After Spartans stun Benton, it's on to face Roxana in second-round redux

In a thrilling finish, senior Lucas Smith drilled a 43-yard field goal as time expired to lift St. Joseph-Ogden over previously undefeated Benton. Quarterback Kodey McKinney threw for 194 yards and a touchdown to lead SJO’s offense. The Spartans now head to Roxana for their second-round playoff game.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden kicker Lucas Smith kicks a PAT in the Spartans' road game against Bloomington Central Catholic back in October. The senior's 4th quarter heroics propelled SJO into a second-round playoff game at Roxana.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Lucas Smith watches his kick against Pontiac.

SNS - Before the bus even pulled out of St. Joseph last Saturday, there was a question hanging in the air — could the Spartans win a playoff game without a true field goal kicker? Turns out, the answer was waiting three hours south in Benton, on the right foot of senior Lucas Smith. With the score tied and the clock drained to its final second, Smith’s 43-yard field goal cut through the wind and through Benton’s perfect record, sending St. Joseph-Ogden home with a 17-14 upset over the third-seeded Rangers.

For three quarters, it looked like the Spartans had found their stride at exactly the right time. Senior quarterback Kodey McKinney led a crisp opening drive, finishing with a 46-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Kaden Wedig. Late in the second quarter, senior running back Wyatt Wertz muscled through the Benton defense for a three-yard score, giving SJO a 14-0 halftime lead. But Benton, who came in averaging over 40 points per game, wasn’t going to stay silent. Two fourth-quarter touchdowns evened the score and tightened the crowd’s pulse — setting up Smith’s defining moment.

The story of the game, though, may have been SJO’s defense. Benton’s offense, which had racked up 418 points during the regular season, was bottled up for most of the day. The Spartans allowed just 14 points and forced the Rangers to work for every yard on their 62 offensive plays. Logan Rosenthal and sophomore Logan Umbarger each finished with seven tackles, while Brayden Waller and Lane McKinney helped anchor a defense that collected five tackles for loss — a season high.

Landon Smith blocks on defense in SJO's Pontiac home game

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Landon Smith (right) is blocked by a Pontiac offensive lineman. Not afraid of contact, the senior's physicality and confidence has grown since the start of the season, making him a valuable asset on defense.

McKinney finished with a steady hand under pressure, completing 16 of 19 passes for 194 yards. Wedig was his top target, pulling in 10 catches for 169 yards, while Tim Blackburn-Kelley added three more receptions. On the ground, Wertz and McKinney each chipped in 36 rushing yards, helping chew the clock and keep the Benton defense guessing.

Now, the Spartans (7-3) head into the second round with momentum and belief. They’ll travel to Roxana (7-3) for a Saturday afternoon showdown at 2 p.m. The matchup is a reunion of sorts — the two programs last met in the postseason two years ago, a 48-47 shootout that ended with Roxana on top. The Shells rely on a deep backfield led by sophomore Mekhi Shorter, who has topped 100 yards three times this season, and wideout Sean Maberry, who has a knack for turning receptions into touchdowns.

But this Roxana team hasn’t faced the kind of gauntlet SJO just survived. Every team that beat the Spartans this year — Unity, Monticello, Bloomington Central Catholic and Seneca — is still alive in the playoffs. All four Illini Prairie Conference qualifiers won their openers, strengthening the argument that no one in Class 3A is more battle-tested than SJO.

If the Spartans can push past Roxana, they’ll earn a quarterfinal matchup against either Vandalia or Greenville — and, for the first time this postseason, a playoff game at Dick Duval Field.

SJO's Will Franklin moves to make a tackle

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

SJO's Will Franklin plays defense for the Spartans in their road game at Bloomington Central Catholic.

TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden football playoff win, Lucas Smith field goal, Roxana Shells vs Spartans, IHSA Class 3A playoffs, Illinois high school football news