VHS Chess Takes 4th in State

Courtesy of VHS

The Vidalia High School Chess Team recently competed in the Georgia Chess Association High School Team State Chess Championship, where they finished in 4th place on Saturday, March 18, in Lawrenceville.

Alexander Muzafarov led the team to victory as he went undefeated in the tournament with a 5-0 record. The Vidalia team, consisting of Muzafarov, Veer Patel, Sukumar Paidi, Ethan Hart, and Nathan Britton, finished the day with a record of 3-1-1, and claiming the title of Non-Metro-Atlanta Region Champions.

Vidalia High School Chess Instructor/Coach Bobby George commented on the team’s performance. 'These young men have worked over the years to develop the skills necessary for high-level chess competition. Much of their success results from working with coaches Sean Sasser and Jay Youngblood throughout middle school, and we appreciate their support.

“But the real reason this team was successful is because of encouragement and support from their parents. These students are involved in high school sports, the band, and active clubs and organizations. Two players played baseball and soccer on Friday in Brantley County, then their parents drove them to Lawrenceville to compete in the State Chess tournament on Saturday morning.'

With a team composed of one junior (Paidi) and four freshmen, George said the future is bright. 'We have a young team, and we hope to continue to grow as a program.”