Spartans and Hawks strong at Acklin Meet as Charleston defends title. Paris’ Harrison Hays repeats as top finisher.
PARIS - East-central Illinois cross country teams converged on Paris High School Saturday for the 9th annual Acklin Cross Country Meet, with 19 schools and 146 runners competing in the varsity boys’ race. St. Joseph-Ogden placed fourth overall, while Heritage finished fifth in a field loaded with competitive talent.
Charleston repeated as team champion, winning its second consecutive Acklin title with 72 points. The Trojans, who also claimed the 2024 crown with 67 points, were followed by Cumberland (84) and host Paris (94). The Spartans tallied 114 points, and the Hawks rounded out the top five with 165. Last year, SJO was runner-up with 87 points, and Cumberland finished third at 123.
Leading the way for Heritage was junior Clark Roland, who finished sixth overall in 16 minutes, 57.7 seconds. Freshman Christian Paul was next for the Hawks at 29th in 18:04.6, followed by sophomore Colby Schrock (37th, 18:20.8), freshman Greyson Guevara (42nd, 18:37.9) and senior Joshua Stierwalt (54th, 18:57.0). That top-five effort was enough to edge several larger schools and secure a top-five team finish.
The Spartans put five runners inside the top 30, separated by just 17 seconds. Junior Colin Burnett led SJO with a 20th-place finish in 17:44.5, with freshman Adam Bello (21st, 17:44.7), senior Lance Retz (22nd, 17:44.8), sophomore Eli Franklin (23rd, 17:46.6) and junior Nate Farney (28th, 18:01.0) close behind. Junior Aiden Hundley also contributed with a 30th-place finish at 18:11.1.
Paris junior Harrison Hays successfully defended his Acklin title, taking first in 15:53.57 after winning last year’s race in 16:49.48. He was followed by Dieterich senior Trevor Crutcher (16:04.79), Effingham senior Alex Gordon (16:22.41), Robinson junior Wyatt Herrington (16:40.25) and Cumberland freshman Colby Roedl(16:46.67). Hays, Crutcher, Gordon, Herrington and Roedl all finished among the top 10 a year ago, underscoring their consistency at the Acklin course. Roland was the highest Heritage finisher in the top 10 this year.
Top 10 Individual Finishers
Harrison Hays, Jr., Paris – 15:53.57
Trevor Crutcher, Sr., Dieterich – 16:04.79
Alex Gordon, Sr., Effingham – 16:22.41
Wyatt Herrington, Jr., Robinson – 16:40.25
Colby Roedl, Fr., Cumberland – 16:46.67
Clark Roland, Jr., Heritage – 16:57.77
Nathan Fonner, Jr., Paris – 17:00.40
Gavin Whitaker, So., Cumberland – 17:01.99
Jonathan Brown, Sr., Charleston – 17:06.44
Stanley Himes, Sr., Charleston – 17:08.25
Team Standings – Top Five
Charleston – 72
Cumberland – 84
Paris – 94
St. Joseph-Ogden – 114
Heritage – 165
St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans cross country, Heritage Hawks running team, Acklin Cross Country Meet results, Charleston Trojans repeat title, Illinois high school cross country standings
Big finish in Paris: SJO girls XC secures team crown at Acklin Meet with two top-10 runners.
PARIS - The St. Joseph-Ogden girls cross country team continued its strong fall campaign on Saturday, claiming the team title at the Acklin Cross Country Meet hosted by Paris High School. The Spartans outpaced a 19-school field with a team score of 38 points, placing two runners in the top 10 overall.
Sophomore Grace Bressner led the way for SJO with a third-place finish, clocking 19 minutes, 49.4 seconds. Freshman Charlene Barbee joined her in the top tier, crossing the line in seventh at 20:28.6.
Freshman Allie Bott added a 14th-place finish in 21:12.1, followed closely by junior Kyla Franckey in 15th at 21:24.7. Rounding out the Spartans’ scoring lineup were freshman Taylor Vaughn (25th, 23:03.4) and senior Sydney Steinbach (28th, 23:22.1).
Heritage sophomore Reaghan Stierwalt was the Hawks’ top finisher, placing 21st in 22:25.4.
Marshall senior Molly Farrell won the individual title in 18:54.07, edging teammate Madeleine Fox, who placed second in 19:33.40.
SJO’s balance carried the Spartans to the team crown, holding off Newton (62 points) and Effingham (78) to secure the top spot on the podium.
Tags: Acklin Cross Country Meet 2025 results, St. Joseph-Ogden girls cross country highlights
Illinois high school cross country team standings, Paris High School cross country invitational winners, Grace Bressner St. Joseph-Ogden runner profile
Attention coaches: Want to see more coverage of your cross country program? Send meet results to sports@oursentinel.com.
Historic win: SJO Spartans beat University High 5-3, led by Hess, Harper, and Stevens.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden's Zach Harper challenges Uni-High's Aldo Zepeda for possession during first half action at Dick Duval Field. Harper delivered a goal and three assists in the Spartans first-ever win over the Illineks. ST. JOSEPH - On Wednesday, the St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans soccer team achieved a milestone that had eluded them for years, defeating Urbana University High for the first time in 13 meetings.
