The Portland Area League met on February 8th to play the 6th round of their three Division Round Robin. Division A League-leading Clackamas won on the odd boards to down Westview by a score of 3 to 2. Lake Oswego kept Wilson in the back of the pack by winning by a score of 3 1/2 to 1 1/2. LaSalle won the three middle boards to down Sylvan by a score of 3 to 2. Sylvan won the battle of the middle schools by downing Access Academy by a score of 3 to 2. In Division B, League-leading Cleveland could only draw their match against LaSalle #2. Sherwood had to forfeit their match against Lincoln due to transportation problems. Clackmas #2 and Lake Oswego played even on the first three boards, but they took the match by a score of 3 1/2 to 1 1/2 when the Lakers did not have players for the two bottom boards. Wilsonville won on first board against Access #2, but gave the match away by a score of 4 to 1 due to no shows. Division C leader Sherwood #2 was also a no-show (due to transportation problems) so they unfortunately forfeited their match against Cleveland #2. Sylvan #2 beat Wilson #2 by a score of 3 1/2 to 1 1/2. LaSalle #3 won on the first board against Jesuit #2 and took the rest by forfeit.

The Portland Area League met for the final matches of their season on February 15th. The League had been scheduled for 14 rounds, but decided to cancel the last round so that they would be completed prior to the Oregon High School Team Championship. Each of the final matches in Division A would determine a teams final standings. The Crusaders of Jesuit slipped by the Trojans of Wilson by a score of 3 to 2 taking 5th and leaving Wilson at the end of the pack. The LaSalle College Prep Falcons faced off against the kids from Sylvan. LaSalle needed a win to have any chance at moving up in the standings. Sylvan needed a win to place ahead of LaSalle. LaSalle took the match early winning on the bottom three boards. Sylvan won on the top board and the last game to finish was on board #2 when Sylvan’s Leo Deng who at one time had 2 minutes remaining on his clock to LaSalle’s Charlie Summers’ had 20 minutes remaining. The post ion was very complicated with Charlie having a Queen and two Rooks against Leo’s Queen, Rook, and Knight with both players having numerous pawns. Rooks were exchanged and Leo’s clock was under a minute and Charlie’s under five. With less than 30 seconds left on each clock Charlie’s Queen left the defense of his King to hunt down some pawns. With 11 seconds left Leo found a mating net as Charlie’s clock ran out of time. The Lakers of Lake Oswego needed to win their match against Westview to have any chance of catching Clackamas and to also stay ahead of LaSalle. Westview needed to win the match to keep from slipping further down the standings. The Lakers down the Wildcats of Westview by a score of 4 to 1. Division Leading Clackamas lost on board won but won the rest to take first place.

In Division B Wilsonville was a no-show against Clackamas #2. The Cardinals of Lincoln edged out Lake Oswego #2 by a score of 3 to 2. LaSalle #2 ecked by Access #2 by winning on boards 1 and 3 and drawing on boards 4 and 5. The Cleveland Warriors proved their dominance in this section by blowing out the Bowman of Sherwood by a score of 5 to 0.

Division C Wilson #2 played even against Cleveland #2 on the first three boards but got the last two by forfeit winning the match by a score of 3 1/2 to 1 1/2. Jesuit #2 took down Access #3 by a score of 3 to 1. Sherwood #2 won the top two boards against LaSalle #3 but gave away the last 3 games by forfeit.

The cross table for the three divsions follow: