The Montessori School of Bowling Green successfully defended its state chess title
while Perrysburg’s Ft. Meigs Elementary School made an impressive showing in its
first appearance at the Ohio Elementary Chess Championships in Cincinnati on
April 14.
The tournament, sanctioned by the United States Chess Federation, attracted over 170
players from 60 elementary schools.
Representing the Montessori School of BG were Isabelle Broman, Eric Clawson, Jaewoon
Jung, Yeowoon Jung, Bryan Li and Jeremy Mahoney.
The Montessori team topped Deer Run Elementary of Dublin, Ohio to win this year’s
title. Also competing for the Montessori in the K-6 Elementary Championship
Section was Jared Bechstein, who finished in the Top 25.
Perrysburg Fort Meigs Elementary School also had two teams in the unrated sections.

Winning third place in the unrated section grades 4-6 was the team of Jacob Gerkin,
Ethan Hohman, Sam Miller, Gavin Rogers and Elliott Schmittenberg.
The Ft. Meigs team won several close games in the final 2 rounds to secure 3rd place
in the most competitive section of the entire tournament.
Placing fourth in the unrated section grades K-3 was the Ft. Meigs team of Chase
Duval, Alexander Perez, Duane Quade and Nathan Rogers who edged out a Cincinnati
area team by just half a point.
Perrysburg St. Rose third-grader Jada Wilhelm also competed in the unrated section
grades K-3 scoring 2.5 points.
Perrysburg St. Rose, Ft. Meigs and the Montessori school of BG are all members of the
Great Lakes Chess Association.
Perrysburg Junior High students Lang Liang and David Morris, along with Woodland
Elementary student Stephen Morris, attended the Ohio Middle School State Chess
Tournament in Richfield, Ohio, March 31 to April 1.
Lang Liang became the fifth Perrysburg student to win a state chess championship.
Lang won all six rounds of the Ohio state Middle School Reserve Championship.

Lang was unrated and the tournament was for those with a rating from 100-799 or
unrated.
Lang’s first-ever U.S. Chess Federation rating is 1,412, second highest of all Toledo
area K-12 graders.
Stephen competed in Lang’s division and won two, lost three and had one draw. His
post-tournament rating is 724, second best of all Toledo area K-5th graders.
David played in the Middle School Open Championship and won two, lost two and had two
draws. David’s post-tournament rating is 1370, 4th best of all Toledo-area K-12
graders.
"We are fortunate to have two history-making players on the same team this
year," said Eric Morris, Perrysburg Junior High chess coach.
"It seems very doubtful that I could ever coach two players who understand chess
any better than Lang or David."
The results of the junior high club’s tournament (26 players participating, four
earning trophies) are first place, David, eighth grade and second place Lang,
sixth grade.