The Sentinel: Girls Sports

Seven area girls ready to compete for state wrestling titles on Friday in Bloomington

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity's Phoenix Molina wrestles Prairie Central's Chloe Hoselton in the 235 pound championship match at the IHSA Girls Individual Wrestling State Finals in 2024. Molina, a 28-5 junior and last year's runner-up, returns to Grossinger Motors Arena with her eye on besting Hoselton, a senior with a record of 23-0, looking to defend her title.

URBANA - Seven area wrestlers will travel to Bloomington on Friday in search of a state wrestling title at the fourth Girls Individual Wrestling State Finals.

Maddie Wells will be one of the five, heading to Champaign-Urbana's sister twin city as the first female SJO wrestler to compete for an IHSA state title. She finished second at the Pontiac regional meet, falling to Urbana's Rickasia Ivy in the title match by major decision, 15-6. A week later, she took third at the Highland sectional after losing her quarterfinal bout against eventual champion Taylor Dawson from Collinsville. Wells heads to state with an 18-6 record.

"I feel privileged to be able to pave the path, but I'm excited to see the girls that follow," said Wells, coached by longtime wrestling coach Bill Gallo. She is optimistic about the future for other girls taking up the sport. "I hope I inspired girls younger than me to not be afraid of trying new things despite their gender and to follow their dreams."

Representing Urbana High School, Rickasia Ivy (28-5) will compete in the 140-pound category, and Lillian Disanto (34-9) in the 235-pound category. Coached by Phil Sexton, the Tigers secured their girls program's first regional title on February 8.

Unity head coach Logan Patton will returns to the girls' state finals with veteran Phoenix Molina (28-5) wrestling at 235 pounds along Anna Vasey (32-4) at 155.

Centennial's Ava Beldo (24-6) qualified for state in the 130-pound division after finishing second at the Highland sectional meet on February 15. The first and only Charger to advance to state, she is coached by Ron Beldo.

"I love the sport," she told the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association after winning the Pontiac regional title. "It takes dedication and mental strength. That was the biggest part for me—being able to push through no matter what. It doesn’t matter the ranking or the name; what matters is giving it 100 percent on the mat. Win or lose, you learn. I drill a lot with the boys. Last year, I was the only girl on my wrestling team, so it’s amazing to open up the environment for more girls. I just love the environment when I wrestle."

Completing the group of seven area state qualifiers, Mahomet-Seymour freshman Jaycee Weitekamp, under coach Jeff Castor, will also make the trip to Bloomington on Friday. Weitekamp, in her first varsity wrestling season, holds a 19-14 record. She finished fourth at both the Pontiac regional and Highland sectional.

Competition begins at 9 a.m. on Friday with action on six mats. Quarterfinal matches and first-round wrestlebacks start at 11 a.m.

Admission is $10 per session at the arena. Tickets are available online via Ticketmaster or by calling the City Box Office at (309) 434-2777. The tournament will be live-streamed on the NFHS Network.

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Defending champ Lake Forest leads strong field at IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals

Members of the Lake Forest Varsity Blue Dance Team perform at the 2024 state dance competition. Lake Forest won the Class 2A title and look to win another this weekend in Bloomington.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

BLOOMINGTON – The road to an IHSA Competitive Dance state title runs through Grossinger Motors Arena this weekend, where 30 Class 2A teams will battle for a coveted spot in Saturday’s finals. With nine of last year’s top 12 squads returning, the competition is stacked with experienced contenders looking to make their mark.

Defending champion Lake Forest enters its 10th consecutive state finals appearance with a history of success, including two first-place titles, a runner-up finish, and two third-place trophies since IHSA introduced the sport. The Scouts will look to hold off a strong field, including last year’s runner-up Lincoln-Way West, a program that has never missed a state final and boasts seven sectional titles along with two state trophies.

