911 Tribute at CHS
Pictured are the new flag poles that were recently installed at W.O. Smith Field at Chester High School. Jeremy Blechle, Principal at CHS said, "Today at CHS we remember 9-11 at Chester High School. One of the main reasons we pushed for the three flag poles at W.O. Smith Field to honor and give tribute for special days like today." The three poles at W.O. Smith Field typically display the American Flag on the highest pole in the middle with the State of Illinois Flag on one side and the Chester YellowJacket Flag on the opposite side. On special occasions such as 9-11, Veteran's Day. Memorial Day. 4th of July, etc., Blechle displays American Flags on all three poles. In addition, to start the day off right at CHS, Steve Colonel and the CHS Swing Choir, "Sound Affect" sang the national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner" over the school ,PA system. Blechle then gave a brief personal account of his recollection of learning of the 9-11 attacks and his reaction to the horrible happenings of the morning of September 11, 2001 when the jets struck the twin towers in New York, the Pentagon, and Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania. Following Blechle's reflection, there was a 23-second moment of silence in which students and staff could honor those who lost their lives in this tragedy. Finally, Blechle provided several video clips that teachers could use in their classes to discuss 9-11 and help students understand the huge impact that 9-11 had on all lives of U.S. Citizens. Jim Beers Photo
Lady Jackets host Lady Bulldogs in 9-hole match
Rylie Myers is Medalist and leads Lady Jackets to win!
BY JIM BEERS
The Chester High School Lady Jackets hosted the Sparta Lady Bulldogs to a 9-Hole match Tuesday September 10 at the Chester Country Club Course. It was a warm but breezy afternoon with sunny skies and very dry conditions. The teams warmed up and teed-off at precisely 4:00 p.m. with eight of Chester’s Lady Jacket golfers in attendance and just three Sparta golfers able to report for the match. Coach Meg Schnoeker was up-beat and happy to get her girls on the course. Sparta Head Coach, Jennifer Carter, said, “Well, these are my girls. I only have three this year, but they love to play and I love coaching them. They are doing well and improving every day.” The Lady YellowJackets fielded a full team. There are nine golfers on the Lady Jacket squad. Eight were available for the match. Six finished the 9-hole event. CHS recorded a team score of 212 strokes. Junior Rylie Myers led the Jackets with a round of 46 strokes. She was also the medalist for the match. Chester’s other finishers included junior Macy Bert (52), senior Rylie Conley (57), freshman Mallorie Homan (57), junior Riley Lochhead (60), and junior Jessie Stumpe (61). Junior Addison Gottschammer and sophomore Monica Anaya did not finish the match. Sparta was led by senior Hannah Stine who shot 52. Sophomore Loughlyn Kurtz recorded a 9-hole score of 54. Freshman Alyssa Shubert had a match with 58 strokes.
The Lady Jackets will compete again Thursday September 12 at Red Bud. Tee-off time
will be 4:00 P.M.
