Fall to Carlyle, 45-42 and beat Okawville, 34-32 and Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School, 60-47
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The Chester High School boys had a rare 3-game home stand in Week 3 hosting Carlyle Tuesday December 5, Okawville Friday December 8, and Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School from Centralia Saturday, December 9.
It was a great Week 3 winning two games and losing a very close one. The loss was close and hard-fought, and could have gone Chester’s way. The Jackets lost against Carlyle by just 4 points. The win over Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School (CORLHS) was a comfortable 13-point margin and CHS beat Okawville by two points, 34-32.
Chester’s Devante Palacio (5) soars to score in the first quarter of the game against Okawville Friday December 8. For the night Palacio led all YellowJacket scorers with 11 points. His efforts helped Chester win a close battle, 34-32. Jim Beers Photo
Carlyle 45-Chester 42
The YellowJackets hosted Carlyle in the first Cahokia Conference Illinois Division game of 2023-24. This matchup kicked off not only the conference portion of the schedule, but Week No. 3. All three home games were hosted at Colbert Gymnasium on Rocky Bridges Court.
The Indians took a slight 10-9 lead in the first quarter. In that frame, Devante Palacio scored 4 points, Kolton Jany added two and Brenden Malley hit a basket and added a free throw.
Someone hit the replay button to start the second quarter and the scores were identical with the Indians outscoring Chester by just one small point, 10-9. That gave Carlyle a two-point lead, 20-18 at halftime.
In the second quarter, Palacio led the YellowJacket attack with another 4 points. Kolton Jany and Malley each hit a 2-pointer and Cayden Brunkhorst made a free throw for Chester’s none points.
In the third quarter the Jackets made up some ground on the Indians by outscoring them, 14-13. As the third quarter buzzer sounded, Chester had gotten within one point, 33-32.
In the third frame, Lucas Thompson came alive and hit a pair of 3-pointers. Brenden Malley also came on strong hitting three 2-pointers. Together they combined for 12 of Chester’s 14-point performance. Devante Palacio added a bucket to round out the 14-point effort.
The 4th quarter was another close and hard-fought battle, but the YellowJackets just missed catching the Indians by the final buzzer. Carlyle outscored CHS by only two points, 12-10, to win the game by just two points, 45-43.
In the final frame, Korbin Jany hit a three ball, Lucas Thompson hit his third three of the night, and Cayden Brunkhorst and Devante Palacio each connected for two pointers.
In the close loss, the Jackets had two players score in double figures. Devante Palacio led the team with 12 points and Brenden Malley was just one point behind with 11 points. Other offensive contributors included Lucas Thompson (9), Kolton Jany (4), Korbin Jany (3), and Cayden Brunkhorst (3).
For the night Chester was just 2-for-8 from the free throw line (25%). Those free shots could have made a huge difference in the outcome of the game. The Jackets played a rather clean game with only three fouls in the first half and five fouls in the second half (8 total).
Carlyle had three players in double figures, Hayden Huels (13), Rhettick SteinKamp (12), and Matthew Guthrie (10). Rounding out the scoring were Jacob Ruscher (8), and Hunter Taylor (2).
The loss dropped the YellowJackets to an overall record of 3-4 and started the Cahokia Conference record at 0-1.
The CHS Pep Band and student pep section, the “BEE HIVE” provided huge support for the YellowJackets Friday night when CHS hosted Okawville. With their help, the boys held on to beat the Rockets, 34-23, in a tough, competitive contest. Jim Beers Photo
Chester 34-Okawville 32
On Friday December 8 the Jackets hosted Okawville in the second Cahokia Conference Illinois Division game of the season. The Rockets came to play and the Jackets gave them a great, exciting game that was competitive from the start and ended with a two-point, 34-32 win for Chester.
The first quarter was a battle that featured three ties and seven lead changes before the opening 8-minutes were finished. Chester scored right away on a Devante Palacio bucket to lead 2-0. Okawville tied the game 2-2 at the 5:41 mark. In the next 30-seconds the lead changed twice and the game was tied again 8-8 at the 3:10 mark.
Seven seconds later the Rockets took the lead, 10-8, and Chester tied the game again at the 1:13 mark. With just 52-seconds remaining, Okawville took the lead once more, 12-10. Chester’s Cayden Brunkhorst hit a 3-point shot with 25-seconds left in the first quarter to give the Jackets a 13-12 lead after one quarter of play.
