Valle and Perryville move to Consolation Bracket
BY JIM BEERS, Contributing Writer
CHESTER – Round 1 of the 59th Annual Chester Invitational Tournament is complete. On Day 2 of Round 1, Tuesday January 10th, New Athens defeated Valle by a score of 65-55 and Chester beat Perryville 63-33. Both teams will advance to the Semi-Finals of the tournament Thursday January 12th to compete at 7:30 p.m.
The two losers in those games, Valle and Perryville, have moved to the Consolation Bracket to face each other Thursday January 12 at 6:00 p.m.
The upper portion of the bracket will play Wednesday January 11th to open Round 2 on Day 3. Valmeyer will meet Lovejoy at 6:00 p.m. to determine who will advance to Consolation Champion game on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.
On the Championship side of the bracket Gibault Catholic will face Saxony Lutheran Wednesday January 11th at 7:30 p.m. to decide who will advance to the Championship Game Saturday January 14th at 7:00 p.m.
New Athens beats Valle, 65-55, to advance to Championship Semi-Finals
Night 2 of Round 1 was Tuesday January 10th. Game 1 featured Valle Catholic High School from Ste. Genevieve, Missouri and New Athens High School from New Athens, Illinois. The Warriors and YellowJackets faced-off at 6:00 p.m. to open Day 2 action.
New Athens led throughout the entire game. They began with a 15-8 first quarter. In that frame the YellowJacket’s Gannon Birkner scored 10 of the Jacket’s 15 points. The second quarter was a lock with both Valle and New Athens scoring 15 points apiece. New Athens enjoyed a seven point lead, 30-23, at halftime.
The third quarter was good for Valle as they outscored New Athens 18-15, to get within four points, 45-41, after three quarters of play. In that run, the Warrior’s Sam Drury and Harry Oliver each scored 4-points apiece. Clayton Drury and Chase Fallert each popped 3-pointers.
The final period started with a quick 10-0 YellowJacket run which ended with 4:18 to play in the game and New Athens up by 14-points, 55-41. The Warriors then had a 6-1 run of their own to trail by just nine points, 56-47, with 2:23 to play. In the final two minutes the Jackets outscored the Warriors 9-8 to win, 65-55.
In the win, New Athens was led by two players in double figures including Isaiah Lintker (22) and Gannon Birkner (21). Valle likewise had two players I double figures including Sam Drury (11) and Harry Oliver (10).
With the win, New Athens advanced to the Championship Semi-Finals and Valle moved to the Consolation side of the bracket. Both teams will play again Thursday January 12 in Round 2, Night 4.
Chester YellowJackets sting Perryville Pirates, 63-33, in Game 4
In a somewhat surprising game, the Chester YellowJackets flew by the Perryville Pirates in a 30-point romping, 63-33. The contest was Tuesday January 10th in Game 4 of the 2023 CIT. It was Night 2 of Round 1 and Chester flew off of the runway and never looked back as they left Perryville standing on the tarmack.
The YellowJackets shut out Perryville, 15-0 in the first quarter led by senior Trace Fricke who made two field goals and two free throws in the opening 3:44 of the first period. Senior Gavin Schroeder started the game by draining a huge 3-pointer just 45-seconds after tip-off. Fricke then took over and the Jackets led, 9-0 at the 3:44 mark.
Sophomore Davante Palacio sank a free throw at 2:11 and then Chance Mott finished off the first quarter with a trey and a 2-pointer to close the door on Perryville, 15-0 after 8 minutes of competition.
The second quarter featured a 22-8 offensive attack by the dive-bombing YellowJackets. The Pirates opened the period with a very brief 4-0 run behind Ben Hotop’s two free throws at 7:48, followed by a field goal by Ethan Blythe at 6:59. Those four points were the first for the Pirates in the game. Chester led, 15-4 at the 6:59 mark.
Chester immediately followed with a 16-0 run of its own ending at the 3:29 mark with a 31-4 Chester lead! In that run, 13 of those points were scored by the handy-work one YellowJacket player, senior Gavin Schroeder!
Schroder was red hot and made five back-to-back scoring plays in-a-row, which included three 3-pointers, two 2-pointers for a total of 13 points.
