CHS Volleyball wins IHSA Class 1A Regional
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Chester High School Volleyball accomplished something last week that no other Chester volleyball team has done in 14 years…and that is winning an IHSA Regional Volleyball Championship!
Chester was picked the No.1 seed in the 2008 Class 1A Regional held at Steeleville this year and it appears as if the IHSA was correct in their prognostication.
The Lady Yellow Jackets played like champs all week throughout the Steeleville Regional and brought home yet another Regional Championship plaque to adorn the walls of the Dick Roth Memorial Wall of Fame in the CHS cafeteria.
It took the Jackets three games to accomplish the task, but in the end, Chester won the regional championship match against Elverado, 25-20, 21-25 and 25-16 to become the first team since 1994 to win an IHSA Regional Volleyball title.
The road to the Steeleville Regional title began last Wednesday, Oct. 29. In the first match of the regional No. 5 Steeleville defeated No. 4 Crab Orchard, 25-23 and 25-20 to advance to the second round against eventual champions, Chester.
In Match 2, No. 1 Chester defeated No. 5 Steeleville quite handily, 25-12 and 25-15 to advance to the championship match.
At first it seemed as if Chester was going to have to hold off not only the Steeleville Warriors, but a very wild, noisy home crowd in the Steeleville Gymnasium. After the first few volleys, however, the Yellow Jackets demonstrated why they were picked No. 1 in the tournament and they quickly quieted down the previously raucous Steeleville crowd.
Both games went rather smoothly as the Lady Jackets were on a mission and had great leadership from their three senior players, Amy Tressler, Staci Jany and Missy Lyons. There would be no folding or falling apart on this night as the Jackets very much wanted to advance to the championship match on Saturday. And advance they did in quick fashion.
For the night Staci Jany and Rachel Young paced the jackets in scoring with 13 and 11 points served respectively. Missy Lyons was close behind with nine and Shelly Lyons served up six points. Megan Atchison and Jamie Chambers rounded out the offensive with five service points apiece.
Tiffany Marshall was huge at the net all week long with block after block and kill after kill. Against Steeleville Marshall led the team in kills with seven big ones. Amy Tressler, Missy Lyons, Devon Hecht and Jordan Clendenin each added a pair apiece to help create havoc for the warriors.
Marshall blocked 10 balls at the net to lead Chester defensively while teammate and fellow sophomore Devon Hecht knocked down five Warrior attempts at the net. Rachel Young also had a block for the match.
Staci Jany paced the team with three aces and continued her leadership by having the most assists with six. Rachel Young added a trio of assists and Megan Atchison contributed a pair. Amy Tressler also recorded an assist for the night.
The entire Yellow Jacket squad was very aggressive and played with much heart throughout the match as Chester had 32 digs among 10 players. Missy Lyons and Shelly Lyons each had six digs while sophomore Taylor Crum added five. Amy Tressler and Rachel Young contributed three digs apiece while Jamie Chambers, Megan Atchison, Tiffany Marshall and Jordan Clendenin each added two. Staci Jany rounded out the dig category by recording one dig.
Assistant Coach Dr. Renee Rheinecker noted after the game, "The girls played as a team tonight and picked each other up. Tiffany Marshall was unstoppable at the net as was Devon Hecht." Rheinecker further commented that Rachel Young and Staci Jany added to the winning effort with great serving runs.
"We are so ready for our next match and plan on making jacket history with a regional win. It was so great to have the support of so many of the student body, especially the football players."
Jennifer Rheinecker, CHS Head Coach, stated, "Your Chester Yellow Jackets played the best match of their season tonight. The girls really came together from the start. They worked together as a team and kept the momentum staying on the offensive most of the night."
Rheinecker continued, "I am so proud of how the girls played tonight. I think almost every player had a kill and seniors Amy Tressler and Missy Lyons helped the team with many hard-hit balls. We had a good serving percentage as well."
With the win Chester improved to 12-19 overall for the 2008 season and advanced to the championship match Saturday, Nov. 1.
On the second night of the tournament the No. 3 Elverado Falcons played No. 6 Christopher-Ziegler-Royalton at 6:00 P.M. Elverado beat Christopher-Ziegler-Royalton in two quick games, 25-12 and 25-6 to advance to the next round against No. 2 Trico. Mallory Winthrop had six kills and six digs in the win over C-Z-R. Kelsey Tuthill added two points and two kills for the falcons.
In the night cap No. 3 Elverado marched on to upset No. 2 Trico, 25-18 and 25-16. Mallory Winthrop had six points, six blocks and nine kills as the falcons eliminated the Trico Lady Pioneers to advance to the championship match Saturday, Nov.1 against No. 1 Chester.
Saturday, Nov.1 rolled around very soon for the Lady Jackets and it was time for CHS to make CHS Volleyball history. No other team since 1994 had won a regional championship and Coach Jennifer Rheinecker had ideas of ending that drought.
