Memory Monday: St. Joseph-Ogden wins state semifinal over Althoff Catholic

With this year's SJO volleyball team heading to Redbird Arena later this week to once again compete for the Illinois High School Association's state champion trophy, today's Memory Monday looks back to the volleyball program's final four opener three years ago.

Parker Francisco (left) and Bree Trimble celebrates a point for the Spartans during game one of their state semifinal contest against Althoff Catholic back on November 11 in 2016. The Crusaders jumped out a 5-0 lead and never looked back in the set to spanking SJO, 25-10. However, Francisco, who would finish the first day's battle with 10 kills and 5 digs, and the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team let loose and rallied back to take the next two sets advancing to the Class 2A title game against Eureka. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Oh, yeah! Jannah Mullen celebrates a point for the Spartans in the final set against the Crusaders. After dropping an ugly first set to Althoff, the Spartans take the final two 25-18, 25-8. Mullen served the team's only ace of the game and finished the Friday semifinal credited with three digs. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Resilient, relentless Bree Trimble passes the ball to the front row in game one. The sophomore contributed nine digs and two assists in the Friday afternoon victory three years ago today. The Spartans shook off the first set loss and won the next two to take the match and improve their season record to 31-3. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Members of St. Joseph-Ogden's Maroon Platoon cheer for the volleyball team during second set action. With only four kills in the first set, the student cheering section didn't have much to cheer about. However, their team stormed back to pound 32 bombs in the last two sets to punch their ticket into Saturday's title match against the Eureka Hornets. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Left: SJO head coach Abby McDonald realigns her players on the floor during set one of SJO's match against Althoff. Right: Senior Kylie Michael leaps with excitement after another point for SJO. Michael led the Spartan offense with at match-high 18 kills and 12 digs. A redshirt freshman during the 2018 season at Eastern Illinois University, she played 68 sets to finish the season with 132 kills along with 115 digs and 26 blocks. (Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Jannah Mullen lunges to make a dig and keep the ball in play during second set action. She was one of six seniors on the 2016 squad that would go on to place second in Class 2A. Mullen continued her volleyball career at Lakeland College where as a sophomore last year she was named second-team All-Region. She led the team with 520 digs, 19th in NJCAA Division I last November. Check the gallery, online for a limited time only, for more than 100 other photos from this match here: PhotoNews RAW Collection (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

St. Joseph-Ogden parents and fans cheer for their team during a timeout in the second set. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Reaching for greatness Parker Francisco leaps above the net to block a Eureka kill attempt. The two-sport athlete's leadership was key in the Spartans advancing to the Class 2A title match on Saturday at Redbird Arena. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Spartans Bree Trimble and Kylie Michael share a hug after the conclusion of their third set against the Hornets and with the realization that in 24 hours SJO will be playing for the program's first-ever volleyball state championship title on Saturday. For a limited time only, see more than 100 photos from this match and the championship game later this week at PhotoNews RAW Collection. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

College Notebook | Crowe leads Cobras to 2-0 start

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Crowe shines in Parkland season opener

Peyton Crowe opened her sophomore season with the Parkland College with an 18-point performance against Jefferson College last Wednesday. The St. Joseph-Ogden grad now starting a starting five with the Cobras, led the team in steals with three in the 71-62 home win on January 20. Crowe is averaging 14 points per game after the first two wins for the 2-0 Parkland girls squad.

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Bree Trimble shoots a free throw in a home game againt Oakwood in 2018.

Photo by Clark Brooks

Trimble scores 13 at Parkland

Starting along side teammate Peyton Crowe, Bree Trimble went 2-for-2 from the free throw line to finish the night with 13 points in Parkland College's second home contest of the season. She led the Cobra with four of the team's 17 assists in the 71-64 victory on January 23.

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Baker captures two firsts

Last Saturday, Riley Baker, a junior on the Eastern Illinois University track team, set a new indoor facility record at the Indiana State John Gartland Invite in Terre Haute. The former Spartan hurdler and sprint specialist took first in the men's 400-meter run with a time of 50.00 in the new the state of the art Indoor Track & Field Facility that opened in 2018.

Later, as a member of the Panthers' 4x400 relay squad, along with teammates Damian Clay, Tadiwa Mhonde and Gregory Downs, he earned another first place award when his foursome led the field with 3:22.52 win the event.

Baker and the EIU men's track team are back in action again on February 12 at the Grand Valley Big Meet in Allendale, Michigan.

