Photo Gallery: St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team crushes Danville in two

St. Joseph-Ogden senior Kennedi Burnett cheers after the Spartans score a point against visiting Danville High School during set one of their non-conference volleyball match. SJO picked up the win at home defeating the Vikings in straight sets, 25-10, 25-7. Burnett served up four aces and hammered six kills over the two-set match. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Shayne Immke (12) and her teammates celebrate a point for the Spartans during the first set. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO's Kennedi Burnett prepares to pound the ball over the net into the Danville Court. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Danville outside hitter Simone Atkinson passes the ball to her team's setter during first set action. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartan libero Hannah Fox passes the ball to a hitter in set one. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO student fans in the Maroon Platoon help a Danville player locate the ball between points during the first set. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Emma Ward, Madison Atwood and Shayne Immke cheer for their team in set one. SJO quickly jumped out to a 12-4 lead on the scoreboard and never looked back. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Vikings' libero Audriana Alvarez passes the ball to her team's hitters during a long, scrappy point. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Emmalee Trover bumps the ball over the net for the Vikings during set two action on Wednesday. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartans' Shayne Immke goes up hoping to block a shot by Danville outside hitter Simone Atkinson. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO's Shayne Immke attempts to put the ball away for a point. The junior outside hitter finished the contest with four kills and one ace against Danville. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Spartan volleyball team to host scholarship fundraiser at October 5 home match

SJO head coach Abby McDonald shakes hands with an IHSA administrator before receiving her third-place medal at the IHSA Volleyball State Finals in 2019. The 13-year veteran coach and her volleyball program are raising funds for a new scholarship program to honor former educator and football coach Dick Duval. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team will host a fundraiser to create a scholarship fund in the name of former longtime head football coach Dick Duval at its October 5 home game against Monticello.

Duval, who built SJO into a respected Class 3A powerhouse football program, passed away on August 26. Not only was he a math teacher and the school's athletic director for many years, but was also a member of the SJO Hall of Fame and Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. His career coaching record is an impressive 251 wins against 75 losses during his tenure with the Spartans.

Head coach Abby McDonald, who took over the head coach position at SJO in 2008, believes in the importance of her players giving back and leads the varsity, JV, and freshman teams in administering projects to benefit someone or an organization in the community.

"At least once while they are in high school, I like our girls to do some sort of community service project at one of our matches - something to give back to the community because the community does some much for them and for us," McDonald said.

Last year, because of the state's Covid mitigation, the team did not have a project to work on. The program's last effort was a fundraiser for a fellow player who had cancer.

"Coach Duval is such a huge part of who I am as a coach but also a huge supporter of all SJO athletics," McDonald said. Like Duval, she immediately made an impact after taking the reins, building the volleyball program into one that consistently makes deep postseason runs, including two IHSA final four appearances. "We wanted to do something to show support to his family and to continue his legacy. We thought a scholarship in his name, for hopefully several years to come, will be exactly the way we would want his legacy to continue."

For the main event, the Spartans will square off against Illini Prairie Conference foe Monticello. Duval, after retiring from the St. Joseph-Ogden school district, returned to teaching as a substitute teacher and taught mathematics at Monticello.

"There will be several opportunities to support the fundraiser," McDonald pointed out. There will be a pork chop dinner special, a silent auction, t-shirts for sale, and more in addition to the traditional 50/50 contest. "The girls are doing some different fundraiser opportunities. They are going to have pumpkins to buy that they have been working on."

She is hoping for a good turnout at the Tuesday evening match to help seed the scholarship fund so it will be available to SJO graduates entering college for decades to come.

"The more money we raise, the more years we can name a scholarship winner in his name."

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Spartans put first football win in the books

SJO celebrates first football win of the season
Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden football team and student fans sing the school's fight song after winning their first game of the season. SJO, after dropping their first three games of the season to the Illini Prairie Conference's frontrunners, beat visiting Illinois Valley Central, 48-7. Photo gallery and game recap coming soon. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
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Raising the bar; Spartans roll IVC, 48-7

Tyler Burch celebrates INT
Spartans' Tyler Burch and teammates celebrates his first quarter interception. Thanks to his pick, SJO defeated Illinois Valley Central, 48-7. See more photos here for this game and recap coming soon.

(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
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