Photo Gallery |
St. Joseph-Ogden overpowers Oakwood at basketball tourney

Parker Fitch takes a shot playing SJO basketball

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Parker Fitch releases a shot between Carsen Dudley and Alex Wallace in the first quarter of their Toyota of Danville Classic game on Friday. Picking up their third win of the season, the Spartans defeated the Comets 79-46 and advanced to Saturday's championship game against Bishop McNamara. Here are more photos from Friday's pool game.

SJO basketball vs Oakwood at Toyota of Danville Classic

St. Joseph-Ogden's Kaden Wedig goes up to force the ball away from Oakwood's Ben Darling during second half action of their pool game on Friday.

TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden basketball, Oakwood Comets basketball, Toyota of Danville Classic basketball tournament, SJO sports, high school basketball

St. Joseph-Ogden, Bishop McNamara rematch set for Toyota of Danville Classic title showdown

St. Joseph-Ogden and Bishop McNamara each swept their pool play games to reach the Toyota of Danville Classic championship. The full day of basketball begins with the seventh-place game between Cissna Park and Watseka. The night concludes with awards, including tournament MVP recognition.

Oakwood's Xander Wilson tries to dribble around SJO's Tyler Hess

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Oakwood's Xander Wilson tries to dribble around the defensive efforts of St. Joseph-Ogden's Tyler Hess in the final pool play game at the Toyota of Danville Classic basketball tournament at St. Joseph-Ogden High School on Friday. The Spartans defeated the Comets 79-46, improving to 3-0 on the season and securing their spot in today's championship game, a rematch against Kankakee's Bishop McNamara. Wilson and the Comets will play the third-place game agaisnt Paxton-Buckley-Loda. Hess led the Spartan offensive effort with 17 points.

ST. JOSEPH - Host St. Joseph-Ogden (3-0) and Bishop McNamara won all three of their pool play games, earning the right to meet in this year's Toyota of Danville Classic championship. The Fightin’ Irish, last year’s champions, are 6-0 heading into the title match between the tournament heavyweights.

Seven hours of non-stop basketball action begins at 1 p.m. at St. Joseph-Ogden High School with the seventh-place game between Cissna Park and Watseka. Cissna Park struggled this week, dropping all three pool play games. The Timberwolves look to get back on track against conference foe Watseka, which finished with one win in Pool B behind Payton Schaumburg’s 30-point performance in a one-point victory.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., the only two teams in the annual tournament located south of Illinois Route 150 square off in the fifth-place game. Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond faces Charleston. The Trojans and Knights, both of whom defeated one of the teams playing for seventh place, lost two games in their respective pools.

The third-place game features an Illini Prairie vs. Vermilion Valley matchup between Oakwood and Paxton-Buckley-Loda in a contest that may be decided in the final quarter. PBL earned wins over Charleston and Cissna Park in pool play. Oakwood dropped a one-point heartbreaker to Watseka and fell to the red-hot Spartans by 33 points on Friday night.

The main event between the Spartans and the defending champion Fightin’ Irish will be an early season battle between two teams expected to make deep postseason runs. There is a sense of revenge for SJO, which, after winning three consecutive tournament titles since the pandemic, lost last year's championship to B-Mac in a physical 57-48 showdown.

After the championship game, the tournament director will present runner-up and championship awards and announce the Toyota of Danville Classic All-Tournament Team. A tournament MVP and the free throw percentage champion will also be recognized.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students, covering all four games scheduled today.

TAGS: Toyota of Danville Classic championship game preview, St. Joseph-Ogden vs Bishop McNamara basketball matchup, Illinois high school holiday basketball tournament schedule, Oakwood and Paxton-Buckley-Loda third place game analysis, Cissna Park vs Watseka placement game breakdown

Prep Sports Notebook |
Area basketball scores for December 3

Here are scores and recaps for Wednesday's basketball games in and around Champaign County.

Boys Basketball

Charleston pics up first win at Toyota of Danville Classic

ST. JOSEPH - Tyler Oakley went 2-for-2 from the free throw line on his way to an 18-point night at the St. Joe tournament on Wednesday. Braxton Honner and Quinn Taylor scored nine points each in the team's first win of the season.

Despite a top-tier effort from Dierks Neukomm with 25 points and Seth Walder's 21, the Timberwolves fall to 0-3 on the season and still looking for a tournament win this week.

Fourth-quarter romp fuels Watseka comeback

ST. JOSEPH - Payton Schaumburg dropped 30 points in Watseka's Toyota of Danville Classic game against Oakwood. Tyler Waugh added 17 in the tournament win for the Warriors to post a 55-54 victory in Wednesday evening's game.

Oakwood led most of the game behind double digit performances from Alex Wallace with 14 points and Carsen Dudley's 12.

B-Mac rolls past PBL Panthers

ST. JOSEPH - Richie Darr talled 14 points in Bishop McNamara's 51-38 win over Paxton-Buckley-Loda. Balanced scoring from seven other players sealed the Fightin' Irish's fifth win of the season.

Ethan Williams paced the Panthers with 16 points. Tyler Cole was kept quiet, scoring just eight points, and Carson Goss chipped in six points in the loss.

Boys' Area Scoreboard

Toyota of Danville Classic

Watseka 55, Oakwood 54

Other area game results

Springfield HS 53, Central 42

Girls Basketball

Comet girls fall to Illineks

Oakwood - A weak second quarter allowed U-High to take a five-point lead at the half in their road game at Oakwood on the way to a 37-36 win on Wednesday.