Right after Schroeder’s shooting exhibition Chance Mott got a steal, drove the length of the floor and made a layup. He was fouled on the play. He sank his free throw to complete the “3-point-play”. Chester led, 31-6 at the 3:08 mark.
About 30-seconds later Davante Palacio grabbed a missed YellowJacket bunny shot and “stuck it” back into the hoop for a “stick-back” and two more Chester points. CHS led, 33-6 with 2:31 remaining in the first half.
To close out the second quarter, Cayden Brunkhorst, who came off the bench, drained a huge 3-pointer to extend Chester’s lead to 36-6. With just .37 remaining, Chester’s Kolton Jany made the front end of a free throw combination giving the Jackets 37 points. Perryville’s, Andrew Terbrak scored two points for Perryville and at halftime, Chester led, 37-8.
After halftime the YellowJackets came back with a 19-17 performance. During that run Chester hit five 3-pointers. Lucas Thompson came off the bench to pop a pair of treys, Gavin Schroeder, Chance Mott, and Trace Fricke each added one apiece. Mott and Fricke each added a 2-pointer to complete the 19-point outing.
Perryville had a nice 17-point drive led by Ethen Blythe who scored 10 points on a pair of free throws and four buckets. Grant Smith added a pair of baskets and Jake Cissell drained a 3-pointer. To end the 3rd quarter, the Jackets led Perryville, 56-25.
With the 30-point lead, the YellowJackets forced a “running-continuous clock” for the entire 4th quarter. Chester Head Coach Chris Toledo brought in his bench for the final 8:00 stretch and Cayden Brunkhorst and Korbin Jany each sank 2-pointers and Trey Peters drained a nice 3-pointer to complete the scoring.
The Pirates also brought in bench players and Dalton Jenkins hit a pair of shots and Jondreus Ward and Robert Ussery each made 2-pointers. At the final buzzer Chester led, 63-33 to win the game.
In the win, the YellowJackets had scoring from nine different players. Three Jackets scored in double figures including Gavin Schroeder (17), Chance Mott (15), and Trace Fricke (11). Other contributors were Lucas Thompson (6), Cayden Brunkhorst (5), Davante Palacio (3), Trey Peters (3), Korbin Jany (2), and Kolton Jany (1).
The Jackets recorded (11) 2-pointers, (12) 3-pointers, and 5-of-7 free throws (71%). Gavin Schroeder made five 3-pointers, Chance Mott and Lucas Thompson each had a pair of treys and Kayden Brunkhorst, Trey Peters, and Trace Frick each had one 3-pointer apiece. Fricke (2) and Mott (1) were perfect from the free throw line while Palacio and Kolton Jany were each .500 from the line with one free throw apiece.
Perryville had eight players score, led by Ethen Blythe who scored 14 points. Other contributors included Grant Smith and Dalton Jenkins with four points apiece, Jake Cissell with three points, and Ben Hotop, Jondreus, Robert Ussery, and Andrew Terbrak with two points apiece.
The win advances the YellowJackets into the hunt for a CIT Championship with an opportunity to play in the Semi-Finals Thursday January 12 at 7:30 against New Athens. The loss puts Perryville in the Consolation Bracket. They will play Valle Thursday January 12 at 6:00 p.m. for the opportunity to advance to the Consolation Championship.
Chester’s Trace Fricke, a 6″4′ senior forward, jumps ball against Perryville’s Andrew Terbrak, a 6’9″ Perryville Pirate Tuesday January 10 at the 59th Annual Chester Invitational Tournament. Chester won, 63-33 to advance to the Semi-Finals of the Championship Bracket. In the win, Fricke was one of three YellowJackets who scored in double figures with 11 points. Jim Beers Photo
The Chester High School Cheerleaders gather at the scorer’s table to give support to the CHS Dance Team Tuesday January 10 when CHS hosted Perryville in Round 1 of the 2023 Chester Invitational Tournament. The Dance Team was performing at halftime of the Chester vs Perryville game. It is customary for the Cheerleaders and Dance Team to support each other as they perform at school functions. Jim Beers Photo
The Chester High School Dance Team performs at halftime of the CHS vs Perryville basketball game Tuesday January 10th. The squad danced to “Knock on Wood” much to the liking of a large crowd at the game. The event was Game 8 of the 2023 Chester Invitational Tournament. Jim Beers Photo