A Wonderful 2024 KML Chess Camp

Thanks to our high school players and coaches who once again put on a great camp. Young players from Kindergarten through 9th grade spent four days learning opening principles, castling, squares pieces love, checkmating, and basic tactics. 

Keep practicing, chess players! Keep your pieces safe!

2023-24 Post-Season Awards

 KML Chess awards are given each year for 

• Participation: Players are designated as either “Club” or “Team” members. 

• The TEAM members met attendance criteria and competed for KML

• CLUB members did not compete and are still listed as club members if they met attendance criteria 

• Varsity and JV Letters (According to KML and our criteria) 

• Team Accomplishments

• Individual Special Recognition

KML Chess Letter Winners

JV Letter:

Luke Wurtz

Varsity Letters:

Dylan Hanson

Zachary Kesting

Carson Reik

Sawyer Yogerst

Will Kesting

Kyle Sayvongsa

Cal Martin

Ethan Eernisse

Matthew Hilzley

Joey Pedersen

Natalie Nolte

Todd Tischer

Nathanael Himsel

Rookie of the Year:

Dylan Hanson

Workhorse Award:

Carson Reik

Diligence Award:

Will Kesting

Queen Award:

Natalie Nolte

King (MVP) Award:

Sawyer Yogerst

Senior Leadership Awards:

Nathanael Himsel

Matt Hilzley

Charger Chess Wins 2nd Division 2 State Championship and Finishes 2nd Overall at State Tournament

KML Chess won its 2nd straight Division 2 state championship this past weekend, finishing ahead of 8 other Division 2 teams. In addition, KML finished 2nd overall at the state tournament, out-scoring 6 Division 1 teams en route to 2nd place in the field of 26. The Chargers’ only loss was to the top seeded Division 1 team, University School Milwaukee, winner of the D1 and overall state championship.

Going into the contest, the Chargers expected to contend in Division 1 by rating. (US Chess ratings are earned during the year by performance in rated events.) Enough higher rated teams entered at state this year, and by tournament time the Chargers found themselves bumped from the last seed in Division 1 to the 1st seed in Division 2 and the 9th seed overall in the 26-team field.

The 26 teams were divided into 3 divisions by rating, although the first two rounds give all teams the opportunity to climb in the standings and challenge for the overall championship, regardless of division. In Round 1, the Chargers beat a quality Division 1 Brookfield East team that was seeded #2 overall. In Round 2, the Chargers beat Division 1 Wauwatosa West. In Round 3, KML found themselves paired against the top seeded USM. It was an opportunity. In that match, KML scored excellent tiebreaker points with Senior Matthew Hilzley’s win on Board 3.

Winning three of four rounds earned KML the Division 2 championship. Their quality wins against D1 teams created excellent tiebreakers and contributed to KML’s 2nd place finish overall.

Individually, Junior Carson Reik won 3 of his 4 games on Board 1 and earned the Division 2 Board 1 Champion title. Junior Sawyer Yogerst also won 3 of 4 on Board 2. Hilzley contributed a clutch win and a draw, and Freshman Dylan Hanson won 2 of 4 on Board 4.

KML also fielded a second team that competed in Division 3 by rating. That team finished 5th out of 9 teams in Division 3 and 18th of 26 overall. Leading the second team was Senior Nathanael Himsel who was nearly perfect on Board 1 through 4 rounds, scoring 3 wins and a draw. He earned Division 3 Board 1 Champion honors.

With this year’s accomplishments, the Chargers improved on their 2023 state tournament performance, when they won the Division 2 state title and finished 8th overall in that year’s field of 30 teams. While the Chargers entered the 2024 contest believing they could win again in Division 2, they set their sights on climbing in the overall standings and winning against Division 1 teams. Their 2nd place overall finish fulfilled those hopes and surpassed anyone’s expectations of them—except their own. They were ready for the challenge. It was the highest any KML team has placed in the state chess tournament since KML's program began in 2013.

Team depth and determination are necessary to win in a team event at this level, and the Chargers have both of those qualities. All glory to God who graciously gives us these gifts and the opportunities to use them.

