Week 7 Friday Night Forecast: Pick the Big Twelve football winners this week

Week 6 Results

Rank	Name	Record	Notes
1	Alan	6-0	Wins again!
2	Clark	5-1

Cumulative Standings

Rank	Name	Total Record	Wins	Notes
1	Alan	32-5	4
2	Clark	27-10	2

Tags: Big Twelve predictions 2025, Central Illinois high school football picks, Friday Night Forecast, Week 7 Illinois prep football forecasts, Normal Community football predictions

SJO girls tennis sweeps doubles to complete 5-4 comeback at Centennial

In a thrilling Senior Night, SJO girls tennis rallied from a 4-2 singles deficit to beat Centennial 5-4. Standout doubles performances clinched the win.

CHAMPAIGN - The St. Joseph-Ogden girls tennis team delivered one of its most memorable performances of the season last Thursday, edging Champaign Centennial 5-4 in a dramatic dual meet on the Chargers’ Senior Night.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brook

SJO's Ainsley Rhoten attacks a short ball during her doubles match against Urbana, Rhoten and partner Shelby Warns, won their #1 doubles match at Centennial, upsetting Ria Modi and Taylor Diep. The Spartan pair also won their previous #1 doubles match against Watseka juniors Rose Koester and Elika Hardisty on September 30.

Fueled by clutch singles play from veterans Samantha Kelso and Lily Rice and a clean sweep through doubles, the Spartans (now 8-3 overall) earned a program-defining road victory heading into the final week of the regular season.

Kelso (8-3), who’s playing the best tennis of her prep career, set the tone early with a straight-sets win over Centennial’s top player, Ria Modi, 6-4, 6-4, at No. 1 singles. The senior extended her win streak to four, following victories over St. Teresa, Watseka and Urbana.

Rice (9-1) responded with poise and determination at No. 2 singles, bouncing back from a tough September 29 loss to Urbana’s Ananyah Tangmunarunkit. The senior battled through three sets to outlast Taylor Diep 6-2, 3-6, 10-6, earning her second consecutive win.

Centennial briefly took control of the match after claiming the remaining singles courts, with strong showings from Krishna Patel, Asma Cheema, Romi Sagiv and Veronica Hooper against Spartan competitors Audrie Helfrich, Avarie Dietiker, Maddie Wells and Ava Midkiff. The Chargers’ surge gave them a 4-2 lead heading into doubles play.

With their backs to the wall, the Spartans’ doubles lineup came through in dominant fashion.

At No. 1 doubles, Ainsley Rhoten and Shelby Warns took down Modi and Diep in a tense 8-7 (2) tiebreaker, while the No. 2 pairing of Madison Farber and Kenley Ray rolled to an 8-2 win over Patel and Ellie Marinichev. The clinching point came from the No. 3 team of senior Karleigh Spain and junior Sophie Schmitz, who defeated Believe Mondika and Shaniece Clayborn 8-6. The duo improved their combined varsity records to 8-3.

St. Joseph-Ogden continues a strong late-season surge with two regular-season matches remaining, hosting Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley on Thursday at Atkins Tennis Center and closing at Maroa-Forsyth next Monday before postseason play begins.

Match Results

Singles
No. 1 — Samantha Kelso (SJO) def. Ria Modi (CENT), 6-4, 6-4
No. 2 — Lily Rice (SJO) def. Taylor Diep (CENT), 6-2, 3-6, 10-6
No. 3 — Krisha Patel (CENT) def. Audrie Helfrich (SJO), 6-3, 6-2
No. 4 — Asma Cheema (CENT) def. Avarie Dietiker (SJO), 6-3, 6-0
No. 5 — Romi Sagiv (CENT) def. Maddie Wells (SJO), 6-1, 7-6 (2)
No. 6 — Veronica Hooper (CENT) def. Ava Midkiff (SJO), 6-4, 6-3

Doubles
No. 1 — Ainsley Rhoten/Shelby Warns (SJO)
def. Ria Modi/Taylor Diep (CENT), 8-7 (2)

No. 2 — Madison Farber/Kenley Ray (SJO)
def. Krisha Patel/Ellie Marinichev (CENT), 8-2

