The Sentinel: IHSA Regionals

Spartan wrestlers advance to IHSA sectionals after big day at Monticello regional

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden senior Jackson Walsh wrestles MacArthur's Tristan Green during their 120 pound match last month. Walsh was one of four Spartan wrestlers who advanced out of the Monticello regional meet on Saturday to sectionals.

MONTICELLO - Four St. Joseph-Ogden wrestlers advanced to this year's IHSA sectional meet at Clinton this Friday and Saturday. Ben Wells, Jackson Walsh, Landen Butts, and Cam Wagner, each with over 34 wins this season, wrestled their way out of the regional meet at Monticello High School last Saturday.

Wells, who is 35-11 for the season, finished second at 106 pounds for SJO, losing the title bout to Hoopeston Area's Charlie Flores (44-3) a minute and two seconds into their match. Finishing 2-1 for the day, the SJO freshman standout pinned St. Thomas More's RJ Cinnamon (19-15) in their quarterfinal match and notched an 18-3 technical fall against LeRoy's Austin Pacha.

At 113 pounds, Jackson Walsh went 3-0 to win a regional title for the Spartans. After a bye in the quarterfinals, Walsh faced Prairie Central's Julius Smith, whom he pinned a minute and 11 seconds into their match. His title match pitted him against LeRoy's Jake Baughman (23-21). With his best technical performance of the season, Walsh built a 15-point advantage for a tech fall, improving his season record to 39-8.

Senior Landen Butts was on the mat four times on his way to third place and qualifying for the sectional championships. After a first-round bye and cruising past Pontiac's Cale Christenson, Butts went toe-to-toe with Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley's Ethan Lowe in the 144-pound semifinal.

Lowe led on the scoreboard, going up 3-0 with a late first-period takedown. Neither wrestler could score in the second period. Lowe scored an escape and another takedown in the final period before getting the pin at 3:29. In the consolation bracket, Butts won his last two matches to finish the day 3-1 and in third place.

Cam Wagner also punched his ticket for a sectional appearance wearing the Spartans' maroon and Columbia blue. The coveted nationally recruited D1 lineman finished the day 2-1 and second in the 285-pound division. After the sophomore won his first two matches by pin, he was pinned himself in the division's title bout against LeRoy's Tate Sigler (41-5).

Also scoring major team points for the Spartans were Nathan Phillips (23-17) and Aiden Hundley (26-25), both finishing fourth in the 215- and 138-pound divisions, respectively.

Phillips went 2-2 with both losses to Unity's Chason Daly (21-21), concluding his final season with the SJO wrestling program with 23 wins and 17 losses.

If there were an award for the most matches wrestled, Hundley easily would have won it, having wrestled six matches. The sophomore won four matches via pins, totaling four minutes and 46 seconds, with three lasting an average of 45 seconds.

Seggebruch leads Spartans, SJO falls to St. Thomas More in regional title match

OAKWOOD – The St. Joseph-Ogden (18-19) Spartans faced a formidable opponent in the St. Thomas More Sabers during the Oakwood Regional Championship on Thursday night, ultimately falling in straight sets, 25-18, 25-15. The loss marked the end of the season for the Spartans, whose relentless efforts came up short against a disciplined and polished Sabers team that finished second in the Illini Prairie Conference.

The Sabers (33-4), led by a balanced offense and impenetrable defense, established dominance early in the first set. Despite SJO's strong efforts, which included 13 kills in the opener, they struggled to maintain momentum.

Senior Ava Seggebruch spearheaded the Spartans' offense, tallying six kills and contributing two blocks and five digs. The Spartans aimed to turn the tide after the initial setback, but St. Thomas More's cohesive play kept SJO on the defensive in the second set.

Fellow senior Reese Wheatley joined Seggebruch in leading the defensive efforts, contributing the Spartans’ two blocks, while Ally Schmitz and Tinley Ideus added offensive depth with five and four kills, respectively. Ideus also showcased her defensive agility, totaling 10 digs, while Thea Smith supported with four saves. x

Setter Emma McKinney delivered 16 assists, keeping the offense in motion as SJO fought to stay within striking distance of the Sabers.

