#TBT: SJO wrestling rolls over Central, 45-22

Casey Buss cross-faces Central's Steve Tillman
Above: SJO's Casey Buss cross-faces Central's Steve Tillman during their 171 lb. junior varsity match on Thursday, December 2 back in 2004. Buss pinned Tillman as St. Joseph-Ogden, an IHSA Class A school, beat local Class 2A wrestling powerhouse Champaign Central for the first time in the program's history with a decisive 45-22 victory. Right: Senior Heather Duitsman sings the National Anthem at the start of SJO first home wrestling meet of the 2004-05 season.
Heather Duitsman sings the National Anthem

Mark Gones tries rolling out of a pin attempt


Jerod Flessner works hard to pin Maroons' Mike Vignola
Left: St. Joseph-Ogden junior Mark Gones tries rolling out of a pin attempt by Maroons' Mario Pulani. Pulani won the decision 15-3 to help Central's cause. The decision mattered little in the Spartans' huge program victory that year. Gones went on that season to qualify for state the 152-lb weight class in February of 2005 along with five other SJO qualifiers that included Lukas Graves (Freshman, 112), Blake Speckman (Sophomore, 140), Billy Gallo (Junior, 145), Tim Hill (Senior, 160) and Ben Gorman (Senior, 171). Above: SJO's Jerod Flessner works hard to pin Maroons' Mike Vignola after reversing out near fall himself. Flessner lost the match 2-5. Photo credit: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


More Sentinel Stories



Photo Galleries


Oswego runner Kelly Allen
Kelly Allen lets out a roar while running in the half marathon course on Washington Ave in Urbana. Allen, hailing from Oswego, NY, finished the course at 2:33:30, good for 46th out of 75 runners in the women's 45-49 age group on Saturday. See more photos from the 2024 Illinois Marathon here.

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks