Lady Jackets take one at Trico, lose two at home
Last week was a busy week for the Lady Yellow Jackets, with four games in six days. The girls won at Trico on Tuesday, but unfortunately Trico came to Chester on Thursday and returned the favor. The girls ended the week with a loss to Gibault Catholic on Saturday at home.
<b>CHS 48, Trico 44</b>
The Lady Jackets led throughout the game, but had to make nine free throws late in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Chester got out to a 15-8 lead after one quarter, but the Pioneers came back in the second period with a 13-8 performance. CHS led by just two points, 23-21 at halftime.
In the third quarter the Lady Jackets got back on track and outscored Trico to lead 37-28 after three quarters.
The Lady Pioneers came out hard in the fourth and got hot on the boards, as Taylor Cottom drained four baskets and hit a free throw for nine points. Altogether the Pioneers outscored Chester, 16-11 down the stretch, but good free throw shooting by CHS allowed them to escape Trico with the win.
In that nine-point free throw barrage Josie Kattenbraker hit 3 of 6, Camryn Howie made 2 of 3, Reese Chandler made 2 of 4, and Kendall Williams was 2 for 7. As a team, Chester made 9 of 22 free throws when they needed them to stay alive. In the end, Chester won the game, 48-44 in a hard-fought matchup.
<i>Game stats</i>
Chester: Two players were in double figures, Reese Chandler (16) and Camryn Howie (10). Chandler and Howie also grabbed 10 rebounds apiece for double-doubles. Other scorers were Kendall Williams (7), Josie Kattenbraker (7), Alyssa Seymour (7), and Kailyn Absher (1).
Trico: Was led by Sam Cottom (13) and Taylor Cottom (11), followed by Mya Kelley (9), Megan Wettig (8), Rayahna Foutch (2) and Bailey Kuhnert (1).
<b>Trico 62, CHS 53</b>
Thursday, Feb. 25 was Senior Night and CHS honored five Lady Jackets, Reese Chandler, Peyton Clendenin, Josie Kattenbraker, Katie Shinabargar, and Kendall Williams, prior to the start of the varsity game.
The entire Lady Jacket team also presented Janelle Knowles with flowers and orange and black balloons in memory of her husband and former Head Coach Pat Knowles who died unexpectedly last year. The presentation was a tearful event, but much appreciated by Mrs. Knowles.
Trico, meanwhile, came to town determined to avenge its 4-point loss from the Lady Jackets just two days earlier. The Lady Pioneers led throughout the first quarter by as much as 11 points, but in the closing minutes, Josie Kattenbraker and Reese Chandler each drained 3-pointers followed by two-point field goals and Alyssa Seymour sank a pair of free throws. That got Chester to within one point, 19-18, to end the first quarter.
Kendall Williams started the second quarter off with a steal, and she drove the length of the floor and made a layup to give CHS two points and a slim lead, 20-19. But the Lady Pioneers answered with an 11-6 run to take a 30-26 lead at halftime.
Josie Kattenbraker scored back-to-back buckets to start the third quarter and tie the game, 30-30. The game was tied, 34-34 with 3:50 left in the third. Sam Cottom hit another basket to give Trico a 36-34 advantage.
A minute later Myah Kelley drained a 3-pointer and Trico led 39-36. Cottom closed the quarter with a two-pointer and Chester's Reese Chandler hit a free throw and the period ended with Trico leading, 41-37.
The Pioneers went on a 21-16 run down the stretch to steal the win. Megan Wettig and Haley Kranawetter each popped threes, and Cottom hit back-to-back baskets.
Megan Wettig also went to the line nine times, making five free throws. Myah Kelley was 3 of 7 at the line and Sam Cottom split a pair of free throw attempts as Trico added nine points on 18 attempts.
Chester's Kendall Williams hit back-to-back treys to keep the Jackets alive. Reese Chandler drained a three and a two-pointer as did Kailyn Absher. But as time ran out, the battle ended with Trico winning by nine points, 62-53.
<i>Game stats</i>
Trico: The Pioneers were led by Myah Kelley with 21 points, followed by Megan Wettig (14), Sam Cottom (13), Taylor Cottom (6), Haley Kranawetter (3), Mallory Brooks (3) and Bailey Kuhnert (2).
Chester: The Lady Jackets were paced by three players in double figures: Reese Chandler (17); Kendall Williams (16); and Josie Kattenbraker (13). Other scorers were Alyssa Seymour (3), Camryn Howie (2) and Kailyn Absher (2).
<b>Gibault 47, CHS 43</b>
A weary Lady Jacket squad returned to Colbert Gym to host Gibault Catholic High School.
The Lady Hawks jumped out to a 16-6 first quarter lead, in which junior Alyssa Seymour went 4-4 from the free throw line and Katie Shinabargar hit a bucket for Chester's six points. Gibault got nine points from Maddie Davis who made three 3-pointers and a two-pointer.
CHS outscored the Hawks, 18-9 in the second quarter to pull within one point, 25-24 at the half. During that stretch Reese Chandler popped three 3-pointers and a free throw, and Kendall Williams added four points on two free shots and a bucket. Seymour and Shinabargar each scored two points apiece for the Jacket's 18 points.
Gibault got a three-pointer and a basket from Kailynne Small and another 3-pointer by Davis. Sarah Ann Steibel made a free throw to round out the Hawks' nine points.
In the 3rd, both teams scored nine points apiece. In the fourth quarter Gibault outscored Chester 13-10 to secure the victory. In the final 8:00 Chandler hit her fourth trey of the game and Williams made back-to-back deuces. Seymour made a two-pointer and a free throw for Chester's 10 points.
Gibault's Davis added seven points on a trey, two two-pointers and a free throw. Meagan Bernal hit a trey and a free throw and Emma Blaskiewicz added a bucket and a free throw. Grither rounded out the effort with a deuce.