This year's St. Joseph-Ogden varsity squad was made up of Katie Ericksen, Kylie Barrowman, Timera Blackburn-Kelley, Tinley Ideus, Ally Schmitz, Amelia Huckstadt, Thea Smith, Addison Brooks, Hadley McDonald, Emma McKinney, Lillian Ahart, Adelyn Childers, Reese Wheatley, Emma Wells, Ava Midkiff, Ava Seggebruch, Vivian Smith, McKenzie Atwood, Adeline Stevens, Alivia Learned, Kayla Osterbur, Lexie Barrowman, and Emerson Williams.

St. Thomas More advances to the Monticello section semifinal on Tuesday against Maroa-Forsyth.

Keywords: St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball, Oakwood regional championship, high school volleyball playoffs, St. Thomas More volleyball, SJO Spartans volleyball

Richardson leads Comet Cross Country team at Tuscola Regionals

TUSCOLA - The Oakwood Comets girls cross country team concluded their regional campaign with a fifth-place finish at the IHSA regional meet held at Wimple Park last Saturday. The team advanced to Saturday's sectional meet at Lake Land College in Mattoon.

All five scoring runners for Oakwood achieved PRs at the regional meet. Sophomore Callie Richardson led the charge, securing a seventh-place finish with a time of 18:37.25, a nearly 10-second improvement over her previous best.

Juniors Bracie Hird (20:59.99) and Taylor Wells (21:00.51) followed closely, placing 27th and 28th respectively. Hird shaved over 15 seconds off her previous best, while Wells, in only her third varsity race, continued her impressive development. Sophomores Taylor Remole (21:11.96) and junior Zoe Moudy (23:01.73) rounded out the scoring five, both achieving significant PRs. Moudy's improvement was particularly noteworthy, dropping over six minutes from her season debut.

The team's combined score of 124 points placed them behind regional powerhouses Unity (40 points), St. Joseph-Ogden (70 points), Paxton-Buckley-Loda (94 points), and Urbana University (106 points).

The Comets turn their attention to Saturday's IHSA Class 1A Sectional meet at Lake Land College. While the competition will be fierce, the team's recent performance suggests they are well-positioned to make a strong showing to qualify for the state meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria on November 9.

Keywords: Oakwood Comets cross country, IHSA regional meet, Class 1A Sectional, Detweiller Park, personal records, state meet qualification.

Tigers exit soccer postseason in a heartbreaking thriller

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

With Mahomet-Seymour defender Ethan Ramirez on his heals, Urbana's Nana Winner fires a shot on the Mahomet-Seymour goal. Winner missed the mark on the second half shot that could have extended the Tigers' season another week.

URBANA - In a thrilling display of skill and determination, the Mahomet-Seymour Bulldogs clinched their second consecutive regional title in a nail-biting penalty shootout against the Urbana Tigers. The game, played on a chilly day at Randy Blackman Field in Urbana on Friday, was a testament to the grit and tenacity of both teams, with neither able to break the deadlock in regulation time or the two 10-minute overtime periods.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Bulldogs' Travis Hoffman and Tigers' Matthew Bodony leap to win a header during second half action. Despite controlling the tempo and their aggressive attacks on the Mahomet-Seymour goal in the second half, Urbana could not catch a break getting the ball in the net.

Expectations were high for the Tigers after shutting out Danville 7-zip in Tuesday's semifinal match.

"I think we finally hit our stride at the right point of the season," Urbana head coach Mikki Kowalski said after the victory propelled the Tigers on a collision course with the Bulldogs. "We struggled to have shutouts. It is finally nice to get one in a game that means something."

Kowalski, urged the team to stay focused and continue applying the strategy they had practiced during their halftime huddle. "We keep moving the ball, chances are we will get clear opportunities," Kowalski said. "When you see their back line move, apply a little more pressure."

Urbana keeper Jevan Juday echoed his coach's sentiments, advising his teammates to focus on 1-2 touches when the Bulldogs pressed too hard for the ball.