Chester’s Lucas Thompson struck first to open the second period by knocking down a huge 3-pointer. CHS led, 16-12. Okawville answered with a trey of its own to get within one point, 16-15, at the 6:53 mark.
Chester’s Brenden Malley responded with back-to-back buckets to give the YellowJackets a 20-15 lead at the 5:35 mark. Okawville’s Landen Schubert was fouled attempting a 3-pointer with 5:22 to play in the half. He made back-to-back-to-back free throws to get the Rockets within two points of Chester, 20-18. Chester’s Kolton Jany scored at the: 50 mark to end the quarter with Chester in the lead, 22-18, at the half.
Just 18-seconds into the 3rd quarter the Rockets’ Landen Shubert made a free throw. Cheer then followed with three turnovers in a row. Okawville’s Braylen Turner then hit a 3-pointer to tie the game, 22-22 at the 5:20 mark. Things were not going well for CHS at that point.
The Rockets followed with a Rylan Nelson bucket at the 4:21 mark to give Okawville its first lead since the first quarter, 24-22. Chester Head Coach Chris Toledo called a quick time out 11-seconds later.
With 2:59 left in the period, Chester’s Devante Palacio tied the game, 24-24, on a short move to the basket. Okawville’s Shubert answered with a 3-pointer just 49-seconds later to retake the lead, 27-24.
With only 18-seconds remaining, Chester’s Kolton Jany scored to bring the YellowJackets within one point of the Rockets. At the buzzer, the Rockets led, 27-26.
To start the 4th quarter, Chester’s Kolton Jany picked up where he left off and stole the ball and scored two points to get Chester the lead back, 28-27.
Devante Palacio picked up the pace for CHS and kept the ball rolling with a pair of steals and back-to-back baskets to complete a 6-0 run to start the 4th quarter and give the Jackets a 32-27 lead. Okawville called an immediate time out.
Following the time out, the Rocket’s Ryker Obermeier connected for a trey to get Okawville back within two points, 32-30 at the 2:29 mark.
The Jackets then added two more points as Kolton Jany and Devante Palacio each hit free throws. Chester led, 34-20, with 1:00 left to play in the game.
The final minute was highly contested and exciting. After another Rocket time out at the: 55 mark, Okawville’s Aidan Anderson hit a basket to bring the Rockets within 2-points, 34-32.
With: 30 to play, Chester’s Cayden Brunkhorst missed back-to-back free throws to make things interesting. The Jacket defense went to work to protect their lead. With the clock ticking down, Okawville called another time out at the 16.3-second mark.
Following the time out, Okawville’s 6’9” Aidan Anderson attempted a shot which was blocked by Chester’s Devante Palacio.
Anderson came into the game averaging 17-points-per -game with his most points being scored at 27 and the least being 10 points. The Jackets kept him in check throughout the game holding him to just eight points. It was the first time he had been held under ten points this season.
With just 1.8 seconds left in the game, Chester’s Kolton Jany was fouled and went to the line for two free throws. He missed both, but made up for it at the buzzer when he blocked Okawville’s final attempt to tie the game. Chester took the win, 34-32.
Chester’s defense is to be applauded for their defensive efforts throughout the game and never allowing Okawville to take more than a 3-point lead. The Rockets only led three times in the game and those were very short-lived.
In the win, the Jackets were led offensively by Devante Palacio who scored 11 points. He was the only Jacket in double figures. Other scorers included Kolton Jany (9), Cayden Brunkhorst (7), Brenden Malley (4), and Lucas Thompson (3).
Okawville was led by Landen Shubert (15). He was the only Rocket in double figures. Other contributors were Aidan Anderson (8), Ryker Obermeier (6), and Braylen Turner (3).
The win improved Chester to an overall record of 4-4 and a Cahokia Conference record of 1-1. In the earlier JV game at 6:00 p.m., Chester won, 38-30, in a similar, exciting, hard-fought contest. In that win, the JV was paced by Evan Dunning with 19 points, followed by TaShawn Palacio (7), Tallen James (6), and Trey McCartney (6).
Next up for Chester was a non-conference game the next day, Saturday December 9 against Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School (CORLHS).
