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Spartans beat Rockets in Week 2 thriller at Dick Duval Field

Tanner Siems bursts through the Spartan banner followed by the rest of the team during the pregrame introduction on Friday at Dick Duval Field. Hours later St. Joseph-Ogden would emerge victorious in the home game against Unity, 24-21.

An SJO student fan cheers during first-quarter action against the visiting Rockets. It took a little under eight minutes for the Spartans to light up the scoreboard on their way to their second conference win.

Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden Maroon Platoon cheer for the Spartans during the first half of the game. SJO led the Illini Prairie Conferenc game at the half, 21-14 .

Unity running back Garrett Richardson finds plenty of running room against the Spartans in the first half.

Unity running back Garrett Richardson is brought down an 11 yard run.

Kaden Wedig hangs on to pass during first half action against the Rockets.

Virtually untouched, Rocket running back Garrett Richardson slides into the end zone on a six-yard run for a third-quarter touchdown to tie up the score at 21-all.

Unity's Tyler Henry shoves St. Joseph-Ogden's Tim Blackburn-Kelley out of bounds. Blackburn-Kelley finished Friday's game with seven yards rushing on four carries and two catches for 23 yards. He also tallied a 32-yard run on a kick return and two more on a punt return.

Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden's Class of 1994 are recognized between quarters. The alumni enjoy their reunion weekend with a Spartan football victory.

Drummer for the March Spartans pounds out beat during a break in the action on the field.

A Spartan cheerleader keeps an eye on the action on the field. This year's 20-member squad kept fans and the student section cheering all four quarters of the home game.

St. Joseph-Ogden linebacker Brayden Waller block Unity's Coleton Langendorf.

Wyatt Wertz scampers past a Unity lineman. Wertz delivered 19 of SJO's 159 yards on the ground.

Unity's Tyler Henry avoids St. Joseph-Ogden's Tayton Gerdes while returning a kickoff. His only return on special teams, Henry took the ball 49 yard before being stopped by the Spartans.

SJO's Carson Sarnecki and Quincy Jones wrap up Unity running back Garrett Richardson during third quarter action.

Covered by Unity's Ryan Rink, Spartan receiver Kaden Wedig snags the ball for a fourth-quarter catch.

Brennan Oleynichak lifts teammate Coy Taylor into the air after his 26-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. Taylor tallied a game-high 105 yards with nine catches.

Kaden Wedig hauls in a pass despite in-his-face coverage from Unity's Graydin Cler during the fourth quarter. Wedig, who finished with three catches for 42 yards, fell out of bounds in what could have been the go-ahead touchdown for the Spartans.

Waiting to go back in, Spartan quarterback Kodey McKinney gazes at the scoreboard at Dick Duval Field during the fourth quarter. The junior signal caller scored St. Joseph-Ogden's first TD on a one-yard run in the first quarter. He finished his second varsity game with 43 rushing yards and threw for 268 yards against the Rockets.

Spartan manager Cameron Kuchenbrod heads back to the sidelines after giving water to players during a timeout.

Brayden Henry breaks up a pass to Tanner Siems

Rockets' Brayden Henry breaks up a pass play to Spartans' Tanner Siems early in the fourth quarter. Siems finished the regular season contest with a 22-yard touchdown in the first quarter and 110 yards.

Unity's Dane Eisenmenger looks to make a throw in the fourth quarter. The junior quarterback completed seven of his 12 passes for 110 yards and tacked on 15 rushing yards in the loss to the Spartans.

Rockets' Garrett Richardson stiff arms Tim Blackburn-Kelley on a carry during the fourth quarter. Richardson had 22 carries for 90 yards and a 19-yard catch in Unity's second game of the season.

Surrounded by teammates Wyatt Wertz, Cameron Wagner, and Gabe Mata, SJO kicker Charlie Schmitz enjoys the moment after kicking the game-winning field goal from 31 yards out with 1.2 seconds left on the clock to seal a 24-21 victory.

Spartan lineman Josh Courter celebrates with this team after SJO's second-straight regular season win over Unity.

Unity stings visiting Nashville in quarterfinal romp, Rockets readying for semifinal at Monticello

Garrett Richardson picks up a Unity first down, bouncing off of Nashville's Grady Kirchner. Two plays later, the senior, who finished with 205 all-purpose yards, would score the first of four touchdowns in Saturday's home game.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

TOLONO — Long before the game ended, Unity's first-string was chillin' in the waning November sunlight, singing Sweet Caroline and practicing their Cupid Shuffle steps on the sideline. It took a little more than 28 minutes for them to earn their R&R and from time to time cheer on a big play by fellow JV players. By now, the Rockets punched their ticket to the Illinois Class 3A state semifinals in commanding fashion, overwhelming the Nashville Hornets 47-24 in Saturday's quarterfinal matchup at Hicks Field.

The Rockets (9-3), who have surged since a midseason loss to Bloomington Central Catholic, showcased their dominance on both sides of the ball. Nashville (10-2), riding a nine-game win streak and averaging 40 points per game, managed just six points against Unity's varsity defense before scoring three touchdowns late against the Rockets' junior varsity.

