Photo look: Volleyball places third at state

Eight days ago, the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team defeated Rockford Lutheran after three sets 25-11, 25-20, 25-23 to place third at this year's Class 2A state tournament. Below are ten memorable photographs from more the 500 (not all of them as awesome as these moments as these) from the Spartans' final match of the season on Saturday, November 16.

SJO played 41 matches this season and won 36 of them. Their last four were grueling, emotional three-setters. Their season began with a marathon opening match and loss to eventual state champions St. Teresa, and ended with a three-set, 129-point match against the Lady Crusaders at Redbird Arena.

Emily Bigger and Lacey Kaiser go up for a block on a kill attempt by Rockford Lutheran's Kylie Wilhelmi in the first set. Kaiser was credited with a pair of blocks, seven digs and four kills in the match. Bigger contributed five digs and had 29 of the team's 32 assists. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Kenly Taylor celebrates a point for the Spartans during the first set. Her nine digs along with her defensive efforts in the back row were crucial in SJO ending their season with a victory. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Payton Vallee tips the ball over a Rockford Lutheran blocker. Vallee, a junior, finished the match with four kills and three digs. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

With teammate Payton Vallee looking on and Lacey Kaiser ready to dig a possible block, senior Katelyn Berry takes a huge swing at the ball in set two against the Lady Crusaders. Berry chalked up six kills and six digs in the Spartans' win. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Stretching out as far as can go, Lacey Kaiser dives for a tipped ball in the second set. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Spartans Lindsey Aden and Kennedi Burnett share a smile after Burnett's kill puts SJO up 13-7 in the final set. Burnett, a sophomore, delivered at team-high 14 kills. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

After winning the final set to take the match, two games to one, members of the SJO volleyball team led by seniors Jenna Albrecht and Katelyn Berry sing the school fight song with the student fan section. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Senior Jenna Albrecht flashes a huge smile as she waves to family members and SJO fans at Redbird Arena after receiving her bronze medal during the Class 2A awards ceremony. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

(Left to right) Lacey Kaiser, Lindsey Aden and Jenna Albrecht along with the rest of the volleyball team celebrate with the schools newest piece of state hardware. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Linda Berry photographs her daughter Katelyn and other members of the Spartan volleyball team with the school's third place trophy during the awards ceremony at the IHSA Volleyball State Finals. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Doctors, tigers and vampires, oh my! Spartan Spotlight with Jenna Albrecht

After graduation from St. Joseph-Ogden High School, Jenna Albrecht plans to attend Parkland College for two years and then transfer to the University of Chicago-Urbana Satellite Campus Nursing Program. If those plans don't work out, she might consider a career as a television and film critic. She could become the next Erica Abeel of the Huffington Post or The Movie Minute's Joanna Langfield.

Currently at the top of her Netflix must-see list is Tiger King.

"Hello. This is a must for everyone! Who are you if you have not binge watched Tiger King?!?" Albrecht said about the streaming show slated to be an American cult classic decades from now. "If anything can help us through a pandemic, the war between Joe Exotic and Carol Baskin can!"

More likely to tame patients in a pediatric ward than tigers, the next show on her list is Grey's Anatomy.

"I am drawn to the medical side of this 16-year series," she said before spilling the beans on her attraction to her favorite characters in the medical drama. "Or, maybe I am just secretly in love with Dr. Shepard. No... Sloan… no... Karev… no... Avery… no... Hunt... no ...Linc… who am I kidding? I love them all!"

Her final recommendation, a fangtastic personal favorite for her, stars Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley in The Vampire Diaries.

Clubs & Activities Volleyball (4 years),Track & Field (1 year) Student Council, Spanish Club, Spanish Club Leader NHS, Maroon Platoon Leader Future Spartans Mentoring Program Advisory Mentoring Program

"#TeamDamon! This show definitely keeps you on your toes," she said. "If you love vampires, and who doesn’t, and never ending drama, this is a must!"

When she isn't watching Netflix, she enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, and listening to music in her free time.

Although one has to speculate the amount of free time in her day planner is pretty limited, since the senior has been involved in two sports and seven other groups during high school. Albrecht's advice for future SJO students is one of experience: "Get involved because time goes by so fast, and do not take anything for granted."

The more involved you are as a student in high school activities and athletics, the more memories you will make. Albrecht has made and been apart of numerous moments at SJO like going to homecoming her freshmen year and being an integral part of the Spartan varsity volleyball team's third place finish last November at the IHSA state tournament.

"My senior volleyball season was one that I will never forget! The experience of advancing through each postseason game was so exhilarating!" she said. She offered additional advice for incoming freshman and underclassmen moving up to varsity spots in the SJO volleyball program. "Never underestimate what spirit can bring to your team! Whether you win or lose, whether you play or sit the bench, whether you are on the freshman team or the varsity team, attitude and spirit are what will carry the team through the ups and downs of the next four years!"

Volleyball has taught Albrecht, an idea candidate for motivational posters when it comes to mental toughness on the court, numerous lessons that she will carry through life. One of the most important is you can still find good in loss.

After epic come from behind, three-set victory to win the supersectional title over Chicago Christian, she described how she and her fellow Spartan teammates confidence and determination soared into the stratosphere.

"We were ready to bring it all home. We were ready to win it all. However, we took a hard loss in the semi-final game," she recounted, explaining how the team was shot down and brought back down the Earth after a grueling 2-1 loss to Breese Mater Dei in the SJO's Class 2A state semifinal. "It was a very difficult evening for us, but we went back to the hotel, ate some pizza, and played Just Dance. The next day, as we warmed up to play for the third-place state title, we were back on our game."

Back in the zone, the Spartans roared to a 25-11 first set victory. After falling 25-20 in the second, the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team fought valiantly to take the third and final set 25-23 to bring home the school's first state trophy in the 2019-20 school year.