Saturday was a big day for Chester High School sports as the football team was at Macon-Meridian playing in the first round of the IHSA Class 2A Football Playoffs and the Cross Country Team had Chad Koenegstein and Brant McMillan running at the 2008 IHSA Sectional Cross Country Meet at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
Many Jacket fans had to make a tough decision as to which sporting event to support that day. In spite of a large crowd that made the 3-hour trip to mid-state Illinois to watch the Yellow Jacket's football game, there were approximately 100 loyal volleyball fans at Steeleville to see the Lady jackets take on Elverado in the regional championship match.
The Lady Jackets were on a mission Saturday night at Steeleville. They were determined to bring home a Class 1A Regional Volleyball championship for the first time in 14 years. The girls were focused and played once again as a true team and did not let down when the going got tough. The night could be described best as a total team effort.
The Jackets came out strong and beat Elverado 25-20 in the first game; but never really put the Falcons away. Each time CHS would pull ahead, the Falcons would find a way to creep back into the mix of things and keep within striking distance of the Yellow Jackets.
In the second game Chester led early and looked as if they might be able to clinch the title in two games. Several silly mistakes, however, allowed Elverado to take the lead and in the end, the Falcons managed to get their crowd behind them to help fuel a Game 2 victory, 25-21 over CHS and force a tie-breaker.
In earlier games this season the Jackets might have folded at this point, but not this time. The seniors kept the team together and cool, focused heads prevailed. The entire last part of the season the girls have began to listen to the coaches and stick together as a team. The results have been most favorable as the Jackets have learned to be winners.
Chester led most of the third game and won, 25-26. The win not only won the third game but won the match which signaled the final victory to secure the 2008 IHSA Class 1A Regional Volleyball Championship.
In the match Chester scored a total of 71 points from service. It was true team effort too. The Jackets had five players in double scoring figures. Senior Missy Lyons was the top-scorer with 14 points from service. Megan Atchison followed close behind with 13 service points. Both Jamie Chambers and Rachel Young each recorded 12 points from service and senior Staci Jany added 11 points.
That was not all, however. Shelly Lyons contributed four points from service and Junior Kellie Bert added three. Finally, Amy Araiza had two service points to round out the 71 Chester points from service.
Amy Tressler was relentless at the net with five kills on the night. She was joined by Tiffany Marshall who added five kills. Devon Hecht, who has been very aggressive and consistent the latter portion of the season contributed three kills and Missy Lyons, Rachel Young and Jordan Clendenin each added two apiece. Megan Atchison joined the killer club with one kill.
The defensive story of the night was once again Tiffany Marshall who had 10 blocks on the night. Marshall has been relentless at the net for the Jackets the last part of the 2008 season and has given opponents fits throughout each game. Devon Hecht, Marshall's partner in crime, also blocked six balls for the night and equally gave Elverado all they could handle at the net. Rachel Young, one of the smallest players on the Yellow Jacket squad, even got a nice block.
For the night the Jackets only had two aces. Staci Jany and Missy Lyons each had an ace in the win.
Staci Jany continued to work hard for the team all night long as she recorded 11 assists. Megan Atchison added two assists and Amy Tressler and Kellie Bert each contributed one each for the effort.
Six girls recorded digs in the championship game including Staci Jany (4), Missy Lyons (3), Rachel Young (3), and Jamie Chambers, Megan Atchison and Taylor Crum who each had a pair of digs. In all, the Jackets recorded 16 digs on the night.
The 2008 Lady Yellow Jackets Volleyball Team became the first team since 1994 to win a volleyball regional championship. Following the final Elverado serve, which went out of bounds, the Jackets stormed the floor to begin what would be a well-deserved celebration.
Following the victory Jennifer Rheinecker, Jacket's Head Coach, stated, "I am so proud of these girls. They fought hard and won a regional championship. That hasn't been done for 14 years and it is only the second time in history that a CHS team had accomplished the task."
Rheinecker was extremely proud of her team and commented on the level of hard play demonstrated by the girls.
Players hugged players, coaches hugged coaches and players hugged coaches. Fans joined in on the floor for the celebration as the 2008 IHSA Class 1A Volleyball Regional plaque was presented to the Jackets.
Following a barrage of greetings and endless photo opportunities the Jackets loaded the Chester bus for the 150-minute ride home. The ride was anything but boring, however, as the girls celebrated all the way to Chester. They even got a police escort through town once they reached the outskirts of Chester.
The Jackets will now advance to the 2008 IHSA Sectional Volleyball Tournament being hosted at Marissa beginning Tuesday, Nov. 4. Chester will play Valmeyer at 6:00 P.M. in what is the semi-final round of the Sectional.
Earlier in the season Chester hosted the Valmeyer Pirates, losing in two games, 25-21 and 25-16. But that was then and this is now as the Chester Yellow Jackets have a newfound drive and seem to be focused to win.