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Plotner makes college running debut

Freshman Jillian Plotner started her college cross country career with the University of Tennessee at Martin by helping her team to a third place finish at the Redhawks Invite held at Osage Centre Fields on January 23. Plotner, the fifth runner from the Skyhawks to cross the finish line, turned in a time of 20:05.6 in the 2020-21 season opener. UT Martin competed in a field which included regional foes Eastern Illinois, Memphis, SIUE and Southeast Missouri. The women's team finished with 74 points.

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Mabry #3 runner for EIU

Former St. Joseph-Ogden distance specialist Sam Mabry was the third runner to finish for the Eastern Illinois University Panthers at the Redhawks Challenge at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO.. EIU finished fifth in the women's 5k race. Mabry, a 2019 grad from SJO, who raced against former teammate Jillian Plotner (SJO '21), now at UT Martin, turned in a time of 20:34.8 to finish 29th overall.

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Know a Unity or St. Joseph-Ogden graduate playing at collegiate level? Let us know their name, sport(s) and where they are playing. An email or a link to their social media account for interviews is a big help, too. Send The Sentinel a message to us at sports@oursentinel.com.

Spartans step it up in second half to topple Sabers in conference opener

Early on, it looked like it was going to be a runaway game and an easy victory for the St. Joseph-Ogden girls' basketball team in their conference opener at St. Thomas More on Monday.

The 11-1 Spartans made all the right moves building an 11 point lead, the largest of the game by either team, when the contest reached the midpoint in the first quarter.

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Senior Bree Trimble makes a pass during second half action in St. Joseph-Ogden's road game at St. Thomas More. Trimble finished the night with 17 points in the first Illini Prairie Conference contest of the season. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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SJO, moving the ball well around the perimeter forcing open looks, was fully in control on their way to their 58-43 victory over the Sabers.

Finishing the quarter with 11 points, the table soon turned and STM's giant awoke.

The Sabers stepped up their defensive game creating scoring opportunities for senior NaKaya Hughes to put the ball in the hoop. Hughes' effort, five second quarter field goals and a free throw, erased their early deficit in a palatable momentum shift. The STM starter finished the night with 27 points.

"We came out a little slow and didn't expect them to do what they did," said Peyton Crowe. The senior led the Spartans with 19 points and was perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line. "In the second half, we kicked it into gear and played better defense."

Spartan head coach Kevin Taylor praised his opponent's effort in the second quarter when his team's focus seemingly wavered.

"I have to give St. Thomas More a lot of credit," Taylor said. "They came out with energy, which I think we lacked at the start of the game."

With 52 seconds left in the half and STM two points away from taking the lead at the half, senior Bree Trimble, a veteran starter and the team's scoring leader this season, wasn't worried.

"I knew it wasn't our half. I knew in the second half we would be okay," said Trimble, who went on to add 7 second half points to the 10 she delivered in the first to finish with 17 total. "I knew someone would be able to pick us all up and get something going."

Back in the locker room during halftime, Taylor made tactical adjustments and told his team they needed to concentrate on playing more aggressively.

"Just get out there, focus and play harder," he told the team before the second half.

Fortunately in the fourth quarter, after St. Thomas took the lead battling tooth and nail to keep it throughout the third, Taylor's words became action.

Offensively, the Spartans scored seven unanswered points pulling ahead 44-37 at the start of the period before the Sabers' next bucket. They then went on a 10-point run to put the game out of reach late in the final quarter.

Nearly half Crowe's scoring production came in the second half. She thanked her teammates for helping her attack the paint.

"They were setting screens making it a lot easier to cut," she said. "Whenever I saw the open lane I went in."

The SJO defensive effort allowed just three STM field goals in the final quarter.

"In the second half we had some fire," Trimble beamed. "We stepped it up and played a lot better."

Next up, before playing in the annual State Farm Classic Basketball Tournament after Christmas, the 12-1 Spartans will travel to Morton on Saturday to face a 3A program that has won three state titles and suffered just 10 losses in the past four years coming into current season.

Spartans pick up win #19

The St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team hasn't been beaten this year. This calendar year that is. SJO cruised to their sixth consecutive win after they notch their 19 win of the season with a 70-48 victory over visiting Pontiac.

Senior Bree Trimble, who is averaging 16.4 points per game since the start of the new year, put 26 points on the scoreboard for the Spartans. After missing her first two free throws in the opening quarter, Trimble put her next seven shots from the line through the hoop.

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St. Joseph-Ogden's Bree Trimble lines up a shot in her team's non-conference home game against Oakwood on December 1. Trimble drained a game-high 16 points as the Spartans kept their unbeaten streak alive one more week with a 52-45 win over the visiting Comets. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Peyton Crowe, who scored her 1,000th career point on January 10, was 2-for-2 from the free throw line and finished the game with 14 points.