"I don’t know if it’s his fun personality, kind soul, or his teaching abilities that makes him so amazing."

"We fought as hard as we could, and in the end, came out with the win!" she said. "Although, it was not the outcome we were hoping for, we were still able to find all the joy in the world for bringing home that third place state trophy."

While still remotely possible, Albrecht could very well assist in the Spartans in adding another piece of IHSA hardware to the school trophy case. Entering her second season with the girls track team, she has some unfinished business in the sport, especially competing in the triple jump.

"State was an amazing experience and I ended up within the top twenty, I didn’t make it to finals and was not quite satisfied yet," she said. Not bad when you consider she went from zero experience in her primary event to state in one season. "I had really big goals to finish on the podium this year, like many of the other girls. I don’t even think two years of track was enough for me, let alone one."

The coronavirus pandemic has put a damper on the 2020 spring sport season and like thousands of high school athletes around the country, the St. Joseph resident shares in their melancholy.

"I am extremely disappointed that there is a possibility spring sports will be canceled. Not only for myself, but also for the rest of the team," she explained. "It is very heartbreaking knowing that my last opportunity to compete in a sport may be taken away."

If, or probably a better yet, when there is another pandemic, Albrecht will likely be on the front lines in her future role in the nursing field. From the time she was a little girl she said she loved helping and caring for others. She would line up her stuffed animals and treat them as they were her patients taking care of them one by one. She credited the stories her mother, a respiratory therapist, shared with the family as her inspiration to pursue nursing as a career.

"I think America is doing everything they can right now to keep American citizens safe. Granted, we all could withstand improving our compliance with the "stay-at-home" quarantine regulations mandated by our government," she said. "(I hope) we can be better prepared for the next pandemic and educate the world rather than instill fear and panic before education.

"Having a strategy in place for the next pandemic will not only decrease the amount of fear, but have an organized plan in place for our nation to follow rather than react to."

Jenna’s favorite classes have been with Mr. Robert Glazier and English with Mrs. Heather Lindenmeyer, both instructors along with Mrs. Alycn Franzen have been her favorite teachers at SJO. In middle school Mrs. Kinney was a favorite, too.

"THE. ABSOLUTE. BEST. I don’t know if it’s his fun personality, kind soul, or his teaching abilities that makes him so amazing," Albrecht said of Glazier praising his teaching style.

She really appreciated the fact that whenever anyone needed extra help understanding anything he would go back and walk through it again until they understood it.

"I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to be in his class. Not only does he make his class fun, he is also very understanding of what the students have to say. I honestly find it difficult to find the right words to describe him, but I am so drawn to his gentle nature, kind soul, and fun sense of humor."

Spartans to make another run at state track title

Fourteen athletes from the St. Joseph-Ogden girls track team advanced to this weekend's Illinois High School Association state track and field finals in Charleston.

Leading SJO's bid for a back-to-back team title are three gold medalists from the 2018 Class 1A championship squad. Atleigh Hamilton, who won the long jump title, along with senior Maclayne Taylor and junior Hailey Birt return to the blue oval at O'Brien Stadium in search of another championship trophy.

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Ashlyn Lannert heads toward the finish line during the Class 1A race at the IHSA Cross Country State Finals on Saturday. She finished 84th overall with a time of 19:16.11 in this year's title race. Lannert and the Spartans look to win another state trophy at this weekend's state track and field meet in Charleston. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Runners and field event specialists qualifying for this weekend's state meet include: Grace Schmitz (pole vault), Jenna Albrecht, Kailyn Ingram (4x800), Addie Allen (4x800), Rylee Sjuts, Hannah Rajlich, Danie Kelso, Cassidy Bagby, Hannah Rajlich, Ashlyn Lannert and Jillian Plotner.

Rajlich and Sjuts medaled in 4x800 relay last spring. Sjuts also picked up a silver medal in the 400-Meter Relay with Taylor, Hamilton and then senior Zea Maroon.

In a marquee worthy, storybook performance last year, Hamilton won her first of three state medals starting with the long jump. She went 18 feet-2 inches past the board to secure the title and a career best performance. The sophomore will see some familiar faces on the runway on Thursday. Six of the nine jumpers in last season's top ten return with a legitimate shot at the title.

Despite her sectional mark of 17 feet-4 inches, which was identical to her 2018 distance, Hamilton will be a solid bet as one of the top three medalists come Saturday evening.

Peaking at just the right time, Jenna Albrecht set a new personal record in triple jump in the sectional meet. The junior landed 34 feet-1 inch away from the launch point to finish third and put a lock on her spot in this Thursday's state prelims.

Prior to Friday, Albrecht's previous PR was 32 feet-11 and half inches.

The sprint foursome of Kelso, Taylor, Birt and Hamilton in the four-by-one looks to be an exciting race. Running a 50.52 in the sectional meet, the Spartans will be challenged by squads from DuQuoin, Fulton and Bureau Valley if all four teams make the finals on Saturday as expected.

Distance specialist Cassidy Bagby could make some noise in Saturday's 3200-Meter championship race. It will be her second state appearance - the first in 2017 in the same race - and her last as a varsity athlete for SJO. She will have 35 equally capable runners to push her to a memorable finish and beyond her sectional time of 12:17.34.

Speedster Maclayne Taylor qualified for the state prelims in the 100-Meter and 200-Meter dashes as well as the 4x200 relay. A couple of top eight finishes by Taylor will be essential in the Spartans' quest for a team trophy.

Hannah Rajlich will join teammates at state after finishing second in the 1600-Meter sectional race at 5:42:37. The junior faces strong opposition from Latin's Ava Parekh, who will be heading into Thursday's prelims with sectional time a mere five seconds away from a sub-five minute mark.