Caydence Vermillion finished the game for the Comets with 11 points and 13 boards. Gracie Hanner turned nine points and four rebounds in the non-conference loss.

Josie Roseman leads Eagles in loss

Watseka - Rantoul's Josie Roseman scored 15 points and made 8 out of her 10 free throws in the Eagles road game against the Warriors. Junior Addyson Sherrick hit three treys for nine points and senior Joselyn Espinoza had two of her own on the way to an 8-point finish.

Girls' Area Scoreboard

Urbana University 37, Oakwood 36
Watseka 72, Rantoul 50
Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin 36, Paxton-Buckley-Loda 31
Glenwood 65, Centennial 29
Clinton 64, Unity 24

TAGS: Central Illinois basketball scores, Watseka boys basketball team wins, Toyota of Danville Classic scores

Prep Sports Notebook |
Cornjerkers loses at home, SJO girls win again

A quick look at scoring leaders and area winners this past week. Brayden Walder scores 23 for Hoopeson in loss. Oakwood and SJO girls' squads win games before Thanksgiving.

Boys Basketball

Hoopeston Area drops season opener to Spartans

Brayden Walder was the leading scorer with 23 points in the 67-54 loss at home on Monday. Nick Cardenas came off the bench to add 10 points, while Alandize Barnett chipped in eight points. Barnett also led the team with 10 rebounds.

The Cornjerkers (0-1) return to action on Friday after Thanksgiving to face Armstrong (0-1) in an 2:30 p.m. matinee. The two teams met back in February with Trojans coming out on top with a decisive 83-61 victory. Hoopeston Area owns the series between the two programs with a 32-9 advantage since 2007.

Girls Basketball

St. Joseph-Ogden wins second game of the season

Katie Ericksen scored a game-high 12 points in SJO's 40-26 victory over Clifton Central on Monday. Addie Brooks connected on three treys for nine points, and Timera Blackburn-Kelley finished with seven points for the Spartans (2-0).

The Comets were paced by junior Maddie Webb with seven points in the non-conference matchup.

St. Joseph-Ogden hosts the Tuscola Warriors (2-2) on Monday in the Main Gym at 7:30 p.m.

Oakwood girls bounce back

After a two-point loss to Casey-Westfield on Saturday, the Comets (2-1) roll over Covington 56-29.

Oakwood's Caydence Vermillion led all scorers with 16 points and six boards. Teammate Gracie Hanner nearly match Vermillion's output with 15 points, three steals and six assists in their Comet Classic tournament game. Lainee Smith was invaluable in the paint, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds and chipping in eight points.

Covington freshman Lauren Hardy led the Trojans with 11 points and four rebounds.

TAGS: Oakwood girls basketball, St. Joseph-Ogden girls baskeball team stays undefeated, Hoopeston Area basketball, High School Sports, Central Illinois sports

Vermillion’s defense leads Oakwood to convincing win at Arcola

Oakwood opened the season with a 43-15 road win over Arcola, a sharp reversal from last year’s loss. Senior Caydence Vermillion led the way with 14 points, six steals and six rebounds. Emma Koontz contributed a double-double.

ARCOLA - Oakwood opened its girls basketball season with a dominant 43-15 road win over Arcola on Monday evening, a complete turnaround from last year’s 50-18 loss to the Riders. The Comets controlled both ends of the floor from the start, setting the tone defensively and never allowing Arcola to find rhythm in the half court.

The defensive pressure was anchored by senior Caydence Vermillion, whose active hands and anticipation disrupted Arcola’s ball movement throughout the night. Vermillion finished with six steals in 28 minutes and added a game-high 14 points. She also pulled down six rebounds, helping Oakwood outwork Arcola on the glass and limit second-chance scoring opportunities.

Oakwood’s rebounding edge was strengthened further by junior forward Emma Koontz, who controlled the paint with 11 rebounds while adding 10 points. She also contributed three blocks, cutting off drives and forcing Arcola to settle for tough shots. With Koontz anchoring the interior and Vermillion generating turnovers on the perimeter, the Comets held Arcola to nine points in the first half and just six in the second.

Offensively, Oakwood found a steady balance. Along with Vermillion and Koontz, Mady Nicoson chipped in six points to go with two rebounds and two assists, helping keep the ball moving and the offense organized. The Comets consistently converted turnovers into transition opportunities, which widened the margin early and kept the lead comfortable throughout the game.

The win gives Oakwood an encouraging start following last year’s 10-22 finish, offering signs that the roster’s defensive intensity and improved rebounding could play a larger role this season. The Comets return to action Saturday, Nov. 22, when they host Casey-Westfield, the same team that edged them 24-21 last year.

TAGS: Oakwood girls basketball season opener, Arcola vs Oakwood game recap, Illinois high school basketball defensive performance, Oakwood Comets basketball 2025, Casey-Westfield vs Oakwood preview

Local high school sports calendars for Aug 31 thru Sept 6

Unity Rocket sports this week

Oakwood sports this week

Centennial sports this week

Hess’ hat trick powers SJO past Oakwood in season opener

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.

St. Joseph-Ogden soccer's Steven Newman in 2024

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

Photo Gallery |
St. Joseph-Ogden overpowers Oakwood at basketball tourney

St. Joseph-Ogden, Bishop McNamara rematch set for Toyota of Danville Classic title showdown

Prep Sports Notebook |
Area basketball scores for December 3

Boys Basketball

Charleston pics up first win at Toyota of Danville Classic