A Unity student fan cheers during the second half after another touchdown.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity wasted no time establishing control, scoring on every possession of the first half. Quarterback Dane Eisenmenger led a high-powered Unity offense, throwing four touchdown passes and showcasing precision under playoff pressure.

"I think getting the wind at our backs in the first quarter really helped us," Unity head coach Scott Hamilton said, summarizing the explosive first-quarter barrage of scoring. "Special teams pinned them down early and our defense did a good job. We were able to get on the board early and kept rolling from there. We took them out of what they [Nashville] do."

Garrett Richardson, the team’s workhorse running back, opened the scoring with a 22-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter. He followed that with a 50-yard touchdown reception, catching a perfect spiral over his shoulder from Eisenmenger and racing into the end zone untouched.

Eisenmenger spread the wealth among his receiving corps, connecting with Mason O’Neill for a leaping touchdown catch in the back of the end zone and hitting Brady Parr for a 10-yard score early in the second quarter. With 6:21 remaining in the half, wide receiver Tre Hoggard added a rushing touchdown, barreling through the Hornets' defense to make it 35-6 at halftime.

Unity’s defense was equally impressive, with Tyler Henry snagging three interceptions, one of which set up O’Neill’s touchdown. Henry, whose father holds the Illinois high school record for career interceptions, came within two yards of a pick-six after a dazzling 55-yard return.

"I was in the right spot," Henry said, still pumped up from the quarterfinal victory and his three interceptions. He had multiple chances earlier in the season to pick off a pass or two but always came up short. Today was different. "I just saw the ball in the air, and I just went and got it.

Unity's Tyler Henry

Tyler Henry is pulled down from behind by Hornets' Brynner Inman after grabbing his second interception against Nashville. The junior finished the day with three picks and has 54 tackles going into the game with Monticello later this week.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Richardson capped Unity’s scoring in the third quarter with a short touchdown run, pushing the lead to 47-6 and activating the running clock. Nashville managed three late touchdowns against Unity’s reserves, but the outcome was never in doubt.

Richardson finished the day with 155 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. He also caught a touchdown pass, highlighting his versatility and value to the Rockets’ offense. Eisenmenger, who completed 15 of 18 passes for 217 yards, displayed poise and efficiency, finding four different targets for touchdowns.

Hoggard led all receivers with 10 catches for 109 yards, while Parr and O’Neill made the most of their opportunities, each snagging a touchdown in critical moments.

Caden Hench was a busy bee, collecting 11 tackles in two and half quarters against the Hornets. The heavy hitting done, he other members of the starting defense soak up the moment, knowing they will play another game in seven days.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity’s defense was relentless, holding a potent Nashville offense in check for most of the game. Junior linebacker Caden Hensch led the way with 11 tackles, including eight solo stops, while Coleton Langendorf added two sacks. Ryan Rink contributed six tackles in a gritty defensive effort.

"We knew they were a run heavy team. Once we stopped the run, our DB's are all good enough to stop the pass," Henry said. "We all settled in and it was game from there."

Special teams were another key factor, consistently flipping field position in Unity’s favor and containing Nashville’s return game. Bailey’s accurate kicking provided the Rockets with crucial extra points to sustain momentum.

Hamilton said the defensive unit did a thorough job preparing for the Hornets. He was happy with how the Rockets came out ready to play, immediately taking control of the game on their first possession, and keeping their foot on the gas.

"Our defense did a great job putting them in tough field position," he said, complimenting their execution during the 27 minutes they were in the game and adjusting to the different offensive schemes. "We know next week we'll have to adjust to something new again. We will be ready for the challenge."

The Rockets now turn their attention to a semifinal clash with Illini Prairie Conference rival Monticello (10-2) next Saturday at 2 p.m. in Monticello. Unity won the teams’ Week 9 matchup 42-28, but the stakes are much higher this time with a berth in the state championship game on the line.

"I think it will be a good game," Henry said. "They are a good team. We played them earlier in the season and we won. We'll have a long week of practice, and we'll be good."

The winner will face either Montini (10-2) or Wilmington (12-0) for the Class 3A title on Nov. 29 at Redbird Stadium in Normal.

Unity football players singing on the sidelines

While players on the Nashville sidelines were likely singing the blues, Jaden Dene and three fellow players joined in together during a time out to sing the chorus to "Sweet Caroline" with the student fans behind them. The Rockets are one game away from another state final appearance, the last in November 2021.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Keywords: Unity Rockets football, Nashville Hornets playoff game, Illinois Class 3A state semifinals, Quarterback Dane Eisenmenger leads Unity, Garrett Richardson unstoppable, Unity vs. Monticello rematch

Clash of the conference Titans; SJO outlasts Unity

TOLONO - There weren't a lot of open spaces in the stands to plop down and watch the ensuing epic basketball game between visiting St. Joseph-Ogden and the host Unity at the Rocket Center on Friday. While it was a mild winter's evening outside, it was the heat and humidity of a Florida spring in the near-capacity-filled gym. The air was brewing with palatable excitement as the two teams with a combined record of 45-8, each enjoying a four-game win streak heading toward tipoff, warmed up.

