By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER — The Chester High School Lady YellowJackets had a Week 8 packed with exciting basketball on the road.
The Jackets traveled to Red Bud Monday January 10 to take on the Lady Musketeers and to Carlyle Thursday January 13 to battle with the Lady Indians.
Lady Jacket senior, Alyssa Seymour (44) has been a key leader for Chester throughout the first 8-weeks of the 2021-22 basketball season. In games against Red Bud and Carlyle January 10 and 13 Seymour scored a total of 41 points and grabbed a total of 28 rebounds to lead Chester. Jim Beers Photo
Chester Lady Jacket Basketball player Camrynn Howie (3) gets ready to “dish out” another assist for the Lady Jackets at a recent home game. The week of January 10-13 Howie scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out 13 assists in games at Red Bud and Carlyle. With the addition of those 13 assists, Howie now stands just 11 assists away from breaking the current CHS Lady Jacket single-season assist record of 118 set by Destiny Williams. With at least 11 games remaining in Chester’s regular season, Howie is likely to break William’s record and set a new CHS assist record. Jim Beers Photo
Chester sophomore guard, Jazzi Merideth (22), goes to the hoop in the game against the Freeburg Lady Midgets in the Championship game of the Lady Jacket Mid-Winter Classic Tournament. Merideth has been a starter for CHS throughout the 2021-22 season in the first 8-weeks of competition. Monday January 10 Merideth scored a career-high 11 points in varsity action in the win over the Red Bud Lady Musketeers. Jim Beers Photo
Both were Cahokia Conference Illinois Division games and both were very competitive and hard-fought. Chester split for the week bringing home a conference win from Red Bud and a loss from Carlyle. Head Coach Clint Cowan was extremely proud of his team in both contests and praised their efforts for Week 8.
Chester 48-Red Bud 30
The Jackets had a great night at Red Bud winning by 18 points, 48-30. Going into the game, Red Bud was the favorite, but Chester had other ideas!
“By far this was the best game we have played all season. Red Bud had our number the last couple of times we played them, so it was really nice to go on the road and get this win”, said Clint Cowan, Head Lady Jacket Coach.
Chester edged the Lady Musketeers in the first quarter by two points, 12-10, behind the Lady Jackets “work horse” Alyssa Seymour. The senior scored 9-of-12 Chester points in that period with sophomore, Jazzi Merideth hitting a 3-pointer to round out the quarter.
Both teams struggled a bit in the second quarter, but Chester managed to outscore Red Bud, 8-2, to take a 20-12 lead into the locker room at the half. In that period, Camrynn Howie, Rylie Conley, Jazzi Merideth and freshman, Emma Diskey each scored two points apiece.
Coming back after the popcorn break, the Lady Jackets exploded with an 18-7 third quarter which netted them a 38-19 lead after three quarters of play. In that nice run, CHS got even output from Jazzi Merideth (6), and Alyssa Seymour, Camrynn Howie, and Kailyn Absher who each scored four points apiece.
In the final eight minutes, Red Bud actually outscored Chester, 11-10, but it was too little-too-late for the host Lady Musketeers as Chester ended the game with an 18-point victory, 48-30.
Coach Cowan said, “We jumped out, 2-0 and never looked back! We never lost the lead! Jazzi Merideth sparked us with her best game of her career. Kailyn Absher and Alyssa Seymour dominated the boards and controlled the rebounding game.”
“Camrynn Howie got the ball where it needed to be and Emma Diskey, Rylie Conley, and Josalynn Anaya contributed both on defense and on offense. Our entire team played shut down defense. We held them to 12 points the entire first half and we never let up!”
“I loved the way we were flying around, talking, helping one another, and just plain playing as a team. I am so happy for and proud of these girls. This is a special group and we are making a name for ourselves!”
In the win, the Jackets had six-of-their-seven payers contribute offensively, led by Alyssa Seymour (19), Jazzi Merideth (11), Camrynn Howie and Kailyn Absher with six points apiece, Emma Diskey (4), and Rylie Conley (2).
Alyssa Seymour recorded yet another double with 19 points and 16 rebounds, and Kailyn Absher contributed six points and seven rebounds. Camrynn Howie led the team in assists with eight, followed by Kailyn Absher with six assists. For the night Chester hit 21 two-pointers and one three-pointer. From the free throw line the Jackets shot 60 percent (3-of-5).