Freshman Ella Armstrong came off the bench to score 10 points and senior Maclayne Taylor chipped in 9 for her team.

Held to just 19 second half points by the Spartans, Pontiac's offense was led by sophomore Addison Masching with 9 points. Lindsey Hunt, Josie Noonan, Amanda Fox, and Camryn Feddern contributed 6 points a piece in the loss.

Photo-of-the-Day: December 29, 2021

Third best in the state

St. Joseph-Ogden's Peyton Crowe hugs teammate Bree Trimble after their Class 2A third place victory over Hillsboro at the IHSA Girls Basketball State Finals in Normal on February 23, 2019. The Spartans led by as much as 26 points on their way to the program's best finish in school history. Crowe scored 13 points in the win, while Trimble put a team-high 28 points on the board. SJO ended the season with just one loss after the 68-53 win on Saturday. See more photos from this game.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Photo-of-the-Day: December 26, 2021

SJO Bree-easy past Trojans

St. Joseph-Ogden's Bree Trimble makes a dig in their home match against Maroa-Forsyth on September 25, 2018. The Trojans fell in two sets 25-18 and 25-14 to the Spartans. Click here to request more photos from this game or 2018 season.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Crowe leads SJO over Unity

St. Joseph-Ogden scored 12 unanswered points in the first six minutes of the third quarter last week to notch another conference win last Monday. The Spartan girls team rolled 59-27 win over Unity after allowing just 10 points total in the second half of the game.

Peyton Crowe delivered a spectacular game-high 20-point performance in the win. The senior made all six of her free throw attempts and drilled a pair of shots from three-point range to overpower the Rockets.

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St. Joseph-Ogden's Peyton Crowe fires a shot after driving down the baseline past a Unity player. Crowe, who is closing in on scoring her 1000th point, finished the game with 20 points. See more photos from the game here.(PhotoNews Media Archive Photo/Photo by Clark Brooks)

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"She played well tonight and not just on scoring. She was hustling," said SJO head coach Kevin Taylor. "She took a charge and played good defense for us."

Once again the Spartans got off to a sluggish start.

Closing the first quarter with a one point lead, Taylor made a few adjustments and watched his team take command of the game in the second one.

"Our defense improved," he said. "Then we started scoring and getting better looks. We definitely picked it up on the second quarter."

Led by Bree Trimble, St. Joseph-Ogden put together a second quarter rally outscoring Unity, 18-8. She was the catalyst behind nine unanswered scores that allowed her team to pull away.

"I got on her early about not going up strong with the ball," Taylor said about Trimble's effort in the first quarter. "As always, she came through for us."

The senior finished with 13 points and missed just one of her eight free throws.

"We started out very slow. It was not a good quarter for us," Trimble said. "Every team that plays us, plays their best against us. We knew we had get out of rut and step up our game."

The Spartans also enjoyed a solid showing from Hannah Dukeman, who finished with 12 points. Maclayne Taylor added another 8 to the score. Both drained a three-point shot in both the 2nd and 3rd quarter to stretch the lead over their conference rivals.

Maclayne's improvement this season hasn't gone unnoticed by her teammates.

"She has grown throughout her four years here," Trimble pointed out without hesitation. "This season she can really handle the ball well Whenever we need a shot, she's there and makes it for us."

Ella Armstrong, Katie Cramer and Taylor Barnes rounded out SJO's scoring effort with a field goal apiece.

The Rockets were paced by Elyse Knudsen with 16 points and Rysa Stacy with 8.

The victory made it the fourth consecutive win for the 17-4 Lady Spartans since their loss to Bishop McNamara (Class 3A) at the State Farm Classic last month. Prior to that loss, the team's longest unbeaten streak was the 9-0 start to the season.

SJO's four losses this season have been at the hands of three Associated Press ranked 3A schools and 2A ranked Teutopolis.

College Notebook | Former SJO player knocks one out the park

Micah Downs finishes sixth at CCIW meet

Last February Micah Downs went 4-1 at the IHSA state wrestling meet at the State Farm Center to bring home a bronze medal for the Rockets. This February, a freshman wrestling at 184 pounds for Millikan University, Downs finished sixth at the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin conference meet in Rock Island on Saturday.

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Dowling hits first college homer

Well, that didn't take long.

