Junior Varsity boys do a great job of filling in for Lovejoy who had to drop out of the event at the last minute
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The 60th Annual Chester Invitational Tournament, the longest running tournament south of I-57, is in the books and in spite few minor a few hiccups, went very well.
This year’s field of competition consisted of Saxony Lutheran, Perryville, Valle, and Valmeyer, in the upper part of the bracket and Waterloo Gibault, the Chester High School Junior Varsity squad, New Athens, and the Chester High School Varsity YellowJackets.
Lovejoy was supposed to be in the lower bracket of the tournament, but had to withdraw from the tournament at the very last minute due to the fact that several of their athletes had not had sports physicals. The CHS JV squad jumped in that morning and agreed to take Lovejoy’s place in the field of eight teams.
Night 1 of Round 1: Monday January 8th
Game 1: 6:00 p.m. Saxony 72 – Perryville 46
Game 2: 7:30 p.m. Valle 60 – Valmeyer 50
Night 2 of Round 1: Tuesday January 9th
Game 3: 6:00 p.m. Water Gibault 59 – CHS Junior Varsity 30
Game 4: 7:30 p.m. Chester Varsity 47 – New Athens 24
Night 1 of Round 2: Wednesday January 10th
Game 1: 6:00 p.m. Valmeyer 70 – Perryville 55 (Consolation Bracket)
Game 2: 7:30 p.m. Saxony 78 – Valle 27 (Championship Bracket)
Night 2 of Round 2: Thursday January 11th
Game 1: 6:00 p.m. New Athens 50 – CHS JV 31 (Consolation Bracket)
Game 2: 7:30 p.m. Gibault 47 – Chester Varsity 40 (Championship Bracket)
“Championship Saturday” January 13th
Game 1: “7th Place” Game: 2:00 p.m. Perryville 60 – CHS JV 42
Game 2: “Consolation Championship” Game: 3:30 p.m. New Athens 58 – Valmeyer 54
Game 3: “3rd Place” Game: 5:00 p.m. Chester 49 – Valle 33
Game 4: “Championship” Game: 6:30 p.m. Gibault 44 – Saxony 36
FINAL STANDINGS
2024 CIT Champion: Gibault Hawks
3rd Place: Chester Varsity
Consolation Champions: New Athens
7th Place: Perryville
2024 Cheerleading Champions: Chester High School Cheerleaders
2024 CIT All-Tournament Team
Most Valuable Player (MVP): Kanon Augustine, Gibault
Peyton Schaefer, Gibault
Gavin Kessler, Gibault
Luke Eggemeyer, Saxony
Owen Buchheit, Saxony
John Hartmann, Saxony
Devante Palacio, Chester
Kolton Jany, Chester
Tyler Gegg, Valle
Isaiah Lintker, New Athens
Chester JV YellowJackets included: Zane Eggemeyer (0), Alex Blechle (3), Tallen James (10), Jack Heffernan (11), Evan Dunning (15), Tashawn Palacio (21), Derrius Shoemate (22), Gabe Coffman (23), Trey McCartney (32), and Karim Landeros (45). The JV is coached by Head Coach, Tony James and Assistant Coach, Nick Severs. Jim Beers Photo
The Chester High School Varsity Boys finished in 3rd Place in the 60th Annual C.I.T. (Chester Invitational Basketball Tournament). The Varsity boys defeated the New Athens Yellowjackets in Round 1 of the tournament, 47-24, to advance to the tournament semi-finals against the Gibault Hawks. In that game, it was hard-fought, and the game was decided in the closing minutes of the contest, but the Hawks won, 47-40. With the loss, the CHS Varsity YellowJackets played Valle High School for 3rd Place of the 2024 CIT. Chester won, 49-33, to take 3rd Place. In other Championship Day games, Perryville beat the CHS Junior Varsity, 60-42 to win 7th Place. New Athens outlasted Valmeyer, 58-54, to win the Consolation Championship, Finally, Gibault defeated Saxony in the Championship game to become the winners of the 60th Annual Chester Invitational Tournament. Jim Beers Photo
The 2023-24 Chester High School YellowJacket Varsity Team takes the floor in the Round 1 game of the 60th Annual Chester Invitational Tournament Thursday January 9th at 7:30 p.m. The “YellowJackets” were guaranteed to win as both Chester and New Athens mascots are the YellowJackets. The CHESTER YELLOWJACKETS were victorious however, as CHS defeated New Athens, 47-24, in the opening round to advance to the Semi-Final Round to face the eventual winners of the 2024 CIT, the Gibault Hawks. Jim Beers Photo
Chester’s Cayden Brunkhorst (1) fires a shot against New Athens in Round 1 of the 2024 Chester Invitational Tournament. New Athens’ Jack Alfeldt (20) attempts to defend the shot. The Chester YellowJackets won the opening round game, 47-24, to advance to the Semi-Finals. Jim Beers Photo
Buena Vista Bank in Chester sponsored its annual “Half Court Shot for Half a Grand” at the 60th Annual Chester Invitational Tournament. This event held at halftime of all Chester Varsity games at the CIT offers a randomly selected contestant to shoot a half court shot with the promise of winning a “Half Grand” in cash ($500) if the shot is made. Shown here, BV Bank staff Christy James and Mary Beth Whittom (holding the huge check) await the arrival of the chosen contestant as stadium announcer Mike Lochhead announces the first contestant of the tournament. Unfortunately the shot was not made, but the contestant did receive $25 for his unsuccessful attempt. No one made the shot throughout the tournament, however, BV Bank did present three contestants with $25 each for their good sportsmanship and entertaining participation. Over the years several contestants have made the shot and received the “grand” prize of $500. Jim Beers Photo
Chester YellowJacket defenders Devante Palacio (5), Korbin Jany (12) Brenden Malley (34), and Cayden Brunkhorst (1) “swarm” a New Athens player attempting to put up a shot in the first half of the Chester vs New Athens game Tuesday January 9th at the 2024 CIT. The Chester defense held the New Athens Yellowjackets to just 24 points in the game giving Chester a first round win, 47-24, to advance to the Semi-Final Round. Jim Beers Photo
The Chester High School Junior Varsity Boys Basketball Team was called into action literally at the last minute to compete in the 60th Annual Chester Invitational Tournament (C.I.T.).
At the last second, LoveJoy notified Chester High School Athletic Director Jennifer Cartwright that the Lovejoy Basketball Team would NOT be able to compete in the 2024 CIT due to the fact that several of their players had not submitted a sports physical examination for the 2023-24 season. They therefore had to withdraw from the tournament.
CHS Head JV Coach, Tony James then agreed to have his JV squad fill the void so that the tournament could proceed. The Chester JV played Waterloo Gibault in Round 1, falling 59-30 to the eventual winners of the 60th Annual CIT. In Round 2, the Chester JV competed against the New Athens Yellowjackets who would eventually win the Consolation Championship. New Athens won, 50-31.
The CHS JV competed against Perryville in the 7th Place game, losing, 60-42. It is to be noted that in each of the games in which the Chester JV played, they played very close and competitive throughout the first half of each of the three games, only to succumb to the older, more experienced and more physical varsity teams down the stretch.