Photo submitted to Times Observer Representing the Bradford Knight Owls Chess Club at the recent Pennsylvania State Chess Federation Scholastic Championships I Harrisburg were (front from left):Coach Bob Ferguson, Sylvia Bysiek, Juliana Bysiek, Aiden Ferguson, Elaina Ferguson, and Micaiah Ferguson; and (back) Brian Ferry, Rob Ferguson, Trenton Johnson, and Natasha Ferry. Missing from photo are Silence Karl, Ed Bysiek, and Ryan Ferguson.

The Bradford Knight Owls Chess Program, with members from Warren, sent a group of 12 chess players to the 2023 Pennsylvania State Chess Federation Scholastic Championships.

There were nearly 700 competitors at the event, held March 18 and 19, at the Red Lion Inn Harrisburg-Hershey.

The Knight Owls brought home trophies in both single-day elementary events and the two-day middle-high school divisions.

Micaiah ‘Ki’ Ferguson tied for an individual third in the elementary U500 section and Sylvia and Juliana Bysiek were on the first-place school team in the U800 section of the elementary championships.

The Bysieks and Fergusons — Ki and Aiden, of Bradford — teamed up and brought home first-place club honors in the U1100 section.

In the two-day sections, Natasha Ferry of Warren brought home the trophy for first place girl in the unrated high school section, Trenton Johnson of Bradford finished tied for 17th in the U1000 high school section, and Silence Karl finished in 20th position among the U1300 high school players.

“I’m very proud of all the kids, but I wish more of our top students could have attended,” Coach Bob Ferguson said.

The club will send a contingent to the annual Western NY and Northern PA Scholastic Championship in Friendship, N.Y., Saturday, April 15.