State Bound!
Unity prevails over SJO in 3A semifinal clash

Unity topped St. Joseph-Ogden 51-44 in a playoff thriller loaded with big plays. The Rockets capitalized on two second-quarter interceptions to build a crucial lead.

Unity football team celebrates win over St. Joseph-Ogden

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Members of the Unity football team celebrate their win over St. Joseph-Ogden. Winning the semifinal game, the Rockets earned the right to face Byron next Friday for the Class 3A title.

ST. JOSEPH - Unity earned its ticket to the IHSA Class 3A championship game with a 51-44 win over St. Joseph-Ogden on a bright mid-November afternoon at Dick Duval Field. The matchup between two of central Illinois’ most consistent football powers delivered everything expected from a playoff showdown, with both teams trading big plays and momentum swings before the Rockets closed the epic battle out.

St. Joseph-Ogden struck early behind senior standout Wyatt Wertz, who found the end zone twice in the first quarter. Wertz continued to power the Spartans’ offense throughout the game, finishing with 94 rushing yards on 16 carries and adding a game-changing 99-yard kick return for another score in the third quarter. His 210 all-purpose yards fueled SJO’s effort to keep pace in a contest that rarely slowed.

Quarterback Kodey McKinney added two rushing touchdowns on runs of 16 and 18 yards while also throwing for 210 yards. The senior led the Spartans on the ground as well with 119 rushing yards, helping SJO briefly capture momentum as the teams traded long drives and explosive plays.

Unity’s offense matched the challenge with a productive day from Crewe Eckstein, who was a force between the tackles. Eckstein piled up 161 yards and scored twice on short runs of 2 and 5 yards, helping the Rockets keep the chains moving and maintain balance as the game tightened.

But the true difference came from the Unity defense, which delivered back-to-back lightning strikes midway through the second quarter. With St. Joseph-Ogden driving, Brayden Henry jumped a pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown. Just 78 seconds later, Caden Hensch intercepted another ball and sprinted 28 yards to the end zone, pushing Unity to a 25-17 lead that swung the game’s momentum for good.

St. Joseph-Ogden, the No. 14 seed entering the postseason, wrapped up a strong run with an 8-5 finish.

Unity (12-1), which has reached the playoffs 33 times and owns six runner-up trophies, now moves on to next Friday’s championship game at Illinois State University’s Hancock Stadium. First-year head coach Tony Reetz has his program one win away from its first state title.

Standing in the Rockets’ path is undefeated Byron (13-0), which advanced with a 44-10 win over Richmond-Burton. The Tigers have reached the postseason 31 times and carry three state championships and two runner-up finishes into the matchup. The teams last met in the 2021 title game, when Byron won 35-7, two years after falling 24-20 to Monticello in the 2018 final.

Photo Gallery

Crewe Eckstein celebrates a Unity touchdown against St. Joseph-Ogden

Unity's Crewe Eckstein celebrates his 5-yard TD run with the help of lineman Coleson Miller in the third quarter. He scored the Rockets' first touchdown of the game with a two-yard plunge to make up a 7-0 first-quarter deficit.

LEFT: SJO's Ryker Lockhart and Coy Hayes help Kodey McKinney bring down Unity running back Crewe Eckstein. MIDDLE: Unity's Brayden Henry tries to juke his way around Spartans' Logan Rosenthal on a kick return play. RIGHT: A SJO Maroon Platoon member leads the student section in a cheer during first half action.

LEFT: Spartan senior Ryker Lockhart breaks up a pass play on a Dane Eisenmenger pass to Tyler Henry. RIGHT: SJO's Ennis Jameson tries to fight his way past Rocket lineman Coleson Miller in the first half.

LEFT: Jonathon Moore records a tackle for a loss for the Spartans, putting Unity quarterback Dane Eisenmenger on the turf in the fourth quarter. MIDDLE: Eisenmenger leaps happily over the goal line, sealing the Rocket's victory on a 25-yard run to give Unity a 51-37 advantage with 2:28 left in the ball game. RIGHT: Feeling the agony of defeat, SJO center Brennan Oleynichak and quarterback Kodey share a hug after the game.

Spartans Wyatt Wertz runs the ball past the 50-yard mark on his way to a 99-yard kick return against the Rockets.

All photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity vs St. Joseph-Ogden Class 3A semifinal recap, IHSA 3A football state championship preview Unity vs Byron, Unity Rockets football playoff history and results, St. Joseph-Ogden postseason football performance analysis, Illinois high school football semifinal game highlights

The Sentinel On This Day |
November 22

In a month marked by remembrance and gratitude, we revisit stories that defined our region — local sports state championship runs, celebrating Thanksgiving, and spotlighting moments of unity, resilience, and spirited debate.

From local news, features, and community events to politics, and Opinion-Editorial viewpoints, discover archived posts published on November 17 in previous years, offering a rich tapestry of life in Champaign County and the broader community, curated by The Sentinel. Here are the headlines from local news, sports, community events, and editorial viewpoints in and around Champaign-Urbana.