KML A Team:
Board 1 Carson Reik

Board 2 Sawyer Yogerst

Board 3 Matthew Hilzley

Board 4 Dylan Hanson

KML B Team:
Board 1 Nathanael Himsel

Board 2 Will Kesting

Board 3 Natalie Nolte

Board 4 Kyle Sayavongsa

KML JV:
Joey Pedersen

Zachary Kesting

Coaches:
Mr. Ron Klemann
Mr. Ben Walter

Advisor:
Angie Molkentin

KML A

KML B

Division 2 Board 1 Champion Carson Reik
Division 3 Board 1 Champion Nathanael Himsel

Seniors Matthew Hilzley and Nathanael Himsel

The sportsmanship of chess

Reviewing, coaching and encouraging between rounds

at Reeve Memorial Union, UW-Oshkosh:

KML Chargers Take 3rd in Milwaukee City Chess Championship

KML chess fielded three teams in the Milwaukee City Championships on Friday, March 8. KML A finished third overall in a very tight field. KML A players were Carson Reik, Sawyer Yogerst, Dylan Hanson and Matt Hilzley. 

The KML B and C teams tested line-ups and gained valuable experience playing in a team competition. This experience is important to build as the Chargers prepare for the state meet later this month.

TEAM	SEED	TOTAL SCORE
USM A	1	15
USM B	4	11
KML A	5	10.5
MSL A	2	10
REAG A	6	10
REAG B	8	10
BEAST A	3	9.5
Marq A	17	8.5
KEW A	10	7
MSL B	12	7
USM C	7	6.5
MIX A	18	6.5
KEW B	15	6
KML C	16	6
CMH A	11	5.5
USM D	9	5
REAG C	13	5
KML B	14	5

Congratulations to all of our players who have worked hard this season and made each other better players. You are using your talents in service to your King!

KML Players at the 2023 Wisconsin Junior Open

The Wisconsin Junior Open is an opportunity for players to experience competitive chess and learn what they need to work on to improve their games. Eight KML players competed this year. Learning was the most important result, although one KML player had a personal best and finished higher in the Open section standings than any KML player has in our history of attending this event. 

Here are all the results:

Reserve section for those who are unrated or under 900 US Chess rating:

• There were 66 players in this field and five rounds of play.
• Three of our players were brand new to competition and gained valuable experience (Natalie, Dylan, Luke)
• Nathanael Himsel had two wins and three draws and finished 14th overall.
• Dylan Hanson had two wins and a draw, which is fantastic for a newcomer to competition.
• Todd Tischer achieved two wins.

Open section, which features the best high school chess players in WI:

• There were 45 players in this field and five rounds of play.
• Matt Hilzley had two wins.
• Carson Reik had three wins and finished 11th overall.
• Sawyer Yogerst won four of his five games, finishing 7th overall. This is the highest finish ever for a KML player in the Open section at the Junior Open. His rating jumped from 611 to 983. He won the award for best of the Class E rated players, meaning he was the lowest rated player going in who finished the highest overall.

For more information on US Chess ratings or to look up a player's rating, go to https://new.uschess.org/player-search.

Carson Reik: Finished 2nd best of all the players in the Open section in the "D" class
Sawyer Yogerst: Highest finishing Class E player in the Open section
Nathanael Himsel: Finished 2nd best of all the players in the Under 600 rating class in the Reserve section

For more photos, go here.

2023 KML Chess Camp

Thanks to all of our high school helpers who made the 2023 KML Chess Camp a great experience for 28 campers. Our high school players are dedicated to raising up the next generation of chess players!

2022-23 End of Season Awards

Depth and determination propelled the KML Chess team to a successful season. The following players earned awards this year:

VARSITY LETTER WINNERS:

Carson Reik, Casey Heder, Christian Klemann, Ethan Rodell, Grant Kruse, Matt Hilzley, Nathanael Himsel, Sawyer Yogerst, Todd Tischer, Zak Schulz, Nate Guevin

JV LETTER WINNERS: 

Ethan Eernisse, Joey Pedersen

MILWAUKEE CHESS LEAGUE:

About 220 players participated in the Milwaukee chess league between October and March, with virtual meets on Thursdays and three live meets. KML player Carson Reik was the top-scoring player in the league, followed by KML's Sawyer Yogerst #2, and Nathanael Himsel #7. 

In the league's end-of-season tournament, KML's first team earned 3rd place in Division 1 and KML's second team earned 2nd place in Division 2.

• Division 1 Team: Carson Reik, Sawyer Yogerst, Nathanael, Himsel, Nate Guevin, Ethan Rodell
• Division 2 Team: Matt Hilzley, Zak Schulz, Grant Kruse, Casey Heder, Christian Klemann

SPECIAL AWARDS:

Rook-ie of the Year: Ethan Rodell

Diligence Award: Nathanael Himsel

Wirkkhorse Award: Sawyer Yogerst

MVP: Carson Reik

Senior Leadership: Nathan Guevin and Zak Schulz