The Illineks, known for their disciplined play and elite ball handling, fell to SJO thanks to second-half goals from Lucas “Buddy” Stevens and Zach Harper. The 5-3 victory marks a program-first for St. Joseph-Ogden, now 3-0 on the young season.
Tyler Hess sparked the offensive surge with two first-half goals on passes from Harper, tying the game at 2-all late in the half. Harper then broke the deadlock with a goal at 1:54, finding the east goal at Dick Duval Field to give the Spartans a 3-2 lead heading into halftime.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
University High's Muhammad Iftikhar attempts to block the ball as goes off the head of St. Joseph-Ogden's Lucas Stevens. Steven, who lined up an assist earlier, scored the Spartans' fifth goal on the second-half play.
The second half saw Hess complete his hat trick on a header from a Stevens cross at 37:10, extending the lead to 4-2. University High's Robert Tu responded at 25:54 with a well-placed shot in the box, trimming the deficit to 4-3 with his third goal, but a resilient Spartan defense, anchored by goalie Quinn Stahl, held firm to prevent any further scoring.
With just 17:13 remaining, Stevens sealed the historic win with a header from a Harper assist, finalizing the score at 5-3.
Statistically, SJO was led by Harper with one goal and three assists, Hess with three goals and one assist, and Stevens contributing a goal and an assist. Stahl recorded eight saves to secure the victory.
"They are always a good team," head coach Chris Stevens said about the Illinek. "Whether they lose 20 players or 15, it doesn't matter. They always have a good team."
Stevens said he is excited to watch this year's squad come together.
"We have a good team this year, and I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do," he said. "I'm looking forward to having the guys who played all year back out there."
Last year, the SJO soccer team started the season with one win and two losses, including a loss to Uni High. The Spartans then went on an 18-game win streak before falling in the IHSA sectional semifinal. Now 3-0, the program and its core players are positioned for another successful season.
Stevens said this year's team strength lies in its ability to communicate and stay dedicated.
"Some of these kids have played together for more than eight years," he said. "I have 27 kids who show up for every practice."
Looking ahead, undefeated St. Joseph-Ogden faces a challenging stretch with three matches in four days: hosting Mt. Pulaski/Hartsburg-Emden on Sept. 2, traveling to Schlarman on Sept. 3, and ending the run at Decatur Eisenhower.
University High, now 1-1, also begins a three-game week starting on the road against Champaign Central on Sept. 2, followed by home matches against Monticello on Sept. 4 and Fisher/Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley on Sept. 6.
While the loss stun and stung the Illineks, for them it was a step forward in their quest for another regional or even sectional title.
"Obviously, Robert Tu scoring three goals was amazing. He was working hard the entire game," said Uni head coach Joe Krehbiel. "I think we didn't match their physicality, especially in the first half."
After losing 15 seniors, the Illinek are a relatively young team. While the squad certainly has its strengths, Krehbiel said the team needs time to mature. Despite the loss and with only three senior to handle the leadership roles, he believes his program is still competitive among the top Class 1A teams in the area.
"Overall, we are less experienced than we were this time last year," he said. "Our midfield is pretty strong. We were able to move the ball around pretty well and create chances for Robert."
More photos
St. Joseph-Ogden soccer first win over Urbana University High, Tyler Hess hat trick high school soccer, Illinois high school soccer upsets 2025, SJO Spartans soccer results September 2025, High school soccer program milestone victory
Week 1 of Friday Night Forecast ends in a tiebreaker, with J edging Sara after both posted perfect 5-0 prediction records.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Unity senior Nick Jessee reacts after just missing a fumble recovery in the Rockets' playoff semifinal against Monticello. The two teams square off without Jessee this Friday for the Friday Night Forecast's Game-of-the-Week at Monticello. URBANA - The results are in for our first Friday Night Forecast!
Sara and J, who asked not to have their full name published, both went a perfect 5-0 in Week 1 predictions. That forced the contest to a tiebreaker, with J edging out the win by coming closest to the total score in the Game of the Week.
This week's results:
Rank
Player
Record
Notes
1
J
5-0
Week 1 Winner (tiebreaker)
2
Sara
5-0
Perfect record, fell on tiebreaker
3
Brooks Look
4-1
Strong start, just missed perfect
4
Denise
4-1
One game shy of the leaders
5
Alan
3-2
Winning record
Next Friday's Illini Prairie games:
Central Catholic vs Illinois Valley Central
Prairie Central @ Pontiac
Monticello vs Unity
Rantoul @ Mattoon
St. Joseph-Ogden vs Paxton-Buckley-Loda
FINAL: St. Joseph-Ogden 44, Prairie Central 7Alan: St. Joseph-Ogden .::. 28-7 Denise: St. Joseph-Ogden .::. 28-21 J: St. Joseph-Ogden .::. 35-7 Sara: St. Joseph-Ogden .::. 48-21
Brooks Look: St. Joseph-Ogden 35, Prairie Central 16
IVC vs Monticello
FINAL: Monticello 21, IVC 6Alan: Illinois Valley Central .::. 35-32 Denise: Monticello .::. 21-14 J: Monticello .::. 21-14 Sara: Monticello .::. 32-27
Brooks Look: Monticello 42, IVC 21
Ready to join in? Next week, the Friday Night Forecast rolls on, and it’s your chance to bring the sunshine—or stir up a little gridiron thunder. Will you be a clear-sky champion or get caught in a hailstorm of wrong picks? Drop back by to enter your picks for the Week 2 Illini Prairie football games.