Less than eight seconds separate the Spartans from the top of the list of Class 1A qualifying time courtesy of DuQuoin's at 4:07.59 in the 4x400-Meter Relay. The SJO relay advanced to state thanks to the combined speed of Ashlyn Lannert, Rylee Sjuts, Jillian Plotner and Danie Kelso, who fought tenaciously to win the sectional race by a nose, seven-tenths of a second ahead of Uni High. The Indians and the Spartans will face stiff competition for the state title in this race from perennial challengers Byron, Taylor Rockridge and Knoxville.

Admission is $10.00 per day and parking near the stadium is $5.00 per day. Tickets for Thursday's preliminary round go on sale at 9am at the O'Brien Stadium box office. Tickets for Saturday's finals will be available starting at 8am.

Volleyball team fought to the end in loss to Champaign Central

(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks) St. Joseph-Ogden Jenna Albrecht goes up for a block against visiting Champaign Central. The Spartans suffered their second loss of the season in straight sets to visiting Champaign Central, 25-22, 25-20. See more match photos here . . .

Despite pounding 24 kills and an impressive display of resiliency against the taller roster of visiting Champaign Central players, the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball went down swinging in the non-conference meeting between the two teams 2-0 on Tuesday.

SJO led for the first 13 points in set one. After breaking a tie at 8-all, the senior led squad started to pull away stretching their lead to as many as three points over the course of next several exchanges.

However, Central would not let their host, with an enrollment one-third of their own, bully them for long.

"They had an offense that we were not necessarily prepared for. We keyed on some big kids we thought would swing aggressively against us," said SJO head coach Abby McDonald. "They picked our defense apart. They swung aggressively and they tipped well."

After yet another lead change, senior Katelyn Berry and the Spartans fought back valiantly once again to tie the score for the final time in the set. The Maroons buckled down to squeak out the win, 25-22.

SJO mostly trailed the start of the second set and finally clawed their way to their first and only lead at 13-12. The lead change was short-lived as the Maroons rallied back to 16-15 and continued to hit through the Spartans' blocks to a 25-20 finish.

"As a team they played excellent," McDonald said, complimenting the Maroons' aggressive play. "They really got us out of system and kept us out the majority of the night."

While the height disadvantage was evident, Berry said the team needs to find other ways to score.

"I think once we got down we kind of stayed down rather than getting (back) up," she said. "In future when we get down, we have to keep pushing."

Seniors Payton Vallee, Lacey Kaiser and Kennedi Burnett contributed four kills. Kaiser and Burnett tallied 10 digs in the loss. Another senior, Emily Bigger, had 23 assists.

"I commend all of our kids. I thought they fought to the end," McDonald added. "We just didn't capitalize on some of the things that we really needed to be successful."

The loss, when weighed against the level of competition so far, drops SJO's record to a quite respectable at 5-2.

"Its not time for us to peak yet. Let's peak when it counts," McDonald said with her eyes on a deep postseason run. "Our biggest thing right now is what can we learn from every match. Now we have to start making sure we are gaining some kind of knowledge no matter if we win or lose."

SJO stuns Chicago Christian to win Elite 8 title

Just as her older sister in 2016, Kennedi Burrnett will play volleyball on the state's biggest stage under the bright lights of Redbird Arena. The opportunity would not have been possible had it not been for St. Joseph-Ogden's smoldering turnaround midway into the second set of their supersectional match against Chicago Christian last Friday.

Seniors Jenna Albrecht (left) and Lacey Kaiser celebrate their supersectional title win with head coach Abby McDonald.

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After dropping the first set 25-15, the Spartans found their groove after a gritty 25-23 second set and playing the brand of volleyball that fueled 20 consecutive match wins, took the third set and the match, 25-16.

"We came out a little hesitant," said Burnett, who like her sister Abby, will play on a final four Spartan volleyball team for the coveted Class 2A state title. "But then we just jumped back into it. We knew this is what we were waiting for all year. We just kept it together."

Burnett tallied a team-high 11 kills. She also came up big defensively with nine digs and two blocks for the Spartans.

"I think my nerves got into my head a little bit," said outside hitter Katelyn Berry. She was confident that her teammates would do what was needed to get the win, but to secure the win she had to step up her game. "I knew for my team I had to make a change."

The timidity felt by the Spartans in the opening set was both palatable and warranted by the way the Chicago Christian's six-foot, one-inch outside hitter Lia Moore was pounding the ball into the back court. The Michigan State recruit, who will become a Spartan herself next fall, couldn't miss.

Another six-footer for the Knights, Logan Grevengoed and the 5-foot-11 Delanie Grevengoed formed a wall above the tape the Spartan could not penetrate easily.

"I thought our opponent did a great job of keeping us out of system," said head coach Abby McDonald. The pace of the rallies was faster than what she and her assistant coaches saw in the film they had at their disposal. "It was really fast and intense. We were on our heels on defense."

Rylee Stahl celebrates a point for the Spartans. The senior libero had a team a team-high 19 digs to lead SJO into the Class 2A final four. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Leading up to a 17-all score in the second set, the score between was tied seven times with the Knights scoring the go-ahead point.

On the eight tie, SJO surged ahead ticking off three unanswered points to get to a 20-17 tilt before Knights' head coach Karen Van Assen called a timeout.

McDonald used the break to inspire her players.

"She just told us to forget about that set. We've been there before and we know how to come back from that," Berry recounted. She was held to just six kills by the Knights. "We know how to come back from that. A new set is a new set."

Holding on to win the second set would put the final match outcome in SJO's favor. Prior to the supersectional, out of the seven three-setters this season, SJO took the match in all but two. The Spartans lost to St. Thomas More and St. Teresa, who will also play a semifinal on Friday, in deciding third sets. SJO won their last five extended matches and the odds were dramatically in their favor if they finish the second set with a win.

"Honestly, I felt Katelyn did really well," senior Stephanie Trame said about Berry's overall performance. "She had a great attitude when she was blocked. She didn't let it get in her head."