Photo 1 Riley Lochhead chips
Chester High School Lady Jacket golfer, Riley Lochhead, takes a chip shot to get on the green at Chester Country Club Tuesday September 10. For the 9-hole match Lochhead, a junior, had a score of 60, 5th for CHS. Jim Beers Photo
Photo 2 Rylie Myers
Rylie Myers, a Lady Jacket golfer for Chester High School was the Medalist with the lowest score of 46 strokes in the match Tuesday September 10. The match that hosted the Sparta Lady Bulldogs, was a 9-hole match in which Chester had a team score of 212. Sparta had only three golfers which did not qualify for a team score. Myers is a junior at CHS and is one of the top Lady Jackets competitors. Jim Beers Photo
Photo 3 Jessica Stumpe sand pit
CHS junior Jessie Stumpe works hard to get out of a sand pit at the Chester Country Club Tuesday September 10. The Chester High School Lady Jackets were hosting the Sparta Lady Bulldogs. For the 9-hole match Stumpe finished 6th for Chester with her round of 61 strokes. Jim Beers Photo
YellowJackets improve to 2-0 with 56-6 romp over Pinckneyville (post 3 of 3)
BY JIM BEERS
On the kickoff, CHS recovered a loose ball, and had possession for six minutes until they turned the ball over to Pinckneyville on downs. The Panthers had the ball to close the game, but the Jackets defense held them scoreless as time ran out. Chester won, 56-6, to improve to 2-0 on the early 2024 season. The YellowJackets used nine touchdowns to win the game with two touchdowns apiece from Kolton Jany and Brenden Malley and single TD’s from Zain Al-Jassim, Cayden Brunkhorst, Devante Palacio, Gene Bicket and Alex Blechle. In the win, Chester ran 48 plays and Pinckneyville ran 42. The Jackets accumulated a total of 372 yards (265 passing & 107 rushing), while Pinckneyville recorded 127 yards (63 passing & 64 rushing). CHS achieved 13 first downs vs the Panther’s nine. Chester forced 6 Pinckneyville turnovers, 3 fumbles and 3 interceptions. Chester had NO turnovers. The Jackets had 10 penalties and Pinckneyville committed seven penalties. CHS was 2-of 4 on 4 th downs (50%) and 3-of-7 on 3 rd downs (43%). The Panthers were 0-0 on 4 th downs (0%) and 3-of-8 on 3 rd downs (38%). Chester’s Zain Al-Jassim completed 12-of-19 passes for 265 yards and 4 touchdowns. Chester ran for a total of 107 yards behind the efforts of Kolton Jany (6-for-50 yards and 1 TD); Tray Peters (2-for-16 yards); Ethan Colvis (5-for-15 yards); Gene Bicket (2-for-13 yards and 1 TD); D. Palacio (9); T. Palacio (7); Schroeder (2); Armenta (2); Blechle (1); and Al-Jassim (-6 and 1 TD). Kolton Jany caught 4 passes for 121 yards and 1 TD; Devante Palacio caught 4 passes for 93 yards and 93 yards; Brenden Malley caught 2 passes for 37 yards and 2 TD’s; Lannin Caron caught 1 pass for 13 yards; and Jack Heffernan caught 1 pass for 1 yard. On defense the Jackets had 17 solo tackles with Ethan Colvis (4), Alex Blechle (2), Brenden Malley (2), and Alex Williamson (2) leading the way. CHDS also recorded 30 tackle assists with Nate Maes (4), Alex Williamson (4), Denis Vasquez (3), and Brenden Malley (3) leading the way.
Coach Billy Belton said, “It was a great team win! We played well on all three phases of the game, offense, defense and special teams. Cayden Brunkhorst had a great defensive tackle and a pick-6. Special teams had a punt return for an Alex Blechle TD.” “On offense our skill guys really stepped up. Brenden Malley had two touchdowns and Devante Palacio and Kolton Jany both had receiving TD’s. Zain Al-Jassim played extremely well! He accounted for five of our touchdowns. Gene Bicket had a rushing TD.” “Our defense played really well! I felt like we were flying around and causing problems for Pinckneyville. We forced six turnovers, 3 fumbles and 3 interceptions! I am very proud of the boys. The played extremely hard for all 4 quarters!”
Chester will travel to Freeburg this Friday September 13 to take on the Midgets of the Cahokia Conference, Mississippi Division. Kickoff is at 7:00 P.M.
