Jackets get within one point in second quarter, 7-6, but allow Rangers to run away with huge win, 54-6
By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER– The Chester High School Yellow Jacket Football Tram opened home competition Friday September 2 at W.O. Smith Field in Chester hosting the Benton Rangers. Both teams were shut out last week with Chester losing 26-0 at DuQuoin and Benton falling 28-0 to Carterville.
The Chester High School Marching Yellow Jacket Band, Dance Team and Cheerleaders entertain during the pregame show Friday September 2 at W.O. Smith Field. The Yellow Jackets were hosting the Benton Rangers in the home opener for the Jackets. Jim Beers Photo
The Chester High School Cheerleaders stand at attention during the National Anthem Friday September 2 when CHS hosted Benton in the first home game of the 2022 season. Jim Beers Photo
Both the Rangers and the Jackets came into the game looking for their first win of the 2022 season. Benton took the field as if they owned the place and the Yellow Jackets prepared to entertain a nice, large, supportive crowd of hungry Yellow Jacket fans who took up most of the grandstands and hillside seating on the east side of W.O. Smith Field.
To add to the anticipation, the Chester Football Quarterback Club, who took over concessions at home football games this season, offered a delicious menu of both food and beverages for the occasion.
Steve Colonel, CHS Marching Yellow Jackets Band Director, Adrianne Kern, CHS Dance Team Coach and Danielle Laramore, CHS Cheerleading Coach, had their respective spirit groups ready to motivate and cheer the team to victory. Add to that a beautiful fall night with great weather and moderate temperatures, it was a perfect night for high school football.
The Chester High School Yellow Jacket Football Team takes the field for the first time at home Friday September 2, 2022, when CHS hosted Benton. A great crowd was wailing in the Chester grandstands to welcome the Jackets to W.O. Smith Field. Jim Beers Photo
Kickoff was at 7:00 p.m. sharp and the game began. Benton kicked off to the Yellow Jackets to start the contest. Chester went 3-and-out and had to punt on 4th down. The Rangers took the ball on the 44 yard line and Chester sophomore, Gene Bicket, a 5’ 10” linebacker, set the tone and sacked Benton’s quarterback for 5-yard loss.
On the next play, Kolton Jany, a 5’ 10” Yellow Jacket sophomore linebacker, intercepted Ranger quarterback, Tiffin Kouzoukas’ pass to give the ball back to the Yellow Jackets. Chester quarterback Zain Al-Jassim then orchestrated a five-minute drive all the way to the Benton 17-yardline. Facing 4-and-3, a bad Chester hike created a bad scene for the Jackets and the Rangers took over possession.
Benton then orchestrated a nice 4-minute drive of its own resulting in a 3-yard quarterback sneak into the end zone at the 1:03 mark of the first quarter. Jesser Zepeda kicked the extra point and the Rangers led, 7-0.
The first quarter was plagued by seven penalties, a quarterback sack and an interception, all of which added to the suspense and drama of the first period.
On the ensuing kickoff with just 54 seconds remaining in the first period, Chester sophomore Devante Palacio took the ball and drove it all the way to the 44 yard line.
On the next play, Chester quarterback, Zain Al-Jassim threw a beautiful pass to Palacio that was just missed on the Benton 10-yard line. That was a key potential game-changer that could have made a huge difference in the momentum of the game. Chester ran two more plays before the clock ran out to end the first quarter. Benton led, 7-0.
Chester’s Gage Hopkins (#10) runs around the left side at the 9:40 mark of the first quarter against Benton Friday September 2. Hopkins, a junior, is a 5’9″ running back for the Yellow Jackets. Jim Beers Photo
Chester had the ball to start the second quarter facing 3-and-10 on the Benton 48 yard line. Jany ran for 2-yards on the first play. Palacio had a great run facing 4-and 8 and a Benton personal foul put the ball on the Benton 21 yard line.
Chester High School sophomore Kolton Jany (#8) scores the first Yellow Jacket touchdown of the 2022 season Friday September 2 during the CHS vs Benton home football game. Jany scored on a 25-yard run around the right side at the 10:00 mark of the second quarter to give Chester its first score of the 2022 season. Jim Beers Photo
With 10:00 left to play in the half, the Yellow Jackets scored on a Kolton Jany 25-yard run. The Jackets attempted a two-point conversion but failed. With Jany’s six-point touchdown, the Jackets trailed by just one point, 7-6. Unfortunately, this would be the closest the Jackets would get the remainder of the game.
The Yellow Jackets attempted what appeared to be an on-side-kick on the kickoff following their touchdown. That move did not work and Benton started its drive from the 47-yard line. On the first play, the Rangers gained 6-yards on a solid run. Chester’s Will Schuwerk stopped that run with a solo tackle.
