Ephrata’s Malone takes top honor in chess tourney

EPHRATA — For the third consecutive year, Hayden Malone, an Ephrata High School senior took home the top prize in the Waypoint Foundation Scholastic Chess Tournament, according to a statement from the Waypoint Foundation. The competition was held Saturday at Parkway Intermediate School in Ephrata. 

“The 17th annual Waypoint Foundation Scholastic Chess Tournament was a huge success,” said Waypoint Foundation Trustee Troy Pugh. 

The runner-up in the tournament was Julian Ochoa Medina, an eighth-grade student from Quincy Middle School. Additionally, Pugh said, 13 students from kindergarten to sixth grade from around the Columbia Basin qualified to participate in the Washington State Elementary Chess Championships in May. 

Pugh said the foundation is looking at setting up an online registration for next year’s event, but in the meantime, he expressed congratulations to the winners of this year’s event and the state-level qualifiers. 

“We wish them the best if they are able to make it to either of these championship events,” he said.

For a full list of results from the tournament, visit www.waypointfoundation.org.

    Participants in this year’s Waypoint Foundation Scholastic Chess Tournament in the gymnasium at Parkway Intermediate School in Ephrata this past Saturday. The tournament has cash prizes and is part of the foundation’s efforts to support youth in the Columbia Basin. Participants from throughout the region attend the event.