"If we play one-two touch, it is going to benefit us," he said, pointing out that whenever the Tigers got the ball into Mahomet-Seymour's half of the field, the Tigers had the advantage of numbers pressing the ball forward. "Everything has to be 100%. Boom-boom-boom."

Urbana dominated ball possession for the majority of the second half, creating numerous opportunities and taking solid shots on goal. However, they found an insurmountable obstacle in Bulldog Keeper Hayden Litteken. The senior made 17 crucial saves during his 100 minutes on the field.

Left: Urbana's Isaac Quintas keeps the ball away from a Mahomet-Seymour challenger. Middle: Hayden Litteken makes a diving save for the Bulldogs before Tigers' Fortunel Nana could tap the ball to finish. Right: UHS' Hayden Barton takes possession of the ball in the second half. Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Urbana, 11-9-1 for the season, matched its opponents, kick for kick, in the shootout under the lights until the seventh, a miss that handed the IHSA championship plaque to Mahomet-Seymour (16-7-2). Bulldogs' Kade Smith, a freshman who didn't miss, slipped the ball into the Urbana goal for the win.

Mahomet-Seymour, no stranger to postseason drama, had previously won their regional semifinal match against Mt. Zion in overtime earlier in the week, handing the Braves a 3-2 loss via the decisive goal in the first overtime session.

With the victory, Mahomet-Seymour advances to the Warrensburg-Latham sectional, where they will face Glenwood High School on Wednesday at 4 pm. The winner of that match will take on the victor of the other sectional semifinal between Champaign Centennial (13-7-2) and Springfield High School (16-7), both of whom finished third in their respective athletic conferences.

Keywords: Mahomet-Seymour soccer, Urbana soccer, Regional title match, Penalty kick shootout, Illinois high school soccer, Hayden Litteken

Mahomet-Seymour edges Mt. Zion 3-2 in OT thriller to advance to regional final

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Alexandre Chequim-Fiho celebrates after his overtime score in Mahomet-Seymour's Class 2A semifinal game on Tuesday. The Bulldogs advanced to Friday's regional championship game after beating Mt. Zion, 3-2.

URBANA - Mahomet-Seymour secured a dramatic 3-2 overtime victory over Mt. Zion in the IHSA soccer regional semifinals on Tuesday, punching their ticket to the regional championship match. A late surge by the Bulldogs, capped by sophomore Alexandre Chequim-Fiho's overtime goal, sealed the win after a hard-fought battle at the Urbana Tigers Athletic Complex.

Mt. Zion controlled much of the first half, with forward Greg Frazier striking twice. His first goal came with 23:27 left in the half, followed by a second at the 9:40 mark, giving the Braves a 2-0 lead and momentum as the half wound down. However, Mahomet-Seymour responded before the break with senior Travis Hoffman netting his 23rd goal of the season, trimming the deficit to 2-1 just 39 seconds before halftime.

The second half saw both teams exchange opportunities, but neither side could break through until the closing minutes. With just 2:40 remaining in regulation, the Bulldogs found the equalizer through Brody Back, sending the match into overtime.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Bulldog goalkeeper Hayden Litteken leaps forward to block a shot by Mt. Zion's Will Grohne in the second half.

In the first overtime period, Mahomet-Seymour capitalized on their renewed momentum. Chequim-Fiho found the back of the net with 1:57 left, putting the Bulldogs ahead 3-2. Despite a strong push from Mt. Zion in the second overtime, including several near-miss opportunities, Mahomet-Seymour’s defense held firm to preserve the victory.

With the win, Mahomet-Seymour improved to 15-7-2 on the season. The Bulldogs, who captured the Apollo Conference title with an 8-1-1 record, have now strung together two consecutive wins in the postseason. They will face Urbana on Friday for the regional championship. Mahomet-Seymour previously defeated Urbana 1-0 earlier in the season, setting the stage for a tightly contested rematch at the Tigers Athletic Complex, with kickoff set for 4 p.m.

Mt. Zion (12-9-2) saw their season come to a close with the overtime defeat. The Braves, who finished third in the Apollo Conference with a 6-3-1 record, were known for their strong defensive efforts, recording seven shutouts during the season. However, despite a promising start in Tuesday's semifinal, they were unable to hold off the late charge by Mahomet-Seymour.

