HHS students Michael Christian and John Bartel earn right to compete at state

By ADAM STEWART

Staff writer

Two Hillsboro High School students earned positions at the state chess tournament by placing in the top 20 Saturday at the Valley Center chess tournament.

Michael Christian placed 17th, and John Bartel earned a 20th-place finish.

Second-grader Julian Hessel and fifth-grader Jordan Fryover earned medals in the elementary school tournament. Both qualified for the state chess tournament, as well.

The HHS Chess Guild placed seventh out of 12 teams. The finish was a strong showing for the Trojans against larger schools, chess sponsor Janet Whisenhunt said.

High school students who qualified for state are Bartel, Christian, Justin King, and Matthew Richert. Elementary school qualifiers are Reece Berens, Matthew Denholm, Fryover, and Hessel.

There are two or three more tournaments before state to qualify, Whisenhunt said.