Unity's Dane Eisenmenger tries to keep St. Joseph-Ogden's Luke Landrus from getting deep penetation into the paint during first quarter action of their Illini Prairie Conference game on Friday. See more photos below.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Unity (23-3) snagged the opening tip and it wasn't long before fans were forced to the edge of their seats by the 5's, Unity's Henry Thomas and SJO's Logan Smith. The two seniors, who later hugged after St. Joseph-Ogden (23-6) prevailed in the 73-72 overtime win, put on an impressive show of basketball skill, tenacity, and mental toughness.

"This was a fun basketball game," said Unity head coach Matt Franks. "This is what high school basketball is all about. I thought it was a great atmosphere."

Smith, who finished the contest with a game-high 29 points had five assists and three rebounds, drew first blood on a layup to momentarily put St. Joseph-Ogden in the lead on the scoreboard.

St. Joseph-Ogden head coach Kiel Duval said players like Smith, with his mindset, are tough to beat.

"It is tough to knock him down. He is an absolute winner," he said. "He has a 'refuse to lose' mentality. When you've got that, you are tough to beat."

On the next two possessions, Thomas scored in the paint giving, and Dalton O'Neill added two more points on a reverse layup to give the Rockets a 6-2 lead.

"Henry has worked really, really hard to get his game to where he can have a night like this," Frank said. Thomas finished the contest with a team-high 27 points and was four-for-eight from the charity stripe. Two Fridays earlier, the senior scored his 1,000th career point against Prairie Central at the Rocket Center. "I think it was a perfect combination of teammates moving the ball well so Henry can do what he does."

The Spartans would even the score on two free throws from Luke Landus and a jumper from junior Coy Taylor, tying the game at six-all.

After buckets from Unity's Tyler Henry and Eric Miebach, Andrew Thomas drains a trey, putting the Rockets up 13-6 with 1:20 left in the quarter. Flustered, the Spartans called a timeout.

The Rockets continued to lead on the scoreboard until Smith knotted the game at 19-all. After converting a free throw, SJO takes a 20-19 lead.

Unity shotmaking went cold after Coleton Langendorf hit his free throw to tie the game again at 20-all. Taking advantage of the lull, the Spartans make an 11-point run, going up 31-20.

In control the rest of the first half through the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, SJO held a comfortable lead on their hosts until the last four minutes and 12 seconds of regulation time when Henry Thomas racked up eight points consecutive points, trimming his team's deficit from seven to two, 64-66.

"We got into foul trouble and had some bad matchups," Duval explained. "Their best player got looks at the basket. Once we got into foul trouble, we had trouble recovering from that. We kind of went away from doing some of the stuff we did to get good looks."

With 10.7 seconds left in the game, SJO's Tanner Jacob sinks the first of two free throws and misses the insurance basket. Unity gets the rebound and the ball down to Dane Eisenminger, who pumped a shot outside the arc in front of his team's bench. The trey falls with three seconds left in regulation time, sending the game into overtime at 67-all and the Rocket Center into an unabashed frenzy.

Smith was the only player from either team to hit a field goal in overtime, helping St. Joseph-Ogden tallied six points against Unity's five to end one of the most exciting basketball games in the St. Joe-Unity rivalry.

"Both teams played really hard," Franks said. "A game like this could have gone all night. It was great basketball."

A free throw away from a second overtime, Franks said his game plan would have been to stay poised and composed if they had to go another session.

"(We would) stay in the moment. It's all about the next possession, and we'd have to just focus on that," he said. "St. Joe is a great team, and it takes a great effort to beat them."

Duval was expecting a dogfight and had no illusions, counting unhatched chickens. Earlier in the season, SJO suffered two losses in the last-second heartbreakers. The first in a non-conference game at Beecher 55-53, and the second on a buzzer-beater in the Small School Division State Farm Holiday Classic championship game to El Paso-Gridley.

"There were two good teams battling back and forth. We knew they were going to throw another punch," he said. "They are at home. They always play better at home."

Also contributing to SJO's scoring effort was Luke Landrus, who finished with 13 points, and Coy Taylor, 3-for-3 at the line, with 12 points. Tanner Siems had eight points, and Tanner Jacob drained a pair of treys and a free throw to finish with seven points.

Andrew Thomas, Henry's twin, finished with 13 points, and Dalton O'Neill, who went five-for-six on free throws, contributed 12 points. Eric Meibach (9), Dane Eisenmenger (5), Jay Saunders (3), and Tyler Henry (2) contributed in the Rockets' effort. Coleton Langendorf hit a solo free throw for one point.

"It was like a sectional championship game," Duval said, talking about the atmosphere. "That was huge. I am proud that our guys found a way to win."