Chester gets first Conference win, 59-42
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The Chester High School Lady Jackets got their first Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division win of the season Tuesday December 10 when they hosted the Sparta Lady Bulldogs at CHS Colbert Memorial Gymnasium.
The Jackets squeaked by with a 1-point 19-18 lead after one quarter of play behind the hard play of senior Rylie Conley and junior Lexi Mott. Conley scored six points and Mott added five. Jessica Stumpe added four points, Riley Lochhead hot one field goal, and Lillian Diskey hit both of her free throw attempts.
Sparta was led by Schulein who made 10 of the Bulldog’s 18 points. Star added five and Johnson popped a trey to round out Sparta’s 18 point first quarter.
Chester outscored Sparta, 16-6, in the second frame behind Jessica Stumpe’s seven- point contribution. Mott added five and Aubrey Coleman drained a 3-pointer. Rylie Conley capped off the frame with a free throw.
The Lady Dawgs only added six points on a Schulein trey, and free throws by Starr (2) and Johnson (1). Chester led, 35-24 at the half.
Both teams recorded double figures in the 3rd Quarter, but the Lady Jackets outscored the Lady Bulldogs, 17-12. Chester’s big third quarter was led by Lexi Mott who hit four 2-pointers and was 2-for-2 from the free throw line for ten points. Jessica Stumpe drained her second 3-pointer of the game and Rylie Conley and Marley Caby each knocked down a 2-pointer apiece.
Sparta had single-digit scoring from five players including 3-pointers from Schulein and Starr and three players with a deuce apiece including Johnson, Pillers, and Tadlock. Chester l took a 16-point lead, 52-36, into the fourth quarter.
Ten Lady Jackets appeared during the final stretch and managed to outscore Sparta by one point, 7-6. Before coming out of the game, Lexi Mott scored three points. Jessica Stumpe made one basket and Rylie Conley was perfect from the free throw line making both shots.
Sparta, on the other hand, went to the free throw line 16 times down the stretch, but only made four shots. Starr spent most of the 4th period at the line. She was sent the charity stripe 10 times, but only made three. She added a field goal giving her five of Sparta’s points. Richardson made 1-of-4 for the added point. The Lady Jackets won the game, 59-42.
Chester was led by Lexi Mott who scored 23 points. Jessica Stumpe added 16. Chester’s other double-digit scorer was Rylie Conley who had 11 points. Four other players contributed to the 59-point total including Aubrey Coleman (3), and Riley Lochhead, Lillian Diskey, and Marley Caby, with two points apiece.
Chester recorded 17 two pointers, three 3-pointers and the Jackets were 16-of-21 from the free throw line (76%).
The Lady Bulldogs had two players in double figures including Schulein (16) and Starr (15). Other contributors were Johnson (6), Pillers (2), Tadlock (2), and Richardson (1). The Lady Bulldogs made seven three-pointers, seven 2-pointers and made 7-of-22 free throws (32%).
With the win, the Lady Jackets improved to an overall record of 3 and 7 and a Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division record of 1-2.