With five teams across multiple sections, the team showcased their depth, talent, and a winning culture, proving that teamwork and leadership drive success. Not only did Avondale Gate Initiative win the K-5 championship, but Avondale Gate Development became the 2025 K-3 State Champions, while Avondale Gate Space secured a 9th-place trophy in its first-ever tournament!
Avondale’s three teams in the K-5 Championship dominated the competition, culminating in an all-Avondale final round between the two top teams.
Avondale Gate Initiative (K-5 State Champions)
Final Record: 5-0, 19 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses
Round 1: 4-0 vs. Detroit Edmonson
Round 2: 4-0 vs. Detroit Bates Academy
Round 3: 4-0 vs. The Roeper School
Round 4: 3-1 vs. Novi Parkview
Round 5: 4-0 vs. Avondale Gate Material
Avondale Gate Material (2nd Place)
Final Record: 4-1 (Clinched 2nd place before the final round)
Round 1: 4-0 vs. South Arbor
Round 2: 4-0 vs. Troy Wattles
Round 3: 4-0 vs. Troy Boulan Park
Round 4: 3-1 vs. The Roeper School
Round 5: 0-4 loss to Avondale Gate Initiative
Avondale Gate Development – K-3 State Champions
Avondale's K-3 Teams also clenched the 2025 State Championship!This victory continues Avondale’s dominance in elementary chess, as Avondale Gate has won EVERY K-3 state championship since the program’s inception.
Final Record: 4.5 points, 1st Place
Round 1: 4-0 vs. Novi Parkview
Round 2: 3-0 vs. Okemos Central
Round 3: 4-0 vs. St. Isaac Jogues
Round 4: 2-2 draw vs. Okemos Bennett Woods
Round 5: 3-0 vs. South Arbor Primary
Lin, Cynthia Xinyi (4 points, Silver Medalist, Board 1)
Lovria, Luka (5 points, Gold Medalist, Board 2)
Sivunigunta, Veronica (2 points, Development Year, Board 3)
Kim, Soeun (5 points, Gold Medalist, Board 4)
Avondale Gate Space – 9th Place Trophy in First Tournament!
Incredibly, Avondale Gate Space—a team composed of students who had never played in a tournament before—placed 9th overall, earning a trophy in their first competition!
Christofis, Jacob (3 points, Bronze Medalist, Board 1)
Verma, Neel (1.5 points, Development Year, Board 2)
Malone, Theodore (2.5 points, Development Year, Board 3)
Gavande, Reyan (2 points, Development Year, Board 4)
Individual Medalists from Avondale
Several Avondale players took home individual medals for outstanding board performances:
Gold Medalists (5-0 Record)
Anirudh Anand (Avondale Gate Initiative, Board 3)
Lovria, Luka (Avondale Gate Development, Board 2)
Kim, Soeun (Avondale Gate Development, Board 4)
Wu, Will (Avondale Gate Lines Squares, K-5 Reserve, Board 2)
Zhang, Shuheng (Avondale Gate Initiative, Board 4)
Silver Medalists (4-4.5 Points)
Zheng, Lerui (4.5, Avondale Gate Initiative, Board 1)
Wang, Grace (4.5, Avondale Gate Initiative, Board 2)
Kapoor, Mihir (4, Avondale Gate Material, Board 1)
Jain, Vivaan (4, Avondale Gate Material, Board 3)
Billings, Elijah (4, Avondale Gate Material, Board 4)
Maruneni, Soham (4, Avondale Gate Officers, K-5 Reserve, Board 1)
Iyer, Krish (4, Avondale Gate Lines Squares, K-5 Reserve, Board 1)
Bronze Medalists (3.5 Points)
Christofis, Jacob (3, Avondale Gate Space, Board 1)
Padhi, Ankit (3.5, Avondale Gate Officers, K-5 Reserve, Board 2)
Synopsis:
Avondale Gate has now won EVERY K-3 state championship since the program’s inception.
The K-5 team is now a back-to-back state champion.
The K-3 development team won another title, proving the pipeline is strong.
The K-5 reserve teams showed massive potential for next year.
Coach Bryan Wilson praised the team’s unity and resilience, saying:
"The kids put in the work, they believe in each other, and they deliver. This program is built on teamwork, and it’s why we keep winning. The dynasty is only growing."
