The 2008 S.C. State Scholastic Championship held at Heyward Career & Technology Center was an improvement over 2007, yet, not without some surprises. The total participation was greater than anticipated with one hundred eight players, about thirty more than last year. The Middle School Section had the most players with forty-five, followed by the Elementary Section with thirty-four, and the High School Section with twenty-nine. All section winners took were “clear winners” with perfect 5.0 scores:
MICHAEL LAURIA took first in the High School Section.
ARJUN GROVER took first in the Middle School Section.
KEVIS TSAO took first in the Elementary School Section.
The surprise of the tournament was the upset of last year’s High School co-champion and Denker representative, Lintu Ramachandran, by Daniel Dodds. However, Daniel could not get by Michael Lauria (another co-champ from 2007), allowing Michael to take clear first with a perfect 5.0. Daniel Dodds, Rade Muslin (another co-champ form 2007), Lintu Ramachandran, and newcomer Joseph Austin tied for second place with 4.0 points.
The Middle School Section was won by Arjun Grover with 5.0 points, followed by John Custer, 4.5 points. Kevis Tsao placed first in the Elementary School Section with 5.0 points, followed by a three way tie for second at 4.0 points: Eric Cheng, Mowei Tang, and Paul Heebner.
The top girl player was Hannah Whately of the Middle School Section with 3.0 points. Also the winner of the Sixth Grade trophy, she will represent the state at the Polgar National Invitational for Girls. Michael Lauria will represent the state at the Denker Tournament of High School Champions.
All the first place teams were from the upstate, making a sweep. D.W. Daniels High School (Klaus Pohl, coach) upset the Governor’s School for Science and Math to win the High School Section. R.C. Edwards Middle School (Wayne Christensen, coach) won first in the Middle School Section. Clemson Elementary won the Elementary School Section.
Special thanks to David Grimaud for this report.
We need 100 more David Grimmaud.
Klaus Pohl and Wayne Christianson deserve lots of credit for the Daniel and Edwards performance but No one deserves more credit than Mick Lauria who has mentored most of these kids since they were in grade school.