The Jackets kicked off the outdoor season with a bang in their opening meet hosted by Red Bud, Tuesday, March 24. Chester’s boys opened up the season with an astounding win by over 50 points. The Jackets racked up 138.5 points, while Red Bud lagged behind in second with a mere 82. The Lady Jackets also competed last Tuesday, placing 5th out of 11 teams.
Chester’s boys held 4 top 5 positions in the various field events. Senior Gabe Coffman took first in high jump with a height of 5’10”, with Sophomore Danny Worley following closely behind in third clearing 5’8”. Worley continued to impress, placing first in long jump with a distance of 20’ 6”, and Junior TaShawn Palacio jumped 19’11” to take third place. In his first year of throwing, Sophomore Paxton Beam managed to place fourth in shot put with a throw of 38’ 8.25”.
Despite these impressive performances, the Yellowjackets had only just begun. The 4×100 team placed first with a time of 45.67s, which proved to be the beginning of a pattern for the Jackets relay teams. The 4×200 and 4×400 relay teams also managed a win. Outstandingly, the Yellowjackets finished with a ten second lead on Okawville’s second place team in the 4×400.
In the individual events, Chester had multiple athletes prove their capabilities. Junior Anthony Armenta secured a top 3 finish in both the 110 and 300 meter hurdles. Armenta placed 3rd in the 110 (17.98s), and 2nd in the 300 meter hurdles (44.49s). Gabe Coffman pulled off yet another first place win in the 400 meter dash, clocking a time of 54.19s, followed closely by TaShawn Palacio who placed third with his time of 57.13s. Sophomore Donnie Sabo secured another first place finish for the Jackets in the 200 meter dash, running a time of 23.49s.
The boys were not alone in their accomplishments. The Lady Jackets mirrored the achievements of their male teammates, securing numerous outstanding finishes. Junior Joella Eggemeyer dazzled with a second place finish in the 100 meter dash (12.92s) , an impressive personal best. Eggemeyer was not done yet, continuing to secure third place in the 200 meter dash with a time of 28.09s. The Lady Jackets 4×200 relay team earned second place, clocking a time of 2:02.61. Freshman Katelynn Vallett shone in the distance events, placing 2nd in the 800 meter run (2:35.96), and 3rd in the 1600 meter run (6:17.59) , both personal bests. The Lady Jackets also placed 3rd in the 4×400 relay (4:55.45), and 4th in the 4×100 relay (58.28s).
