EHS chess team qualifies for state tournament

The 2023 Southwest Washington Scholastic Chess Championships took place Feb. 4 at Centralia College. A total of 210 chess players from 93 different schools participated in the regional qualifier tournament, which was open to players in the 13-county area south and west of King County.

The tournament, hosted by the Washington High School Chess Association, consisted of both a high school and middle school championship. Winning teams in the high school championship qualified to compete in the High School Chess Team Championships at Stanwood High School in March.

Five undefeated players tied for second, each having given up a draw in earlier rounds. Eatonville High School’s Brynden Olson, Viviana Ibanez and Gabriel Priest of W.F. West in Chehalis, Naato'Si Craven of Columbia River in Vancouver and Joshua Haelle of Pope John Paul II in Lacey all finished with 4.5 points. 

With his finish, Olson punched his ticket to the state tournament in March.

Six high school teams, including Eatonville, qualified to compete at the State High School Team Championships in March. Olympia claimed the title of Southwest Washington High School Team Champion with 19 points. W.F. West and Columbia River tied for second with 16 points. Seton Catholic  of Vancouver, Eatonville and Forks finished in fourth through sixth places.