ST. JOSEPH - Spartan quarterback Kodey McKinney runs by Paxton-Buckley-Loda middle linebacker Dameion Olivero during their 2024 regular season finale. The Panthers return to Dick Duval Field searching for the first victory of the season and retribution for last season's 42-14 loss to St. Joseph-Ogden in their Week 2 game on Friday.
Submit your picks for this week's forecast and see how your calls stack up against other Illini Prairie Conference football fans. Drop back by OurSentinel.com Friday morning to see which teams are predicted to win as they work to qualify for this year's state football playoffs.
Illinois leaders Bill Daley and Ray LaHood relaunch an effort to end partisan gerrymandering in state legislative maps.
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Andrew Adams
Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined former Commerce Secretary Bill Daley on the latest episode of the Capitol Cast podcast to discuss their renewed “fair maps” push.
SPRINGFIELD - Two veteran federal officials from Illinois are relaunching an effort to amend the Illinois Constitution and end partisan gerrymandering in state legislative districts.
Bill Daley, a Democrat from Chicago who served as secretary of commerce under President Bill Clinton, and Ray LaHood, a former Republican member of Congress from Peoria who served as transportation secretary under President Barack Obama, hope they can succeed where a similar effort in 2016 failed.
The two spoke with Capitol News Illinois for an episode of the Capitol Cast podcast. The interview is also available on CNI’s YouTube channel.
“We had a very, rather complicated, process that we put forward to the voters, if it had gotten on the ballot,” Daley said of the 2016 campaign, which he actively supported. “What we learned from that, and looking at the Supreme Court decision and looking at prior cases, (was) that we should simplify and not be as complicated as we became in 2016. We have a plan that's simple. We feel very confident that the courts will approve this.”
The 2016 effort
In 2016, supporters of the “Fair Maps” initiative gathered enough signatures to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to establish an 11-member commission to redraw legislative maps after each decennial census. Seven of those members would have been chosen by a panel appointed by the auditor general, while the other four would have been appointed by legislative leaders.
But before the proposal got on the ballot, opponents of the measure – including allies of then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan – filed a court challenge and the Illinois Supreme Court struck it down on technical grounds.
The court ruled that under the Illinois Constitution, citizen-initiated amendments must be limited to dealing with “structural and procedural subjects contained in Article IV” of the constitution, which deals with the legislature. By assigning new duties to the auditor general, the court said, the proposed amendment went beyond what is allowed in a citizen-initiated amendment and, therefore, was unconstitutional.
That case was filed by a group called People’s Map whose chairman, John Hooker, was an executive at the utility giant Commonwealth Edison. In July, Hooker was sentenced to 1 ½ years in prison and ordered to pay a $500,000 fine after being convicted as part of the “ComEd Four” for his role in bribing Madigan with jobs and contracts for his political allies in exchange for legislation favorable to the utility.
‘Picking your voters’
Daley and LaHood said the problem that existed in 2016 still exists today. That is, legislative maps are drawn in a way that protects the majority party.
Currently, that’s the Democratic Party, which holds 61% of the seats in the Illinois House and 68% of the seats in the state Senate, despite the fact that Democrats, on average, have won only about 55% of the vote in recent statewide elections.
“When the Republicans had the majority, they did the same thing that Democrats did,” Daley said. “Whether they did it as well or not, that can be debated. But this idea of picking your voters to maintain control, whichever party it is.”
The new proposal calls for establishing a 12-member “Legislative Redistricting Commission,” whose members would be appointed by the top Democrat and Republican in each legislative chamber. Each leader would appoint one member of the General Assembly and two members who are not lawmakers.
The commission would be barred from using voters’ party registration or voting history data when drawing maps. Districts also would be required to be compact, contiguous and drawn along existing county and municipal lines where possible.
Congress not affected
The proposal would not, however, change the method of drawing congressional district maps, a topic that has made national news in recent weeks when the Texas Legislature held a special session to redraw that state’s congressional maps to create five more Republican-leaning districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
These maps are reflective of where people live and having their friends and neighbors as their representatives
Daley and LaHood said the proposal is limited to state legislative redistricting because citizen-initiated amendments are limited to structural and procedural subjects contained in Article IV of the state constitution. Congressional redistricting is a power conferred on state legislatures from the U.S. Constitution.
Neither Daley nor LaHood would predict whether changing the mapmaking process would alter the makeup of the General Assembly significantly or change the kinds of legislation that passes through it. But LaHood — pointing to states like Iowa and California, which have adopted independent mapmaking commissions — said drawing fair maps is important for individuals and communities.
