Jackets win at Murphysboro; play well at Regional to advance to Sectionals and finish well at Sectional
By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER – The Chester High School 2022 golf season is over, but the boys ended on high notes with a sweep of the competition at the Murphysboro triangular match; a great showing at Regionals that advanced them as a team to compete at the 2022 IHSA Class 1A Sectional Tournament; and a good performance at Sectionals.
Yellow Jackets beat Murphysboro and Sparta at Murphy triangular match
The Jackets traveled to Murphysboro Monday September 26 to compete in a triangular match as a warm-up for the upcoming Regional Tournament. The event was held at the Jackson County Country Club and the Chester boys responded well to the terrain as they beat both the Murphysboro Red Devils and the Sparta Bulldogs in the final regular-season match of the year.
Chester led the standings with a team score of 165 strokes. Sparta finished 2nd with 176 strokes and Murphysboro was the 3rd Place finisher with 191 strokes. The sweep of the competition gave the Yellow Jackets a confidence boost going into the Thursday September 29th Regional Tournament.
Senior Gage Hasemeyer, who has been coming on strong the final weeks of the season, led the Jackets with a score of 38 strokes. He was the medalist with his low score of 38. Clayton Andrews followed in the No. 2 position with his score of 40.
Other Yellow Jacket finishers included Evan Dunning (43), Chance Mott (44), Lucas Thompson (47) and Aidan Blechle (53).
Sparta’s Ethington finished right behind Hasemeyer with a 39, followed by Allard and Pillers who each shot 45, Loesing who shot 47, Westbecher with his game of 52 and Schuline who shot 55.
Murphysboro was led by Diel (43) followed by Leslie (48), Boucher (49), Duffy (52) and Hortsmann (53).
Head Coach Chris Toledo said, “The boys picked up two more wins today at Jackson County Country Club in Murphysboro beating Sparta and Murphysboro, 165-176-192. Gage Hasemeyer was medalist with a round of 38 (+3). The boys will travel to Franklin County Country Club on Wednesday September 28th for Regionals.”
2022 Class 1A Boys’ Golf Regional at West Frankfort
The Yellow Jackets traveled to West Frankfort Wednesday September 28 to compete in the 2022 IHSA Class 1A Boys’ Regional Tournament. There were 13 schools and 88 boys in competition.
The Top-3 teams qualified to advance to the Sectional Tournament. In addition, the Top-10 boys that were not affiliated with one of the Top-3 teams also advanced to Sectionals. Chester was one of the Top-3 schools to advance as a team. Aidan McFadden of Anna-Jonesboro was the Medalist for the Regional match.
The Regional winner was Anna-Jonesboro with 322 points. The second team to qualify was Trico who turned in a team score of 332 points. The third and last team to advance was CHESTER with 341 points.
The YellowJackets were led by Gage Hasemeyer, a senior, who had a round of 83 for the 18-holes. He finished tied for 8th overall out of 88 golfers. Chester’s No. 2 golfer was Noah Homan, a sophomore who had an 84 stroke round of 18 holes. He finished tied for 12th out of 88 golfers.
Clayton Andrews was the No. 3 golfer with a round of 86. He finished tied for 18th out of 88 golfers. Chance Mott fired an 88 and finished tied for 22nd out of 88 golfers. Aidan Blechle had a round of 96. He finished tied for 40th out of 88 golfers. Lucas Thompson rounded out the match with his game of 104 strokes which placed him tied for 54th out of 88 golfers.
Other team scores and places included West Frankfort (4th Tie, 344), Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher (4th Tie, 344), Steeleville (6th, 347), Gallatin County (7th, 375), DuQuoin (8th, 380), Vienna (9th, 388), NCOE (10th, 397), Johnston City (11th, 416), Eldorado (12th, 426), and Goreville (13th, 441).
Individual players who advanced included Logan Bartens of Steeleville (80), Chase Cole of ZRC (80), Trey Cole of ZRC (81), Avery Hamilton of Steeleville ( 82), Ben Herron of West Frankfort (83), Scout Hudgens of ZRC (84), Lucas Whittington of West Frankfort (85), Jackson Knop of Steeleville (86), and Jett Kuhn of Cobden (87).
2022 Class 1A Boys’ Golf Sectional at Effingham St. Anthony
The Sectional Golf Tournament was held Monday October 3rd. There were 12 teams in competition with a total of 111 golfers competing.
The Chester Yellow Jackets finished 8th out of 12 teams with a score of 355 strokes. Chance Mott, a senior, was Chester’s No. 1 golfer with his score of 84 and overall finish tied for 24th out of 111 golfers.
The Jacket’s No. 2 golfer was senior Gage Hasemeyer who shot 86. He tied for 34th overall out of 111 golfers. Noah Homan, a sophomore, also shot 86 tying for 34th overall out of 111 golfers.
Clayton Andrews, a senior, had a score of 99 as the No. 4 CHS golfer and he finished tied for 78th overall. Lucas Thompson, a junior, finished 96th overall out of 111 golfers and he turned in a score of 104 strokes. Aidan Blechle, a senior, shot 118 for the day and finished 108th overall.
These four Yellow Jacket golfers played their final high school gold games of their career at the 2022 IHSA Class 1A Boys’ Golf Tournament in Effingham Monday October 3rd. Left to right are Aidan Blechle, Clayton Andrews, Chance Mott, and Gage Hasemeyer. All will graduate from CHS in May of 2023. At Sectionals Blechle shot 118 and finished 108th overall. Andrews had a score of 99 and placed tied for 78th overall. Mott was Chester’s top finisher with a score of 84 and finished tied for 24th. Hasemeyer turned in a score of 86 and was tied for 34th place overall. Jim Beers Photo
Head Coach Chris Toledo said, “The boys finished up their season today at the Effingham Sectional finishing in 8th Place with a team score of 355. Chance Mott led the Jackets with a round of 84, just two shots shy of advancing to State. Congratulations to all of the guys on a successful season!!”
Team standings are St. Anthony Bulldogs (1st, 307), Litchfield Panthers (2nd, 332), Marquette Catholic Explorers (3rd, 338). These three schools advanced to the 2022 IHSA Class 1A Boys’ State Tournament.
The other nine finishers included Anna-Jonesboro Wildcats (4th, 342), Gibault Catholic Hawks (5th, 347), Father McGivney Catholic Griffins (6th, 348), Mt. Carmel Golden Aces (7th, 352), CHESTER YELLOWJACKETS (8th, 355), Nashville Hornets (9th, 370), Trico Pioneers (10th, 372), Okawville Rockets (11th, 381), and Robinson Maroons (12th, 387).
The following individuals qualified to advance to the State Tournament including Conner McCall of Vandalia (73), Parker Boehne of Christ Our Rock Lutheran (77), Parker Renken of Nashville (77), R.J. Mattas of Marshall (77), Nathan Rich of Robinson (78), Ben Herron of West Frankfort (81), Cohen Jackson of Gibault Catholic (81), Aidan McFadden of Anna-Jonesboro (82), Avery Jahraus of Altamont (82), and Kollin Kelsey of Mt. Carmel (82).
Conner McCall of Vandalia was the Medalist for the 2022 IHSA Class 1A Boys’ Sectional match held at Effingham St. Anthony. He shot a low round of 73 for the 18-hole event.