A trip down the A49 to the Megafinal in Hereford saw Shropshire juniors return with four trophies and a number of qualifiers for the next stage of the UK Chess Challenge.
Six Shropshire juniors won their sections to be declared Supremos and qualify for the Northern Gigafinal that takes place in July. Two Shropshire junior academy members - Heath Pearson and Francis Rooney - won all their games at the Megafinal. Ten-year old Heath swept aside all opposition in his section to take the Supremo slot, and Francis Rooney won all six of his games in the tough combined section for 14-18 year-olds and was under 16 Supremo.
Photo - back L-R: James Sloan, U17B Supremo; Matthew Best, U15B Supremo; Francis Rooney, U16B Supremo; and front: Heath Pearson, U10B Supremo.
Shropshire winners at 2011 Megafinal:
Under 7 boys supremo Billy Hudson, Castle House School
Under 9 boys runner-up Luca Ebola, St George's School
Under 10 Supremo - Heath Pearson, Oxon School who scored 6/6
Under 10 girls runner-up Rhiannon Wilson, Radbrook School
Under 13 boys runner up Morgan Warcroft, Abraham Darby
Under 15 Supremo - Matthew Best, Mary Webb School - 4/6 Under 15 boys runner-up Ben Spicer, Bridgnorth Endowed
Under 16 Supremo - Francis Rooney, Church Stretton School - 6/6
Under 17 Supremo - James Sloan, Idsall School - 5/6
Under 18 girls Supremo - Jade Bonner, Abraham Darby School
Under 18 boys Supremo - Ben Treadwell, Abraham Darby School
Winners of rosettes for those who scored at least 3.5 points from their 6 matches were: Ella Mates, St Lawrences U11G; Alfie Deal and Ben Sutton, Castle House U10B; Oscar Stone and Duncan Parry, St Georges U11B; Darren Ward, Abraham Darby U12B; Matthew Taylor, Idsall School U13B.
Shropshire schools represented at the Megafinal were: Abraham Darby, Bridgnorth Endowed, Castle House, Church Stretton, Idsall, Mary Webb, Radbrook, St George's, St Lawrences.
(Apologies if I have missed any of the Shropshire juniors from the results or got any names wrong, just leave a comment with corrections and I'll edit.)