Chester wins at Dupo in high-scoring, 53-30 game
By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER – The Chester High School Yellow Jacket Football Team traveled to Dupo, Illinois Friday night October 7 to challenge the Tigers. The trip was well worth it as the Jackets controlled the game from the opening kickoff and brought home a decisive 53-30 victory.
These Chester High School senior football players have been key leaders on the YellowJacket Football Team this fall and have contributed to the impressive 4-0 winning streak that has taken place the second half of the season. After starting 0-3 after the first three games of 2022, the Jackets have turned things completely around and have currently achieved a 4-0 winning streak as well as achieving a perfect 4-0 unbeaten record in the Cahokia Conference. Pictured left to right are Branden Whitley (27), Koby Jany (25), Will Schuwerk (28), Trace Fricke (59), Shane Bicket (72), and Matt James (58). Jim Beers Photo
Chester led 14-0 early in the first quarter and 22-12 after one full quarter of play. In the second period the Jackets added two more touchdowns to lead, 34-12 at halftime.
The third quarter gave the Jackets another 13 points to lead, 47-18 at the end of three periods. Down the stretch in the fourth quarter, with several reserves in the game for Chester, CHS added another touchdown and Dupo scored two TD’s. The YellowJackets ended the game winning, 53-30.
With the win, Chester improved to 4-3 overall and remained unbeaten in the Cahokia Conference at 4-0. The win was Chester’s fourth in-a- row, and sets up a Cahokia Conference tie-breaker with Red Bud Friday October 14 on “CHS Senior Night”.
Gage Hopkins, a 5’9” YellowJacket junior running back got the ball rolling in the first quarter, drawing first blood in the game scoring the first touchdown for Chester on a 1-yard run across the goal line. The extra-point kick was no good and CHS led, 6-0.
Next up for the Jackets Chester’s Devante Palacio, a 6’1” sophomore split end, scored Chester’s second touchdown on a 27-yard pass from Chester quarterback, sophomore Zain Al-Jassim. The 2-point conversion was successful and the Jackets led, 14-0.
Dupo got on the scoreboard next when the Tigers completed an 80-yard touchdown pass for six points. The 2-point conversion failed and Chester led, 14-6.
The scoring see-saw continued in the final minutes of the first quarter when Chester senior Will Schuwerk, a 5’1” senior running back, scored on a 67-yard kick-off return. Devante Palacio ran for the Jacket’s second 2-point conversion of the game and Chester led, 22-6.
The roller coaster wasn’t finished yet, however, as Dupo scored a final time in the waning minutes of the period on a 26-yard run. The 2-point conversion failed, so Chester closed out the first quarter leading, 22-12.
The YellowJackets kept their momentum going to start the second quarter when Will Schuwerk kicked things off with a nice 14-yard touchdown run. The 2-point conversion was no good, but Chester extended its lead to 17-points, 28-12.
Facing 3-and-10 and on the 30-yard line, Dupo threw an interception. The Jackets took advantage of the error and four plays later with just 19-seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter, Chester’s Al-Jassim found Gage Hopkins open for an 8-yard touchdown pass. The Jackets’ 2-point conversion failed, but Chester led, 34-12 going into the locker room at the half!
Chester’s defense played tough all night! At the start of the second half, Dupo had the ball for just 4-seconds when the YellowJacket defense caused a Tiger fumble. Chester recovered the ball and Will Schuwerk ran 38-yards for a touchdown at the 11:48 mark. It was Chester’s 5th TD of the game. The kick failed. The Jackets extended their lead to 28 points, 40-12.
On Dupo’s next possession the Tigers had the ball for just 63-seconds, and managed to get a first-and-ten after which they completed a nice pass. After catching the ball, however, the YellowJacket defense caused another fumble and once again recovered the ball to regain possession with 9:47 left in the 3rd quarter.
CHS senior football player Koby Jany (25) is a 5’9″, 180 pound running back on offense and linebacker on defense for the YellowJackets. Against the Dupo Tigers Friday October 7 Jany ran 4 times for a total of 27 yards and 15 long. On defense he recovered a fumble to help his team win 53-30 and improve to 4-3 overall and 4-0 in the Cahokia Conference. Jim Beers Photo
The Jackets proceeded to orchestrate a 10-play drive during which Will Schuwerk and Koby Jany ran for back-to-back 1st-and-10’s, Kolton Jany ran for another, and then turned around four plays later and ran for a 9-yard touchdown. The kick was good and Chester once again extended their lead, this time to 35 points, 47-12.
Dupo’s Thinh Staggs returned the kickoff and ran for good field possession. On the first play from scrimmage, Ashton Stein threw to Logan Stevens for a first down. Three pass plays to Stevens in-a-row resulted in Dupo’s 3rd touchdown of the game. The 2-point conversion attempt failed and the Tigers trailed by only 29 points, 47-18.
With 1:38 to play in the third period, Kolton Jany returned the Dupo kickoff to the Dupo 40 yard line. Gage Hopkins and Koby Jany ran the ball to end the quarter with CHS facing 2-and-4.
Starting the 4th quarter Chester began where they left off at the end of the 3rd quarter. They had the ball facing 2-and-4. Kolton Jany ran for a 1st-and-10 and Aden Runge added nine more yards on the next play. The Tiger defense then held the Jackets for four plays and facing 4-and-1, Chester turned the ball over on downs.
