CHS football: Week 4 Jackets handle Sesser to go to 3-1 on season

Lightning postponed the game for four days, but the Yellow Jackets finally got their shot at the Sesser-Valier-Waltonville Red Devils and made the most of it. Chester beat Sesser 20-14, to improve to 3-1 overall and 3-1 in the Black Diamond.

It proved tough to reschedule, but the game was ultimately played Monday night at W.O. Smith Field.

The game opened with a defensive battle, but with 4:03 left in the first quarter Chester's Jordan Merideth broke loose and scrambled for a 46-yard touchdown. Jared Landeros kicked the extra point and Chester was on top 7-0 to end the quarter.

Early in the second quarter Sesser responded with a 13-yard run by Jordan Reynolds. Sesser coaches John Shadowens and Mike Rude opted to try a two-point conversion and senior halfback Jaden Lance scurried across the goal line.

With just 10.5 seconds remaining in the first half, Chester quarterback Dylan Kelkhoff found 6'2" Cooper Eggemeyer just across the goal line for a 34-yard touchdown pass.

The catch was a great one, and with two Red Devil defenders on top of him, Eggemeyer managed to raise his hand which contained the football, signaling that he had held onto the ball for the touchdown.

But Eggemeyer, shaken up by the tackle, laid on the ground as Chester coaches and a Sesser athletic trainer examined him. To the relief of the crowd, Eggemeyer stood up and made his way to the Chester sideline under his own power.

Jared Landeros kicked the extra point and Chester retook the lead, 14-8.

After halftime, another defensive battle ruled. With just 4:33 remaining in the third, Sesser halfback Jaden Lance struck for a 17-yard touchdown run.

The Devils attempted another two-point conversion but the Chester defense said, "Not today." The rest of the third was scoreless and ended on the 14-14 tie.

The Yellow Jackets and Red Devils both had several opportunities to score during the fourth quarter but each defense stood tall when it mattered. Jacket fans were preparing for a possible overtime, when Chester stopped a Red Devil advance late in the fourth.

The Jackets took over on downs. Chester's Nate Heffernan caught a huge pass which gave CHS a first and 10 with the goal line in sight.

Chester running back Jordan Merideth then found a hole and broke loose for a 21-yard touchdown run with just 1:13 left to play in the game. Chester led, 20-14.

Coach Billy Belton called for a two-point conversion but a pass to Heffernan was broken up.

Sesser made things interesting, as quarterback Carson Hoffard began moving his offense downfield. Facing a 4th and 1 situation with the game on the line, Hoffard attempted one last long pass. What could have been Sesser's game-winner was instead intercepted by Chester senior defensive back Justin Clendenin.

The ball was back in Chester's hands with 34 seconds on the clock and they ran the clock out without running a play.

"I can't say enough about these boys," Coach Belton said after the game. "With the year and off-season they have had to endure they have all worked extra hard and backed each other up. With all of our injuries, other players have stepped up and filled in to keep us being successful. It is 'next man up' when a teammate goes down, and so far they have been great at keeping us afloat."

Game highlights

Plays and yards: Chester ran 60 plays vs Sesser's 55 plays. Jackets had 223 yards (83 passing, 140 rushing); Sesser had 205 yards (all rushing).

First downs: CHS, 10; Sesser, 11

Third down efficiency: CHS, 1 for 13; Sesser, 2 of 11.

Fourth down efficiency: CHS, 5 of 12; Sesser, 2 of 7.

Turnovers: CHS 0; Sesser 2 (interceptions by Clendenin and Cowell).

Penalties: CHS, 4; Sesser, 2.

CHS passing: Dylan Kelkhoff 3 of 11 for 35 yards and one touchdown before injuring his thumb. Backup quarterback Ethan Stumpe went 5 of 6 for 48 yards.

CHS receptions: Cooper Eggemeyer caught 4 for 59 yards and 1 TD. Nate Heffernan caught 2 for 23 yards.

CHS rushing: Jordan Merideth, 70 yards and 2 TDs on 16 attempts. Dylan Kelkhoff, 42 yards on 11 attempts. Aiden Jany, 32 yards on 3 attempts.

Sesser rushing: Carson Hoffard, 68 yards on 6 attempts; Jordan Lance, 55 yards on 9 runs.

CHS tackles: Jacob Cowell, two solos and one assist; Jared Landeros, 1 solo, 1 assist; Nate Heffernan, 1 solo; Daigen Hunter, 1 assist; Tyler Holm, 1 tackle.

Sesser tackles: Garrett Gunter, 3 solos and 2 assists; Eli Schoenbaechler, 3 solos; Jacob Farmer, 2 solos.