Donnie Sabo and Entire Scout Team earn “Special Teams” and “Practice Players” honors for Week 8
BY JIM BEERS
The Chester High School Football Program presents two weekly player awards throughout the football season. The first award is the “Special Teams” player of the week and the other is the “Practice Player” of the week.
Head Coach Billy Belton started this program several years ago to recognize players for exemplary dedication, service, and performance. He especially wanted to recognized and reward two areas that sometimes do not get much special attention throughout the season.
The first award is the” Special Teams” award for a member of the Special Teams unit. Special Teams players are often not featured in the spotlight. Such players deserve recognition for performances that “stand-out” on the field in games, especially when those performances make big differences in the success of those games.
The second weekly award is the “Practice Player of the Week” award. This award recognizes and honors a player or players who works the hardest in practice and further works to makes teammates better. Such players sometimes do not even see playing time during varsity games, but make key contributions at practice to make the YellowJacket Football Program better and more successful.
Award selections are announced each Thursday at the end of practice. Criteria from the previous week’s game and practices are used to assist in the selection of the current week’s honorees.
The awards are voted on based upon recommendations of the coaching staff. The two awards are sponsored by two local businesses, Korando Heating and Cooling and Knight Hawk Coal. Honorees being recognized receive both an official “Player of the Week” T-shirt as well as recognition in both the local media outlets and over the public address system at home games.
The Korando Heating and Cooling “Special Teams Player of the Week Award” for Week 8 is Donnie Sabo (20). Donnie is a junior 6’2, 160 Lb., Wide Receiver and Defensive Back. He also is a receiver on kickoffs and punts. Last Week in the win over Dupo, Donnie Sabo took a Tiger’s put and returned it 75-yards for Chester’s 6th and final touchdown of the 41-0 victory. For his efforts, Sabo is the Week 8 Special Teams Player of the Week.
The Knight Hawk Coal “Practice Players of the Week” for Week 8 are five players who serve on the YellowJacket Scout Team. Those five players include Hayden Haslett, Brandon Korando, Keegan Stauffer, Austin Partin, and Tristan Preuss. Each week these YellowJacket players help prepare the Varsity Starters for the upcoming game by going against the varsity with plays and actions that are scouted by the coaches in the week prior. The Scout Team is a vital part of any successful football team and this week, the “YellowJacket Scout Team” is earning the “Practice Players of the Week Award”.
Donnie Sabo is Chester High School’s Week 8 “SPECIAL TEAMS” Player of the Week. Sabo took a Dupo punt and returned it 75-yards for Chester’s 6th and final touchdown of the 41-0 victory over the Dupo Tigers last Friday October 2 at Dupo. Jim Beers Photo
For Week 8 the ENTIRE YellowJacket “SCOUT TEAM” is being honored for their great work in helping the varsity starting team to prepare for the game against Dupo Friday October 2 at Dupo. That SCOUT TEAM includes (left to right) Hayden Haslett, Brandon Korando, Keegan Stauffer, Austin Partin, and Tristan Preuss. Their efforts helped earn the 41-0 shut out of the Dupo Tigers last week. Jim Beers Photo