Former St. Joseph-Ogden softball player Bailey Dowling cranked the first home run of her college career this weekend. A starting shortstop for the University of Alabama, the true freshman when yard for a two-run shot to put her team up 3-0 on Valentine's Day against Louisville (0-2). The Crimson Tide went on to win 4-0, which was the exact result of their three-day, four-game schedule this past weekend.

Here is the video of Dowling hitting the ball out of the park on Sunday.

🚨 Outta Here! 🥎🚀 https://t.co/C9GEPs3cx8 pic.twitter.com/U8lAe2qtvA

— Alabama Athletics (@UA_Athletics) February 14, 2021

After four contests Dowling has tallied 4 hits in ten appearances at the plate, scored three runs and delivered three RBI for one of the country's top softball programs.

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Kaiser notches 6 kills for Parkland

Katie Kaiser contributed 4 blocks and 6 kills in match two of Parkland College's doubleheader against the JV squad from Lincoln College. Ella Godsell, a freshman with the Cobras, had 11 of the team's 49 team digs. The former Rocket volleyball players helped undefeated Parkland (7-0) sweep the visiting Lynx in both matches, 3-0.

Kaiser, a sophomore, and Godsell travel to Quincy, Ill., for an M-WAC match against John Wood CC on Wednesday, February 17, at 6:00 pm.

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Former Spartans keep Parkland team undefeated

The Parkland women's basketball team improved to 6-0 on Sunday after rolling over John Wood Community College, 62-41.

Peyton Crowe scored 12 and Bree Trimble added another 11 points in the Cobra's home win. Crowe the team's top rebounder with nine boards. She was also credited with four assist and two steals.

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Trimble lights out against Maryville

When he was in high school Brandon Trimble dropped 44 points in St. Joseph-Ogden's Class 2A semifinal against Breese Central. Now a junior at Lindenwood College in St. Louis, the sports management major scored 24 points and collected six rebounds in the Lions 83-69 win over Maryville College on Thursday.

After 15 games in his first season, he is averaging 11.5 points per game. Since the start of his college basketball career starting in 2019, Trimble had scored 20 or more points in eight games.

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Baker 2nd at the Grand Valley Big Meet

Eastern Illinois University sprinter Riley Baker is just a half second off the qualifying for the NCAA Division II track & field national championships. The junior turned in a 48.99, good for a second place finish, in the 400-meter run to assist the EIU men's track team effort at the Grand Valley Big Meet on Saturday in Allendale, Michigan.

Baker and the Panthers host the Friday Night Special at the Lantz Indoor Fieldhouse this weekend.

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Coursey posts strong start for Redbirds

Last Thursday, Andrea Coursey started her senior season with the Illinois State University softball team on fire. The St. Joseph-Ogden product padded her stats with a pair of hits in ISU's road game against North Florida. One of three hit by the opposing pitcher during the game, she was left on base on all three times in the 4-0 shutout and season opener.

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Lincoln Land streak ends, Taylor leads team in assists

The Lincoln Land Loggers drop a heartbreaker to rival Illinois Central College 85-62 on Sunday. Sophomore Maclayne Taylor, who competed in volleyball, cross Country, track and basketball at St. Joseph-Ogden, lead the team with six assists and contributed seven points in the loss. The loss ends a 5-game win streak for the now 6-2 Loggers.

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Know a Unity or St. Joseph-Ogden graduate playing at the collegiate level? Let us know their name, sport(s) and where they are playing. An email or a link to their social media account for interviews is a big help, too. Send The Sentinel a message to us at sports@oursentinel.com.

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Spartan defense stifles Sages

Seniors Peyton Crowe and Bree Trimble could have defeated Monticello all by themselves. It would have made an interesting two-on-five challenge for the dynamite duo who combined for 34 first half points in St. Joseph-Ogden's 67-21 conference win over the Sages on Monday.

Trimble quickly accumulated a game-high 19 points and Crowe, who finished with 17 points, contributed 15 of her own in the first half.

There is no 'I' in team, but for the rest of season, St. Joseph-Ogden might want to look at a way to insert the word "We". Monday night's Illini Prairie Conference contest was a team effort.

It was the 12th game this season the SJO girls defensive play has held an opponent under 35 points. With the starters out, the Spartans did not allow a single score from Sages in the final quarter of the game.

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Maclayne Taylor dribbles the ball down the court during SJO's home game against Oakwood earlier in the season. Taylor scored 7 points in her team's Illini Prairie Conference win over Monticello. Eleven of the Spartans 12 players contributed offensively in the rout. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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As my former boss might say with his thick, rich, barely north of the boarder Texas accent: "Looky here. Funny thing is, you know, them two (Crowe and Trimble) could have taken the night off."

