by Pedro Miguel
The Berkeley Springs High School chess team added another impressive achievement to its record with a first-place team finish at the Area-Wide Scholastic Chess Tournament, held Saturday, April 25 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
The four-round Swiss-system tournament brought together students from kindergarten through 12th grade, with 12 high schools represented in the championship section. Fresh off their West Virginia State Championship title and a strong showing at the National Championships in Chicago, the Berkeley Springs team continued its winning momentum in the D.C. metropolitan area.
Berkeley Springs delivered a standout performance, with three players finishing in the top five and securing the points needed for the team victory.
Senior Joseph Guzman-Robles earned an undefeated second-place finish with 3.5 out of 4 possible points. Junior Malcolm Johns and senior Brody Gloyd placed fourth and fifth, respectively, each scoring 3 out of 4. Together, the trio amassed an impressive 9.5 out of a possible 12 points.
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Sophomore Dylan Stewart also went undefeated, recording one win and three draws to claim seventh place overall. Additional contributions came from Brian Ailor (13th), Moises Guzman-Robles (15th), and newcomers Bruce Hess (19th) and Cason Wingo (20th), all of whom played key supporting roles in the team’s success.
Tournament organizer David Mehler delivered a thoughtful message during the awards ceremony, emphasizing that rankings, Elo ratings, and match results do not fully capture the true value of scholastic chess.
“What matters most,” he noted, “is what young players learn, the development of their thinking, their resilience, and the connections they build both intellectually and socially.”
For Berkeley Springs students, that lesson may be the most meaningful prize of all. Beyond the trophy now displayed in the high school’s case, the team returns home with something far more lasting: growth, learning, and the joy inspired by the timeless game of chess.
