Evanston Chess Team Excels at 2024 National High School Championships

The Evanston Township High School chess team showcased their skills at the 2024 National High School Championships in Baltimore earlier this month, with one team finishing in 4th place and one player earning the title of co-champion in his division.

With over 1,800 contestants participating in the tournament from April 5 to April 7, ETHS entered three teams across different skill divisions. In the top division, the team finished in 27th place, ahead of neighboring schools like Highland Park and New Trier.

In the division for players with Elo ratings under 1900, ETHS secured a 4th place finish, led by top-scoring members Asa Lieberman, Alastair Keely-Walker, Sam Kemeny, and William Zalmezak. In the division for players with ratings under 1600, the team finished 10th, while individual competitor Adam Sklar earned a 7th place finish in the unrated division.

Head Coach Keith Holzmueller expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, especially noting that most players in the U1900 and U1600 teams are underclassmen who will continue to compete for ETHS in future competitions.

On the individual front, senior Jonah Chang led the team in the top-rated division, while freshman Asa Lieberman stood out with a 6th place finish in the under 1900 division. Senior Ethan Brush emerged as the national co-champion in the under 1600 division, showcasing his exceptional skills on the chessboard.

The Evanston Township High School chess team’s success at the national championships highlights their dedication and talent, setting the stage for future achievements in Illinois high school chess competitions.