Photo Gallery: Three-game win streak, SJO clobbers BCC for Homecoming

Ready to enjoy another Homecoming tradtion, cheerleaders Alexis Taylor and Emily Jeffries share a pregame smile before the start of the St. Joseph-Ogden's homecoming game against Central Catholic. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Ethan Vanliew slaps hands of fans as he runs down the tunnel during team introduction for the Spartans. Vanliew would intercept a Bloomington Central Catholic pass in their end zone and run the ball back for a one-hundred yard pick six in the second quarter. He also caught three passes for 25 yards in St. Joseph-Ogden 33-0 shutout on Friday. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden head football coach Shawn Skinner shares a big smile with assistant coach Nick Bialeschki before the opening kickoff between his Spartans and visiting Saints from Central Catholic. About two and half hours later, Skinner had an even better reason to smile with the homecoming win in the books and the program record improving to 3-3 on the season. "Defense was phenomenal from the very beginning," said Skinner, who pointed to the tenacity of his defensive backs and their attention to detail. SJO picked off two passes, one that was returned 100 yards for a TD in the second quarter. "We had a good scouting report, but our kids had to execute it and they were fabulous."

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Lineman Conrad Miller and linebacker Alex Funk

Spartan lineman Conrad Miller and linebacker Alex Funk bring down a Saints' ball carrier during first quarter action. In their best performance of the season, the SJO defense held BCC scoreless and just 144 yards in total offense. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Evan Ingram hurls a pass to an open receiver in the first quarter. The senior signal caller completed eight of 17 passes for 63 yards against the Saints.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Seniors Conrad Miller (77) and Keaton Nolan (8) explode off the line while playing defense in the second quarter for the Spartans. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Peyton Sarver, Keaton Nolan and Ramsey Primmer celebrate

A game official signals touchdown while Spartans Peyton Sarver, Keaton Nolan and Ramsey Primmer celebrate the score in the west end zone after teammate Ethan Vanliew ran an interception back 100 yards for a TD in the second quarter. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Ramsey Primmer breaks up a pass play for SJO

St. Joseph-Ogden defensive back Ramsey Primmer breaks up a pass play to Central Catholic receiver Nick Mardis during the second quarter.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Jett Morris

Spartans' Jett Morris fights off Central Catholic lineman Michael Mier while battling in the trench during second quarter action. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden student fans in the Maroon Platoon section catch comemorative footballs tossed into the stand by cheerleaders. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO cheerleaders perform a stunt for during their portion of the halftime show. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Baritone saxophone player Wyatt Loghry and members of the Spartan marching band perform their competition piece during Friday night's halftime show. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Eri Shimada performs with the SJO Marching Band

Eri Shimada performs with the St. Joseph-Ogden High School Marching Band during halftime.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Coby Miller carries the ball through the Saints defensive line during the second half. The senior tallied up 178 yards in game six of the season on 20 carries. He also caught one pass for three yards in the Homecoming game. Miller and the Spartans play at home again in two weeks against Rantoul and will celebrate senior night at the last regular season home contest of the season. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Sophomore Braxton Waller looks to pick up a downfield block while playing on the the offensive line in the second half of the game.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartan linemen Mitchell Wright and Austin Cotter move with the flow of the play while playing on the defensive line during the fourth quarter. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO's Alex Funk

Junior Alex Funk takes a well-earned drink on the sidelines in the fourth quarter of the game. Funk was a key figure on defense and finished the game with 5 receiving yards and 20 rushing yards. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO players and student fans sing the school fight song together after the school's big homecoming football victory. St. Joseph-Ogden, improving to 3-3 on the season, needs just three more wins to quarantee a berth in this year's IHSA playoffs. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Looking for photos of a specific player from either team? Email us at photos@oursentinel.com with the athlete's name and jersey number for details.

Three SJO relay squads advance to boys state meet

Three St. Joseph-Ogden athletes and as many relay squads from the team qualified for this weekend's Illinois High School Association boys state meet in Charleston.

Nolan Peacock and Hayden Knott were the only two Spartans to advance to the state meet in the field events.

Peacock will compete against a talented group of 34 high flying vaulters in the Class 1A pole vault. The junior cleared 11 feet-9 inches, good for a second place sectional finish, to qualify for a spot in Thursday's preliminary round.