Trame was contributed seven of the SJO's 34 match kills.

"We had more energy in the second set and started playing as a team," she added. "We found ourselves."

With their confidence continuing to swell and the combined defensive leadership of Rylee Stahl and Emily Bigger, St. Joseph-Ogden pulled out the second set, 25-23. At libero, Stahl keep the ball in play with a team-high 19 digs. Bigger had 16 and made 26 passes. In one of their best defensive efforts of the season, SJO players combined for 70 digs in the three-setter.

Payton Vallee bouyed the Spartans on both offense and defense as well. In addition to her two digs, the junior along with senior Lacey Kaiser, who notched 8 digs, were co-leaders in blocks at the net with three apiece. Vallee also put away six well-placed kills in the supersectional effort.

Emily Bigger and Stephanie Trame get their hands up to deflect a shot by Chicago Christian's Olivia Ingelse during first set action on Friday at Chicago Christian High School. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

"We went into the third set with a lot of momentum," McDonald said. "We were in their heads offensively and defensively. They were having to think about every touch on the ball."

Her team jumped out to a modest 4-1 lead to open the final set. Chicago Christian worked their way out of the deficit to tie the game at 4-4 thanks to an ace.

SJO immediately got a sideout and took the lead. They pieced together a five-point run forcing the Knights to burn a timeout staring 9-5 deficit.

When the action resumed, the Spartans continued to exploited the hole it found in the hard-hitting Chicago Christian armor and increased the scoring gap by eight points to 19-11.

"We've got three kids that can swing. We've got a defense that is quick and aggressive," McDonald said about the momentum shift. "I just thought that once we got going and our kids gained some confidence and knew we could compete with them. I knew we could pull it out."

Eleven serves later, the SJO contingent - players, fans and parents - were celebrating a well-deserved victory.

"There are just so many emotions right now," Burnett said. "I'm just so excited. I'm blessed to be with all these people on the court and I couldn't be happier."

Photo of the Day - October 27, 2020

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All in all, just another block for the wall

SJO seniors Jenna Albrecht and Kennedi Burnett form a defensive wall above the net during their team's home match against Hoopeston Area on September 16. The Spartans, who later finished third in the state at the Illinois Class 2A state finals, easily swept the Cornjerkers 25-5 in both sets.

(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Photo of the Day - December 30, 2020

Third at state!

Spartan volleyball players Jenna Albrecht and Lacey Kaiser celebrate with teammates after the team's 2-1 win over Rockford Lutheran to finish 3rd at the 2019 Illinois High School Association's Volleyball State Final in Class 2A. Finishing the season 36-5, St. Joseph-Ogden brought home the hardware after a three-set thriller, 25-11, 20-25, 25-23. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

New members inducted into SJO's National Honor Society

Tonight, thirty-one St. Joseph-Ogden students would have been greeted to rolls of the National Honor Society at an induction ceremony at the school. With all Illinois schools closed by an Executive Order from the governor, the ceremony honoring the newest members, like classes, has also gone online.

NHS advisor Jared Lofrano posted a 13 minute and 26 second video welcoming their newest members.

The inductees for the 2019-2020 school year include: Abigail Behrens, Ella Besson, Brandie Bowlin, Mara Burkhalter, Crayton Burnett, Anastasia Conerty, Deanna Cummins, Sidney Davis, Makayla Duckwitz, Kylie Duckett, Hanna Eastin, Nadirah Edwards, Ashley Eldridge, Jared Emmert, Lauren Harper, Payton Jacob, Ava Knap, Ethan Lane, Ashlyn Lannert, Kelsey Martlage, Garren Meeker, Conrad Miller, Alec Painter, Jessica Palmer, Emma Parkinson, Erin Patton, Taryn Sexton, Alyssa Shoviak, Rylee Stahl, Mackenzie Trame and Rachel Wilson.

"These students, as well as our current members, are active in extracurricular activities, have outstanding character, demonstrate great leadership and excel in their academics," Lofrano tells viewers in the opening statement. "While this format for this induction and recognition ceremony is far from ideal, it is an honor to celebrate the hard work and dedication that all of these students have exhibited during their high school career."

Also found on YouTube, parents, family and friends can view the introduction and induction of each new member by NHS President Faith Dahman and Vice-President Zoey Witruk in the video below.

Current NHS members include: Lindsey Aden, Eliza Lewis, Isabelle Brooks, Aiden Livesay, Jenna Albrecht, Tyson Madsen, Mallory Ames, Sophia Martlage, Taylor Barnes, Flannery McCorkle, Katelyn Berry, Eric Poe, Emily Bigger, Hannah Rajlich, Payton Cain, Indira Robinson, Brendan Cooperider, Mazie Ronk, Kristen Costa, Jenna Schaefer, Drew Coursey, Evan Schmitz, Faith Dahman, Joshua Sexton, Hannah Dukeman, Tessa Smith, Emily Fisher, Kenly Taylor, Lucas Grindley, Stephanie Trame, Erica Guelfi, Payton Valle, Atleigh Hamilton, Brayden Weaver, Lacey Kaiser, Brayden Wendt, Shelby Kofoot and Zoey Witruk.

In addition to Dahman and Witruk, the other remaining office holders include Lindsey Aden as Secretary, Kenly Taylor maintaining duties as the Treasurer and Mallory Ames holds the position of Historian.

75 SJO seniors named to 3rd quarter Honor Roll

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St. Joseph-Ogden's Dillon Uken provides protection on the line of scrimmage in his team's first-round game against Monticello on October 27 during last fall's IHSA football postseason playoffs. Uken was one of 75 SJO seniors who made the third quarter Honor Roll. (PhotoNews File Photo/Clark Brooks)

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Seventy-five seniors, 67 juniors, 57 sophomores and 69 freshmen earned recognition for academic excellence in the third quarter at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Students named to the High Honors earned GPAs of 3.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Those attaining GPAs of 3.25 to 3.74 are recognized as Honor Roll students.

