Indians slip by YellowJackets, 44-33, with second half push
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The Chester High School Boys traveled to Carlyle Tuesday January 30 to take on the Indians. There were two games. In the Junior Varsity game Carlyle won by just two points, 44-22, on a basket with only 10-seconds left to play.
Chester senior Gabe Steele (24) led all YellowJacket players in scoring Tuesday January 30 against Carlyle. Steele scored 12 points in the first half. Jim Beers Photo
The Varsity game was a hotly contested battle throughout the first half, but a huge third and fourth quarter put the Indians over the edge and they went on to win, 44-33.
The YellowJackets led by one point, 11-10 after the opening 8:00 minutes. In that frame, juniors Cayden Brunkhorst and Kolton Jany each sank two buckets apiece and senior Gabe Steele hit a 3-pointer to set the pace for Chester’s first quarter 11 points.
Carlyle’s Hayden Huels and Matt Guthrie, both juniors, each scored four points apiece and Hunter Taylor, a junior, knocked down one field goal for the Indian’s 10 points.
The second quarter, the YellowJackets matched their first quarter scoring adding another 11 points, behind the masterful shooting of Gabe Steele who scored nine-of-Chester’s 11 points on four field goals and a free throw. Kolton Jany topped-off the scoring with a 2-point basket of his own.
The YellowJacket defense was tough in the seconds frame, holding the Indians to just six points. In a repeat of the first quarter, Hayden Huels (2) and Matt Guthrie (4) did all of the scoring for Carlyle.
The Chester YellowJackets led by 6 points, 22-16, after one half of competition, behind the scoring of Gabe Steele (12), Kolton Jany (6), and Cayden Brunkhorst (4), and the stingy Jacket defense.
Something changed drastically after the halftime break as the tables did a 360 degree turn. Chester went cold and Carlyle got hot as the Indians took over the game. In the third quarter, Carlyle outscored Chester, 17-6, to take a 5-point lead, 33-28.
In that frame, the Indians were led by five players, none of which scored more than five points. Zach Persing led the charge with five points, followed by Matt Guthrie (4), Jacob Ruscher (3), and Hunter Taylor (3).
Three YellowJackets contributed to Chester’s six points including Cayden Brunkhorst (2), Kolton Jany (2), and Brenden Malley (2).
Things got worse down the stretch as the Indians outscored the YellowJackets 11-5 in the final period.
It was a foul-fest in the 4th Quarter with Chester sending the Indians to the free throw line 14 times with Carlyle making seven of them (50%). Carlyle’s other four points came from Matt Guthrie who connected for a pair of field goals.
Chester’s five points came from Devante Palacio (2), Kolton Jany (2), and Lucas Thompson (1). The Indians won the game by 11 points, 44-33.
In the loss, the YellowJackets were led by senior Gabe Steele who scored 12 points. Another YellowJacket who scored in double figures was Kolton Jany who added 10 points. Other offensive contributors included Cayden Brunkhorst (6), Devante Palacio (2), Brenden Malley (2), and Lucas Thompson (1).
The Jackets only went to the free throw line three times, making 2-of-3 (67%). CHS made 14 two-point field goals and just one 3-point field goal. With the loss Chester dropped to one game below .500 with an overall record of 12-13. The Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division record fell to 2-5.
Carlyle was led by junior Matt Guthrie who scored 18 points. Other offensive contributors included Hayden Huels (8), Hunter Taylor (6), Zach Persing (5), Rhettick Steinkamp (4), and Jacob Ruscher (3). Carlyle was 13-of-22 from the free throw line (59%).
The Jackets will host Red Bud Friday February 2 at Colbert Memorial Gymnasium with the JV tipping off at 6:00 p.m. and the Varsity stating at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Saturday February 3 the Chester High School YellowJackets and Lady Jackets will both travel to DuQuoin to play in a 4-game series as scheduled below:
Junior Varsity BOYS: 12:00 Noon
Junior Varsity GIRLS: 1:30 p.m.
Varsity GIRLS: 3:00 p.m.
Varsity BOYS: 4:30 p.m.