St. Joseph-Ogden's Aiden Meyer looks for running room after snagging a pass in the Spartans' first-round, road playoff game against Monticello in October last fall. Meyer, who suffered an injury during the meet, will continue his athletic career after high school electing to play football at St. Ambrose University. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

The competition for Peacock will be stacked pretty high at state. The top sectional qualifier, Kyle Kruhtoff from Erie-Prophetstown, has raised the bar even before he and his competitors has laid eyes on the Eastern Illinois University campus. After winning last year's state pole vault title at 15 feet-6 inches, he leads all entrants state-wide in the event at 16 feet-even.

This will be Knott's second consecutive trip to O'Brien Stadium to state. As a freshman he qualified for state in the discus throw, a feat he was unable to duplicate this season. Instead, he will be throwing the metal ball down range as far as he can with the hopes of making the cut into Saturday's shot put finals.

Knott earn fourth place finishes in both the shot and discus at the sectional meet hosted by the Spartans on Friday. He sent the discus 132 feet and 1 inch and chucked the shot 49 feet-3.25 inches for his best meet marks.

Lane Gaskin hopes end his SJO track career on a high note. The senior will run in Thursday's 200-Meter Dash and in possibly two of the three relay prelims on Thursday. He ran a 23 second-flat sectional time, which is the 19th best in the state, and will need to lop off about a half second to make the cut into Saturday's championship race.

With Gaskin in the mix, SJO turned the sixth best sectional 4x100-Meter Relay time at 43.39. Joined by Brady Buss, Aiden Meyer and Dwight Colvin, Gaskin & Co. will face speedy quartets from Pana, DuQuoin and Rushville-Industry and should medal in the event.

The relay to watch will be the 4x200. The speedy foursome of Colvin, Brady Buss, Kaleb Harshbarger and Gaskin from the four-by-one will have a bulleye on their backs and are one of two squads, coincidentally from the same area of the state, to beat. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley enter the event sharing the top sectional time of 1:31 heading into the Thursday prelims.

Later, Buss, Meyer, Ethan Vanliew, Keanen Swanson and Harshbarger combined for a time of 3:31.58 in the 4x400-Meter Relay. The group finished sixth in their sectional and will have to shave at least four seconds off their time to find a spot in the championship race on Saturday.

Despite finishing third in the 4x800-Meter Relay with Swanson, Eric Poe, Isiah McCune and Brandon Mattsey, the Spartans' 8:37.97 missed the cut.

SJO finished fourth in the team competition last Friday with 55 points behind Urbana University High School (3rd, 58 points), Maroa-Forsyth (2nd, 87 points) and meet champions Salt Fork. The Storm clearly dominated the day with 111 points.

Admission to this year's state meet 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.

Correction: According to the results submitted to the IHSA, Gaskin, Meyer, Kaleb Harshbarger and Ethan Vanliew ran 3:31.58 in the 4x400-Meter Relay. The time was actually turned in by Brady Buss, Ethan Vanliew, Keanen Swanson and Kaleb Harshbarger. The 4x200 squad that ran the state qualifying time was made up of Dwight Colvin, Buss, Harshbarger and Lane Gaskin. Head coach Jason Retz confirmed that Aiden Meyer was injured and did not run in either race.

20 earn varsity track letters this season

It was a good season to be a Spartan for Hayden Knott. Earlier in the month he was named as the SJO's boys track team's Most-Valuable Player. He was also honored as field event MVP in addition to earning his second varsity track letter.

Knott, whose best marks in the shot put at 49 feet-3.25 inches and 145 feet-11 inches in the discus, set new personal records in both events this season. The sophomore won three meet event titles at two different events this season. He brought home two gold medals from the Rantoul Invite and one from a multi-school meet with Urbana, Monticello, Danville and Rantoul.

