By Jim Beers
The Chester girls track and field team won seven events and finished second in seven more events, as they cruised to their first Black Diamond Conference championship Wednesday May 4 at Hamilton County.  
 Chester won the meet with a score of 150 points followed by Fairfield (102), Sesser-Valier (79), Christopher-Ziegler-Royalton (66), Carmi-White County (47), Hamilton County (36), Vienna (29), Johnston City (19) and Eldorado (14).  
Sophomore Taylor Yankey became the 2011 Black Diamond Champion in two events, as she won both the 3200 and 1600 meter runs.
 Sarah Bindel, a freshman, won the 110-meter hurdles, while Maribeth Lawrence, another freshman, won the 400-meter dash.
 Senior Jordan Clendenin won the pole vault with a vault of 9’ and Lawrence vaulted 7’ to finish in second place.  
Chester also won two relays to complete the seven-event championship run at the 2011 conference meet.  The Lady Jackets won both the 800-meter relay and the 1600 meter relay.
In the 800 meter relay sophomore Holly Hartman, freshman Kristi Beam, sophomore Chelsea Schroeder and freshman Alexandria Fedderke combined for an overall time of 2:03 for the win.
In the 1600 meter relay, Bindel, Lawrence and Fedderke along with anchor Tiffani Marshall, won with a time of 4:48.
Other top finishers for the Lady Jackets included Hanna Knop (second 800 meter run and the discus), Bindel (second 300 meter hurdles), Clendenin (second shot put), Lawrence (second triple jump)
  The 3200 meter relay team consisting of sophomore Jessica Miller, Knop, Fedderke and sophomore Holly Hartman placed second with a time of 12:00 flat.  
 Chester will attempt to advance to the next level this Friday, May 13 when the team competes in the 2011 Class 1A Sectional.  This year’s sectional will be hosted by Chester High School beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Other teams in the Chester Sectional will be Webber, Christopher, Columbia, Dupo, Du Quoin, Freeburg, Murphysboro, Nashville, New Athens, Okawville, Pinckneyville, Red Bud, Sesser-Valier, Sparta, Steeleville and Gibault Catholic.