 

High Honor Roll

Seniors: Gage Atwood, Cassidy Bagby, Erin Beyers, Kaylee Blanchard, Rebecca Campbell, Sarah Chahine, David Cummins, Emmy Daniels, Liam Davis, Abigail Dunham, Avery Edwards, Nathan Emmert, Emory Ericksen, Jasmine Febus, Emilie Fox, Adam Frerichs, Rachel Gherna, Zachary Hill, Kalli Ingram, Kenneth Lahners, Hannah Lewis, Nathan Logan, Erinn Miller, Caroline Moore, Eve Owens, Angela Palmer, Benjamin Reitmeier, Adam Rose, Madison Rubin, Abigail Schlueter, Elizabeth Schluter, Samantha Schmidt, Benjamin Setterdahl, Jacob Shaw, Kaitlin Shoviak, Grant Siegmund, Rylee Sjuts, Brianna Suits, Maclayne Taylor and Nathan Walden.

Juniors: Lindsey Aden, Jenna Albrecht, Mallory Ames, Taylor Barnes, Katelyn Berry, Emily Bigger, Kaylee Blackburn, Ginny Bytnar, Payton Cain, Trevon Carr, Kristen Costa, Drew Coursey, Kathryn Cramer, Andrea Cunningham, Faith Dahman, Hannah Dukeman, Asjah Fonner, Jaiden Freeman, Robert Gebbink, Payton Grimsley, Lucas Grindley, Erica Guelfi, Emily Hardimon, Chance Izard, Cody Johnston, Lacey Kaiser, Danielle Kelso, Eliza Lewis, Nathan Maier, Sara Milioli, Ava Mills, Carson Mills, Alivia Norem, Nolan Peacock, Taddy Pettit, Eric Poe, Dyllan Price, Hannah Rajlich, Lexi Ribbe, Jenna Schaefer, Joshua Sexton, Rylee Stahl, Kenly Taylor, Stephanie Trame, Anna Tranel, Isabelle Vliet, Madie Warfel, Brayden Weaver, Sam Wesley, Zoey Witruk and Jackson Wooten.

Sophomores: Isabelle Brooks, Crayton Burnett, David Bytnar, Taylor Campbell, Kylie Duckett, Hanna Eastin, Nadirah Edwards, Emily Fisher, Dakota Franzen, Atleigh Hamilton, Emmy Houston, Lukas Hutcherson, Logan Ingram, Cailer Kellenberger, Shelby Kofoot, Spencer Lahners, Ethan Lane, Aiden Livesay, Alyssa Maddock, Tyson Madsen, Sophia Martlage, Brandon Mattsey, Flannery McCorkle, Garren Meeker, Abigail Moberg, Samantha Naylor, Alec Painer, Erin Patton, Aidan Roberts, Indira Robinson, Mazie Ronk, Evan Schmitz, Max Shonkwiler, Tessa Smith, Payton Vallee, Nora Walden, Brayden Wendt, Rachel Wilson and Logan Wolfersberger.

Freshmen: Addison Allen, Tyler Altenbaumer, Kailyn Anderson, Ella Armstrong, Madison Atwood, Abigail Behrens, Ella Besson, Andrew Beyers, Brandie Bowlin, Mara Burkhalter, Angela Chahine, Anastasia Conerty, Deanna Cummins, Benjamin Cunningham, Sidney Davis, Zander Dressen, Ashley Eldridge, Jared Emmert, Hannah Fox, Zella Fuqua, Brennan Haake, Liam Hamer, Alyssa Hamilton, Lauren Harper, Anthony Hoang, Claire Huffman, Payton Jacob, Alison Kearney, Ava Knap, Jacey Lewis, Kelsey Martlage, Sophia McDade, Coby Miller, Conrad Miller, Elijah Mock, Keaton Nolan, Jessica Palmer, Emma Parkinson, Hope Rajlich, JoLeena Reynolds, Kendra Riddle, Taryn Sexton, Alyssa Shoviak, Luke Stegall, Rebecca Steinbach, Mackenzie Trame, Ethan Vanliew and Taylor Wells.

       

Honor Roll

Seniors: Sullivan Alwes, Nicholas Boggs, Joel Branson, Makayla Buskirk, Brooke Butorac, Ripley Campbell, Kayla Cañas, Daniel Carlson, Amanda Craddock, Ashtyn Cromwell, Peyton Crowe, Chloe Duckett, Michael Foreman, Cole Franzen, Bryce Froeschl, Mikayla Harshbarger, Kaitlyn Hess, Michelle Jervis, Dylan Johnson, Shelby McElroy, Ryan Miller, Joel Orcutt, Karsyn Peters, Raymond Plotner, Kathryn Poulter, Hanson Rieches, Libby Rowland, Niko Russell, Clare Smith, Savannah Smith, Dillon Uken, Rylee Walsh, Jack Ward, Seth Wedig and Alyssa Whitlock.

Juniors: Kendall Ayers, Kolton Batty, Erin Bridgewater, Payton Clements, Brendan Cooperider, Bailey Dowling, Tristan Fuqua, Ethan Hinrichs, Conner Hodge, Keegan McCarty, Mason McLain, Allison Monk, Luke Renfrew, Brodie Sullivan, Anna Wentzloff and Karsyn Wetzel.

Sophomores: Haven Atwood, Hunter Brooks, Joshua Buttjer, Raegan Crippen, Jacob Dwyer, Alex Frerichs, Emily Froman, Carter Huffman, Hayden Knott, Brock Loschen, Alyssa Lynch, Gunnar Olson, Brianna Reifsteck, Lizzie Reitmeier, Jackson Rydell, Lauren Trankina, Kaylee Ward and Mitchell Whitlock.