St. Joseph-Ogden's Lane Gaskin runs anchor leg in their preliminary race in the 4x200-meter relay at the Illinois High School Association's State track & field meet on Thursday. Despite their best effort the Spartans ran a 1:31.7 failing to qualify for Saturday's state finals. Gaskin was one of nine seniors who earned varsity track letters this season. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Ethan Vanliew was named the fresh/soph MVP. Vanliew competed in the 60-Meter, 100-Meter and 400-Meter dashes. In addition to competing in the high jump his first season in the Spartan uniform, he was also a member of 100, 200 and 400 relay squads

Earlier this week, senior Aiden Meyers signed his National Letter of Intent to run track at Eastern Illinois University. Meyer, who was named Most-Improved Player, will join SJO alumni Riley Baker and Austin Earp on the Panther roster next fall.

Meyer was a top three finisher in seven of the five outdoor meets he competed in this season. In his first meet of the year, he PR his 100-Meter Dash time at 11.11.

Twenty members of the track team, which includes four freshman athletes, earned varsity letters.

Senior letter winners include Joel Branson, Dwight Colvin, Nathan Emmert, Lane Gaskin, Kaleb Harshbarger, Isiah McCune, Aiden Meyer, Hanson Rieches and Keanen Swanson. Juniors earning a varsity letter was Max Chatterton, Brayden Grimsey, Nolan Peacock and Eric Poe. Three sophomores, Brady Buss, Hayden Knott and Brandon Mattsey along with frosh runners Elijah Mock, Jonny Poulter, Luke Stegall and Ethan Vanliew.

Photo gallery: Friday night football is back

Coby Miller (left) and Isaiah Moore lead the St. Joseph-Ogden football team to the field before the start of the first home football game of the season. The Spartans opened the season at home against the Monticello Sages. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

SJO coaches (left to right) Dalton Walsh, Marshall Schacht and Ben Gorman along with head coach Shawn Skinner and longtime assistant Bob Glazier observe a moment of silence in honor of former head coach Dick Duval. Duval, who compiled a record of 251 wins and 75 losses during his 28-year tenure, passed away on August 26. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Seniors Griffin Roesch and Evan Ingram run through the team banner during team introduction. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Keaton Nolan slaps hands of students as he runs through the team tunnel. Nolan, a senior, went on to carry the ball 18 times for 80 yards against the Sages. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

SJO linebacker Bryson Helfrich (left) fights his way past Monticello's Ashton Wassom into the Sages backfield during first half action. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Senior Ethan Vanliew flows with the ball while playing on defense for the Spartans. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Maroon Platoon student fans cheer for the Spartans during first quarter action against Monticello. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Driving forward, Spartan Keaton Nolan takes a hit and stopped in his tracks by outside linebacker Blake Mcduffie. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

With assistant coach Ben Gorman looking on, SJO head coach Shawn Skinner yells instructions to players on the field between plays. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Taylor Hug tallies stats for the Spartans during the first half of the game. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Mask to mask, Spartan Peyton Sarver goes nose-to-nose in the trench with Sages' Kaleb Reid. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

SJO student fans cheer for their team during the first half. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Running back Isaiah Moore is wrapped up as he crosses the goal line for the first SJO touchdown of the season. Moore also finished his first game of the season with six yards on seven carries. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Jett Morris celebrates SJO's two-point conversion in the first quarter. Unfortunately, it would be the last opportunity the Spartan would get the ball in the end zone. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Finding a lot of open grass, St. Joseph-Ogden quarterback Evan Ingram sprints down the field for a 64-yard run against the Sages. Ingram finished the game with 71 yards rushing and completed six of 14 passes for 35 yards. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Playing on the offensive line, Bryson Helfrich picks up an incoming block during first half action. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Sophomore Braxton Waller comes up to block after snapping the ball. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Members of the 2020 St. Joseph-Ogden Hall of Fame pose for a photo during their recognition ceremony at halftime. The 8th class to be recognized by the school include (left to right) Gary Garrison, Amy Scharlau-Lewis, Greg Knott and Ron White. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Members of the SJO Marching Band perform during halftime. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Austin Cotter (left) and Robbie Huson, a junior, goes over their position assignments before the next play during the second half. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Spartan linebacker Luke Allen slips into the Monticello backfield looking to make a tackle. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Trying to stay hydrated, SJO's Robbie Huson drinks water while on the sidelines. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Five Monticello lineman stuff a hole to prevent Spartan running back Justice Wertz from getting past the line of scrimmage. Wertz finished the night with 33 yards on 11 carries. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

SJO's Peyton Sarver fights to get into the Monticello backfield. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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.