1 point showing by the Erie team in the last round resulted in the 17.0 to 15.5 point final result.
Not only did the Monarchs outplay all other 3A schools in the state, they also finished ahead of all 1A, 2A, 4A and 5A schools. Only Lawrence Free State High School (18.5 points) and Manhattan High School, (17.5 points) both 6A schools, were able to outscore the TMP-Marian students.
The Monarch Junior High also fared well in the state event, finishing seventh in a field of 26 school teams with 15 points of a possible 24. Leading the team were Jensen Brull (Grade 7), Nicklas Helget (Grade 8), and Tate Dinkel (Grade 7), each with 4 points. Braydon Binder (Grade 7) added 3 points to fill out the team score. Also competing were Logan Hess (Grade 8, 3.0 points), Connor Hilger (Grade 7, 3.0 points) and Treighton Dunn (Grade 7, 2.0 points). The champion Junior High team was Lawrence Southwest Middle School with 18 points.