“They're not splitting up neighborhoods, they're not splitting up communities, they're not splitting up counties,” he said. “These maps are reflective of where people live and having their friends and neighbors as their representatives … and so I think in states where they have citizens drawing the maps and keeping friends and neighbors together, the voters are pretty happy.”
TELL THE SENTINEL WHAT YOU THINK:Do you think Illinois is unfairly gerrymandered? Send us a letter telling us why you feel it is and how you would fix it, or tell us why it is fine the way it is.
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A warm, sunny day set the stage for Illinois XC as the Illini opened their season with top-3 team finishes.
SAVOY - It was a beautiful, picturesque day at the Orange & Blue Golf Course in Savoy, just minutes from the University of Illinois campus in Urbana-Champaign. With only a few clouds in the sky and comfortable temperatures just under 80 degrees, runners navigated the course with ease as the Illinois men’s and women’s cross country teams opened the 2025 season at the Fighting Illini Invitational. The Illini men placed second overall with 61 points, while the women finished third with 74.
Women’s Division
Freshman Nora Wollen led the Illinois women with a runner-up finish in the 4K, clocking 13:18.90. Teammate Avril Andre followed in third place at 13:26.50, giving Illinois two of the top three finishers in the race.
Freshman Nicole Poglitsch scored in 23rd (14:20.70), graduate student Lina Maatouk finished 24th (14:25.90), and sophomore Mabry Bruhn added a 29th-place effort (14:33.90). Stella Davis (30th, 14:35.00) and Audrey Ginsberg (36th, 14:47.10) rounded out Illinois’ scoring depth.
Illinois placed third as a team behind champion Bradley (28 points) and runner-up Indiana State (61).
Graduate student Joshua Daggett paced the Illinois men with a fifth-place finish in the 6K, running a personal-best 17:41.90. Sophomores Trey Sato (7th, 17:49.10) and Adam Patel (8th, 17:49.90) added strong scoring performances.
Senior Brady Masters placed 16th (18:16.70), and sophomore Jackson Barrett crossed in 26th (18:30.50) to round out the team’s scoring five.
Illinois finished second behind Bradley (22 points), edging UIC (74) for the runner-up spot.
Women’s Team Scores (4K):
1. Bradley – 28
2. Indiana State – 61
3. Illinois – 74
4. Illinois State – 98
5. UIC – 134
6. Southern Illinois – 181
7. Northern Illinois – 183
8. Chicago State – 232 Men’s Team Scores (6K):
1. Bradley – 22
2. Illinois – 61
3. UIC – 74
4. Illinois State – 101
5. Indiana State – 129
6. Southern Illinois – 139
7. Chicago State – 195
Tagged: Illinois cross country Fighting Illini Invitational results, Illinois XC 2025 season opener Savoy
Orange and Blue Golf Course cross country race, Nora Wollen Illinois women’s cross country, Illinois men’s cross country Daggett Sato Patel
St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball drops first match of the season 25-13, 25-17. Emma McKinney leads with six digs. Home opener vs. Mahomet-Seymour on Sept. 2.
BISMARCK - The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team continued its early-season road swing on Thursday, falling in straight sets to Bismarck-Henning, 25-19, 25-16.
Emerson Williams paced the Spartans with four kills and six assists, while setter Emma McKinney dished out 11 assists to go with two kills. Ally Schmitz contributed two kills and three digs, and both Hadley McDonald and Addi Childers added two kills apiece. Childers also led the blocking effort with two at the net.
Defensively, libero Katie Ericksen anchored the back row with 11 digs. Despite the effort, SJO (0-2) mustered only seven kills in each set and couldn’t find the consistency to extend the match.
The Spartans face a demanding schedule next week, starting Saturday with a matchup at Mahomet-Seymour. The Bulldogs, last year’s Class 3A state champions, also visit SJO for the Spartans’ home opener on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Main Gym.
From there, Williams and company hit the road again, traveling to Armstrong-Potomac on Wednesday before heading to Teutopolis on Thursday. The week wraps up with a trip to the Mattoon Volleyball Tournament on Saturday.
Bismarck-Henning (1-1), which lost its opener to Unity, heads to Danville on Tuesday before hosting Villa Grove on Thursday.
Match Leaders – SJO at Bismarck-Henning
Emerson Williams: 4 kills, 6 assists
Emma McKinney: 11 assists, 2 kills
Ally Schmitz: 2 kills, 3 digs
Hadley McDonald: 2 kills
Addi Childers: 2 kills, 2 blocks
Katie Ericksen: 11 digs
TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball 2025 schedule,SJO vs Bismarck-Henning volleyball recap, Mahomet-Seymour vs St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball preview, Spartan athletics volleyball coverage
Hawks flipped last year’s script, beating Herscher 2-1 behind balanced play and tough serving
FAIRBURY - What a difference a year makes. In the 2024 season opener, Herscher handed Prairie Central its third straight loss. This time, the Hawks flipped the script, pulling out a three-set victory Thursday night over the visiting Tigers to improve to 2-1 on the season.
Prairie Central dropped the opening set 23-25, but showed composure under pressure to even the match with a 25-23 win in the second. The Hawks then dominated the deciding set, cruising to a 25-9 finish.