Geneva, another perennial power, returns after securing a state berth for the 12th time. The program has finished in the top three every time it has competed at state, amassing 11 trophies—five first-place, four second-place, and two third-place finishes.

Other returning teams looking to break through include Lake Zurich, Vernon Hills, Burlington Central, St. Charles North, Deerfield, and Grant. Notably, Jones, Lincoln-Way Central, and Crystal Lake Central were unable to advance out of sectionals.

The top 12 teams from Friday’s preliminary round will advance to Saturday’s finals, where a new state champion will be crowned.

Event Schedule and Ticket Information

The Class 2A competition kicks off Friday morning, with doors opening at 9:15 a.m. The first performance is set for 10:15 a.m., with the final routine scheduled for 2:21 p.m. The top teams from the preliminary round will advance to Saturday’s finals, with finalists announced at 2:40 p.m.

Fans traveling to watch the state’s best high school dance teams in action can purchase tickets for $12 per person. Digital tickets are available for purchase online or by calling the City Box Office at 309-434-2777.

Attendees should be aware that Grossinger Motors Arena enforces a clear bag policy. All bags, purses, and personal items will be subject to search upon entry. If an item is prohibited or too large, guests must return it to their vehicle or surrender it at the entrance, as the venue does not provide storage for oversized items.

Kearney steps up to lead Spartans in State Farm win over U-High

BLOOMINGTON - Rebounding from their 41-29 loss to Bishop McNamara on Thursday, the St. Joseph-Ogden girls' basketball team advanced forward in the consolation bracket at the State Farm Holiday Classic after holding off a huge second-half surge from Normal University to win, 36-33 on Friday. The victory guaranted SJO at least a fourth-place finish in the consolation bracket.

In an outstanding defensive effort, the Spartans held the Pioneers to just two free throws in the second quarter, taking a 22-9 lead into the locker room at the half spearheaded by senior Sara Kearney's seven points. Kearney added another bucket in the third quarter to finish game two at the tournament with a team-high nine points.

SJO got off to an explosive start thanks to a three-pointer from Addison Brooks, Kayla Osterbur, and Hayden Dahl. Brooks went on to finish with eight points, tied with Timera Blackburn-Kelley as the team's second-leading scorer. Osterbur sank another trey in the final quarter to finish with six points, rounding out the top four scorers.

Kendyl Schroeder led U-High's offensive effort with 11 points. Scoreless in the second and third quarters, Schroeder bookended the drought with six points in the first frame and five in the fourth.

The Spartans, who improved their record to six wins against seven losses, return to Normal Community High School for a 1 PM semifinal game against Rockford Lutheran.

More SJO sports news ~

Five Urbana players looking for a spot in the tennis state finals

DANVILLE - After the first day of competition at the Danville High School sectional, five area tennis players are in position to earn a spot in this year's IHSA Tennis State Finals.

Both of Urbana High School's doubles pairs advanced to the semifinal round on Friday.

Alisa Tangmunarunkit and Luna Morales, who earned the #1 seed, won both first-day matches in straight sets. The duo notched their first win 6-0, 7-6, over Watseka's Moriah Pueschell and Sarah Parsons. The two seniors then crushed Paris' Bella Moreschi and Myah Bartos, 6-1, 6-3.

Urbana's Lorelie Yau puts the ball away at the net during a doubles match against Centennial on August 30 at the beginning of the season. The senior, along with doubles partner Eisla Madigan (not pictured), won their first two matches at the Danville Tennis sectional on Friday. A semifinal win Saturday morning will guarantee a trip to the IHSA Tennis State Finals in Barrington next week.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Meanwhile, Tigers' teammates Lorelie Yau and Eisla Madigan, who also won their quarterfinal bout, defeated Emerson Barrett and Graci Watson in the quarterfinals, 7-5, 6-3. Yau and Madigan will face Mahomet-Seymours Savannah Amatyleon and Emily Young on Saturday, hoping to punch their ticket to the sectional title match.

