Weekly “Special Teams” player of the week is sponsored by Korando Heating and Cooling, and “Practice Player of the Week” is sponsored by Night Hawk Coal.
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – Chester High School Head Football Coach, Billy Belton, has announced that starting this 2025 CHS Football season his program will start a new award program. This program will be weekly and sponsored by Korando Heating and Cooling of Chester, and Night Hawk Coal.
Each week Belton and his staff will select two players to be recognized and honored. The first award will recognize the best “Special Teams” player of the week and the second award will recognize the best “Practice Player” of the week.
Belton is proud to announce award winners for Week 5 of the 2025 YellowJacket Football season.
TaShawn Palacio (11), a Chester High School junior YellowJacket Football Player, is the Thursday September 18, 2025 “Special Teams” Player of the Week. Last Week at West Frankfort Palacio returned a kickoff for an 83-yard touchdown at the 10:38 mark of the second quarter. He later caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from CHs quarterback, Tray Peters and scored the TD to give the YellowJackets a 29-19 lead with 9:08 to play in the game. Jim Bers Photo
Korando Heating and Cooling “Special Teams” Player of the Week: # 11 TaShawn Palacio
Coach Belton said, “Palacio, a junior, returned an 83-yard kickoff to score Chester’s second TD of the game last week at West Frankfort. With the 2-point conversion on a pass from quarterback, Tray Peters to Trey McCartney, the YellowJackets took a 1-point, 13-12 lead over the Redbirds at the 10:38 mark of the second period.”
“Palacio struck again to kick off the 4th quarter when he caught a 36-yard pass from Peters and ran for the Jacket’s fourth touchdown of the night. That score extended the Chester lead to 29-19 with the Karim Landeros extra-point kick.”
Bently Valleroy (35), a 5’7, 165 lb. sophomore running back and linebacker, is the Thursday September 18, 2025, Chester YellowJacket Football “Practice Player” of the Week. He gave the Jackets great looks on both d\sides of the ball during the week of September 15-19, at both running back and linebacker. He has helped get the varsity ready to face the Spata Bulldogs Friday September 19 at Sparta. Jim Beers Photo
“Nighthawk Coal “Practice Player” of the Week: # 35 Bently Valleroy
Coach Belton said, “Bently Valleroy, a sophomore, is a good scout team player. He gave us good looks this week on both sides of the ball. Both as running back and linebacker. He has done a great job getting our varsity squad ready to face the Sparta Bulldogs this Friday September 19 at Sparta.”
Each of the two weekly award winners received a special T-shirt provided by the two sponsors. Korando Heating and Cooling and Night Hawk Coal have stepped up to be the 2025 sponsors of the “Special Teams” and “Practice Player” of the Week Awards for Chester Football.
Coach Belton stated, “I would like to give a special THANK YOU to Korando Heating and Cooling and Night Hawk Coal for sponsoring our “Special Teams Player of the Week” program and our “Practice Player of the Week” program.
The awards for Week 5 were announced and presented Thursday September 18 at the weekly team meeting and supper in the CHS Football Offices. This is a weekly event following the Thursday afternoon “Run-Through” practice in preparation for the Friday Night Game of the Week. Congratulations TaShawn Palacio and Bently Valleroy for being the Week 5 award winners!