Freshmen: Nicolas Anzelmo, Jaden Barton, Alanna Bensyl, Kennedi Burnett, Braden Clampitt, Mackenzie Fulk, Hailey Gaines, Avian Gerdes, Kailyn Ingram, KayLeigh Kamphaus, Olivia Klotz, Ashlyn Lannert, Wyatt Loghry, Madelyn Mabry, Braden MeElroy, Ava Miller, Jett Morris, Nathaniel Nosler, Jonathan Poulter, Isabelle Scott and Karsten Wayland.

79 freshman earn honor roll status, strong finish by 2020 SJO seniors

Seventy-six St. Joseph-Ogden High School seniors earned honor roll recognition in the final quarter of the year. Of that number, 50 students were awarded earned High Honor Roll status.

Students who earn a grade point average of 3.25 or higher on the school's 4.0 scale are recognized as Honor Roll students. Those whose GPA soared above 3.74 are receive High Honor Roll recognition.

Click on individual names to discover more Sentinel articles about each Honor Roll student.

High Honor Roll Freshmen

Alyssa Acton, McGwire Atwood, Kaytlyn Baker, Olivia Baltzell, Tyler Burch, Maddux Carter, Yamilka Casanova, Ariana Chambers, Cale Coursey, Morgan Cramer, Aiden Cromwell, Zachary Dahman, Emily Elsbernd, Joselyn Frerichs, Alex Funk, Kennedy Greer, Andrew Guelfi, Mikyla Haley, Hallie Harms, Maya Hewkin, Taylor Hug, Peyton Jones, Cameran Kelley, Jacob Kern, Hunter Ketchum, Aaron Lane, Collin Livesay, Haleigh Maddock, Aidan McCorkle, Kyle Meccoli, Teagan Miller, Allegra Pearman, Ty Pence, Jack Robertson, Kirsten Schaefer, Johanna Schmitz, Jack Setterdahl, Isabel Sexton, Paige Siegmund, Trinity Tapia, Taylor Voorhees, Alayna Wagle, Mallory Wagner and Maggie Ward.

Freshmen Honor Roll

Madison Adams, Canyon Alwes, Sylvia Bills, Owen Birt, Ethan Blackburn, Kaylee Brown, Taylor Burch, Payton Carter, Gwen Chatterton, Bryce Collins, Madelynn Cook, Aleah Dial, Abigail Dow, Leah Finley, Spencer Fitch, Grace Flessner, Jessica Gadbury, Joseph Gherna, Kylie Greer, Connor Hale, Hayden Henkelman, Shayne Immke, Emily Jeffries, Eleni Krall, Carter Mabry, Katherine McDermott, Blake Morgan, Courtney Myren, Jacob Newman, Ava Northen, William Page, Emma Rydell, Katharine Short, Olivia Terven, Emma Ward, Rebekah Weinmann and Jackson Wetzel.

High Honor Roll Sophomores

Addison Allen, Tyler Altenbaumer, Kailyn Anderson, Ella Armstrong, Madison Atwood, Abigail Behrens, Ella Besson, Andrew Beyers, Brandie Bowln, Mara Burkhalter, Kennedi Burnett, Angela Chahine, Braden Clampitt, Anastasia Conerty, Deanna Cummins, Benjamin Cunningham, Sidney Davis, Zander Dressen, Ashley Eldridge, Jared Emmert, Hannah Fox, Zella Fuqua, Brennan Haake, Liam Hamer, Alyssa Hamilton, Lauren Harper, Claire Huffman, Payton Jacob, Alison Kearney, Ava Knap, Ashlyn Lannert, Wyatt Loghry, Kelsey Martlage, Sophia McDade, Coby Miller, Conrad Miller, Elijah Mock, Jett Morris, Jessica Palmer, Emma Parkinson, Jackson Place, Hope Rajlich, JoLeena Reynolds, Kendra Riddle, Taryn Sexton, Alyssa Shoviak, Luke Stegall, Rebecca Steinbach, Mackenzie Trame and Taylor Wells.

Sophomore Honor Roll

Nicolas Anzelmo, Alanna Bensyl, Allison Burnett, Matthew Falls, Mackenzie Fulk, Hailey Gaines, Avian Gerdes, Nolan Grindley, Kennedy Hudson, Kailyn Ingram, KayLeigh Kamphaus, Olivia Klotz, Jacey Lewis, Braden McElroy, Ava Meyer, Ava Miller, Keaton Nolan, Jonathan Poulter, Griffin Roesch, Malorie Sarnecki, Grace Schmitz, Anna Snyder, Regan Uden, Ethan Vanliew and Cole Weinmann.

High Honor Roll Juniors

Isabelle Brooks, Crayton Burnett, David Bytnar, Taylor Campbell, Raegan Crippen, Kylie Duckett, Makayla Duckwitz, Jacob Dywer, Hanna Eastin, Nadirah Edwards, Emily Fisher, Dakota Franzen, Emily Froman, Atleigh Hamilton, Emmy Houston, Lukas Hutcherson, Logan Ingram, Cailer Kellenberger, Shelby Kofoot, Spencer Lahners, Ethan Lane, Aiden Livesay, Alyssa Maddock, Tyson Madsen, Sophie Martlage, Flannery McCorkle, Garren Meeker, Abigail Moberg, Samantha Naylor, Alec Painter, Erin Patton, Aidan Roberts, Indira Robinson, Mazie Ronk, Evan Schmitz, Max Shonkwiler, Tessa Smith, Payton Vallee, Nora Walden, Brayden Wendt and Logan Wolfersberger.

Junior Honor Roll

Makenzie Barron, Dylan Batty, Hunter Brooks, Brady Buss, Rylee Clements, Britney Evans, Alexandra Frerichs, Isabella Getty, Izabellah Innes, Madigan Loman, Brandon Mattsey, Jackson Rydell, Mitchell Whitlock, Rachel Wilson and Jonathan Wooten.

