The Sentinel: 04/15/21

3 earn all-conference girls basketball honors

SJO's Taylor Wells shoots a jumper against IVC in 2020. A year later, after doing her best to stay competitive during the pandemic, she reaps the fruits of her effort by making All-IPC First Team in 2021.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Three area players garnered all-conference basketball recognition last week from the Illini Prairie Conference last week.

St. Joseph-Ogden's Taylor Wells was named to the conference's First Team list. Known for her strong defensive play, the junior finished the last three games of the pandemic shortened season averaging eight points per game.

Joining Wells on the the list was teammate Ella Armstrong, also a junior. Armstrong led St. Joseph-Ogden's offense averaging 10 ppg in her last three outings this season.

A well-deserved nod also went to Unity's lone senior Chloee Reed. Reed, who was a strong contributor for Rockets, scored 23 points in her team's 57-20 rout against Rantoul.

Below is the complete list of players who made an impression on coaches throughout the conference.

FIRST TEAM

Katie Steinman, SR
CENTRAL CATHOLIC
(unanimous selection)

Abbey Davis, SR
CENTRAL CATHOLIC

Taylor Nowaskie, JR
OLYMPIA

Chloe Sisco, SO
PRAIRIE CENTRAL

Taylor Wells, JR
ST. JOSEPH-OGDEN

Addie Masching, SR
PONTIAC

SECOND TEAM

Kennedy Ramshaw, SO
SAINT THOMAS MORE

Ella Armstrong, JR
ST. JOSEPH-OGDEN

Madison Kinkade, SR
PRAIRIE CENTRAL

Renni Fultz, JR
MONTICELLO

Abbi Bode, SR
OLYMPIA

Abby Cox, SR
CENTRAL CATHOLIC

Honorable
Mention:

Ella Larson, SR
CENTRAL CATHOLIC

Marley Williamson, JR
ILLINOIS VALLEY CENTRAL

Tristina Einhouse, SR
PONTIAC

Kianna Berlatsky, SR
RANTOUL

Chloee Reed, SR
UNITY

Photo Gallery | SJO baseball wins first game of the season

Coby Miller hits a home run for St. Joseph-Ogden

Coby Miller pounds the ball out of the park on this swing in front of nearly 80 high school baseball fans during St. Joseph-Ogden home baseball opener against Champaign Centennial. His 3-run homer in the bottom of the first inning was both answer and notice to the Chargers' solo shot minutes earlier. The Spartans went on to defeat the visiting Big 12 school 9-5 on Monday.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Hayden Brazelton is hit by a Centennial pitch

Hayden Brazelton takes a pitch on the hip while batting for the Spartans. Brazelton, a junior, tallied one hit in his two trips to the plate and scored two of SJO nine runs.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Crayton Burnett reaches back to unload a pitch against the Chargers. The future University of Illinois player picked up the win after giving up three hits and striking out 10 batters in his four-inning 2021 season debut.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO student fans watch the game from center field

Four Spartan baseball fans enjoy a beautiful spring day behind the fence in center field while watching their team take care of business against Centennial.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Ty Pence waits for a throw from the catcher to try and put out a Centennial base runner. Offensively, the sophomore basketball standout tallied 2 RBI on 2 hits for the Spartans.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks