Perryville edges Chester, 51-48, in final seconds to win
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – A very long regular season came to an end this week with the Chester High School Lady Jackets playing three games in three days. It was Week 13 of 13 weeks and games 28, 29, and 30 of 30 regular season games.
Chester traveled to Carlyle Tuesday February 10 for Game 28, to battle the Lady Indians in a Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division match-up. CHS fell, 58-27, to a very good Carlyle team that sits in second place in the Cahokia Conference.
Wednesday February 11 The Lady Jackets traveled across state lines to Perryville, Missouri to challenge the Lady Pirates. Chester lost in a close, hard-fought game. The Pirates stole the game, 51-48, for the win.
The Lady Jackets closed out the regular season Thursday February 12 at home in Colbert Memorial Gymnasium on Rocky Bridges Court. It was Game 30 and Chester gave Sparta a 19-point, 53-34, loss to close out the regular season in style. The Jackets take an overall record of 17-13 and a Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division of 5-5 into the Regional Tournament next week.
Perryville 51-Chester 48
Chester and Perryville traded leads all night on the road at Perryville. The Lady Jackets outscored the Lady Pirates by eight points, 14-6, to open the 1st quarter. Lexi Mott led the charge in that opening frame with seven points. Aubrey Coleman added four, Riley Lochhead contributed two free throws and Marlie Caby sank a free throw to round out the first quarter scoring. Fritsche and Amberger each chipped in three-points apiece for Perryville.
The Lady Pirates answered with a devastating 21-5 second quarter to take an 8-point, 27-19, lead into the locker room at halftime. During that run, Porter led with nine points followed by Gremand (7), Robles (2), and Sticht (3). Mott (2), Caby (2), and Lillian Diskey (1) came through with Chester’s five points.
After halftime the Jackets stung the Pirates, 15-14, to trail by just eight points, 41-34, after three quarters of battle. Lexi Mott led the 3rd quarter charge for CHS with seven points. Aubrey Coleman drained a 3-pointer and a deuce for five points, Jessica Stumpe came alive with two points and Lillian Diskey made a free throw for Chester’s 15-point effort.
Perryville’s Porter knocked down eight points for the Pirates, and Amberger, Robes, and Sticht each contributed a basket to round out Perryville’s offense.
Down the stretch, the Jackets outscored the Pirates, 14-10, to almost take the lead, but the final seconds proved to be the deciding factor as Perryville as able to edge the Jackets by just three points, 51-48, to steal the win.
In that 4th quarter race, Mott, Caby, and Stumpe each made two baskets apiece and Aubrey Coleman drained another bucket to total Chester’s 14-point performance. Perryville was paced by Amberger (5), Gremand (3), and Porter (2).
In the slim loss Chester was led by Lexi Mott who scored 20 points to lead all players on either team. She was followed by Aubrey Coleman (11), Marlie Caby (7), Jessica Stumpe (6), and Riley Lochhead and Lillian Diskey with 2 points apiece.
Perryville was paced by Porter who scored 19 points, followed by Gremand (10), Amberger (6), Sticht (5), Robes (4), and Fritsche (3).
Regarding the game, CHS Head Coach, Jeff Mot said, “It was Okay. We had a decent lead, then we fell apart a little. We trailed by 13 points in the 3rd quarter and came back and had it within one point with 30 seconds left in the game.” With only seconds remaining the game, the Pirates managed two more points to secure the win by three points, 51-48.
With the loss, the Lady Jackets fell to 16-13 overall and remained at 4-5 in Cahokia Conference play.
Chester 53-Sparta 34
The Lady Jackets closed the door on the 2025-26 regular season Thursday night February 12 with a decisive 19-point, 53-34 win over cross-county rivals, the Sparta Lady Bulldogs. It was Game 30 of 30 regular season games and the ladies from “Popeye Town” closed the door in style!
The Lady Jackets buzzed out to a commanding 18-4 run to open the game. In that stinging quarter Lexi Mott had eight points. Jessica Stumpe drained a 3-pointer and a two-pointer for five points and Lillian Diskey knocked down a basket and made a pair of free throws. Marlie Caby put the “icing on the cake” with a free throw. Cierra Starr scored three points and Kaylynn French added a free throw for Sparta’s four points.
The second quarter was much more competitive. Chester outscored Sparta, 14-11, and the first quarter Lady Jacket performance allowed Chester to enjoy a safe, 17-point, 32-15 lead at the halftime break.
In that period, Lady Jacket Jessica Stumpe drained a three pointer and a two pointer for five points. Aubrey Coleman also hit a trey. Marlie Caby was perfect, 2-for-2 at the free throw line. Lexi Mott and Lillian Diskey each sank buckets for two points apiece. For Sparta, Sierra Starr led the Lady Bulldogs with three field goals for six of Sparta’s 11 points. Liberti Johnson drained a 3-pointer and Serenity Richardson hit a field goal.
After the popcorn break, both teams had “slim scoring” 3rd quarters. CHS scored just five points and SHS added three points. Lexi Mott and Marlie Caby each hit buckets and Lillian Diskey was 1-of-4 at the free throw line. For Sparta, Liberti Johnson made the Lady Bulldog’s only field goal and Serenity Richardson made 1-of-2 free throws. Chester led by 19 points, 37-18, after three quarters of play.
Both teams woke up in the 4th quarter and matched each other in the scorebook with an additional 16 points apiece. Chester was paced by Lexi Mott who hit a pair of field goals and went 4-for-4 at the free throw line. Riley Lochhead and Lillian Diskey each hit a basket apiece and each made 1-of-2 free throws. Marlie Caby rounded out the scoring making 2-of-4 free throws.
The Lady Bulldogs had scoring from five different players. Liberti Johnson and Serenity Richardson each hit a field goal apiece and each went 2-for-2 at the free throw line. Sierra Starr and Kaylynn French each added three points apiece by making a basket and a free throw. Finally, Maria Sangurima hit a bucket for Sparta’s final two points.
In the win, Lexi Mott had her second game in-a-row with 20 points to lead all players on either team. Chester had two other players who scored in double figures. Lillian Diskey and Jessica Stumpe each scored 10 points apiece. Marlie Caby added seven points and Riley Lochhead and Aubrey Coleman each scored three points apiece.
For Sparta, Sierra Starr led the Lady Bulldogs with 12 points. She was followed by Liberti Johnson (9), Serenity Richardson (7), Kaylynn French (4), and Maria Sangurima (2).
With the win, The Chester Lady Jackets improved to an overall record of 17-13 to close out the regular season. They also ended the Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division with an even record of 5 wins and 5 losses.
The Lady Jackets finished the 2026 portion of the regular season with 10 of their 17 wins. Since January of 2026 the Jackets recorded an overall record of 10 wins and 5 losses. In the 2025 portion of the regular season, Chester had an overall record of 7 wins and 8 losses.
The Lady Jackets are definitely on a positive roll going into the 2026 IHSA Class 2A Regional Tournament! No. 4 Chester will face No. 5 West Frankfort Monday February 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Herrin High School.
Lexi Mott (33) a Chester High School senior, had back-to-back 20-point games to close out the Lady Jackets regular season. She scored 20 points Wednesday February 11 in the game at Perryville, Missouri and 20 points the next night Thursday February 12 when Chester hosted Sparta in the final regular season game of the 2025-26 season. Jim Beers Photo