Illinois chess growth

Central chess team’s smart moves lead to state
by Laura Michaels
February 10, 2009
New Lenox Patriot – Orland Park, IL, USA

For the sixth straight year, Lincoln-Way Central’s Chess Club claimed the SouthWest Suburban Blue Conference title and will now compete at the state tournament in Peoria on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13 and 14.

Head coach Kevin Dailey’s “Mighty Knight” chess team clinched the conference’s top spot Tuesday, Feb. 3, with a 97-76 win over Bradley-Bourbonnais.

The Knights finished the regular season with a 12-1 record and had five players named to the All-Conference team.

Central students Kevin Davenport, Justin Suggs, Jacob Behm, Mike Suggett and Dan Sim received All-Conference honors, and will be joined by Devin Clark, Christopher Robson, Adam Clark, Brian Goebel and Sean McKenzie at state.

“We’re aiming for a top 25 finish,” Dailey said of his team’s state goal.

“That’s a pretty good finish; it’s not hard to qualify for state but it is hard to place that high.”

Dailey said 121 teams will compete, with four rounds played Friday and three on Saturday at the Civic Center. And for a team without a single senior, Dailey said his players have performed remarkably well this season.

“We have a solid team,” Dailey said. “We’re a developing team. We don’t have one star.

Here is the full article.