Gabe Coffman wins medal in JV race; Josalynn Anaya finishes 42nd in Girls’ race
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – Chester High School hosted just one regular-season home cross country meet this season and that one was a big one! The YellowJackets held the 33rd Annual Chester High School Invitational Meet at the Randolph County Lake with 13 Boys’ Teams and 8 Girls’ Teams participating in 2023.
Timing and results were conducted by Paul and Mary Stallman of Chester, Alias Race Management.
Chester High School sophomore, Gabe Coffman, earned a medal at the 33rd Annual Chester High School Cross Country Invitational. Coffman finished 14 overall out of 52 competitors in the Junior Varsity Race. He turned in a time of 18:58.1 and a race pace of 6:20 per mile. Gabe has led the YellowJackets this season at all meets in which he has competed. Jim Beers Photo
The Chester Boys finished 13th this year while the Girls did not have enough runners to qualify for a team score. Chester’s Gabe Coffman was the only YellowJacket to earn a medal. He finished 14th in the Boys’ JV Race with a time of 18:58.1 and a race pace of 6:20 per mile.
It has been a lean year for the Chester Cross Country Team with only five boys and one girl competing. The Chester Boys team includes four sophomores and one junior. Sophomores include Gabe Coffman, Drew Wilderman, Gavin Wilderman, and Ivan Hobbs. The lone upperclassman is junior Will Welge. The only Lady Jacket on the squad this year is senior Josalynn Anaya. The YellowJackets and Lady Jacket are coached by Chris Kern.
Girls’ Race
The Girls’ Race started at 4:30 p.m. and included eight teams and featured 45 runners. At race time the skies were mostly cloudy with an 80-degree temperature. Winds were Southeast at 6 mile per hour. The course was dry.
In the team competition, these are the standings: (Note: Lower scores are best).
Pinckneyville 36
Salem 86
Okawville 87
DuQuoin 92
Freeburg 106
Columbia 122
Nashville 166
Red Bud 207
Chester High School’s Josalynn Anaya, a senior, finished 42nd overall with a time of 32:47.3 and a race pace of 10:56 per mile at the 33rd Annual Chester Invitational Cross Country Invitational. Anaya is the only girl running for the Lady Jackets this season and has represented CHS well in all aspects. Jim Beers Photo
Chester’s only competitor was senior Josalynn Anaya. She finished 42nd overall with a time of 32:47.3 and a race pace of 10:56 per mile.
The overall winner was Vanessa Teel of Pinckneyville. She had a time of 19:24.6 and a race pace of 6:29 per mile.
The Top-10 finishers included:
Vanessa Teel: Pinckneyville (19:24.6)
Sara Mckowen: Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School (20:02.1)
Maggie Kellerman: DuQuoin (20:29)
Zoey Conway: Pinckneyville (21:00.1)
Rylee Brammeier: Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School (21:45.2)
Adi Wilson: Nashville (21:51.6)
Breanna Thurman: Salem (21:53.4)
Clara Wilson: Gibault Catholic (21:54.4)
Sofia Castellano: Pinckneyville (22:21.6)
Lydia Luechtefeld: Okawville (22:39.6)
Boys Race
The Boys Race started at 5:15 P.M. At race time temperature was79 degrees. Skies were mostly cloudy with an easterly wind at 6-miles per hour. The course was dry. Both Varsity and JV were run at the same time with the computer separating the results per division.
Junior Varsity:
The JV Race featured 52 runners. The winner was Landen Boman, a sophomore from Pinckneyville. He had a winning time of 16:26.5 and a race pace of 5:29 per mile.
Chester had four runners compete in the JV race. Gabe Coffman was Chester’s first finisher. He crossed the finish line in 18:58.1 and had a race pace of 6:20 per mile. He finished 14th overall. That finish earned him a medal.
Sophomore Gavin Wilderman finished 44th overall with a time of 24:42.1 and a pace of 8:15 per mile. Ivan Hobbs finished right behind Gavin with a time of 24:43.8 and a pace of 8:15 per mile. His finish was 45th. Drew Wilderman, Gavin’s twin, finished 51st. He had a time of 28:33.4 and a race pace of 9:32 per mile.
Varsity Race
The Varsity Race had 62 runners. The winner was Isaac Teel, a senior, from Pinckneyville. He had a time of 15:34.6 and a race pace of 5:12 per mile.
The YellowJackets had just one boy compete in the Varsity Race. Will Welge a junior, finished 61st with a time of 28:01.0 and a race pace of 9:21 per mile.
Team finishes included:
Pinckneyville 28
Salem 92
DuQuoin 99
Murphysboro 105
Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School 110
Freeburg 188
Okawville 195
New Athens 224
Nashville 228
Sparta 263
Steeleville 293
Trico 305
Chester 336