Yeah. Maybe.

Even with the pair sitting in their warm-ups, enjoying a generous marshmallow-laden hot chocolate and discussing plans for prom still months away, SJO would have still earned the W. Nine of the remaining ten players on the roster combined for 31 points.

In addition to the effort by SJO's leading two scorers, Payton Jacob came off the bench to score 8 points. Maclayne Taylor tallied 7 points in the first three quarters and Ella Armstrong chipped in 5 in the last quarter. Taylor Barnes and Hannah Dukeman made a pair of field goals a piece in the first half.

Angela Palmer, Katie Cramer, Alysa Lannert and Payton Vallee each scored a bucket in the rout for another 8 points.

Monticello was paced by Renni Fultz with 13 points. Olivia Swanson and Lizzy Stiverson were held to just 3 points each. Jayna Burger rounded out the Sages' effort with a single field goal in the first quarter.

The Lady Spartans are in action again this Saturday at home against Mattoon. They will follow the non-conference game with a home court showdown against Rantoul on Monday, January 21.

Photo-of-the-day | Trimble and Spartans win at home in straight sets

St. Joseph-Ogden's Bree Trimble pops up a dig in their regular season home volleyball match against Maroa-Forsyth. The Trojans fell in two sets 25-18 and 25-14 to the Spartans on September 25, 2018. (PhotoNews Media/Photo by Clark Brooks)

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Another huge win for Spartan girls

The St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team held visiting Olympia to just 5 points in the second half of their Illini Prairie Conference game for their 14th victory of the season. Eight Spartan shooters contributed in the lopsided 53-20 win.

The Thursday night game was the sixth game of the season, SJO held an opponent to 30 or fewer points.

Bree Trimble led all scorers with 18 points. Shooting 4-5 from the free throw line, Trimble tallied her total in just three quarters.

Senior Peyton Crowe was the only Spartan to score in all four quarters. She finished the game with 13 points.

The Spartans missed just 3 free throws all night. Maclayne Taylor (6pts), Hannah Dukeman (6pts), Ella Armstrong (2pts) and Crowe were all a perfect 2-2 accounting for 15 of SJO's point total.

Olympia was led in scoring by Abbi Bode with 12 points. Taylor Nowaskie finished with 5, Kennedy Smith chipped in a field goal in the first quarter and Colby Burt rounded out their team's scoring with a free throw also in the first quarter of play.

Next up, St. Joseph-Ogden will play Unity at home on Monday and then travel to Prairie Central to take on Hawks. The team will finish out the week with a non-conference home contest againt Matton.

Maclayne Taylor's buzzer beater advances SJO at State Farm Classic

A lot coaches stress how you finish is all that matters.

That turned out to be the case yesterday at the conclusion of the St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball game against the Lady Panthers of Central-Southeastern (CSE), a coop between Central and Southeastern high school from west-central Illinois.

With less than 4 seconds left on the clock, Maclayne Taylor scooped up an inbound pass from Bree Trimble inside the free throw circle and took the last shot of the game. The ball bounced off the glass and through the rim as the buzzer sounded to give SJO a 51-50 overtime victory at the State Farm Classic on Thursday.

Four of Taylor's 6 points in the game were made in the extra quarter at Bloomington High School.

"I didn't know if we would get the ball back," said Spartan head coach Kevin Taylor as he witness CSE's Leah Turner tipped the ball away from his Maclayne, who is also his daughter. "It was a big relief when it went in."

Earlier in the game, the Spartans fought hard to finish the half with a one-point lead after a two-point deficit at the end of the opening quarter. By the end of the third quarter, SJO led 34-27. The 7-point lead would soon be erased and the two teams traded blows like championship UFC fighters to a draw at the end of regulation time.

"They are a well-discipline, well-coach team," Coach Taylor said praising Matt Long, the opposing coach with nearly 500 wins to his credit, and his team. "They ran good plays and good sets. They are well-organized."

In overtime, neither team could gain a clear advantage. CSE, the #8 seed, led 50-49 with less than 4 seconds to play. Taylor's quick reaction to recover the ball and put it in the air was the perfect finish.

"I hope the fire and momentum keeps going," said Coach Taylor. The Spartans advance to a semifinal showdown against Illini Prairie Conference foe Bloomington Central Catholic late this afternoon. "It doesn't get any easier."

SJO will also face the Saints again in league play in their final home contest of the season. That game will likely be for the IPC title. Meanwhile, the winner of today's contest will play for the small school title on Saturday. The loser will have a shot at third-place honors.

