Yellow Jackets exorcise Red Devils
<span>SESSER -- Similar to last week's win over Vienna-Goreville, Chester took control of the contest early and put it out of reach of its opposition in a 47-7 win over Sesser-Valier-Waltonville-Woodlawn on Friday at Carroll Kelly Field.</span>
<span>However, the Yellow Jackets (4-0, 4-0 Black Diamond Conference) did much of it without the services of Jordan Berner, who sat out most of the game after tweaking an ankle on a 9-yard reception late in the first quarter.</span>
<span>"A couple of things with Jordan," Blechle said of his 6-foot-6 senior tight end/linebacker "Jordan is a large human and (his body) was going to have to hold up for a long season. Whether it is a high ankle sprain or something less than that, that would be the most it would be.</span>
<span>"Jordan told me one thing before he left, 'Coach, we're going to do this next week, I'll be there no problem.'"</span>
<span>Berner did have a 25-yard touchdown run before the injury and Chester's depth filled in admirably for the Yellow Jackets' star.</span>
<span>"We came out and started fast again and we didn't make mistakes and they did," Blechle said, referring to S-V-W-W. "For the most part, we played Chester football. We hit them hard and pretty much, for the most part, our offense did exactly what they wanted to do."</span>
<span>Savion Smith had two touchdown receptions and Demontae Martin ran for two more for Chester, which held a 41-0 lead at halftime. Chris Lang and Blake Eggemeyer also found the end zone for the Yellow Jackets.</span>
<span>The Red Devils got their lone touchdown with 7:14 remaining in the game.</span>
<span>"You go up 21-zero after the first quarter, it's going to be a good night," Blechle said. "Our players did what they were supposed to; they executed the plays in the correct way; didn't have no mishaps, no penalties, no turnovers and we still win usually."</span>
<span>Smith has quietly become a potent weapon for Chester, with two touchdown receptions in each of his last two games and has five touchdowns on eight catches for 172 yards at the season's halfway point.</span>
<span>The 6-foot-3 junior had TD receptions of 9 and 7 yards to help the Yellow Jackets build their three-touchdown advantage in the first quarter.</span>
<span>Up next for Chester is a battle with equally undefeated Johnston City on Rivalry Week at W.O. Smith Field. Since joining the BDC in 2010, the Yellow Jackets and Indians have split their six previous meetings (including playoffs), with Chester winning three of the last four contests.</span>
<span>"It's going to be a huge game for us and I hope the crowd shows up because we're going to need every single angle we can get," Blechle said. "We need a good practice week, a good crowd, some enthusiasm and get ready to cheer us on at W.O. Smith Field."</span>
<span>Johnston City comes into the contest after shutting out Carmi-White County, 27-0, on Friday. The Indians are an experienced bunch and have given up only one touchdown thus far this season.</span>
<span>"Johnston City is a good, quality team," Blechle said. "You want to think back to Week 11 (last year) and Week 5 if you want to go back that far.</span>
<span>"Week 5 was miserable; we were questioning ourselves last year Week 5 thinking 'Do we have the team that can win ballgames and be successful?' but JC put it to us.</span>
<span>"I like the Week 11 game much better and I'm sure everybody else does as well."</span>
<span>Kickoff next Friday at W.O. Smith Field is scheduled for 7 p.m.</span>