"There was a very long delay tonight and the girls did a great job of pushing through it and finishing out the set for the match win," said head coach Kirsten Smith. "It was definitely a late home match but it was worth it in the end. I am so proud of these girls."
Balance proved to be the difference. Outside hitter Miranda Hari turned in a standout all-around performance with 12 kills, 12 digs, nine service points and three aces. Setter Kyah Creek directed the offense with 22 assists and added seven kills. At the net, Mia Elliott contributed three assisted blocks while scoring 12 service points and four aces. Defensively, libero Paige Young anchored the back row with 18 digs as the Hawks’ coverage frustrated Herscher in the final two sets.
"The girls played as a unit so well tonight and definitely gave their solid effort," Smith added. "Our setter, Kyah Creek, did a great job at seeing both sides of the court and knowing when to tip."
The Hawks are off to a stronger start than last year, when they finished 15-22 and seventh in the Illini Prairie Conference. They will next test their progress at the Livingston County Tournament on Saturday.
Earlier, Prairie Central's sophomore squad lost in straight sets 25-15, 25-20. The freshman squad also took down their opponents after third-set rally, winning 25-22, 24-26, 16-14.
Prairie Central volleyball win, Herscher vs Prairie Central 2025, Livingston County Tournament preview, Illini Prairie Conference volleyball, Miranda Hari performance
IPC football fans, grab your popcorn! IPC football fans test their prediction skills in The Sentinel’s first Friday Night Forecast of the 2025 season.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Monticello’s Landon Carlisle tries to keep Unity’s Hunter Eastin from making a play during their Class 3A state semifinal game in 2024. Eastin has moved on, but Carlisle, now a sophomore, will be back to help the Sages contend for the top of the Illini Prairie Conference. Both programs received unanimous picks to win this week’s season opener in the Friday Night Forecast.URBANA - Ladies and gentlemen, football fans of Illini Prairie—brace yourselves! The Sentinel is kicking off the very first season of the Friday Night Forecast, and the stakes are higher than ever. We welcome four brave challengers—Alan, J, Denise, and Sara—ready to test their prediction skills and claim glory!
But standing in their way is none other than Clark Brooks, Champaign-Urbana’s very own oracle of the gridiron, a titan of pigskin prophecy whose foresight has baffled, amazed, and humbled even the boldest fans.
Grab your umbrellas, grab your popcorn, and get ready for a clash of football wits! Here are the picks from the Sentinel’s inaugural Friday Night Forecast.
P.S. Best of luck to all IPC football programs this season—may your dedication, off-season training, and pursuit of excellence shine on the field!
Week 1 predictions
Illini Prairie Game of the Week
Paxton-Buckley-Loda vs Central Catholic
Alan: Central Catholic .::. 28-7 Denise: Central Catholic .::. 14-7 J: Central Catholic .::. 21-6 Sara: Paxton-Buckley-Loda .::. 27-26
Brooks Look: Last fall, Paxton-Buckley-Loda (7-4) shocked BCC (5-5), winning in overtime, 22-21. The Panthers will be without quarterback Conner Vaughn and Robert Boyd-Meents, who piled up 186 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries in the IPC thriller. Considering that the Saints haven’t posted a win in their last two visits to Paxton, and both programs are 2-2 since the dark days of COVID, PBL - with home-field advantage - takes this one, no overtime needed, with a second-half comeback.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda 28, Central Catholic 21
Pontiac @ Coal City
Alan: Pontiac .::. 14-12 Denise: Pontiac .::. 28-14 J: Coal City .::. 35-6 Sara: Coal City .::. 40-14 Brooks Look: Pontiac returns just three starters on both sides of the ball from last year’s one-win season. The Indians, who have won four games in as many years, are rebuilding under former Unity star - and now Athletic Director and head coach - Zach Gadbury. Coal City, stocked with 17 seniors, finished 2024 with a respectable 10-3 record. Bench depth and experience should give them the edge here.
Coal City 42, Pontiac 14
Unity vs Rantoul
Alan: Unity .::. 28-14 Denise: Unity .::. 32-7 J: Unity .::. 49-0 Sara: Unity .::. 39-6 Brooks Look: Improving from an 0-9 season in 2023 to 1-8 last year with a win over Pontiac, Rantoul faces a team hungry for a trip to the Class 3A state title game after a heartbreaking semifinal loss to Monticello last November. Unity’s tradition and culture of winning won’t be tested in their home season opener. Look for Rocket quarterback Dane Eisenmenger to put up big numbers early.
Unity 49, Rantoul 13
Prairie Central vs St. Joseph-Ogden
Alan: St. Joseph-Ogden .::. 28-7 Denise: St. Joseph-Ogden .::. 28-21 J: St. Joseph-Ogden .::. 35-7 Sara: St. Joseph-Ogden .::. 48-21
Brooks Look: This game has the markings of a shootout, with Prairie Central’s Dalton Steidinger on one side of the ball and St. Joseph-Ogden’s Kodey McKinney on the other. Even with Steidinger passing for 992 yards last fall, the Hawks finished 5-5 overall and 4-4 in conference play. McKinney, on the other hand, hoarded 2,351 yards, resulting in 29 touchdowns, and led SJO to an undefeated conference run. If Prairie Central can’t contain SJO’s passing game and stop Wyatt Wertz on the ground, this could easily turn into a lopsided affair.