Saturday, Tangmunarunkit and Morales take the court against Mahomet-Seymour's Adella Bird and Holland Martin, who are the #4 seed and have dropped just three out of 27 of their sectional tournament games.

Still alive in the singles bracket, University High's Kruthi Ramanath will play #3 seed Reese Rundle from Danville in a semifinal match. Ramanath served notice to all challengers, double bageling Paris' Ava Barrett in her second-round match and doing the same in the quarterfinal to Mahomet-Seymour's Emmie Flores.

Season ends for many talented players

Tiger's Grace Cody enjoyed a first-round bye in the singles bracket. Unfortunately, she ran into the #2 seed in her second-round match, falling quickly in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0, to Vikings' Anna Houpt.

After winning her first match decisively, 6-0, 6-0, St. Joseph-Ogden senior Addison Seggebruch's prep tennis career came to a close after she fell 1 & 1 to Schlarman's Maya Jenny.

University High's Charlotte Lin started out on fire, cruising past Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley's Audrey Iverson in straight sets in her opening match, 6-1, 6-1. In her next match, Lin fell to Schlarman's Jenny, 6-0, 6-0, to the Hilltoppers' #4 seed.

Urbana's Alicia Garcia went 1-1 on opening day. She won her first-rounder over Schlarman's Anna Lehman, 6-1, 6-0. Her second-round match didn't go her way. Unable to notch a single game, she fell to Danville's Reese Rundle, 0 & 0.

Addison Ross' second-round match against Mahomet-Seymour's Emmie Flores was the only contest requiring a third set and a set tie-breaker to determine who advanced to the next round. After losing the first set, 6-3, Ross battled furiously to take the second set of the match 6-1. The St. Joseph-Ogden sophomore was narrowly defeated in the third set, falling 7-6 to Flores.

Doubles duo finished for the season

St. Joseph-Ogden sophomore duo Lily Rice and Caroline Aden fell 6-2, 6-1, to Mahomet-Seymour's Savannah Amatyleon and Emily Young.

Like Rice and Aden, SJO juniors Ellie Ward and MaKennah Hamilton saw their season end in the second round. After winning their opening match 6-0, 6-1, the pair lost a heartbreaker 7-6, 7-6, to Danville's Lexi Foley and Aliya Morgan.

Williams leads SJO over Fisher with 12 kills, Roesch collects seven aces

Peyton Williams pummel the ball through the Hoopeston Area defensive effort during SJO's home match on

ST. JOSEPH - The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team posted their 25th win of the season after defeating Fisher at home for Senior Night in straight sets, 2-0. The non-conference victory improves head coach Abby McDonald's 2023 season record to an impressive 25-4.

Peyton Williams led the Spartan offense in the contest with 12 kills and three aces. Addie Roesch pounded six kills and racked up a match-high seven aces.

Halle Brazelton, who chalked up three aces, distributed 20 assists during the regular season match in SJO's Main Gym. The senior also was credited with three aces and seven digs.

Sadie Ericksen led the defense with nine digs, while Brazelton and Roesch contributed seven more apiece as the Spartans took both sets, 25-13.

SJO honored eight seniors, including Halle Brazelton, Sadie Ericksen, Grace Goldenstein, Chloe Harper, Halene Jones, Taylyn Lockhart, Addie Roesch, and Peyton Williams.

Related SJO volleyball news:

Volleyball milestone reached, SJO's McDonald reaches the 400th match win

Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball program pose for a group photo with head coach Abby McDonald after her 400th win on Monday. The milestone came came after the Spartans defeated Hoopeston Area at home in two sets, 25-13, 25-22. Under McDonald's leadership the program ...

Learn more...

Photo-of-the-Day | SJO volleyball brings home state trophy

Lacey Kaiser dives for a dig in St. Joseph-Ogden's third-place ...