SJO's offensive effort was led by senior Peyton Crowe with 14 points. Trimble, who was scoreless in the first quarter, finished the game with 13 points. Hannah Dukeman rounded out the Spartans top three scorers with 8 points. Sophomore starter Payton Vallee matched Taylor with 6 points.

The Lady Panthers were led by Laney Lantz and her game-high 27 points. Alivia Lantz added another 11 points and Leah Turner chipped in 6 more.

CSE moves to the consolation bracket to face Rock Falls.

College Notebook | Knudsen posts 29 point performance for Millikan

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Knudsen making early impact at Millikan

Unity's all-time leading scorer Elyce Knudsen is at it again. Now a member of the Millikan women basketball program, the freshman baller has tallied 57 points in just three games for the Big Blue.

In the second game of her college career, Knudsen dropped a team-high 29 points against Wheaton College. Despite her extraordinary effort, Millikan fell by seven at King Arena in Wheaton, 90-83.

Two days later when the two team squared off again, the Unity alumna led her team to victory with a game-high 17 points in the Big Blue's 85-60 win at home last Saturday.

Knudsen is back in action again tomorrow at 7pm when her team faces Augustana College and again at 2pm on Saturday with the Vikings.

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Former Spartans on hold

Lacey Kaiser, Rylee Stahl and Rylee Walsh, all former SJO volleyball players now suiting up for Heartland College, are in holding pattern. The Hawks first five matches have postponed. The trio could see action next on February 17 when the squad travels to Springfield for a two-match evening starting with Lincoln Land Community College at 4pm and a nightcap facing Frontier Community College at 6pm.

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Kaiser dominates at the net

Katie Kaiser was credited with six of the ten blocks tallied by No. 1 ranked Parkland College after their 3-0 win over Southwestern Illinois College at the Southwestern Illinois College Tri in Belleville last Friday. The nationally ranked Cobras rolled SWIC, 25-20, 25-15, 25-17, to pick up their third win of the season. The former Unity star also had 5 digs in the effort.

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Trimble, Crowe duo score 30

Bree Trimble scored 17 points and Peyton Crowe 13 in the Parkland College basketball team's 78-68 win over Olney Community College last Saturday. Thanks to the two starters, the Cobras continue their four-game undefeated streak.

The PC squad is back in action again tomorrow night in their first road contest of the season against Kankakee Community College.

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Know a Unity or St. Joseph-Ogden graduate playing at the collegiate level? Let us know their name, sport(s) and where they are playing. An email or a link to their social media account for interviews is a big help, too. Send The Sentinel a message to us at sports@oursentinel.com.

Spartans bring home hardware

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Ella Armstrong attacks the paint during the waning minutes of SJO's third place game against Hillsboro at the IHSA State Basketball Finals on Saturday. Fueled by a 28-point performance from senior teammate Bree Trimble, the Spartans will bring home the program's first state trophy after defeating the Hiltoppers, 68-53. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Photos Today: SJO notches conference win over Unity

The St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team held Unity to just 10 second half points in their 59-27 win over visiting Unity on Monday.

Once again the Spartan ladies displayed their prowess from charity stripe.

Spartan Peyton Crowe was perfect from the free throw line making all six of her shots. The senior led all scorers from both benches with 20 points.

Bree Trimble made 7 of her 8 free throws and was the second leading scorer for SJO with 13 points. Hannah Dukeman came through with 12 points and was 2-for-3 from the line.

Here are six moments captured from Monday's game.

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St. Joseph-Ogden's Peyton Crowe fires a shot after driving down the baseline past a Unity player in their home game on Monday. Crowe was perfect from the free throw line making all 6 attempts and closed out the game scoring 20 points on the visiting Rockets. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Payton Jacob battles for an offensive rebound under the basket for the Spartans with Unity's Hannah Fridgen and Taylor Henry. (PhotoNews Media Archive Photo/Photo by Clark Brooks)

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SJO's Payton Vallee keeps her hands up to block a shot by Unity's Rysa Stacy in the first half.(PhotoNews Media Archive Photo/Photo by Clark Brooks)

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Freshman Ella Armstrong plays defense during second half action for the Spartans. She contributed to 2 points in SJO's 32-point Illini Prairie Conference victory. (PhotoNews Media Archive Photo/Photo by Clark Brooks)

Erin Miller looks for an open SJO teammate to pass the ball while guarded by Unity's Martina Miebach in the fourth quarter. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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St. Joseph-Ogden's Hannah Dukeman concentrates on making a second half free throw. Dukeman finished the night with 12 points. (PhotoNews Media Archive Photo/Photo by Clark Brooks)

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SJO sets State Farm Classic record

The St. Joseph-Ogden ladies made a stunning debut in their opening contest at this year's State Farm Classic basketball tournament. The #1 seed held Peoria Christian to just 10 points, not for just one quarter, but the entire game in a dominating 80-10 victory.