Keywords: Mahomet-Seymour soccer, Mt. Zion soccer loss, IHSA regional semifinals, Apollo Conference soccer, Illinois high school soccer, Mahomet-Seymour vs Urbana soccer

Sweet revenge; Rockets bump Sages from postseason

MONTICELLO - The Rockets turned the tables on the Sages last Wednesday. Avenging a loss eight days earlier at Arthur Sievers Gymnasium, Unity handed Monticello their season adieu via a 57-41 victory in their IHSA regional semifinal match.

Not wanting history to repeat itself, the Rockets' took a nine-point first-half advantage at the break thanks to four-treys and six-for-six free-throws shooting. Senior Eric Miebach, who finished with a game-high 15 points, led the Unity offensive effort in the first two periods with six points.

The Sages fell further behind in the third quarter, allowing the Rockets an 18-point advantage they could not recover from.

Top contributors in Unity's 25th win of the season were Dane Eisenmenger, who came off the bench to score 12 points. Henry Thomas delivered nine points, Dalton O'Neill added seven, and sophomore Coleton Langendorf finished with six.

The bulk of Monticello's scoring was courtesy of Ike Young and Tyler Blythe. The pair had 11 points each, while Trey Welter and Raiden Colbert mustered six points each. The Sages finished the season 15-15 and 4th in the Illini Prairie standings.

The Rockets advanced to the title game on Friday against Warrensburg-Latham (21-11). The Cardinals moved forward after closing the book on the Maroa-Forsyth season, 67-50.

SJO rolls over Sullivan in regional semifinal, Jacob leads with 18 points

ST. JOSEPH - By now, you know that the boys' basketball team at St. Joseph-Ogden won their regional title on Friday. To reach the title game, the Spartans had to win their semifinal contest against Sullivan last Wednesday.

The Redskins, unable to stop SJO from scoring in the paint, found themselves down 15-2 a little more than six minutes after the opening tip.

Coy Taylor led the initial SJO charge with six points under the basket, while Luke Landrus, Logan Smith, Tanner Jacob, and Tanner Siems scored a bucket each in the first quarter. The Spartans continued their scoring onslaught extending their lead to 20 points at the half on the way to a decisive 59-25 win over the Redskins on their home floor.

Jacob led all scorers, averaging one point for every minute he was on the floor, with 18 points. Taylor finished the game with 13 points and led the team's rebounding effort with six boards. Smith was the third-leading scorer with nine points and eight assists.

Sullivan's offensive effort that led to a decent 22-10 record and a second-place finish in the Lincoln Prairie Conference fell short in the postseason against the Illini Prairie Conference champions. The Redskins converted on just 10 of their 43 shots and were 5-for-10 from the free-throw line in the season-ending contest.

Acosta hits hat trick in regional semifinal soccer match, SJO wins 9-0

St. Joseph-Ogden's Alex Acosta is congratulated by teammate Waylon Jones after scoring a goal against Unity on September 19. Acosta scored three goals on Saturday during the Spartans' regional semifinal soccer match against Clifton Central.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

ST. ANNE - They were literally unstoppable in putting the ball between the posts. The St. Joseph-Ogden soccer team rolled over Clifton Central in their IHSA regional semifinal match on Saturday, 9-0.

Junior Alex Acosta finished the postseason contest with a spectacular three goals. Spencer Wilson, a senior, connected twice, and the Spartans got two scores from junior Logan Mills. Freshman Tyler Hess rounded out the SJO scoring effort with two goals in the shutout.

Acosta and fellow junior Will Besson were each credited with one assist each.Wilson and sophomore Zach Harper setup two scores apiece with solid passes.

Thanks to a incredible defensive effort in the backfield, keeper Jaxson Colvin notched three save to hold Comets scoreless for 80 minutes.

The Spartans improved to 16-7 with the win, and advanced to tonight's St. Anne regional championship game against another Comet team, this one from nearby Oakwood. An anticipated rematch, SJO hopes to avenge their earlier 5-1 loss three weeks ago in September to the OHS squad.