Chess team wins three titles
SPARTA. Brendan Wick wins seven games to become the high school’s first undefeated champion.
Sparta /
| 16 Apr 2024 | 03:59
Brendan Wick won first place in the Under 1200 bracket in the 2024 National High School Championships, sponsored by the U.S. Chess Federation. He is is Sparta High School’s first undefeated champion. (Photos provided)
From left are Ian Bellush, Imad Panjwani and Griffin Brawer.
Tom Murray, coach of the Sparta High School chess team, with Brendan Wick.
The Sparta High School chess team.
The Sparta High School chess team took several titles at the 2024 National High School Championships held April 5-7 in Baltimore, Md.
The team, led by Imad Panjwani’s undefeated fifth-place finish, won the U1600 national title in the contest sponsored by the U.S. Chess Federation. Other team members were Griffin Brawer, Ian Bellush, Ayush Iyer, Vaiden Pollard and Rowan Mendel.
Brendan Wick won the U1200, going undefeated in seven games. He is Sparta’s first undefeated champion. Wick, an 11th-grader, is homeschooled and has played on the high school team for three years.
Rowan Mendel also placed first in the U1400 Speed Chess Championship.
Chloe Brawer, Surekha Selvaraj and Aneesh Iyer also represented Sparta High School.
Most of the players will be graduating this year after playing with the team since primary school.
They are coached by Tom Murray.