The Paden City Elementary Chess Team

The Paden City Elementary Chess Team traveled to Charleston to compete in the West Virginia State Chess Tournament on March 23 under the direction of Jeff Hohn. Paden City Schools had four teams competing.

The K-3 Team consisted of Justin Barker, Alec Chaplin, Seth Christner, Brandon Hizer, Ayden Hoover, Walker Hoover, and Serenity Strothers. These students brought home the title of K-3 Section State Champions! Individual trophies went to: first place, Ayden Hoover; second place, Justin Barker; third place, Brandon Hizer; and fourth place, Alec Chaplin.

Two teams (green and white) represented the school’s K-5 section. Team members included: Bradley Baker, Justin Bowman, Nicholas Clarke, Walter Joy, Issac Neff, Carson Palmer, Paxton Pierce, Sean Christner, Alexis Dennis, Kelsey Michael, Gavin Pierce, Rachel Price, and Hope Weber. The Green PC Team was awarded the title of State Champions for the K-5 section. The White PC Team placed fifth at the state level. Justin Bowman received a seventh place individual trophy.

The K-8 Section represented Paden City with the following members: Marcus Allen, Nathan Barker, Aaron Heasley, David Joy, Matthew Michael, Matthew Rexroad, and E.J. Weber. This team finished fourth at this year’s state competition.

All of the PCES teams did a great job and had a super season.

Since the start of the Paden City Chess Team in 2004, Paden City has

finished in first place at the state level eight times; second place, five times; third place, three times; fourth place, four times; fifth place, once; and sixth place, once.

PCES also had individual state champions for the years of 2006, Kris

Lashbrook; 2008, Hayden Hizer; and 2013, Ayden Hoover. Congratulations to the students and Advisor Hohn on a very successful program for the students in Paden City!