Lemont Posts Program-Best Finish At IHSA Chess State Finals

LEMONT, IL — For the second straight season, head coach Ken Suslek’s chess team established a new program best in state finals competition, according to a release from LHS. Lemont placed 19th at the 2023 IHSA Chess State Finals, which were contested at the Peoria Civic Center on Feb. 10-11.

Lemont has advanced to the IHSA State Finals 26 straight years, and has won multiple state finals contests each of those seasons.

After having never done so prior to 2022, Lemont won five state finals matches in one season for the second straight year, knocking off Chicago Kelly (45-23), Glenbard North (62.5-5.5), Rockford Auburn (58-10), South Elgin (52.5-15.5) and Downers Grove South (44-24), according to LHS.

Lemont, which has advanced to the state finals each season since 1998, improved upon its 23rd-place finish in 2022, and was fourth among all Class 3A teams at the state finals.

Junior Rehan Saraiya was Lemont’s top performer in the state finals with 6.0 points (six wins) at Board 6. Junior Danny Drobnic followed closely with 5.5 points (five wins, one draw) at Board 5. Sophomores Vikram Oberai (five wins) and Preston Gierman (five wins) posted 5.0 points at Board 1 and Board 7, respectively.

Also, junior Owen Geraghty (three wins, two ties) and sophomore Adi Oberai (two wins, four ties) put up 4.0 points at Board 4 and Board 3, respectively. Junior Ryan Geraghty had 3.0 points (three wins) at Board 8, while sophomores Anisha Oberai (two wins, one tie) and Alex Lazarowicz (two wins, one tie) had 2.5 points at Board 3 and Board 8, respectively.

LHS said it advanced to the state finals after winning three matches at the IHSA Hinsdale Central Sectional, topping Oak Lawn (60-8), Reavis (44.5-23.5) and Argo (52-16). Gierman won all four of his sectional matches.

Lemont dominated the South Suburban Conference-Blue Division, posting a 12-0 record without surrendering a point, winning each of a possible 816 points in conference matches. Suslek’s teams are 115-5 in SSC Blue play over the last ten seasons. Adi Oberai, Anisha Oberai, Vikram Oberai and Owen Geraghty each earned All-SSC honors this season as Lemont capped the year with a 29-5 record in dual matches, according to LHS.