YellowJackets improve to 2-0 with 56-6 romp over Pinckneyville (post 2 of 3)
BY JIM BEERS
Pinckneyville had the ball to start the second half. Facing 4-and-3 on the 37 yard line, the Panthers got a 1 st down on a Chester off-sides penalty which moved the ball to the CHS 48- yard line. On the next play, Panther Tyler McConnell caught a pass for a first down, moving the ball to Chester’s 15 yard line for a first down. Pinckneyville’s star running back, Marshawn Fisher, ran the ball for another first down taking the ball to the 9-yard line. YellowJacket, Ethan Colvis made the stop to prevent a touchdown. A Pinckneyville penalty at the 7:40 mark-moved the ball back 5 yards making it 2-and-14 with 6:57 left in the 3rd quarter. On the next play from scrimmage, Panther, Tyler McConnell caught his second major pass of the series, this time for a 14-yard touchdown. The extra-point kick was no good. PHS was on the score board and trailed Chester by 31 points, 37-6, with 6:46 remaining in the 3 rd quarter. Pinckneyville’s opening possession burned up 4 minutes and four seconds. On the ensuing kickoff, Chester’s Kolton Jany returned the ball to the Pinckneyville 49 yard line. Five plays later, Chester’s Devante Palacio, a senior wide receiver, caught a Zain Al-Jassim pass for a 26-yard TD for Chester’s 7 th touchdown of the game. A 2-point conversion failed, but the Jackets extended their lead to 37 points, 43-6, at the 4:18 mark in the 3 rd quarter. The YellowJacket defense stood tall and firm on Pinckneyville’s next possession. Chester held the Panthers to just one yard on the first play of the series, tackled for a 2-yard loss on the next play, held them with no yardage on the third play and forced a punt on the next play. On the play, the partially-blocked ball took one bounce and sophomore Alex Blechle, a defensive back, was in the right place at the right time. The ball bounced right into Blechle’s arms and he returned the ball 51-yards for yet another Chester touchdown. It was Chester’s 8th. Sophomore Karim Landeros brought his mojo back into his kicking game to kick his second extra-point of the game. The YellowJackets extended their lead to 44 points, 50-6, with just 2:25 left in the 3 rd quarter. On the first play from scrimmage Alex Blechle intercepted a Pinckneyville pass with 27- seconds left in the period end the 3 rd quarter. CHS led, 50-6. Chester had the ball on the 13 yard line to start the 4 th quarter. On the fifth play from scrimmage senior running back, Gene Bicket, took the ball three yards for Chester’s 9 th and final touchdown of the game. Bicket’s TD extended the YellowJacket’s lead to 50 points, 56-6. The 2- point conversion failed.
YellowJackets improve to 2-0 with 56-6 romp over Pinckneyville (post 1 of 3)
BY JIM BEERS (photos by Jim Beers)
Seven Chester players score a total of nine touchdowns including Jany (2), Malley (2), Al-Jassim (1), Brunkhorst (1), Palacio (1), Bicket (1), and Blechle (1); Landeros kicks two extra points
After defeating the DuQuoin Indians last week by a score of 35-27, at DuQuoin, the Chester YellowJacket’s Football Team beat the Pinckneyville Panthers, 56-6, at W.O. Smith Field at CHS Friday September 6.It was Chester’s home opener to start the 2024 season 2-0. The Panthers won the coin toss and elected to kick off to Chester to open the contest. The Jackets promptly went to work behind the efforts of work-horse Kolton Jany, Chester’s senior running back. Jany ran the ball 5-of-the first 7 plays and got three first downs which took the ball all the way to the Panther’s 8-yard line. Junior running back Ethan Colvis took the ball to the 1-yard line. On the next play, junior Tray Peters scored the Jacket’s first of nine touchdowns at the 8:06 mark. Karim Landeros’ kick missed his mark and Chester led, 6-0. Behind the efforts of the Jacket’s defensive unit, and a pair of Panther false start penalties, Chester forced Pinckneyville to a 4-and-12 situation with the ball on their own 16-yard line. For some reason, the Panthers decided to go for it and failed on a pass play, turning the ball over on downs to Chester at the 4:27 mark. Two plays later, Zain Al-Jassim, Chester’s senior quarterback, took it upon himself to score the Jacket’s second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard quarterback keeper. Karim Landeros’ extra-point attempt missed the mark again and Chester led, 12-0 with just 2:26 left in the first quarter.
