With just one game remaining, a home playoff game is in the sights of the Chester Yellow Jackets after a convincing 60-21 win over Hamilton County Friday night.
Chester played a near flawless game racking up 412 yards of the ground as 12 different players carried the rock.
On defense, the Jackets held southern Illinois’ top passing team to just 210 yards and completing just 8-of-21 passes.
“We controlled the game from start to finish,” said Chester coach Bryan Lee. “Hamilton County was able to complete some long passes early but offensively we were unstoppable. Once our defense settled down, we were able to pull away. It was just a total team effort and everyone got a chance to play. Brings us one step closer to a home playoff game in the first round.”
Chester set the tone of the game on its first drive marching down the field 77 yards on 13 plays that used up over six minutes on the clock. Senior quarterback Zach Lochhead finished off the drive with a two-yard dive for a 7-0 lead with 5:34 left in the first quarter. Other big plays in the opening drive included a 19-yard pass play from Lochhead to Clint Cole, a 17-yard run by John Baughman and 12 and 13-yard runs by Stephen Roth.
Hamilton County’s passing attack got the team right back in the game on the next drive as quarterback Adam Irvin completed passes of 24 and 57 yards to set up a three-yard touchdown run by Steven Lemmons. The Foxes’ scoring drive lasted just two minutes and three seconds.
The Yellow Jackets put together another scoring drive on their next possession, this time it was 56 yards on 12 plays. Roth capped off the drive with a two-yard touchdown run for a 14-7 lead with 10:08 left in the second quarter.
The scoring drive was kept alive with a fourth down completion for eight yards from Lochhead to Cole. Cole also had a big 12-yard run on the possession.
The Chester defense stepped up and forced Hamilton County to throw three consecutive incomplete passes and punt the ball away.
A good return by Baughman gave the Jackets starting field position at the Hamilton County 31-yard line. After a 23-yard run by Roth, Baughman gave Chester a 21-7 lead with an eight yard touchdown dash with 8:33 remaining in the second quarter.
The Foxes answered back on their next drive as Irvin connected with Lucas Johnson for a 43-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 21-13 with 7:22 left in the first half.
Baughman put Chester in total control by returning the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for the touchdown and a 27-13 lead.
Chester would go on to finish the first half with a 15-0 scoring run for a commanding 42-13 lead at the intermission. Defensively, the Jackets would not allow another first down for the remainder of the first half as they broke the game wide open.
Roth finished off a three-play 33-yard drive with an eight yard touchdown run to increase his team’s lead to 33-13 with 5:19 left in the second quarter.
Lochhead rounded out the first half scoring with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Baughman.
Chester opened up the second half exactly like it ended the first one, and after a 10-play 65-yard drive, the team was up 48-13. Joel Clendenin was credited with the one-yard touchdown run.
The Jackets added touchdown runs from Blake Nanney and Zane Wallace to wrap up the 39-point win.
Hamilton County’s final score came off a 22-yard touchdown pass from Irvin to Tim Crow late in the third quarter.
Roth finished with 108 yards on 17 carries, while Cole had 76 yards on nine carries and Baughman added 72 yards on 10 attempts. Freshman Joel Clendenin finished with 71 yards on eight attempts.
Lochhead was 3-of-4 passing for 49 yards.
Lemmons finished with 28 yards rushing on nine carries to lead Hamilton County.
Chester improved to 7-1 overall with the win and will travel to take on Vienna (2-6) Saturday at 1 p.m.