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CHS FROSH: Yellow Jackets beat Eldorado in OT, finish with winning season

Posted October 22, 2015 11:00 pm

By Pete Spitler Staff Writer

Chester coach Charles Colvis called it "bend without breaking," but the Chester High School freshman football team tested its Gumby-like abilities to the max against Eldorado on Thursday.

Tristin Hobeck scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime, and the Yellow Jackets overcame a wild final minute to beat Eldorado, 26-20.

"We kind of played that kind of a defense," Colvis said on bending, but not breaking. "We knew they were going to be a 'run it down your throat,' but also try to watch for the quick passes, which got us a couple of times.

"In all, we were able to shut them down."

With the victory, Chester finished the season with a winning record for the seventh straight year, extending the program's record set last year under then-freshman coach and now co-varsity offensive coordinator Jake Cowan.

The Yellow Jackets also won their fifth straight home game, dating back to last year's Heritage Bowl against Sparta.

"This is a special group of kids," Colvis said. "There's quite a lot of talent, and we've got some key players in some key spots.

"This group of kids has a bright future."

Chester led 20-6 with 4:57 left in the third quarter on a 35-yard touchdown run by Hunter Munie, followed by a failed two-point conversion.

But Eldorado fought back and tied the game on a 51-yard touchdown reception by Jeremy Boulds with 1:45 remaining.

The two-point conversion by Eldorado's Justin Mace failed. The final minute featured pinballing momentum swings, as the teams traded interceptions and close calls to break the tie.

Chester's Dalton Favier made one of the big defensive plays in the game, swatting Eldorado quarterback Joe Mabry's pass away on third-and-12 from the Chester 29 on the final play of regulation.

"There's a kid who had never played the game of football before," Colvis said of Favier. "Never watched it on TV - still kinda has to ask me whether he's in for offense or defense - but has learned so much and stepped up to the point where we're now looking at putting him in there at safety as a starter.

"He still has a lot to learn, but he brings it."

Chester won the coin toss to get the ball first in overtime and scored on two straight handoffs to Hobeck, who finished with 29 yards on seven carries.

On Eldorado's ensuing possession, Hunter Munie tackled Mabry four yards short of the goal line on fourth down to seal the win.

Munie finished with six tackles (five solo) for Chester, along with a tackle and a half for loss. Bollman led the Yellow Jackets with 13 tackles, while Eathan Thompson had 12 and Nick Meyer had 11.

The Yellow Jackets finished their toughest season in at least a decade with a 4-3 record and 4-0 in the Black Diamond Conference.

In non-conference, Chester faced the SIRR Ohio Division champion (West Frankfort), the SIRR Mississippi Division champion (Anna-Jonesboro) and traditional Missouri football power Valle Catholic.

"I hope we get all 18 back next year," Colvis said. "That's the key. The numbers are where it's at when you get up to the upper levels.

"You have to have a good scout team, a good scout offense and weight training and just maturity."

Offensively for Chester, Bollman finished with 88 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown, and also returned an interception 31 yards for the score on the game's first play from scrimmage.

Bollman finished the season with 1,103 all-purpose yards for Chester, to go along with 15 touchdowns.

Munie had two carries for 38 yards, while Thompson had seven yards on two carries. At quarterback, Meyer went 3-for-7 for 44 yards and two interceptions.

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