Branden Whitley (27) is a 5’8″, 140-pound, senior running back on offense and linebacker on defense for the Chester High School Football Team. In the 53-30 win against Dupo Friday October 7 Whitley ran the ball five times for a total of 21 yards and 12 long. He has helped his team achieve an overall record of 4-3 and a Cahokia Conference record of 4-0, undefeated in the Cahokia Conference. Jim Beers Photo
Dupo’s Ashton Stein then orchestrated an 8-play drive to set up a Kaleb McGlasson 28-yard touchdown run. The 2-point conversion failed, but the Tigers narrowed the Chester lead to just 23 points, 47-24.
YellowJacket Justin Hayman, a 5’7”, 130 pound split end, returned the ensuing Tiger kickoff for good field position. The Jackets then ran for three consecutive 1st-and-10’s behind the efforts of Cayden Brunkhorst, Maddox Hunter, and Florentine Rafael.
With 1:59 to play in the game and facing 1st-and- goal, Chester’s Jack Heffernan ran for a 7-yard touchdown for the Jacket’s final touchdown of the game. The 2-point conversion attempt failed, but the Jackets extended their lead to 29 points, 53-24.
On the CHS kickoff, Dupo’s Thinh Staggs returned the ball to the Tiger’s 13 yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Dupo’s Logan Stevens exploded for an amazing 87-yard touchdown run with 1:34 remaining. The 2-point conversion was no good and Dupo pulled back within 23 points, 53-30.
That would be the final score of the game as the YellowJackets took back-to-back knees to run out the remaining time on the clock. The final, Chester 53-Dupo 30.
CHS Head Coach Billy Belton said, “This was an awesome game! Our boys have had good nights offensively and good nights defensively. Sometimes they have played exceptionally well for a particular half or quarter, but tonight they put it all together for all four quarters for a great win!”
In the win, CHS ran 73 plays compared to Dupo’s 42. The Jackets accumulated a total of 460 yards, 78 passing and 382 on the ground. The Tigers had a total of 416 yards, 220 in the air and 196 rushing.
Chester had 25 first downs vs Dupo’s 11. On third down efficiency, Chester was 7-of-11 (64%) and Dupo was 2-for-6 (33%).
The YellowJackets had just one turnover in the win, a fumble. The Tigers committed 4 turnovers including 2 fumbles and 2 interceptions.
Chester committed eight penalties for a total of 30 yards while Dupo committed six penalties for 35 yards.
Chester quarterback Zain Al-Jassim, a sophomore, threw for 78 yards and two touchdowns. He was 6-of-13 for 46%. Dupo’s Ashton Stein threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns. He was 9-for-16 for 56%.
YellowJacket runners recorded a total of 383 yards rushing led by Will Schuwerk who had 124 yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns. Kolton Jany added 102 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. Gage Hopkins had one touchdown on four carries for 16 yards while Jack Heffernan recorded a touchdown on 4 carries for 23 yards.
The YellowJackets had two touchdowns in the air including Davante Palacio who caught 3 passes for 49 yards and a TD and Gage Hopkins who had a touchdown with 2 receptions for 11 yards. Korbin Jany caught one pass for 18 yards.
For the most part, the Chester defense held the Tigers throughout most of the contest. The Jackets had great efforts from Matt James who recorded 2 solo tackles, 1 tackle assist, 1 quarterback sack, and 2 tackles for a loss. Shane Bicket had 2 solos and 2 tackles for a loss. Gage Hopkins recorded 3 solo tackles, 1 tackle assist, and 1 tackle for a loss. Nate Maes added 2 solo tackles, and 1 tackle for a loss. Trent Eggemeyer contributed 1 solo, 3 assists, and 1 tackle for a loss.
In addition, Aden Runge and Will Schuwerk had interceptions and Jack Heffernan and Koby Jany recovered fumbles.
Coach Belton said, “Special Teams did well tonight. They created two turnovers by fumbles and Will Schuwerk even scored a touchdown via Special Teams. Coach Charles Colvis has done a great job with Special Teams this year. Hats off to him!”
“Coach Danny Roth has also done very well with the offensive line. They have learned to push hard and create opportunities for our backs. Tonight was a great team effort throughout the four quarters and our substitutes did a wonderful job when they came into the game!”
“They basically had to play against Dupo’s first-string because they are short of players this year and cannot substitute heavily. They did well and even scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter! I am proud of all of our boys”, said Belton.
With the win, the Jackets improved to 4-3 overall and stayed unbeaten in the Cahokia Conference with a perfect 4-0 record. Chester hosts Red Bud Friday October 14 for what will determine the conference winner. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. at W.O. Smith Field at CHS. It will be “Senior Night” 2022 when CHS will honor all fall athletes as well and band and dance team members.
Coach Belton said, “Friday night will be a showdown. Red Bud is big and they are 4-0 in conference play. We are also 4-0 in the Cahokia Conference. One of us will remain unbeaten at 5-0 and the other will leave the game with a conference record of 4-1. The winner will win the Cahokia Conference and the automatic bid to the 2022 IHSA State Football Playoffs.”
“Our boys have improved a lot since that 0-3 start in the first three weeks of the 2022 season. We have since gone 4-0 and the boys have worked hard to totally turn the season around. They have a goal of winning a conference championship.”
“The atmosphere at W.O. Smith Field will be phenomenal Friday night. The boys are fired up and ready to play hard to win the game and what goes along with it. It will be a fun, exciting night”, said Belton.