Night 1 featured Marissa vs Dupo and Cobden vs Steeleville
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The 19th Annual Chester High School Lady Jacket Mid-Winter Classic Basketball Tournament tipped-off Monday and will run until Saturday January 10th. This year’s event features Marissa, Dupo, Cobden, Steeleville, Trico, Sparta, Chester, and New Athens.
This popular event is often better known as the LJMWC. For 19 years the girls’ basketball tournament has been held the first week of January. Last year the event was scheduled for January 6-11, but the ice and snow storm of 2025 caused the tournament to be postponed throughout the week until eventually there were no days left to pause. Finally, tournament administrators decided to cancel the tournament.
No problems are anticipated this year as the weather is predicted to be unseasonably warm throughout most of the week. Night 1 tipped-off Monday January 5 with Games 1 and 2 being played without a hitch.
Game 1: Monday January 5 Marissa 51 vs Dupo 16
Game 1 featured the Marissa Meteors and the Dupo Tigers at 6:00 p.m. Marissa won, 51-26. Marissa advanced to the Championship Bracket while Cobden moved to the Consolation Bracket.
Marissa was led by Allie Seiber who scored 15 points. She was followed by Biekert (14), Kennedy Trieb (5), Ayla Ranck (5), Kiley Klingeman (2), Payten Perry (3), Kearston Alstat (3), Kaitlyn Klingeman (2), and Mya Alstat (2).
Dupo was led by Kylie Kloess who scored 8 points. She was followed by Keara Prater (4), Addison Mitchell (2), and Demiyah Chairs (2).
Game 2: Monday January 5 Cobden 45 vs Steeleville 42
Game 2 featured the Cobden Appleknockers and the Steeleville Warriors at 7:30 p.m. Cobden won, 45-42. Cobden advanced to the Championship Bracket while Steeleville moved to the Consolation Bracket.
Cobden was led by Natalie Franklin who scored 13 points. She was followed by Emma Young (9), Eva Ford (8), Berkli Holtman (8), and Mallory Adamitis (7).
Steeleville was led by Rylan Reiss who scored 22 points. She was followed by Karsen Wedemeyer (7), Lynlee Rubach (6), lily Hepp (2), Bailey Cole (2), Teagan Patterson (2), and Hillari Cowan (1).
The rest of the tournament schedule is as follows Note: There will be NO GAMES Friday January 9.
Game 3: Tuesday January 6 Trico vs Sparta 6:00 p.m.
Game 4: Tuesday January 6 Chester vs New Athens 7:30 p.m.
Game 5: Wednesday January 7 Dupo vs Steeleville 6:00 p.m.
Game 6: Wednesday January 7 Marissa vs Cobden 7:30 p.m.
Game 7: Thursday January 8 Loser Game 3 vs Loser Game 4 6:00 p.m.
Game 8: Thursday January 8 Winner Game 3 vs Winner Game 4 7:30 p.m.
NO GAMES Friday January 9
Game 9: Saturday January 10 (7th Place) 12:00 p.m.
Game 10: Saturday January 10 (Consolation Championship) 1:30 p.m.
Game 11: Saturday January 10 (3rd Place) 3:00 p.m.
Game 12: Saturday January 10 (CHAMPIONSHIP) 4:30 p.m.
Tournament sponsors include:
Memorial Hospital of Chester P
aul W. Gentry State Farm Insurance
Print Worx
County Journal
Gilster Mary-Lee Corporation
Grace Church
Buena Vista National Bank
Rozier’s Country Market