Berry Girls' Chess Team Takes 2nd at Nationals
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Seven girls from Berry Middle School formed the first ever all-girls chess team in Mesquite ISD. These pioneering young women – Gabbi Williams, Tricia Culver, Ciara Buckley, Michelle Torres, Shayna Vanlehn, Felicia Wagner, and Anna Euziere – competed in the 5th annual Kasparov Foundation All-Girls National Chess Championships. Over 200 girls from 24 states – plus Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico – came to Dallas to compete Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27. Each girl played 6 games over two days scoring one point for a win, 1/2 a point for a draw and no points for a loss. The top three scores from each student were combined for a team score. As a team, the girls won enough matches to place 2nd in the nation in the 14 and under division. Gabbi Williams went 3-3 tying for 10th place in the nation. On tie-breaks she brought home the 13th place trophy. As the winner of the 18-under division, Medina Parrilla of New York, won a four-year academic distinction scholarship to the University of Texas at Dallas valued at over $68,000.