St. Joseph-Ogden 35, Prairie Central 16
IVC vs Monticello
Alan: Illinois Valley Central .::. 35-32 Denise: Monticello .::. 21-14 J: Monticello .::. 21-14 Sara: Monticello .::. 32-27
Brooks Look:Illinois Valley Central (3-6) won three of its last four games at the end of the 2024 season and will give the Sages a run for their money early in the home opener. However, the Class 3A runner-up will shake off first-quarter jitters as last year’s juniors and sophomores adjust to their new roles before picking up where the team left off in November.
Monticello 42, IVC 21 Get ready to weather the storm of predictions! Next week, the Friday Night Forecast rolls on, and it’s your chance to bring the sunshine—or stir up a little gridiron thunder. Will you be a clear-sky champion or get caught in a hailstorm of wrong picks? Drop back by to enter your picks for the Week 2 Illini Prairie football games.
URBANA - The Sentinel kicks off its new weekly feature, the Friday Night Forecast, inviting Big Twelve football fans to test their prediction skills throughout the regular season. In our opening poll for Week 1, just two entries were submitted, but early results showed strong consensus. Fans were unanimous on the winners in four of the seven conference matchups, including tonight’s opener with Champaign Central hosting Springfield.
Below are the picks from the Sentinel’s inaugural Friday Night Forecast.
Week 1 predictions
Champaign Central vs Springfield
Alan: Champaign Central .::. 36-14 Clark: Springfield H.S. .::. 27-14
Alan: Normal Community .::. 45-13 Clark: Normal Community .::. 14-7
Peoria Manual vs Normal University
Alan: Normal University .::. 42-18 Clark: Normal University .::. 21-14
Normal West @ Peoria Notre Dame
Alan: Normal West .::. 41-28 Clark: Peoria Notre Dame .::. 28-24
Centennial vs Peoria
Alan: Peoria .::. 46-21 Clark: Peoria .::. 24-21
Urbana vs St. Teresa
Alan: St. Teresa .::. 40-8 Clark: St. Teresa .::. 35-14
Big Twelve football predictions 2025, Central Illinois high school football picks, Friday Night Forecast Sentinel, Week 1 Illinois prep football forecasts, Champaign Central vs Springfield predictions
ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden's Tyler Hess is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal in the first half. The junior led the team to a 5-3 win over University High on Wednesday at Dick Duval Field. Hess, who is the top finisher in the area with a hat trick in the team's first three matches this season, will try to make it four in a row in the undefeated Spartans' road game against the Vermilion Valley Conference's Hoopeston Area Cornjerkers on Friday. More photos and game recap coming soon.
Dirty filters and ducts cost you more than you think. Regular duct and system cleaning improves efficiency, reduces repairs, and helps protect your HVAC investment.
NAPSI - Whether you’re staying cool during the summer or keeping warm in the winter, your HVAC system is a year-round necessity. However, to ensure it operates efficiently and lasts for years, regular maintenance is essential. Clean HVAC systems not only save money but also help conserve energy.
Why Regular HVAC Maintenance Matters
Many homeowners take their HVAC system for granted—until something goes wrong. Routine maintenance helps prevent costly breakdowns, improves energy efficiency, and extends the lifespan of equipment.
1. Improved Energy Efficiency
A well-maintained HVAC system uses less energy to heat or cool your home. When filters are clogged, ducts are dirty, or parts are worn, the system must work harder, driving up utility bills. Clean systems can deliver fan and blower energy savings of 41% to 60%.
2. Enhanced Indoor Air Quality
Your HVAC system filters out airborne particles such as dust, allergens, and pet dander. Neglected filters can reduce air quality and trigger allergies or respiratory issues. The American Lung Association advises that maintaining your HVAC system and upgrading filters can improve indoor air quality.
3. Extended Equipment Lifespan
Like a car, HVAC systems require routine tune-ups. Preventive care identifies small issues before they become expensive repairs. A National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) study found cleaned HVAC systems show less dependence on backup equipment, reducing long-term costs.
4. Reduced Risk of Breakdowns
No one wants their furnace to stop in winter or an air conditioner to fail during a heatwave. Routine upkeep lowers the chance of sudden failures, keeping your home comfortable.
5. Cost Savings
Maintenance is far less expensive than emergency repairs or early system replacement. Some manufacturers even require regular servicing to keep warranties valid.
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Spartans open 2025-26 with a big road win at Oakwood. Hess leads the charge with a hat trick.
OAKWOOD -St. Joseph-Ogden’s boys soccer team wasted no time showing its firepower, striking for seven goals in a 7-3 road win over Oakwood on Thursday to begin the 2025-26 season. The Spartans flipped the script from a year ago, when the Comets handed them a 5-1 defeat in the same matchup to open the season.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Steven Newman returns to the Spartan lineup in 2025. The junior scored a goal in SJO's first game of the season, avenging last year's 5-1 loss to the Comets.
