On March 6 and 7, the Chester Yellowjackets faced off against a massive field of 45 competing teams at the SIU Track Invitational.

The Lady Jackets kicked off the meet on Friday, March 6. Eight athletes represented the team, competing in seven events.

The field events were led by senior Jesse Stumpe, who was able to clear 7’7” to secure 15th place in pole vault. Sophomore Kenna Thompson had a throw of 23’3.5”in shot put.

On the track, a trio of Yellowjackets triumphed in the 60 meter dash. Freshman Laurey Hayer (9.17s), sophomore Jaimy Duran (9.55s), and freshman Bailey Cross (10.13s), all surpassed their previous times. Jesse Stumpe, Jaimy Duran, Laurey Hayer, and Brenna Hammel represented the Jackets in the 4×200 relay, clocking in at 2:12.55. Distance standout freshman Katelynn Vallett was able to run a 2:43.53, breaking into the top 10 of the 800. Other notable performances include freshman Brenna Hammel in the 60 meter hurdles (12.93), and freshman Lucy Ixcoy in the 400 meter dash (1:31.05).

Chester’s boys competed on Saturday, March 7. In the field events, Chester demonstrated exceptional performance, including several remarkable jumps. Sophomore Danny Worley took 8th in long jump with a leap of 20 ‘10.5″. Senior Gabe Coffman jumped 5’7.25” in high jump earning 11th place.

The Jackets continued to deliver results in the running events. Most prominently, Gabe Coffman managed to sprint the 400 meter dash in 53.62 seconds, securing a top 3 finish. Donnie Sabo, Ryker Hoffman, Anthony Armenta, and Danny Worley achieved a top 10 position, earning 8th place in the 4×200 relay with a time of 1.39.01.

Overall, the meet was an exciting event for the Chester Yellow Jackets. With the outdoor season approaching in the next week, we can expect yet another strong performance from the Jackets’ track team.