CHS honors cross country teams at annual banquet
<span>Chester High School cross country athletes, coaches and parents gathered at Reids' Harvest House on Tuesday to honor the CHS cross country teams.</span>
<span>The annual banquet and awards night always draws an official close to the running season and athletes are recognized for their achievements.</span>
<span>"Even if we didn't achieve all of our goals and expectations, we did have two athletes earn BDC All-Conference honors (Taylor Dunning and Jessica Kattenbraker) and every athlete improved his or her performance times throughout the year," said Chester coach Curt Gilpin.</span>
<span>Gilpin and Coaches Mary and Paul Stallman presented the end-of-the-year awards. The boy's MVP award was presented to senior Lucas Doiron, while the girls went to Taylor Dunning. </span>
<span>Dunning, a sophomore, led the girls' squad most of the year and was one of only two CHS athletes (Taylor Dunning and Jessica Kattenbraker) to qualify to compete at the Metro-East Lutheran Sectional.</span>
<span>CHS junior Jack Weir was presented with the "Most Improved Award." Shea Petrowske, a freshman, earned the "Rookie of the Year Award."</span>
<span>Petrowske came into the cross country program without a cross country background. She had run track in grade school, but did not run cross country.</span>
<span>Six boys earned letters or pins for their letter jackets during the 2015 season - Mitchell Colonel, Joe Soellner, Jason Schwartz, Lucas Doiron, Logan Hormann and Josh Haberberger.</span>
<span>There were also six girls who earned letters or pins on the Lady Jackets squad - Whitney Gibbs, Jessica Kattenbraker, Ellen Blechle, Taylor Dunning, Shea Petrowske and Elizabeth Heffernan.</span>
<span>Finally, Gilpin and everyone else in attendance, recognized and praised all of the seniors who had competed in their final cross country meet as Yellow Jackets or Lady Yellow Jackets.</span>
<span>Each senior received a small trophy and their wooden cross country emblem that adorned the power poles the past four years along Swanwick Street during the season. </span>
<span>Seniors were Lucas Doiron, Ethan Gendron, Elizabeth Heffernan, Whitney Gibbs, Logan Hormann, and Jason Schwartz.</span>
<span>"Our seniors were good leaders," Gilpin said. "They led by example and set a good example for the underclassmen. Each and every senior will be truly missed next year."</span>