Senior forward Tyler Hess delivered a standout performance with three goals and an assist, sparking an offense that spread the scoring responsibilities across the lineup.
Four other Spartans added goals of their own. Steven Newman, Hunter Cler, Zach Harper, and Skyler Graham each found the net, while Harper and Graham also earned assists. Midfielder Lucas “Buddy” Stevens orchestrated the attack with three assists, setting up his teammates in key moments.
The win comes at the start of a grueling run, with SJO scheduled to play five matches in the first six days of the season. The Spartans visit Hoopeston Area on Friday before hosting Iroquois West on Saturday at Dick Duval Field.
SJO enters the season looking to build on last year’s strong campaign. After a slow start in 2024, the Spartans rattled off 18 wins and a tie before falling in the sectional semifinals to eventual Class 1A state champion Normal University. They finished with a 22-3-1 record, cementing themselves among the area’s top programs.
This fall’s lineup is anchored by returning seniors Quinn Stahl, Branson Pearman, and Harper, with fellow seniors Hadley Sweet, Michael McDaniel, and Rudra Chaudhory providing additional leadership and depth.
Upcoming SJO Matches
Fri, Aug. 29, 2025 – 4:30 p.m. at Hoopeston Area High School
Sat, Aug. 30, 2025 – 10:00 a.m. vs. Iroquois West High School at Dick Duval Field
TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden boys soccer 2025 season opener, Tyler Hess hat trick vs Oakwood soccer, IHSA Class 1A boys soccer sectional contenders, St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans upcoming soccer schedule, Illinois high school soccer early season matchups
St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball drops first match of the season 25-13, 25-17. Emma McKinney leads with six digs. Home opener vs. Mahomet-Seymour on Sept. 2.
Maroa - The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team fell 2-0 to the Maroa-Forsyth in a non-league matchup Monday, struggling offensively in a 64-minute contest.
The Spartans, playing in Maroa, dropped the first set 25-13 and the second 25-17. St. Joseph-Ogden managed just four kills in its season opener, with contributions from Addi Childers, Ally Schmitz, Vivian Smith, and Emerson Williams.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
SJO's Ally Schmitz passes the ball to the front row during last season's home match against Casey-Westfield. Schmitz moves into a leadership role this season as one of five seniors on the Spartans' varsity roster.
Emma McKinney paced the Spartans defensively with six digs, while Emerson Williams and Hadley McDonald added five apiece. Alivia Learned contributed the team’s only ace of the match.
SJO enters the season with a young roster, featuring just five seniors. Team leaders this season include Adelyn Childers, Katie Ericksen, Emma McKinney, Ally Schmitz, and Emma Wells, supported by seven juniors and five sophomores.
Despite Monday’s setback, the Spartans are looking to improve on last year’s campaign. The 2024-25 team finished with a 16-19 overall record and just two Illini Prairie Conference wins, placing eighth in the league.
St. Joseph-Ogden will look to rebound Thursday, August 28, in a non-league contest against the Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin Blue Devils, who also opened the season 0-1 following a 2-0 loss to SJO rival Unity. The Spartans’ home court opener is set for Tuesday, September 2, against defending Class 3A state champion Mahomet-Seymour.
Maroa-Forsyth, now 1-0, prepares for its next match against Sullivan, which enters its non-league contest with a 1-0 record following a 2-0 win over Meridian.
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Chicago officials warn against federal troop deployment, highlight crime trends, and promise legal challenges to Trump's plan.
Photo: CNI/Andrew Adams
With Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson standing behind him, Gov. JB Pritzker criticizes the Trump administration’s threat to deploy military forces in Chicago alongside dozens of activists, Democratic politicians and religious leaders in downtown Chicago on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. by Ben Szalinski
Capitol News Illinois
CHICAGO - In front of gleaming skyscrapers along the Chicago River, Illinois’ Democratic leaders showed a united front Monday against President Donald Trump’s threats to deploy the military into Chicago’s streets to fight crime with one message: “Mr. President, do not come to Chicago.”
“You are neither wanted here nor needed here,” Gov. JB Pritzker said at a news conference. “Your remarks about this effort over the last several weeks have betrayed a continuing slip in your mental faculties and are not fit for the auspicious office that you occupy.”
The Washington Post reported Saturday that the Pentagon has been considering for weeks deploying the military to Chicago. The report came a day after Trump suggested Chicago will be the next city he sends the military to after he activated the National Guard and other federal law enforcement personnel in Washington, D.C., earlier this month.
Thousands of troops could be deployed in Chicago as soon as September, though two officials who spoke to the Post anonymously said the deployment is considered less likely for now.
State leaders said they have not asked for help.
“When I have some slob like Pritzker criticizing us before we even go there — I made the statement that next should be Chicago because Chicago is a killing field right now and they don’t acknowledge it and they say ‘we don’t need them, freedom, freedom, freedom, he’s a dictator. He’s a dictator.’ A lot of people are saying maybe we’d like a dictator,” Trump said Monday. “I don’t like a dictator. I’m not a dictator. I’m a man with great common sense and a smart person.”
