Checkmate!
Their backs against the wall, players on Edward R. Murrow High School’s chess team swept the final round of competition to win New York State’s championship last week, taking the the crown for the 19th time — in dramatic fashion.
“It all came down to the last round, late Sunday afternoon, we were down, we won all our games,” said coach Eliot Weiss. “It was a miracle.”
But the team can’t take a break just yet because the national championship tournament starts April 1 in Atlanta, Georgia, said the team’s hero and co-captain who helped bring the group to victory from behind — and hopes the team learned a lot from its most-recent victory.
“We had a bus ride back home and we all talked about our games and how we won, and we shared our mistakes with each other,” said junior Brian Arthur. “So when we go to Atlanta, we won’t make any mistakes.”
Murrow’s team has taken home gold eight times as national champions. One of their wins in 2004 sent players to the oval office for a congratulations from President George W. Bush.
One team member, who has been playing chess since third grade, said it was great to see the whole team earn the win together. is excited to see what will happen in Atlanta.
“It’s a true victory because we all came together to make this happen,” said junior Edeli Cuate. “States prove that we’re able to do it, and now lets see what happens.”