No. 3 — Karleigh Spain/Sophie Schmitz (SJO)
def. Believe Mondika/Shaniece Clayborn (CENT), 8-6

TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden girls tennis 2025, SJO vs Champaign Centennial match recap, Samantha Kelso tennis highlights, Lily Rice comeback win, high school doubles tennis strategies, Karleigh Spain varsity performance, Sophie Schmitz junior tennis standout, Illinois high school tennis results, Senior Night tennis victories, SJO Spartans late-season surge

Viewpoint |
Mental health, gender care, and justice: The debate around Sophie Roske’s prison term

From assassination plot to prison: Sophie Roske’s case highlights mental health, gender care, and political accountability.

by Terry Hansen
Guest Commentary

Sophie Roske, a transgender woman, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for her plot to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Prosecutors sought a minimum sentence of 30 years.

Judge Deborah Boardman explained that Roske voluntarily abandoned her assassination plan, expressed remorse, had no prior criminal record, and was experiencing a mental health crisis.

Boardman also questioned whether Roske would receive adequate mental health treatment in prison, citing President Trump’s executive order banning gender-affirming care for federal inmates.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and conservative media outlets like the New York Post and National Review have expressed outrage over the 8-year sentence.

oursentinel.com viewpoint Yet by their standards, the scores of January 6 rioters who breached the Capitol while chanting "Hang Mike Pence!" should also have been sentenced to at least 30 years in prison. After all, they are domestic terrorists who attempted to execute the Vice President. Instead, they have all been pardoned by President Trump.

Appallingly, in an interview with Jonathan Karl of ABC News, Trump actually defended the January 6 rioters' "Hang Mike Pence!" chants.

How can anyone claim to oppose political violence while supporting a person who pardoned January 6 rioters who assaulted police officers and publicly defended their violent chants?

Terry Hansen is a retired educator who writes frequently about climate change. He lives in Milwaukee, WI.

TAGS: Sophie Roske assassination plot, Brett Kavanaugh threat, Supreme Court security, transgender inmate prison sentence, mental health and criminal justice, gender-affirming care ban, January 6 rioters pardons, political violence in the U.S., Trump executive orders, criminal sentencing controversy

University of Illinois Extension hosts double feature on healthy aging and family harmony

The University of Illinois Extension will host a Double Feature in Savoy focused on health and harmony. Vanessa Jones leads a session on smart eating habits for aging well, while Emily Harmon offers advice for handling family heirlooms without hard feelings. The event is free and open to all.

Photo: Suzy Hazelwood/PEXELS

SAVOY - Let’s face it, the golden years aren’t so golden if you’re too tired to enjoy them. Between morning walks, grandkid playdates, and the occasional round of golf or competitive bingo, keeping your energy up takes more than a steady diet of coffee and willpower. Good nutrition can make the difference between napping through the afternoon and seizing the day with enthusiasm, whether that means tackling yard work, volunteering, or finally taking that ballroom dance class you’ve been talking about.

To help make healthy living easier and more enjoyable, the University of Illinois Extension will host a “Double Feature” wellness program Thursday, Nov. 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Savoy Room at The Windsor of Savoy, 401 Burwash Ave.

The event begins at 1 p.m. with Eating Well as You Age, led by Vanessa Jones, Extension Program Coordinator. Jones will share simple, practical strategies for staying fit and nourished through smart food choices that promote energy and long-term health.

After a short break, Emily Harmon, Family Life Educator, will present Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate? at 2 p.m. The second session helps families navigate decisions about meaningful heirlooms and keepsakes with fairness, understanding, and open communication to keep relationships strong.

Participants can attend one or both sessions of this free event. Registration is encouraged for anyone ready to make the most of their golden years with a healthy plate and a happy heart.

For details or to register, visit the University of Illinois Extension website.

For those who may need reasonable accommodations to participate, you can contact Emily Harmon at ebaine@illinois.edu.

TAGS: healthy aging tips for seniors, nutrition for older adults, staying energized in retirement, family heirloom planning, managing family conflict, University of Illinois Extension events, free senior wellness programs, eating well as you age, healthy lifestyle for retirees, Savoy Illinois community events