On Pinckneyville’s next possession, Chester’s Cayden Brunkhorst, a senior defensive back, intercepted a Panther pass and returned it 31-yards for a pick-6 TD. This took place just 12-seconds after Al-Jassim’s TD. CHS attempted a 2-point conversion which failed. Chester led, 18-0 with 2:21 to play in the first period. The Panthers were stopped by Chester’s Alex Williamson on their second play from scrimmage, but managed to get back-to-back first downs before the clock ran out to end the first quarter. CHS led, 18-0. To start the second quarter, Pinckneyville had a 1 st and 10 at their own 31-yard line. On the opening play from scrimmage, Chester’s senior defensive back, Devante Palacio intercepted a Pinckneyville pass just 13-seconds into the period (11:47). Chester took over on the Panther 48-yard line. An Ethan Colvis run and passes to senior wide receiver Jack Heffernan (plus 1) and running back Kolton Jany (plus 44 yards) put the ball at the Panther 2-yard line. Two plays later Kolton Jany ran it in for Chester’s fourth touchdown at the 8:43 mark. Another YellowJacket 2-point conversion failed, but Chester led, 24-0. On Pinckneyville’s next possession, they managed to work the ball to the Chester’s 36 yard line on three first downs. The Jacket defense then went into action and held the Panthers to 4-and-7. For the second time in the first half they decided to go for it on 4 th down. Chester held firm and forced a PHS turnover on downs. With 4:58 to play in the first half, Chester went to work and behind first downs by Kolton Jany and Ethan Colvis, Chester was one again in the Pinckneyville red zone with a 1 st and 10 at the one yard line. On the next play, senior tight end Brenden Malley caught a 9-yard Zain Al-Jassim pass for Chester’s 5 th touchdown. A third YellowJacket 2-point conversion attempt failed, but Chester led, 30-0 at the 3:21 mark. The Jacket defense held Pinckneyville to four downs and forced a Panther punt with just 1:03 to play in the first half. With just 50-seconds on the clock, the YellowJackets had the ball on the Pinckneyville 45-yard line. Four plays later, after a Kolton Jany 21-yard run and first down, Brenden Malley scored Chester’s 6 th touchdown and his second touchdown in three minutes, on a 28-yard touchdown pass from CHS quarterback, Zain Al-Jassim. Karin Landeros came in to kick the extra point. This time his kick was good and Chester extended its lead to 37-0 to end the first half.
CGS & CHS would like to honor and remember this tragic day in our history.
Trophies available for donation this week only! If you are interested or wish to take a look please check in with the office located at the new entrance of the High School during school hours.
CHS HOMECOMING CLASS REUNION TOURS:
As CHS Homecoming approaches, Class Reunion groups have the opportunity to tour the facility the morning of the dance. This year the tours will occur Saturday, September 21st starting at 9:00am promptly. As the facility is secure, late arrivals will not have access, so please be on time. If your group would like a tour, please contact the main office, so we know we know who to expect. All groups will enter through the Professor Sharp Cafeteria, doors open at 8:45am, with the tour starting at 9:00am.
CGS HIVE AWARDS:
Chester Grade School presented its first round of character "HIVE AWARDS" on Friday September 6, 2024.Teachers nominated students for demonstrating one or more positive character traits. Award winners were recognized for demonstrating the traits of Respect or Responsibility. Front row, left to right are: Karson Nanney, Nova Taylor, Ember Richelman, Scarlett Rains, and Prudence Webb. Row 2, left to right: Katelyn Middendorf, Mia Salger, Adalyn Caron, Mateo Lopez, Joaquin Rafael, Sawyer Miller, and Elizabeth Absher. Row 3, left to right: Kinsley Hecht, Henry Cortes, Haylhn Masterson, Sophia Bert, Pedro Hernandez, Carter Davitz, Josiah Bert, Arabella Mallender, and Roxie Carroll. Each student received a certificate and he or she was introduced at the school-wide assembly. The "Hive Award Program" is coordinated by Casey Crook, School Social Worker.
