December 15, 2010 Sparta Independent Press release - Chess Club opens ninth season

The Sparta Chess Club opens ninth season

SPARTA — The Chess Club is doing well after entering a number of tournaments right away.

The club has players from kindergarten age through high school.

The high school team opened their season by winning the Pocono Tournament, defeating Pocono East High School.

Eryk B. went undefeated, and placed second. Ian C. finished third with three wins.

The Sparta High School Varsity raised their match record to 5-0 with double wins over East Stroudsburg South, and Delbarton, and a win against Midland Park.

The club entered 33 players comprising four teams in the National Youth Action Tournament held at the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch.

The K-6 team placed second in the speed event. Anthony E. and Ryan R. led the effort with six wins. Keith J., Daniel B., Kayla M., Philippos C. each had five wins.

The Sparta High School team placed fifth behind Adam B.'s five points.

The Sparta Middle School Team placed sixth. The K-3 team finished eighth, and the K-6 team finished ninth, behind Daniel B.'s 5 wins.

The K-12, K-6 and K-3 teams were the top New Jersey public school teams in the tournament.

The fifth grade team, behind Daniel B.’s 3.5 points, won for the third consecutive year in the Grade Level Championships to lead the nine Sparta teams in this event,

Joseph V. scored 2.5 points to lead the second grade team to a second place finish. The Sparta High School freshman team also finished second, due to the three-win efforts of Adam B. and A J T.

The high school junior and senior teams also finished second behind state powerhouse Christian Brothers Academy.

The seventh grade team finished third, and the first grade team finished fourth with Lucas R. winning three times.

The fourth grade team finished fourth, and the third grade team finished fifth.