The win was the seventh best score, now tied with Rock Island from a game in 2016, recorded in the tournament's 40 year history.

"I think our team came out with energy and everyone was exited to start the tournament out in a positive way," said Spartan head coach Kevin Taylor. "I hope we care that energy over for our next game where we will see a very good team."

SJO took command early outscoring the Chargers 23-5 in the first quarter. They dialed up the pressure in the second to take a 41-point lead at the half.

Allowing Christian just 3 points total in the second half and buoyed by bench players, the Spartans added another 39 points to scoreboard. Ten of Taylor's 11 players contributed in the drubbing.

Bree Trimble led SJO with a game-high 21 points and was followed freshman Payton Jacob, who came off the bench to add 10 points. Parkland College recruit Peyton Crowe and junior Katie Cramer scored 8 points. Erin Miller, who was 2-2 from the free throw line, along with Taylor Barnes, Maclayne Taylor and Hannah Dukeman contributed 6 points each. Dukeman also shot 100% from the charity stripe.

The victory set a new tournament record making it the largest winning margin (70) in a girls game.

The Chargers, who fall to 0-13 on the season, were led in scoring by junior Tiffany Mallow with 5 points. Lydia Keehner finished with 4 points and Kaitlyn Johnson made one of two free throws to round out their team's scoring effort.

The Spartans advance to face Laney Lantz and Camp Point Central/Augusta SE on the championship side of the bracket. Lantz scored 21 point in their tournament opener against Oakwood. Tipoff is schedule for 4pm today at Bloomington High School

SJO Graduation: An outstanding class says farewell

One of the most attractive things about St. Joseph-Ogden High School is the small town values that permeates throughout the school's culture. The commitment to family, friends and the community to not only succeed, but excel is a core value in academics, the arts, activities and of course, athletics. The level of caring and support is sometimes immeasurable.

"There is a culture of high expectations," St. Joseph-Ogden principal Gary Page said about not only the impressive academic accomplishment achieved by this year's senior class, but of the student body and faculty as a whole. Sixty-six percent of the members of the Class of 2019 graduated with a grade point average of 3.0, a 'B' or better. "It is the positive competitiveness they have with each other, but at the same time they are always supporting each other."

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Keanen Swanson escorts classmate Rylee Walsh during Saturday's graduation processional. One hundred and eighteen seniors received their diplomas before a near capacity gymnasium of family and friends. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Cole Zaccarelli was apprehensive when he and his family moved into the area three years ago. Coming from a much larger community in Texas, he was sure there would be fewer opportunities to enjoy. It didn't take long for his mind to change.

"St. Joe has everything you could possibly imagine. Just the fact that our class (cumulative) GPA was 3.3. That's insane," he said proudly. "The number of things I've experienced, like going to play in an All-Star (football) game in Texas, the tradition of going to state and watching the state football championships; those are things I will always remember."

Nick Boggs, who will start Butler University's pharmacy program this fall, said he will always remember the Spartans' run to winning the 2016 state basketball title and getting kicked out of prom his junior year with his girlfriend.

"That was pretty fun," he said smiling from ear to ear. "It's a good memory for my girlfriend and I."

He had nothing by praises for school that just became his Alma Mater.

"St. Joe is a really good school. We have great teachers, great friends and a really good community," he said immediately. "My mom and my dad are really proud of me."

Hopefully, he won't forget his first home varsity run last month, either. His baseball season isn't over quite yet. Boggs and Spartans won a regional baseball title less than 24 hours before he graduated with honors from SJO. The Spartans advanced to a sectional semifinal against fellow Illini Prairie Conference rival Bloomington Central Catholic.

"Our offense was okay, but not terrible," Boggs said about the 3-1 win over Monticello. "We've got figure it out for the next game."

Erinn Miller described graduation day as bitter sweet. Her immediate plans includes attending St. Louis University to study nursing.

"It sad because you are leaving all your friends that you have been with for a really long time. It is also pretty exciting," Miller said. "I'm kind of sad to leave my family, but it will be okay."

Her advice to the Class of 2020 and beyond was simple. Get involved.

"Definitely try everything. If there is a class you want to take or join or club, do it. You might something you really like."

Zaccarelli's message for the upcoming senior class was similar to Miller's recommending that everyone experience should try to experience everything they can.