Looking Back: Spartans defeat Indians by 10 in conference showdown

With the hectic 2022-23 season behind us, we want to use the summer to catch up publishing some of the great moments we captured this season but didn't have the time or resources to publish. Here is The Sentinel's first installment of our summer feature called Looking Back. Visit our website weekly for more photo features starting next week.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Addison Frick puts the ball up for a first half shot during the Spartans' home basketball game against Pontiac. Frick finished the game with a team-high 17 points powering SJO to a 57-47 victory. See more photos from this game here.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO senior Taylor Hug fires a jumper from outside the arc for one of her four treys against the visiting Pontiac Indians.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Driving past Pontiac's Makyah Hartfield, SJO's Addie Seggebruch attacks the paint in January 5 home game at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Freshman point guard Katie Ericksen moves the ball around during the second half against Pontiac.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Surrounded by Pontiac players, Spartans' Kaytlyn Baker protects the ball during second half action. Baker, a senior, contributed a field goal and one free throw in the Illini Prairie Conference win for the St. Joseph-Ogden program on Saturday.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartan Katie Ericksen loses control of the ball after colliding with Pontiac senior Mackenzie Coates in the second half. View 14 more photos from the SJO girls' first game of 2023 here.

The road to state: The Rockets cross country performance was "impressive"

by Daniel L. Chamness
Special to The Sentinel

CHAMPAIGN -- Based on their dominating performance all season, no one could doubt the Unity Rockets were going to win another Class 1A IHSA cross-country state title.

Heading into the Illinois High School Association sectional meet, the program did not lose a meet. Not one race to any team. The program has brought home state titles in 2021, 2017, and 2015. The Rockets also collected trophies in 2016 for second and third-place hardware in 2018 and 2019.

The path to the state finals included crushing it at the St. Joseph-Ogden Class 1A sectional meet held at Dodds Park on the campus of Parkland College back on October 29. The day was just one more chance to show just how dominant they were and had been all season.

The Rockets cemented the sectional title by 86 points, finishing with 40 points. Marshall took second with 126 points.

"Their performances were very impressive," said Kara Leaman, Tolono Unity's head coach of the Rockets' performance at sectionals. "They are excited. While we have won a state title before, we have never done it back-to-back. They want to be the first Unity Rocket team to do it."

Not only did they leave the sectional with the all-important team championship plaque, four of the scoring top five left with individual sectional hardware.

Emily Decker finished the 2.95-mile course in 18 minutes and 2.49 seconds. The sophomore was fifth. Mackenzie Pound (sixth), Erica Woodard (seventh), and Olivia Shike (10th) finished within 21 seconds of Decker. Pound finished at 18:11.21, while Woodard entered the chute at 18:12.55. Shike crossed the finish line at 18:22.89.

The fifth scorer, Reagan Stringer, clocked in at 18:51.59. Camryn Reedy and Josie Cler took 18th and 25th, finishing respectively at 19:25.71 and 19:47.82.

"This Saturday, my hope for every athlete is that they can walk away knowing they competed as well as they could," said Leaman.

While the Spartan girls did not qualify as a team, Savanna Franzen grabbed one of the individual qualifying spots, taking 13th in the sectional. She ended her race at 18:35.28.

"I tried to be controlled the first 50 percent of the race," said Franzen. "I was not feeling the best today. This course is not all that fast. I am looking forward to running at Detweiller, which is a very fast course."

She led the Spartans to a 10th-place finish, which scored 271 team points.

Hannah Mock (61st), Sydney Steinbach (69th), Sophia Kasper (82nd), and Kaytlyn Baker (93rd) rounded out the top five for the Spartans.

Mock, Steinbach, and Kasper, all freshmen, all broke the 22:00 barrier. Mock finished in 21 minutes and 09.72 seconds, Steinbach finished the course in 21:35.14, and Kasper finished at 21:58.25. Baker closed out the Spartan effort with a time of 22:26.77.