The state’s leaders said they have not been contacted by the Trump administration asking whether the state wants policing help, and state leaders said they have not asked for help.
“If this were happening in any other country, we would have no trouble calling it what it is — a dangerous power grab,” Pritzker said.
The state's top Democrats said Trump is targeting Illinois for political reasons.
“This is an act of political theater by Donald Trump, and sadly, we have to take it extremely seriously,” said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. “My friends, don't walk away and say this is just another political issue. This is how democracies die.”
Anticipating Chicagoans will take to the streets to protest if the military arrives, Pritzker encouraged protestors to be peaceful.
“Remember that the members of the military and the National Guard who will be asked to walk these streets are, for the most part, here unwillingly, and remember that they can be court martialed, and their lives ruined if they resist deployment,” Pritzker said.
Legal Questions
Trump’s move faces significant legal questions, and Illinois leaders promised to file lawsuits to block the mobilization of the military.
Photo: CNI/Andrew Adams
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who has led more than three dozen lawsuits against President Donald Trump’s administration, criticizes the president’s threats to deploy military forces in Chicago on Aug. 25, 2025.
The president and Congress have more powers over Washington, D.C., because of its status as a federal district and not a state, but it’s unclear what legal authority the president is considering applying to send troops to Chicago.
The National Guard is under the control of the governor, though the president has the power to federalize it to quell a rebellion or “unable with the regular forces” to enforce laws. The president can also invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to serve as law enforcement.
This is exactly the type of overreach that our country's founders warned against...
Those criteria haven’t been met, Attorney General Kwame Raoul said.
Trump’s decision earlier this year to deploy the California National Guard to Los Angeles was challenged and has so far been upheld by a federal appeals court. California argued in that case that the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the military from acting as a domestic police force. The National Guard was sent to L.A. following protests over Trump’s immigration policies.
“This is exactly the type of overreach that our country's founders warned against and it's the reason that they established a federal system with a separation of powers built on checks and balances,” Pritzker said. “What President Trump is doing is unprecedented and unwarranted. It is illegal, it is unconstitutional, it is unamerican.”
Raoul noted his office has long had effective crime-fighting partnerships with federal agencies.
“I'm not and have never been opposed to collaborative help from well-trained federal law enforcement agents. Were the president serious about addressing crime or criminal threats in Chicago, he would dedicate more resources to collaborative work that we already engage in with these federal agencies,” Raoul said.
Chicago Crime Trends
Overall crime in Chicago has declined by 13% this year, according to data from the Chicago Police Department. Nearly every category of crime has decreased this year, including murders — down 31%. Chicago has seen 256 murders through Aug. 17 this year, compared to 370 over the same timeframe in 2024. Shooting incidents broadly are down 36%.
Crime in Chicago has trended downward since 2023 and is down 15% overall since then. Incidents of crime are still 40% higher at this point of 2025 than in 2021, though murder is down 50% since 2021 and shooting incidents are down 57%. Felony theft, misdemeanor theft and motor vehicle theft are all up significantly since 2021.
The city’s data portal shows crime has generally been trending down throughout the 21st century from nearly half a million crimes in 2001 to about that level in 2024. The number of annual crimes in the city has been relatively flat for about 10 years, however.
Nationally, Chicago ranked 92nd in violent crime per 100,000 people in 2024 among the nation’s 200 largest cities, according to FBI data. Memphis ranked first and Milwaukee and St. Louis were eighth and ninth, respectively, while Rockford ranked 19th. Chicago had the 22nd highest murder rate and was eighth in robbery.
“I know (Trump) doesn't read, I know he doesn't listen to very many people, but I know he watches television, and so perhaps if somebody from FOX News or from Newsmax is here, they'll cover the fact that Chicago is in much better shape as a result of the work that we are doing to prevent crime,” Pritzker said.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged the city must do more to reduce violence and said the Trump administration should release $800 million in violence prevention funding it has withheld this year and provide more funding for housing.
Also on Monday, Trump signed an executive order seeking to block federal funding to states and cities with cashless bail policies. Illinois eliminated cash bail in 2023 and Trump claimed jurisdictions with it have higher levels of crime. Early research of the first year without cash bail in Illinois did not show an increase in crime.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
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ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden's Tyler Hess is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal in the first half. The junior led the team to a 5-3 win over University High on Wednesday at Dick Duval Field. Hess, who is the top finisher in the area with a hat trick in the team's first three matches this season, will try to make it four in a row in the undefeated Spartans' road game against the Vermilion Valley Conference's Hoopeston Area Cornjerkers on Friday. More photos and a game recap coming soon.
URBANA - The Sentinel kicks off its new weekly feature, the Friday Night Forecast, inviting Big Twelve football fans to test their prediction skills throughout the regular season. In our opening poll for Week 1, just two entries were submitted, but early results showed strong consensus. Fans were unanimous on the winners in four of the seven conference matchups, including tonight’s opener with Champaign Central hosting Springfield.
Below are the picks from the Sentinel’s inaugural Friday Night Forecast.