"You don't have to fit any kind of demographic. Experience as many things as you can."

SJO Class Officers of 2019

President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer

Miss Rylee Sjuts Miss Hannah Lewis Miss Kalli Ingram Mr. Justyn Frisby

Seniors in National Honor Society

Cassidy Danielle Bagby, Adam Douglas Frerichs, Benjamin Duane Setterdahl, Nicholas Ryan Boggs, Hannah Elaine Lewis, Jacob Anthony Shaw, Rebecca Michelle Campbell, Keely Ireland McCorkle, Kaitlin Marie Shoviak, Kayla Nicole Cañas, Erinn Catherine Miller, Grant Edward Siegmund, Emmy Noelle Daniels, Eve Frances Owens, Rylee Mareka Sjuts, Nathan Taylor Emmert, Adam Patrick Rose, Brianna Grace Suits, Emilie Louise Fox, Abigail Kaylyn Grace Schlueter and Maclayne Kathryn Taylor.

St. Joseph-Ogden High School Class of 2019

Sullivan Michael Alwes Gage Andrew Atwood Cassidy Danielle Bagby Erin Marie Beyers Kaylee Lillian-Elizabeth Blanchard Nicholas Ryan Boggs Joel Tucker Branson Jarett David Burnett Makayla Nicole Buskirk Brooke Rose Butorac Rebecca Michelle Campbell Ripley Steven Campbell Kayla Nicole Cañas Daniel Robert Carlson Sarah Chahine Hannah Dwight Colvin Nathan Jackson Rilee Cook Aiden Matthew Coon Amanda Jo Craddock Ashtyn Crosby Cromwell Peyton Grace Crowe David Andrew Cummins Emmy Noelle Daniels Liam Morris Davis Chloe Marie Duckett Abigail Marie Dunham Avery Mary Margaret Edwards Griffin Kayne Emery-Carlson Nathan Taylor Emmert Emory Lynn Ericksen Jasmine Marie Febus Michael Peyton Foreman Emilie Louise Fox Cole Scott Franzen Adam Douglas Frerichs Justyn Isaac Frisby Bryce Steven Froeschl Lane Michael Gaskin Rachel Lynn Gherna Grant Joseph Goff

Haley Elizabeth Griebat Kaleb Tanner Harshbarger Mikayla Svetlana Harshbarger Kaitlyn Marie Hess Zachary Alan Hill Kalli Elizabeth Ingram Kaden Michael Jacobs Michelle Nicole Jervis Caleb Lynn Johnson Geoffrey Dylan Johnson Jake James Juday Kassandra Leigh Kelso Kenneth Elijah-Lewis Lahners Ethan Andrew Landreth Elaine Lewis Benjamin James Logan Jacob Sally Michelle Manalo Kyler Kendrick Master Keely Ireland McCorkle Isiah Robert McCune Tianna Marie McCune Shelby Elizabeth Schriber McElroy Aiden Bradley Meyer Erinn Catherine Miller Ryan Michael Miller Megan Kristina Mitchell Caroline Elizabeth Moore Tyler Wade Moore Jonah Wesley Morris Heidi Marie Novak Joel Aiden Orcutt Eve Frances Owens Angela Joyce Palmer Reid Curtis Patton Karsyn Michelle Peters Raymond Jerold Plotner Adam Jeffrey Lewis Porter Kathryn Marie Poulter Lindsey Dale Pryor

Hannah Jo Quick Joseph Paul Rajlich Benjamin Christian Reitmeier Annelise Korra Rhoads Hanson Eugene Rieches Adam Patrick Rose Libby Marie Rowland Madison Rosalie Rubin Niko Xavier-Laurence Russell Shane Christopher Allen Sabin Abigail Kaylyn Grace Schlueter Elizabeth Jo Schluter Samantha Rae Schmidt Kabriel Michael Schuster Duane Setterdahl Anthony Shaw Kaitlin Marie Shoviak Grant Edward Siegmund Rylee Mareka Sjuts Nicholas Robert Skelton Clare Wonder Smith Kamryn Averie Smith Savannah Elizabeth Smith Isabella Rome Spisok Brianna Grace Suits Keanen Michael Swanson Maclayne Kathryn Taylor Bree Ann Trimble Dillon David Uken Nathan Rea Walden Rylee Renee Walsh John Patrick Ward Seth Alexander Wedig Jacob Victor Wendling Conner Alexander White Alyssa Renee Whitlock Karringten Kalista Winn Wade Monroe Wronke Cole Richard Zaccarelli