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How You Can Help After a Disastrous Hurricane

In the direct aftermath of a hurricane, the most urgent need is for financial support.

Photo: Connor McManus/PEXELS

by Casey Cartwright
Contributor Writer

When a massive hurricane makes landfall, the images of destruction can feel overwhelming. We see flooded streets, flattened homes, and communities turned upside down in a matter of hours. For those of us watching from afar, a sense of helplessness can set in. It’s natural to wonder how you can possibly make a difference when you’re hundreds or thousands of miles away. The good news is, you can. Meaningful support comes in many forms, and every contribution, no matter the size, helps communities begin the long and difficult process of recovery. This guide will walk you through the various ways you can provide assistance, from immediate relief to long-term rebuilding efforts. Here’s how you can help after a disastrous hurricane.

Take Immediate Action

In the direct aftermath of a hurricane, the most urgent need is for financial support. Emergency response teams are on the ground, and they require resources to provide food, clean water, medical care, and temporary shelter to those affected.

~ Donations

Provide Short-Term Assistance

As the initial crisis stabilizes, the focus shifts to short-term recovery.

~ Volunteer

This phase involves cleaning up debris, assessing damage, and providing safe, temporary housing for displaced residents. While many who want to help live far from the affected area, there are still ways to contribute to these efforts. One powerful way is to support organizations that coordinate volunteer deployments. Groups like All Hands and Hearts organize teams of volunteers to travel to disaster zones to help with tasks like mucking out flooded homes, removing debris, and tarping damaged roofs. If you have the time and ability to travel, this can be an incredibly impactful way to offer hands-on help.

~ Raise Awareness

For those who cannot travel, you can support these volunteer efforts financially or by helping to raise awareness. Sharing information about reputable volunteer organizations on social media can inspire others in your network to get involved.

~ Shelter Needs

Another critical area of short-term assistance is providing shelter. Organizations often set up temporary shelters in schools, churches, and community centers. You can support these shelters by donating to the organizations running them or by contributing to funds that help families find temporary rental housing. This donation gives them a sense of stability while they begin to navigate the process of rebuilding their lives.

In these relief efforts, the delivery of temperature-sensitive supplies like medicine and certain foods is critical. This delivery is where thermal packaging plays an important role in disaster relief efforts, protecting vital supplies from extreme temperatures and getting them safely to those in need.

Support Long-Term Recovery

The road to recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. Long after the news cameras have left, communities continue to face the enormous task of rebuilding. This long-term phase can last for months or even years, and it is a time when support is just as crucial. One of the most significant needs in long-term recovery is rebuilding homes and community infrastructure. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity have long-term rebuilding programs that rely on both financial donations and volunteer labor. Contributing to these initiatives helps families return to safe, permanent housing—a cornerstone of recovery.

Supporting local businesses is another vital component of long-term healing. Hurricanes can devastate local economies, forcing small businesses to close their doors permanently. When you have the opportunity, purchasing goods and services from companies in the affected region can provide a much-needed economic boost. Many local artisans and shops sell their products online, offering a direct way for you to bring money into the local economy.

Additionally, you can support community development funds and micro-loan programs that help entrepreneurs get back on their feet. These efforts not only rebuild physical structures but also restore the economic and social fabric of a community, fostering resilience for the future.

Where To Find Reliable Information

When you are ready to help, it is important to direct your support to credible and effective organizations. Here are a few reliable resources to guide your contributions.

~ Charity Navigator and Guidestar

Charity Navigator and Guidestar are excellent websites for vetting non-profit organizations. They provide detailed information about a charity’s financial health, transparency, and accountability, so you can be confident that your donation will help the efforts effectively.

~ American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is one of the most prominent organizations involved in disaster relief. They provide shelter, food, and health services to affected communities.

~ Direct Relief

Direct Relief focuses on providing medical assistance to disaster-stricken areas. They equip doctors and nurses with lifesaving medical resources to care for the world’s most vulnerable people.

~ Team Rubicon

Team Rubicon unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to deploy emergency response teams rapidly.

~ Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity has a long-term presence in affected communities, helping families rebuild and repair their homes after a disaster.

Your Support Matters More Than You Know

The journey of a community recovering from a hurricane is long and arduous, but it is not one they have to walk alone. Every act of kindness, from a small donation to a shared social media post, contributes to a collective wave of support that makes a real difference after a disastrous hurricane. Your compassion and generosity provide not just material aid but also a powerful message of hope to people facing their darkest hour. It reminds them that we have not forgotten about them. By choosing to help, you become an essential part of the recovery, helping to rebuild not just homes and businesses, but lives and futures.

Casey is a passionate copyeditor highly motivated to provide compelling SEO content in the digital marketing space. Her expertise includes a vast range of industries from highly technical, consumer, and lifestyle-based, with an emphasis on attention to detail and readability.

TAGS: Rebuilding from a hurricane is long and arduous, American Red Cross can help after a disaster, Rebuilding homes and community infrastructure, Coordinating volunteer groups with clean-up