High Honor Roll Seniors

Lindsey Aden, Jenna Albrecht, Mallory Ames, Kendall Ayers, Taylor Barnes, Katelyn Berry, Emily Bigger, Kaylee Blackburn, Ross Booker, Ginny Bytnar, Payton Cain, Austin Carnes, Trevon Carr, Payton Clements, Brendan Cooperider, Kristen Costa, Drew Coursey, Kathryn Cramer, Andrea Cunningham, Faith Dahman, Bailey Dowling, Hannah Dukeman, Clayton Frederick, Jaiden Freeman, Bode Gebbink, Payton Grimsley, Lucas Grindley, Erica Guelfi, Emily Hardimon, Cody Johnston, Lacey Kaiser, Danielle Kelso, Nathan Maier, Ava Mills, Carson Mills, Allison Monk, Nolan Peacock, Eric Poe, Hannah Rajlich, Jenna Schaefer, Joshua Sexton, Rylee Stahl, Kenly Taylor, Stephanie Trame, Anna Tranel, Isabelle Vliet, Brayden Weaver, Samuel Wesley, Karsyn Wetzel, Zoey Witruk and Jackson Wooten.

Senior Honor Roll

Joseph Acton, Michara Allen, Kolton Batty, Erin Bridgewater, Blake Dable, Caleb Evans, Asjah Fonner, Tristan Fuqua, Samantha Gonzales, Brayden Grimsey, Bradley Harrison, Ethan Hinrichs, Conner Hodge, Chance Izard, Aubrey Kern, Eliza Lewis, Keegan McCarty, Mason McLain, Alivia Norem, Taddy Pettit, Dyllan Price, Lexi Ribbe, Joshua Vice, Anna Wentzloff and Joel Wilson.

266 SJO students named to first quarter Honor Roll

On Tuesday, St. Joseph-0gden High School announced that 266 students earned Honor Roll status for their work during the first quarter of classes this academic year.

The senior class led in number of honors with 73 students achieving a 3.75 or higher average grade during the period. The sophomore and junior classes boast 42 high honor receipients, followed by the senior class with 41 honor roll students and the class of 2024 with 39.

Students named to the High Honors earned GPAs of 3.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Those attaining GPAs of 3.25 to 3.74 are recognized as Honor Roll students.

Freshmen High Honor Roll

McGwire Atwood, Kaytlyn Baker, Olivia Baltzell, Maddux Carter, Yamilka Casanova, Ariana Chambers, Cale Coursey, Aiden Cromwell, Zachary Dahman, Emily Elsbernd, Leah Finley, Joselyn Frerichs, Alex Funk, Kennedy Greer, Andrew Guelfi, Mikyla Haley, Maya Hewkin, Taylor Hug, Emily Jeffries, Cameran Kelley, Jacob Kern, Aaron Lane, Aidan McCorkle, Kyle Meccoli, Teagan Miller, Jacob Newman, Allegra Pearman, Ty Pence, Ellen Place, Jack Robertson, Kirsten Schaefer, Johanna Schmitz, Jack Setterdahl, Paige Siegmund, Trinity Tapia, Taylor Voorhees, Alayna Wagle, Mallory Wagner and Maggie Ward.

Freshmen Honor Roll

Hayden Henkelman, Tyler Burch, Canyon Alwes, Ethan Blackburn, Caleb Nemecz, Ava Northen, Peyton Jones, Carter Mabry, Emma Rydell, Sylvia Bills, Shayne Immke, Eleni Krall, Emma Ward, Abigail Dow, Collin Livesay, Haleigh Maddock, Jade Kelley, Blake Morgan, Alyssa Acton, William Page, Hunter Ketchum, Madison Adams, Isabel Sexton, Katharine Short, Katherine McDermott, Bryce Collins and Joseph Gherna.

Sophomore High Honor Roll

Addison Allen, Kailyn Anderson, Ella Armstrong, Madison Atwood, Abigail Behrens, Alanna Bensyl, Ella Besson, Andrew Beyers, Brandie Bowlin, Mara Burkhalter, Kennedi Burnett, Angela Chahine, Braden Clampitt, Anastasia Conerty, Deanna Cummins, Benjamin Cunningham, Sidney Davis, Zander Dressen, Ashley Eldridge, Jared Emmert, Hannah Fox, Mackenzie Fulk, Zella Fuqua, Brennan Haake, Liam Hamer, Lauren Harper, Claire Huffman, Payton Jacob, Ava Knap, Sophia McDade, Elijah Mock, Jessica Palmer, Hope Rajlich, JoLeena Reynolds, Kendra Riddle, Taryn Sexton, Alyssa Shoviak, Luke Stegall, Rebecca Steinbach, Mackenzie Trame, Ethan Vanliew and Taylor Wells.

Sophomore Honor Roll

Tyler Altenbaumer, Nicolas Anzelmo, Nolan Grindley, Alyssa Hamilton, Kailyn Ingram, KayLeigh Kamphaus, Alison Kearney, Olivia Klotz, Ashlyn Lannert, Jacey Lewis, Wyatt Loghry, Madelyn Mabry, Kelsey Martlage, Ava Meyer, Ava Miller, Coby Miller, Conrad Miller, Jett Morris, Keaton Nolan, Emma Parkinson, Jackson Place, Jonathan Poulter, Griffin Roesch, Colton Thompsen and Elijah Weinmann.

