Ten Years of Chess Commemorated with “The Endgame” Tournament

June 8, 2023 - This year marked Comal ISD’s 10th year of tournament chess play since launching a district-wide chess initiative in the 2013-2014 school year. To commemorate the anniversary, the district hosted four tournaments for students in grades kindergarten through 12th grades and capped it off with a rated tournament for middle and high school students.

Called “The Endgame,” this final tournament of the year took place on May 13 at Canyon High School in partnership with Complete Chess of New Braunfels. All players received a U.S. Chess Federation membership with their registration.

Approximately 60 middle and high school students competed in district’s first-ever rated tournament, and six high school students won a total of $950 in college scholarships.

Results from the Endgame Tournament

High School - 9th-12th grades Division

Individual
- First Place: Triton Doane, CLHS
- Second Place: Massimo Meneses, Pieper High School

Doane and Meneses tied in points, therefore, each received a $375 scholarship to be paid to their college.

- Third Place: Erick Ortiz Salgada, CLHS; Benjamin Kelemen, Memorial Early College High School; Michael Shenouda, PHS; and Zachary Ellis, CLHS

All four tied in points, therefore, each received a $50 scholarship to be paid to their college.

Team
- CLHS, coached by Charles Van Houten and Ben Ceyanes
  Won by one half of one point.

Middle School - 6th-8th grades Division

Individual
- First Place: Asher Lippe, Canyon Middle School - Lippe also had the only perfect score at the tournament, winning all five rounds.
- Second Place: Jacob Ybarra, Pieper Ranch Middle School
- Third Place: Henry Ferris, PRMS
Team
- PRMS, coached by A’ndrea Fisher

---------------------

Spring Tournament Results

The two spring tournaments occurred on Feb. 4, at Canyon Lake High School, and April 15, at Smithson Valley High School with 300 participants at each. Results from the CLHS and SVHS tournaments are listed below.

First Place in Overall Campus Participation

Elementary

CLHS tournament: Startzville Elementary
SVHS tournament: Indian Springs Elementary

Middle School

CLHS tournament: Mountain Valley Middle
SVHS tournament: Spring Branch Middle

High School

CLHS tournament: CLHS
SVHS tournament: CLHS

Kindergarten through 2nd Grade

Team
- CLHS and SVHS tournaments - Oak Creek Elementary – coached by Sheila Pfeffer
Individual
- CLHS tournament
  - 1st Place – Lucas Alvarez, OCES
  - 2nd Place – Justin Barger, OCES
  - 3rd Place – Samuel Butler, ISES
- SVHS tournament
  - 1st Place – Justin Barger, OCES
  - 2nd Place – Iyas Syed, Specht Elementary
  - 3rd Place – Samuel Butler, ISES

Third through 5th Grade

Team
- CLHS tournament: Rebecca Creek Elementary – coached by Sheldon Vamper
- SVHS tournament: Specht Elementary – coached by Stephanie Arnold
Individual
- CLHS tournament
  - 1st Place – Omar Houston, SES
  - 2nd Place – Jaxon Ziemba, RCES
  - 3rd Place – Paxton Skinner, RCES
- SVHS tournament
  - 1st Place – Jake Wadle, RCES
  - 2nd Place – Colin Cabrera, SES
  - 3rd Place – Omar Houston, SES

Sixth through 8th Grade

Team
- CLHS tournament: Smithson Valley Middle – coached by Melissa Monroe
- SVHS tournament: SBMS - coached by Chrissy Trevino
Individual
- CLHS tournament
  - 1st place – Finnley Greissinger, SVMS
  - 2nd Place – Tessa Schroeder, SVMS
  - 3rd Place – Brandon Mendoza-Flores, SBMS
SVHS tournament
- 1st Place – Thomas Chick, SBMS
- 2nd Place – Finnley Greissinger, SVMS
- 3rd Place – Asher Lippe, Canyon Middle

Ninth through 12th Grade

Team
- CLHS tournament: CLHS – coached by Charles Van Houten and Ben Ceyanes
- SVHS tournament: Pieper High School – coached by Kara Cecil
Individual
- CLHS tournament
  - 1st Place – Luke Schroeder, SVHS
  - 2nd Place – Devin Zook, SVHS
  - 3rd Place – Erick Ortiz Salgado, CLHS
- SVHS tournament
  - 1st Place – Massimo Meneses, PHS
  - 2nd Place – Mason Bowlin, CLHS
  - 3rd Place – Luke Schroeder, SVHS

Photos of the top winners may be viewed and downloaded here.

-The team from Canyon Lake High School took the top team honor during the final tournament of the year, the Endgame.

-The Pieper Ranch Middle School team took the top team honor during the final tournament of the year, the Endgame, for the 6th-8th-grade division.

-Canyon Lake High School student Triton Doane was the first-place winner at the Endgame tournament for the 9th-12th-grade division.

-Canyon Middle School student Asher Lippe was the first-place winner at the Endgame tournament for the 6th-8th-grade division.

-Pieper High School student Massimo Meneses was the second-place winner at the Endgame tournament for the 9th-12th-grade division.

-Pieper Ranch Middle School student Jacob Ybarra was the second-place winner at the Endgame tournament for the 6th-8th-grade division.

-During the final tournament of the year, called the Endgame, four students tied for third place in the 9th-12th-grade division. Pictured from left is Zachary Ellis, Michael Shenouda, Erick Ortiz Salgada and Benjamin Kelemen.

-Pieper Ranch Middle School student Henry Ferris placed third in the 6th-8th-grade division at the Endgame tournament.