By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER — The Chester High School Boys Basketball Team opened the 2021-22 season with a two-game week No. 1. The Jackets split the week with a win over Anna-Jonesboro, 46-39 and a loss to Pinckneyville, 60-24.
Chester‘s Jared Landeros (3) led the YellowJackets in scoring in Week 1 with 20 points. Those 20 points were achieved in just one game Tuesday November 23 in the season opener at CHS Colbert Gymnasium against Anna-Jonesboro. CHS won, 46-39, to start the season, 1-0. Jim Beers Photo
Chester beats Anna-Jonesboro 46-39
The Jackets opened the season at home in Colbert Gymnasium and on Rocky Bridges Court. A large rowdy crowd was on hand to help get the YellowJackets off to a good start and everyone agreed that it was sure great to be back at Colbert to witness “live” basketball.
CHS hosted former River-to-River Mississippi Division foe, Anna-Jonesboro in the first game of 2021-22. The Wildcats came play as was always the case when the two teams met in the River-to-River.
Chester led 16-11 after one quarter of play. Jared Landeros paced the Jackets with 11 points in the first period. Chance Mott also popped a three-pointer and Trace Fricke added a field goal in that opening run.
The Wildcats also had a go-to-guy as D. Trammel led Anna-Jonesboro with seven points. Harvel added a trey and Carver made one-of-two free throws for AJ’s 11 points. CHS enjoyed a five-point lead going into the second quarter.
The second frame was a deadlock with Chester and Anna-Jonesboro each scoring seven points. Chance Mott led the second quarter for CHS with three points, followed by Gavin Schroeder and Jared Landeros with a basket apiece.
AJ’s second quarter was paced by L. Trammel who knocked down a 3-pointer and two-of-two free throws for five points. Harvel added a field goal and the Cats had seven points. The YellowJackets enjoyed a five point, 23-18 lead going into the locker room at the popcorn break.
After halftime, Chester roared out onto the floor with another big quarter. During that 8:00 the Jackets scored 17 points to extend their lead to 10 points, 40-30.
During that stretch Jared Landeros once again led the team with seven points. Chance Mott connecter for four points on a pair of field goals and Gavin Schroeder, Aiden Jany and Trace Fricke each hit baskets.
The Wildcats kept pace with 12 points led by Harvel who added six points, L. Trammel who drained a trey, Henry who made a field goal and D. Trammel who made one-of-two free throws. Chester led, 40-30 after three periods of competition.
Down the stretch, Anna-Jonesboro outscored Chester, 9-6, but it was too little too late as the Jackets enjoyed 10-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
In that final period Harvel added five points on a three-pointer and a traditional two-pointer. Henry contributed two-point basket and L. Trammel made both of his two free throw attempts.
Chance Mott paced Chester with four points on a two-point field goal and two-of-three free throw shooting. Gavin Schroeder was 2-for-2 shooting free throws for two points and the YellowJackets ended the night with a total of 46 points.
In the win, Chester was led offensively by Jared Landeros who scored 20 points. Other contributors included Chance Mott (14), Gavin Schroeder (6), Trace Fricke (4), and Aiden Jany (2).
Anna-Jonesboro was led by two players in double figures including Harvel (16) and L. Trammel (10). Other scorers were D. Trammel (8), Henry (4), and Carver (1).
With the win, Chester opened the season with a 1-0 record overall. The Jackets would face another former River-to-River Mississippi Division opponent, Pinckneyville, the next night, Wednesday November 24.
Pinckneyville 60, Chester, 24
The YellowJackets traveled to Pinckneyville on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday November 24 to challenge the Panthers. It was certainly an off-night for the Jackets as thy fell hard, 60-24 to a perennially good Panther squad.
The Panthers led, 14-5 after one quarter of play, 35-9 at halftime, 35-17 after three quarters of play and 60-24 at the end of regulation competition.
Pinckneyville raced out to a 14-5 lead in the first period behind the scoring of D. Riggiss (5) and V. Szczepanski (4). Chester was only able to score one field goal by Trace Fricke and free throws by Gavin Schroeder (2) and Chance Mott (1).
The second quarter was even more frightening as the Panthers mauled the Jackets 24 behind the play of P. Launius who scored six points and I. Queen who added five points on a trey and a traditional two-pointer.
This quarter the Jackets’ Gavin Schroeder was the only Chester player to score. He made one field goal and two free throws for Chester’s four points. Pinckneyville led by 26 points, 35-9 at the halfway mark.
Things got a bit better in the third quarter as Chester held Pinckneyville to 18 points and doubled their scoring to eight points. Seven Panthers contributed to the 18-point outing in the third period as N. Adcock (4), T. Moll (3), V. Szczepanski (3), P. Launius (2), H. Smith (2), I. Queen (2), and J. Iaccino (2), chipped in for the Panthers.
Chester was paced by Gabriel Steele who knocked down a three-pointer for his first points of 2021-22. Cooper Eggemeyer scored his first points of the season with a field goal, as did Jacob Handel who hit one-of-two free throws. Trace Fricke rounded out the Jacket’s eight point endeavor hitting both of his free throw attempts. Pinckneyville led, 53-17 after three quarters of action.
The final period featured a deadlock with both teams adding seven points to their totals. Chester was paced by Jacob Handel who drained a trey and a traditional field goal and Cooper Eggemeyer who knocked down both of his free throw attempts.
Pinckneyville added seven points on a three pointer by R. Mohr, a field goal by H. Smith and back-to-back free throws by A. Jausel. In the end, the Panthers outscored the Jackets, 60-24 for the win.
In the loss the YellowJackets made just four two-pointers, two treys, and shot 10-of-12 from the free throw line (83%). Chester did not have anyone in double figures. Gavin Schroeder and Jacob Handel each scored six points for CHS and Cooper Eggemeyer and Trace Fricke each scored four points apiece. Gabrielle Steele added three points and Chance Mott added a free throw.
Pinckneyville had just one player in double figures. P. Launius had 11 points. Nine other Panthers chipped in to complete the 60-point effort including D. Riggiss and V. Szczepanski with nine points apiece, N. Adcock (8), I. Queen (7), T. Moll (5), H. Smith (4), R. Mohr (3), and A. Jausel and J. Iaccino with two points apiece.
The Panthers made 19 two pointers, four three pointers, and 10-of-16 free throws (63%). With the loss, the YellowJackets evened their record to 1-1 for the season.
In Week 2 Chester lost to Murphysboro 62-35 Monday night in the Murphysboro Tournament which runs through Saturday December 4.