Junior High Honor Roll

Isabelle Brooks, Crayton Burnett, David Bytnar, Taylor Campbell, Kylie Duckett, Hanna Eastin, Nadirah Edwards, Emily Fisher, Dakota Franzen, Emily Froman, Isabella Getty, Atleigh Hamilton, Mariska Harshbarger, Emmyrson Houston, Lukas Hutcherson, Logan Ingram, Vania Kaenzig, Cailer Kellenberger, Shelby Kofoot, Spencer Lahners, Aiden Livesay, Madigan Loman, Alyssa Maddock, Tyson Madsen, Sophia Martlage, Flannery McCorkle, Garren Meeker, Abigail Moberg, Samantha Naylor, Alec Painter, Erin Patton, Aidan Roberts, Indira Robinson, Mazie Ronk, Jackson Rydell, Evan Schmitz, Max Shonkwiler, Tessa Smith, Payton Vallee, Nora Walden, Brayden Wendt and Logan Wolfersberger.


SJO Honor Roll Students

Junior Honor Roll

Mason Behrens, Hunter Brooks, Brady Buss, Rylee Clements, Raegan Crippen, Makayla Duckwitz, Jacob Dwyer, Britney Evans, Alexandra Frerichs, Lucas Funkhouser, Izabellah Innes, Ethan Lane, Alyssa Lynch, Brandon Mattsey, Gunnar Olson, Brianna Reifsteck, AJ Wagner and Rachel Wilson.

Senior High Honor Roll

Lindsey Aden, Jenna Albrecht, Mallory Ames, Kendall Ayers, Taylor Barnes, Katelyn Berry, Emily Bigger, Kaylee Blackburn, Ginny Bytnar, Payton Cain, Brendan Cooperider, Kristen Costa, Drew Coursey, Kathryn Cramer, Andrea Cunningham, Faith Dahman, Hannah Dukeman, Robert Gebbink, Samantha Gonzales, Payton Grimsley, Erica Guelfi, Emily Hardimon, Cody Johnston, Danielle Kelso, Ava Mills, Carson Mills, Allison Monk, Nolan Peacock, Taddy Pettit, Eric Poe, Hannah Rajlich, Jenna Schaefer, Joshua Sexton, Rylee Stahl, Kenly Taylor, Stephanie Trame, Isabelle Vliet, Brayden Weaver, Samuel Wesley, Zoey Witruk and Jackson Wooten.

Senior Honor Roll

Joseph Acton, Michara Allen, Kolton Batty, Hailey Birt, Samantha Blobaum, Ross Booker, Erin Bridgewater, Trevon Carr, Payton Clements, Blake Dable, Bailey Dowling, Asjah Fonner, Clayton Frederick, Jaiden Freeman, Brayden Grimsey, Lucas Grindley, Ethan Hinrichs, Conner Hodge, Chance Izard, Tyler Jones, Lacey Kaiser, Aubrey Kern, Eliza Lewis, Nathan Maier, Keegan McCarty, Mason McLain, Alivia Norem, Luke Renfrew, Lexi Ribbe, Anna Tranel, Anna Wentzloff and Karsyn Wetzel.

SJO celebrates Class of 2020 scholarship winners

This year's Honors Night was celebrated in a different format. Due to the state restrictions on large gatherings during the Covid-19 pandemic, St. Joseph-Ogden High School announced this year's award winners via video made available on YouTube.

"Even though we are not together in our gym and there were several scholarships that were not able to be given this year, the following is an amazing representation of how intelligent and talented our young people are," said SJO principal Gary Page in his introduction.

Watch the video below to learn about the 21 scholarships earned by the Class of 2020.

SJO Class of 2020 Scholarship
Award Winners

Jenna Schaefer
Chamber of Commerce Scholarship
Illinois State Scholarship
National Merit Scholarship Letter of Commendation

Tristan Fuqua
St. Joseph Masonic Foundation Scholarship

Hannah Rajlich
Papa Pridemore Memorial Scholarship
Illinois State Scholar

Taddy Pettit
Papa Pridemore Memorial Scholarship

Jenna Albrecht
C-U Optimist Club Scholarship
American Legion Award
Lexi Barbour Memorial Scholarship

Lindsey Aden
FFA Alumni Scholarships
Illinois State Scholar
Anderson's Scholarship
Farm Bureau Womens Committee Scholarship
Champaign County Farm Bureau Scholarship
National Merit Scholarship Letter of Commendation

Mallory Ames
FFA Alumni Scholarships
Illinois State Scholar
Bayer Fund Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship
Ag Future of America Scholarship
Vincent O’Greene Memorial Scholarship

Brodie Sullivan
FFA Alumni Scholarships

Katelyn Berry
Illinois State Scholar
Daughters of the American Revolution

Emily Bigger
Illinois State Scholar

Ginny Bytnar
Illinois State Scholar

Andrea Cunningham
Illinois State Scholar

Faith Dahman
Illinois State Scholar

Hannah Dukeman
Illinois State Scholar
Illini Prairie Conference Scholar Athlete

Erica Guelfi
Illinois State Scholar
John Phillips Sousa Award
Lutheran Community Foundation Scholarship
The National Merit Scholarship

Ava Mills
Illinois State Scholar

Eric Poe
Illinois State Scholar

Kenly Taylor
Illinois State Scholar

Stephanie Trame
Illinois State Scholar

Isabelle Vliet
Illinois State Scholar

Zoey Witruk
Illinois State Scholar

Brayden Weaver
Sons of the American Revolution
Illini Prairie Conference Scholar Athlete

Payton Cain
American Legion Award

Danie Kelso
Lutheran Community Foundation Scholarship

Eliza Lewis
Lutheran Community Foundation Scholarship

Nathan Maier
Lutheran Community Foundation Scholarship

Cody Johnston
St. Joseph Youth Baseball Little League Scholarship

Brendan Cooperider
St. Joseph Youth Baseball Little League Scholarship

Kendall Ayers
National Choral Award

Joshua Sexton
National Band Director’s Award

Rylee Stahl
Tammy Walsh Memorial Scholarship

Anna Wentzloff
Tammy Walsh Memorial Scholarship
St. Joseph Masonic Foundation Scholarship

Zach Seeley
Army