On the next play, Benton quarterback Tiffin Kouzoukas connected with Lucas Wilson for a 34-yard pass giving the Rangers a 1st down at the 13 yard-line. A quarterback keeper combined with a YellowJacket face mask penalty moved the ball to the Chester 7-Yard line.
Facing 3-1, Benton was sacked by Korbin Jany for a three yard loss. This brought up 4-and 4 for the Rangers. Benton elected to attempt a 25-yard field goal with 6:58 to play in the half. Jesser Zepeda’s kick was good for 3-points and Benton extended its lead to 10-6.
Chester’s next possession showed some potential to keep the game close, however with 4:12 left in the second quarter, the Jackets were forced to punt, giving the ball back to Benton.
Benton managed to keep the ball alive for the better part of two minutes orchestrating a nice 44-yard pass play from Tiffin Kouzoukas to Grant Owens for a touchdown at the 1:48 mark. Lucas Wilson ran for a two-point conversion and Benton led, 18-6, with 1:35 remaining in the first half.
The final 1:35 seemed to last forever, with each team called for personal fouls and two interceptions. The interception by Benton with 17.7 seconds left to play gave the ball back to Benton. With 9.1 seconds remaining, Benton’s Matthew Parola (#75) was injured, forcing a delay.
The Chester High School Dance Team performs with the CHS Marching YellowJacket Band during halftime of the CHS vs Benton game 9-2-22. Jim Beers Photo
When play resumed, Benton’s Tiffin Kouzoukas threw a 46-yard hail-Mary pass to Grant Owens (#1) who caught it for a final Benton touchdown as time expired. Zepeda kicked the extra point and the Rangers took a 25-6 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Benton scored 18 points in the final 6:58 of the second quarter to totally stop the Yellow Jacket momentum and take the wind out of Chester’s sails. Behind by 19 points, 25-6, the Jackets went into the locker room frustrated and disappointed at halftime.
Chester came back from the halftime break with renewed energy and determination. The opening half of the third quarter was a dogfight with each defense holding the opposition to short possessions.
Chester forced Benton to punt on its first possession (10:37). Benton held Chester to four-and out on its first possession (9:08). The Jackets forced a Ranger fumble and Chester’s Gene Bicket recovered the fumble (7:07). Chester was held to four-and-out and turned the ball over on downs (4:50).
Then at the 4:28 mark on Benton’s next possession, Benton’s Wyatt Upton scored a touchdown and added six more points on a 10-yard run. Lucas Wilson added two more points on a two-point conversion run. Benton extended its lead to, 33-6.
Chester’s next possession lasted just two minutes and the Jackets had to punt at 2:36. Benton moved the ball to the three yard line and orchestrated a 3-yard run by senior Wyatt Upton to score his second touchdown in three minutes. Lucas Wilson scored the two-point conversion giving Benton a 41-6 lead with 50.2 seconds remaining in the third period. CHS ran the clock out to end the third quarter.
Chester High School quarterback, 6’0″ junior Zain Al-Jasim, launches a huge pass down field to Devante Palacio in the first half of the Chester vs Benton game Friday September 2. The pass was tipped incomplete at the 10-yard line. A completed pass could have significantly changed the momentum of the game. Jim Beers Photo
Chester opened the final period on the Benton 20-yard line facing 2-13 at the 11:45 mark. A second bad hike by Chester resulted in a Ranger recovery and touchdown by A.J. Craven. Zepeda kicked the extra point and extended Benton’s lead to 48-6.
With 11:32 remaining in the game, there was a continuous clock. On Chester’s final possession they were held to 4-and-out and had to punt. There was a third Yellow Jacket bad hike on the play and Benton took possession.
At the 4:09 mark Benton was up by 42 points, 48-6, but felt compelled to score one more touchdown. Facing 1-5 on the five yard line, freshman Nolan Schafer caught a touchdown pass from Tiffin Kouzoukas for six final points!
Benton decided to take a knee instead of attempting an extra point and the game ended with the Rangers winning, 54-6.
In the loss Chester ran 54 plays vs Benton’s 46. Chester recorded 54 yards vs Benton’s 369. Chester had 15 passing yards vs Benton’s 265. CHS rushed for 46 yards and Benton rushed for 104 yards. Each team had two turnovers, each with one interception and one fumble.
Kolton Jany led Chester in rushing with 28 yards. He was followed by Devante Palacio who recorded 18 yards. Benton’s leading rusher was Jacob Kinsman who ran for 30 yards.
With the win, Benton improved to 1-1 for the season. Chester fell to 0-2. The Jackets will travel to Freeburg this Friday September 9 to take on the Midgets.