HILLCREST High School’s theme for this year is ‘Going for Gold’, and that is exactly what the chess team did.
After their sterling performance over the past two years, where Hillcrest High School came third and then second, this year the team won the PADSSA League.
The results were as follows: Hillcrest High School (40.5 points) won, Kloof High School and Pinetown Boys’ High School tied for second place (33.5 points), Kearsney College and Werda Skool tied for fourth place (22.5 points), Nilgiri School was in sixth place (14 points) and Gelofte Skool seventh place (3.5 points).
In response to how her pupils managed this excellent achievement, teacher Liz Gomes, said it was with several training sessions, long Saturday mornings, and sheer determination.
Individual team members also performed extremely well, with both Alex Kusel and Ryan Kippen doing well in the eThekwini Youth Championships. Ryan Kippen played in the KZN squad and in the SA Junior Champs last year, and has been selected again this year. Also to be commended, is Alister Comins, who has been a member of the chess team for five years, and had virtually an unblemished season this year.
Team members in rank order are: Benjamin Seip, Samuel Verster, Ryan Kippen, Alister Comins, Alex Kusel, Reece Fuller, Julia Schuaerte, Kyle Jansen Van Vuuren, Cameron Narainsamy, Joshua Mare and Mholi Nkabinde.
The team is already looking forward to next year, but said they will miss their three matric players who will leave a huge gap in the team – Benjamin, Julia and Alister.
The team also thanked Marriott and Mrs Kippen, who again have been extremely generous in their sponsorship of the Hillcrest High chess team this year.
