Rocky Top takes home chess wins
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Rocky Top’s Farragut High School chess team, from left, Buchen Jiang, Stephen Xiao, James Nguyen, Maggie Zhong with their coach, Fei Tian, brought home the championship trophy in their age group.. - Photos submitted
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Regional President Christina Mullinax joined Rocky Top’s Farragut Middle School chess team, from left, John Nguyen, captain; Yi Son; Ryan Chen; Brian Liu; and Jason Jhang, with coach, Jiajia Chen, who brought home the championship trophy in their age group. - Photos submitted
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Coach Lilin He joined Rocky Top’s Farragut Intermediate School chess team, from left, Elsa He, Joyce Hu, Lucas Xiao, Jason Xu, and regional president Christina Mullinax, who won second place in the kindergarten through fifth-grade group. - Photos submitted
Rocky Top Chess Club reaped wins, winning a championship and high placements in the 2026 Harry D. Sabine State Team Chess Tournament at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville Saturday,
March 21.
Of the six Rocky Top teams competing in the tournament, the Farragut High School and Farragut Middle School teams each won first place; the
Farragut Intermediate School and Northshore Elementary teams each won second
place; and a new team, Hardin Valley Middle School, placed 10th.
“I feel so excited,” said Fei Tian, president of Rocky Top Chess Club and a coach. She added the FHS and FMS also won the championship last year.
Rocky Top Chess Club for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, has 20 members, of which “most
are from Farragut with some also from Northshore,” Tian said.
“We also have a chess school,” where students can learn the game,” she added.
“We hope they can continue to play in the tournament and enjoy the chess journey,” Tian said about the winners. “Most of them start at an early age. Some are first-graders or kindergartners.”
This is the 10th year since the club was established.
