Experienced Sterling carries Northern Illinois Chess League title into IHSA sectional

STERLING — The chess team at Sterling High School is poised to make its next move based on experience, returning six of its top eight competitors from a team that finished second at last year’s sectional.

Sterling is in the 15-team Illinois High School Association state-qualifying event that meets Saturday at Auburn High School in Rockford.

Other area entrants are Byron and Stillman Valley.

Joel Penne has been the Sterling coach for 14 seasons. Sterling qualified for state the last five seasons, finishing 25th overall last year.

The team carries an 18-5 record into the sectional. Sterling competed in five tournaments since October.

It recently won the Northern Illinois Chess League title for the sixth time, picking up victories against Kaneland, McHenry and Huntley. Sterling went 5-0 in West Division play.

Sterling’s team captains are seniors Christian Garza and Elias Jensen and juniors Jacob Brown and Isaiah Philips.

The other team members on the sectional roster are seniors Alexis Torres, Ethan Howell and Dayton Fisher, juniors Ryan Austin, August Kuehl and Jose Figueroa, sophomore Martin Fisher and freshman Xander Knowles.

Sterling’s complete roster has 24 players.

Qualifiers from the state’s eight sectionals will meet Feb. 10-11 at the Peoria Civic Center for the state championship. All schools compete in the same classification.

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Sterling High School senior chess player Ethan Howell contemplates his next move during practice Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023 ahead of Saturday's sectional meet in Rockford. (Alex T. Paschal — apaschal@shawmedia.com/credit)