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Lemont High School's chess team secured the 31st position at the 2025 IHSA Chess State Finals, held at the Peoria Civic Center on February 14-15. Under head coach Ken Suslek, Lemont has consistently advanced to the state finals for 28 consecutive years and has won multiple contests each season.
Since its first appearance in 1998, Lemont won four out of seven matches this year, placing fifth among Class 3A teams. The team began with victories over Prospect (49.5-18.5), Andrew (41.5-26.5), and Oak Park-River Forest (42.5-25.5) before losing to Dunlap (44-24). On the second day, they defeated Benet Academy (50-18) but faced losses against Lane Tech (42-26) and Niles North (40-28).
Senior Vikram Oberai scored six points at Board 1 with a record of six wins and one loss, becoming the first player in program history to achieve six wins in multiple state finals appearances; he also accomplished this feat in 2022. Senior Alex Lazarowicz earned 5.5 points with an undefeated record at Board 8.
Freshmen John Perry and Ganesh Kolli both scored 4.5 points with four wins and one draw each, while senior Preston Gierman had four points with three wins and two draws. Seniors Adi Oberai and Anisha Oberai scored 2.5 points each, while freshman Alex Tchernev earned one point.
Lemont reached the state finals after winning two matches at the IHSA Hinsdale Central Sectional against Argo and Wheaton Warrenville South but lost to Waubonsie Valley and Hinsdale Central. Lazarowicz won all his sectional matches, while Kolli, Tchernev, and Anisha Oberai each won twice.
In conference play, Lemont dominated with a perfect record of 12-0 in the South Suburban Conference-Blue Division under Suslek’s leadership, achieving a total dual match record of 28-6 for the year.
Despite not securing individual awards since their elimination by IHSA in the 2018-19 season, Lemont boasts significant achievements from past players like Tom Bondi who placed seventh individually in 2003.
Owen Geraghty made history as the first Lemont player to win seven state finals matches in a single season during his time at Board 4 in 2024.
