Marengo High School

Chess Team

Marengo HS Chess History...

2007-08

Starting in the 2007-08 school year, Head Coach Erik Czerwin began a small chess club that met twice weekly. The casual group enjoyed the game thoroughly, growing to love the game of chess. The year culminated in the first ever "Marengo Grandmaster Challenge," which was attended by several people and had a human chess game as the final matchup.

2008-09

At the urging of administration, Coach Czerwin started a competitive chess team at Marengo Community High School with the help of assistant coach Brian Thurow (who had graduated in spring 2008). The new team had only 10 players, but they did well enough to compete at the State tournament and win 2 rounds out of 7. The Grandmaster Challenge continued and became an annual event to celebrate the end of the season as well as recruit new players to the team for the following season.

2009-2010

With competition going well, the Marengo Chess Team swelled to 17 members. This year strengthened the team with some new additions, creating a core group that would find success for the next couple seasons.

2010-2011

After a tumultuous start to this school year, the Marengo team grew in skill and respect throughout the state as they attended several tournaments. With the added attention and winning some trophies, Marengo Chess became one of the top competitors in the Northern Illinois Chess League.

2011-2012

With success building and the core group of players growing their skills, Marengo continued sweeping through the NICL losing only one match to Cary-Grove. Marengo earned 2nd place in the NICL Conference and succeeded in securing 1st place in Division 1A at the IHSA State Chess Tournament.