Cayden Brunkhorst (1) a 5’7″ point guard for the YellowJackets tries to maneuver the ball as Okawville’s Braylen Turner (3), a 5’10” freshman guard, attempts to foil the Jacket’s plan. To the left, Chester’s Lucas Thompson (40) and Okawville’s Calvin Maynard (22) anxiously await the outcome of Brunkhorst’s efforts. Chester beat Okawville, 34-32 to improve to 4-4 for the season. Jim Beers Photo
Chester 60-CORLHS 47
The Jackets had a rare Saturday afternoon game December 9 when Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School came to Colbert Gym. CORLHS is located in Centralia. The JV game tipped-off at 2:30 p.m. with the JV YellowJackets winning, 35-20.
Throughout the game, Chester led, 11-7 after the first quarter, and 22-13 at halftime. After three periods, CHS led, 27-15, and at the final buzzer, Chester won, 35-20.
The Jackets were led by Tallen James who scored 18 points, all on 3-pointers. Other contributors included Evan Dunning (6), TaShawn Palacio (5), and Zane Eggemeyer, Alex Blechle, and Jack Heffernan with two points apiece.
Chester’s Kolton Jany (13) drives around the screen set by Brenden Mally (34) in the first quarter of the game Friday December 8 when Chester hosted Okawville. Jany was successful in scoring twice in the first half to help Chester beat the Rockets, 34-32. Jim Beers Photo
The Varsity game stated at 4 p.m. The Jackets flew out to a 15-5 early lead at the 3:06 mark behind the work of Devante Palacio (4), Brenden Malley (4), Lucas Thompson (3), and Kolton Jany (4). In the final 2:19 Kolton Jany scored back-to-back buckets, and Lucas Thompson added a final basket with: 39 left in the period. CORLHS scored with 21-seconds left to play. The Jackets led, 21-12 after one quarter of play.
Devante Palacio opened the second quarter with a quick basket. CHS led, 23-12. The Silver Stallions answered with a three ball by Parker Boehne. Palacio scored again for Chester at the 5:12 mark to extend the Jacket’s lead to 25-15.
CORLHS used an 8-2 run to pull within five points, 25-20, at the 2:59 mark. Chester’s Head Coach, Chris Toledo called time out. The Jackets responded with a 4-2 run to close the first half in the lead, 29-22.
The Silver Stallions outscored Chester, 17-15, in the 3rd quarter to pull within five points of the YellowJackets, 44-39.
In Chester’s 17-point period, Devante Palacio scored Chester’s first eight points in the first three minutes of the quarter. CHS led, 37-26 at the 5:45 mark.
Christ Our Rock used four 3-pointers to make their run on Chester behind the shooting of Damari Dabney, Jayden Bazile, Lendon Izaiah, and Parker Boehne. Down the stretch, Chester’s Lucas Thompson hit a pair of 3-pointers, and Kolton Jany hit a free throw. CHS led, 44-39.
No one scored in the opening minute of the 4th quarter. Cayden Brunkhorst broke the ice with a bucket at the 7:00 mark. CHS led, 46-39. Stallion Lendon Isaiah scored CORLHS’s first point on a free throw (46-40).
Chester’s Palacio answered with a hard drive to the basket making his layup. He was fouled on the shot and was awarded a free throw. He drained it to complete the three-point-play! Chester led, 49-40 with 6:10 to play in the game.
Silver Stallions’ Damari Dabney answered with a 3-pointer and CORLHS lessened the CHS lead to six points, 49-43 at 5:50.
Chester’s’ Brenden Malley scored a bucket at the 5:28 mark and was fouled on the shot. He made his free throw and completed the three-point-play! Jackets led, 52-43. CHS called a time out at the 4:53 mark.
The CHS Dance Team performed at halftime of the CHS vs Okawville game Friday December 8. The team is coached by Adrianne Kern. She is assisted by Emily Eggemeyer and Bailey Misuraca. Jim Beers Photo
Down the final stretch, Chester outscored CORLHS, 8-4 to win the game, 60-47. In that stretch, Chester’s Lucas Thompson and Brenden Malley each scored four points apiece. CORLHS’s Parker Boehne scored all four of the Stallions points.
In the win, the YellowJackets had three players score in double figures including, Devante Palacio (19), Lucas Thompson (15), and Brenden Malley (13). Other contributors included Kolton Jany (9), and Cayden Brunkhorst (4).
CORLHS was led by Parker Boehne (22), followed by Jayden Bazile (10), Damari Dabney (6), and Lendon Isaiah (6).
With the win Chester improved to 5-4 for the 2023-2024 Season, and ended Week 3 with 2 wins and 1 loss.