Red Bud made seven two-pointers and three 3-pointers and made 7-of-11 shots from the charity stripe (67%). The Musketeers did not have anyone score in double figures, but were led by Sievers who scored nine points, followed by Dilley (7), Muench (4), Hess (4), Fries (3), Falkenhain (2), and Meyer (1).
With the win, the Lady YellowJackets improved to an overall record of 10-11 and a Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division record of 2-3.
Chester played the Lady Musketeers twice during this season, once Wednesday November 17 in the Sparta Tournament losing, 46-23 in their first game of the year, and another time Tuesday December 28 in the Red Bud Christmas Tournament when CHS fell a second time to Red Bud, 49-31. The win Monday January 10 on the road at Red Bud was a sweet win for the Lady Jackets!
Carlyle 59-Chester 39
The Lady Jackets made the long trip to Carlyle Thursday January 13 to face the Lady Indians for the second time this season. The Jackets hosted Carlyle in Week 2 on Thursday December 2 in their 6th game of the 2021-22 campaign, losing, 55-45, at Colbert Gymnasium.
The Lady Indians are also members of the Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division and the road trip to Carlyle was Chester’s sixth conference game of the season. CHS came into the game with a Cahokia Conference of 2-3 and hoping to even the record with Carlyle.
Chester jumped out to a 12-9 first quarter lead behind the scoring of Alyssa Seymour (6) and Rylie Conley (5). Jazzi Merideth put the icing on the cake with a free throw. Carlyle was led by Meyer who scored 7-of-9 Lady Indian points.
The second quarter was also close and very competitive, but the Lady Indians outscored the Lady Jackets 18-14 to take one point lead into the halftime break, 27-26.
During that second period, CHS was led by senior Alyssa Seymour who scored eight points on four field goals and a free throw. Hoffman paced the Indians with a three-pointer and 4-of-4 shooting at the line for a total of seven points.
Coach Cowan said, “The girls played an amazing game tonight. The score might not show it, but we played well! We weren’t getting any fouls called in our favor, yet we continued to battle and fight the entire game.”
The third quarter has often plagued the Lady Jackets this season, and at Carlyle that fact did not change. Carlyle outscored Chester by 13 points, 18-5, in the third period and allowed the Lady Indians to establish a 14-point lead, 45-31, by the end of the third quarter.
“We were down by just six points with only four minutes left in the third quarter, but we still weren’t getting any calls going our way. We had some issues with their press, however we continued to battle through it. With only seven players, our girls eventually ran out of gas.”
That fatigue continued in the fourth quarter as the Lady Indians outscored the Jackets, 14-8 to secure the win by 20 points, 59-39, as the Lady Jackets finally ran out of steam down the stretch.
In the win, Carlyle utilized the services of nine players, all of which scored including Hoffman (14), Meyer (11), Harns (8), Rolfingsmeyer (6), Schmrink (6), Meyer (4), Persing (4), and Wademan (3). The Indians were 16-of-20 from the free throw line (80%) and hit 17 2-pointers and three 3-pointers.
Chester was led by Alyssa Seymour who scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for another double-double. Rylie Conley added seven points followed by Camrynn Howie (4), Jazzi Merideth (4), and Emma Diskey (2).
Howie also grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists and Emma Diskey recorded four rebounds to go with her two points. The Jackets hit 14 2-pointers and just one 3-pointer for the night. They also shot 46 percent (6-of-13) from the free throw line.
Coach Cowan said, “With Camrynn Howie’s five assists, she is now just 11 assists away from setting a new single-season record. The current record of 118 was set by Destiny Williams.”
“These girls are an amazing group of girls and I would really like to encourage the community to come out and support them this Thursday January 20 when we host Steeleville. They have worked so hard day-in-and-day-out that I can truly say I am so proud of each and every one of them. This is a special group!”
With Chester’s loss at Carlyle, the Indians swept the Lady Jackets for the season and dropped them to an overall record of 10-12 and a Cahokia Conference record of 2-4.
The Saturday January 16 game at Christopher was cancelled, so the Jackets will return to action this Thursday January 20 when the Steeleville Lady Warriors come to town. Tip-off is 6:00 p.m. There is only one game this week which is Week 8-of-12.
Next week, January 24-27 will feature a game at Trico Monday January 24 and Thursday January 27 the Jackets will host Okawville at Colbert Gym in Week 9.