Anemic roster fuels Tigers' conference loss to Wildcats

NORMAL -- Taking the court with a seriously depleted roster, the Urbana girls basketball team dropped their fifth conference game of the season on the road on Saturday, January 8. The Tigers, with just six players available players, suffered a 52-10 loss at Normal West.

Gabrielle Mboyo-Meta led Urbana's scoring effort with six points. Junior McKenzie Sprague and freshman Jasmine McCullough rounded out their team's side of the scoreboard with two points apiece.

Though there were limited opportunities between numerous turnovers, neither team was able to score until there was 4:28 left in the opening quarter. Megan Williams sank a trey to put the Wildcats up 3-0.

Normal West then capitalized on an overthrown Tigers' pass to go up 5-0 thanks to a bucket in the paint from Meredith Bertsche. With a little more than three minutes to play in the quarter, Ashley Wilcox added two more points from under the basket to give the Wildcats a 7-0 advantage.

Urbana responded by stepping up their defensive effort. Next, the squad put their first points on the board with a free throw from Mboyo-Meta. A minute and 45 seconds later, the Tigers were back in the game down, 7-4.

The understaffed Urbana team was limited to just eight first-half points.

It was Normal West's Monie Howard and her two-quarter, ten-point run and the inability to rotate players in that sealed Urbana's fate.

The Wildcats had three players reach double figures. Williams had 11 points, Howard was good for 10, and Wilcox drained another 10 points in the Big Twelve Conference victory.

Mboyo-Meta and the Tigers are scheduled to play on the road for the next three contests starting Thursday at Danville, Saturday at St. Teresa in Decatur, and at Rantoul next Tuesday. Urbana's next home game will be against Mattoon on January 20.

Box Score

Final: Urbana 10 - Normal West 52

	1	2	3	4	F
Urbana	4	4	0	2	10
Normal West	7	16	21	8	52

Urbana --
Mboyo-Meta 1 (1) 1-2 -- 6, Sprague 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, McCullough 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, T. Hall 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Edwards 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, J. Hall 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0

Normal West --
Kobel 1 (2) 0-0 -- 8, Wilcox 4 (0) 2-2 -- 10, Wertheim 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Gale 1 (1) 1-1 -- 6, Wilson 1 (0) 0-1 -- 2, Howard 5 (0) 0-0 -- 10, Williams 1 (3) 0-0 -- 11, Tinsley 0 (0) 1-3 -- 1, Bertsche 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, Patton 1 (0) -9 -- 2

Prep Sports Notebook: Unity beats VG, Spartan softball pounds STM

Still undefeated, Rockets bounce Villa Grove

Taylor Henry and Taylor Joop tallied three hits apiece in Unity's non-conference home game against Villa Grove.

The Rockets, who are ranked #17 in Class 2A in this week's ICA softball poll, collected at least one run in five of the six innings they played to beat the Blue Devils, 6-1.

Unity will put their undefeated 7-0 record on the line in their Illini Prairie game against Pontiac at home on Thursday.

SJO demolishes STM

Sophomore slugger Maggie Ward drove in four runs to help St. Joseph-Ogden pound St. Thomas More on the road, 18-1.

Alyssa Acton picked up the pitching win after giving up just two hits and one run out of her 58 pitches. The sophomore struck out seven Sabers after coming into the game in the bottom of the first inning.

Ward along with Kelsey Martlage (3 RBI) tapped out a pair of hits for the 8-4 Spartans.

SJO baseball robs bases at will from St. Thomas More

The Spartans rolled up ten stolen bases in their road game at St. Thomas More on Tuesday.

Andrew Beyers, Coby Miller and Ty Pence stole two bases each in SJO's 11-2 domination of the Sabers. Miller crossed the plate three times.

Tyler Altenbaumer surrendered just three hits on 86 pitches and struck out seven. Ty Pence closed out the contest with 22 pitches sacrificing one hit.