Holbrook High School student Donovan John placed 15th in the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Individual State Chess Championship, hosted by Yuma Catholic High School on Nov. 22-23. Donovan claimed a tournament medal by handily winning four rounds during the six-round competition. Competing against 70 of the highest-ranked high school chess players in the state, Donovan demonstrated extraordinary patience and skill as he executed his strategy during the 15 hours of game-play, which took place over the course of the two-day championship. Donovan has played the top board for the Holbrook High School chess team since he was a freshman and has qualified for the state championship for the last three years. Among the top interscholastic chess players in the state, John is also enrolled in the Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology where he has been studying mechatronics. He is scheduled to graduate this spring with the Holbrook High School class of 2020, after which he plans to finish his course work at Northland Pioneer College before transferring to a state university.