(article & photo by Jim Beers)
CGS START OF SCHOOL GREETING:
On the first day of school in Chester retired teachers hold a traditional "First Day of School Greeting" for teachers and students returning to school after a summer vacation full of fun and no homework. The group gathers on Opdyke Street across from the Chester Grade School and sits in lawn chairs early in the morning to wave at students and teachers as they drive by on their way to CGS. The location of the event is on the sidewalk right in front of Norma Baughman's house. Baughman is a retired teacher and enjoys hosting the event each year. This same group of retired teachers also gets together throughout the school year to volunteer for various school and community events as well as to support current teachers and staff. Pictured (Left to Right) are Bea Conley, Tammy Grah, Toni Hosick, Lois Tindall, Paula Platt, Eleanor Miller, Carolyn Schwent, and Norma Baughman. Notice the traditional Orange Yard Sign that greets passersby on their way to school.
(article & photo by Jim Beers)
CHS 2024 HOMECOMING DRESS-UP DAYS:
Join Chester High School in celebrating our "Tangled" themed 2024 Homecoming dress up days! Chester High School students, as well as students at our area grade schools, are invited to let your hair down and join CHS in some fun, spirited dress up days September 16th-20th
CHS 2024 HOMECOMING INFO:
Jackets 'Tangle' Up with the Bulldogs at Homecoming 2024!" Join Chester High School in celebrating our "Tangled" themed 2024 Homecoming at some of our upcoming events. Chester High School students who desire to attend the Saturday, 9/21, dance should follow instructions posted here, in their Google Classrooms, daily announcements, and other visible postings throughout the school building. Come, let down your hair and support your Chester YellowJackets!
CHS 2024 HOMECOMING POWDERPUFF GAME:
Before the "Jackets 'Tangle' Up with the Bulldogs" on Friday, September 20th, come watch Chester High School students participate in their annual Homecoming PowderPuff Game!
CHS FOOTBALL HOME OPENER:
School Day Pep Rally & Game
Homecoming Court Announced
Chester YellowJackets vs. Pinckneyville Panthers
https://youtu.be/r_4ndlQ6x2g?si=-U91PPOFTtHSIv23
CHS FOOTBALL HIVE THEMES:
See attached graphic.
CGS SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
See attached graphics.
Staff Member of the Month (NOMINATION LINK)
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQLPJLI5_7IJC40jpmjUnv9ntrKIjICEjwppDEXIoOSVt1sA/viewform?usp=send_form
CHS: ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
Reminder to the Parents and Guardians:
Any child, 5th grade and below will not be admitted without a parent in attendance. Those children are to be supervised by the parent/guardian while in attendance.
Please do not bring any balls into W.O. Smith Field or any gymnasium when coming to an athletic event. This is for the safety of other fans and the student athletes.
CHS Athletic Contests Prices:
Active Duty Military Get in Free (all events)
Students: $2 ($1 with student ID)
Adults: $5
Family Pass (Up to 4 people): $10
Senior Citizen: $2
CHS: SCHEDULING ANNOUNCEMENT:
See Attached Graphic
CHS: CLASS OF 1973 TIM KORANDO MONUMENT REDEDICATION
The CHS Class of 1973 will be holding a rededication ceremony for the Tim Korando Monument on the W.O. Smith Field side of the CHS 1925 building on Saturday, September 7th at 11am. All are welcome to join in this memorial and remembrance of classmates.
CHS: THANK YOU STINGERS Chester High School would like to thank the Chester Stingers Football Program for cleaning up the W.O. Smith Field bleacher in preparation for the upcoming CHS Varsity Football home opener this Friday night, September 6th at 7pm. THANK YOU STINGERS!!!
