CHS FROSH: Yellow Jackets fall to A-J, 24-13

Posted October 15, 2015 11:00 pm

By Pete Spitler Staff Writer

ANNA - Drake Bollman ran for 131 yards and accounted for both of Chester's touchdowns, but the freshmen Yellow Jackets couldn't get the critical defensive stop they needed in a 24-13 loss to Anna-Jonesboro at The Pit on Thursday.

"We were fortunate to hit a couple of passes early there to take advantage," A-J coach Dave Sullivan said. "Had it gone the whole night of us having to go smashmouth football up and down the field, it was a tough night."

Playing its final non-conference game of a Black Diamond-SIRR schedule - with Missouri football power Valle Catholic thrown in as a sweetener - Chester (3-3, 3-0 BDC) trailed the host Wildcats only 16-7 entering the fourth quarter.

"We just couldn't stop No. 27," said Chester coach Charles Colvis, referring to Damien Chrisp. "He's an animal. That guy was so quick, we just had a hard time bringing him down.

"We overplayed the defensive ends, I think, because we thought they would be more of an option team and they cut it back on us."

Chrisp's 6-yard run with 2:59 left in the game essentially sealed the win for Anna-Jonesboro, which remained undefeated at 8-0. The SIRR Mississippi Division champions threatened to run away with it after scoring a pair of touchdowns five minutes apart in the second quarter.

"We moved the ball, but it was tough because Chester did a good job of mixing up their (defensive) fronts on us," Sullivan said. "We had to adjust a lot of our playcalling because they were doing such a good job of moving personnel around."

Touchdown passes from quarterback Conner Jerolds to Kyle McMahan and Zach Griffin gave A-J a 16-0 lead at halftime after Chrisp ran in both conversion attempts.

After being held to only 52 yards of offense and three first downs in the first half, Chester got the break it needed thanks to a fumble recovery by Eathan Thompson - one of two on the night for the linebacker - on the CHS 20.

On the next play, Bollman took a sweep to the right to the house, running over two Wildcat players in the process.

"I'd like to credit (Offensive Coordinator) Mike Heffernan for putting the touchdowns on the board for us," Colvis said. "He did an excellent job of finding a solution."

Chester recovered three Anna-Jonesboro fumbles, with Bollman accounting for the other. Aside from the turnovers, Chester was unable to fully stop the Wildcat offensive machine.

Defensively, Nick Meyer and Thompson finished with 12 tackles each for Chester, while Quintin McManus had nine, Dalton Favier had six and Hunter Munie had five.

Meyer was 4-for-7 passing for 98 yards for the Yellow Jackets, with a 68-yard touchdown to Bollman with 1:24 remaining that accounted for Chester's other score.

"The kids played a hell of a ballgame against a hell of a ballclub," Colvis said. "We've got to come out and win next week to come out as a winning team and keep the winning record alive."

Chester will host Eldorado next Thursday in the season finale in a must-win game if the Yellow Jackets wish to stretch the program-record winning streak to seven seasons.

The young Yellow Jackets have not had a losing season since going 1-5-1 in 2008. Kickoff at W.O. Smith Field against the Eagles is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.

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