SJO and Heritage place in top five at Acklin Cross Country Meet

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Spartans and Hawks strong at Acklin Meet as Charleston defends title. Paris’ Harrison Hays repeats as top finisher.

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PARIS - East-central Illinois cross country teams converged on Paris High School Saturday for the 9th annual Acklin Cross Country Meet, with 19 schools and 146 runners competing in the varsity boys’ race. St. Joseph-Ogden placed fourth overall, while Heritage finished fifth in a field loaded with competitive talent.

Charleston repeated as team champion, winning its second consecutive Acklin title with 72 points. The Trojans, who also claimed the 2024 crown with 67 points, were followed by Cumberland (84) and host Paris (94). The Spartans tallied 114 points, and the Hawks rounded out the top five with 165. Last year, SJO was runner-up with 87 points, and Cumberland finished third at 123.

Leading the way for Heritage was junior Clark Roland, who finished sixth overall in 16 minutes, 57.7 seconds. Freshman Christian Paul was next for the Hawks at 29th in 18:04.6, followed by sophomore Colby Schrock (37th, 18:20.8), freshman Greyson Guevara (42nd, 18:37.9) and senior Joshua Stierwalt (54th, 18:57.0). That top-five effort was enough to edge several larger schools and secure a top-five team finish.

The Spartans put five runners inside the top 30, separated by just 17 seconds. Junior Colin Burnett led SJO with a 20th-place finish in 17:44.5, with freshman Adam Bello (21st, 17:44.7), senior Lance Retz (22nd, 17:44.8), sophomore Eli Franklin (23rd, 17:46.6) and junior Nate Farney (28th, 18:01.0) close behind. Junior Aiden Hundley also contributed with a 30th-place finish at 18:11.1.

Paris junior Harrison Hays successfully defended his Acklin title, taking first in 15:53.57 after winning last year’s race in 16:49.48. He was followed by Dieterich senior Trevor Crutcher (16:04.79), Effingham senior Alex Gordon (16:22.41), Robinson junior Wyatt Herrington (16:40.25) and Cumberland freshman Colby Roedl(16:46.67). Hays, Crutcher, Gordon, Herrington and Roedl all finished among the top 10 a year ago, underscoring their consistency at the Acklin course. Roland was the highest Heritage finisher in the top 10 this year.

Top 10 Individual Finishers

1. Harrison Hays, Jr., Paris – 15:53.57
2. Trevor Crutcher, Sr., Dieterich – 16:04.79
3. Alex Gordon, Sr., Effingham – 16:22.41
4. Wyatt Herrington, Jr., Robinson – 16:40.25
5. Colby Roedl, Fr., Cumberland – 16:46.67
6. Clark Roland, Jr., Heritage – 16:57.77
7. Nathan Fonner, Jr., Paris – 17:00.40
8. Gavin Whitaker, So., Cumberland – 17:01.99
9. Jonathan Brown, Sr., Charleston – 17:06.44
10. Stanley Himes, Sr., Charleston – 17:08.25

Team Standings – Top Five

1. Charleston – 72
2. Cumberland – 84
3. Paris – 94
4. St. Joseph-Ogden – 114
5. Heritage – 165

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St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans cross country, Heritage Hawks running team, Acklin Cross Country Meet results, Charleston Trojans repeat title, Illinois high school cross country standings

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St. Joseph-Ogden girls capture Acklin Cross Country Meet title

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Big finish in Paris: SJO girls XC secures team crown at Acklin Meet with two top-10 runners.

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PARIS - The St. Joseph-Ogden girls cross country team continued its strong fall campaign on Saturday, claiming the team title at the Acklin Cross Country Meet hosted by Paris High School. The Spartans outpaced a 19-school field with a team score of 38 points, placing two runners in the top 10 overall.

Sophomore Grace Bressner led the way for SJO with a third-place finish, clocking 19 minutes, 49.4 seconds. Freshman Charlene Barbee joined her in the top tier, crossing the line in seventh at 20:28.6.

Freshman Allie Bott added a 14th-place finish in 21:12.1, followed closely by junior Kyla Franckey in 15th at 21:24.7. Rounding out the Spartans’ scoring lineup were freshman Taylor Vaughn (25th, 23:03.4) and senior Sydney Steinbach (28th, 23:22.1).

Heritage sophomore Reaghan Stierwalt was the Hawks’ top finisher, placing 21st in 22:25.4.

Marshall senior Molly Farrell won the individual title in 18:54.07, edging teammate Madeleine Fox, who placed second in 19:33.40.

SJO’s balance carried the Spartans to the team crown, holding off Newton (62 points) and Effingham (78) to secure the top spot on the podium.

Top 10 Individual Finishers

1. Molly Farrell, Marshall (Sr.) — 18:54.07
2. Madeleine Fox, Marshall (Jr.) — 19:33.40
3. Grace Bressner, St. Joseph-Ogden (So.) — 19:49.44
4. Grace Thompson, Marshall (Fr.) — 20:08.41
5. Kayla Clark, Casey-Westfield (Sr.) — 20:14.01
6. Aleah Potter, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin (Sr.) — 20:16.66
7. Charlene Barbee, St. Joseph-Ogden (Fr.) — 20:28.68
8. Layna Marshall, Newton (Sr.) — 20:34.81
9. Leah Phipps, Chrisman (Sr.) — 20:38.25
10. Heather Bergbower, Newton (Fr.) — 20:50.44

Final Team Standings

1. St. Joseph-Ogden — 38
2. Newton — 62
3. Effingham — 78
4. Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin — 127
5. Charleston — 143
6. Robinson — 152
7. Dieterich — 185
8. Hoopeston Area — 210
9. Tuscola — 215
10. Neoga — 221
11. Teutopolis — 268

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Tags: Acklin Cross Country Meet 2025 results, St. Joseph-Ogden girls cross country highlights Illinois high school cross country team standings, Paris High School cross country invitational winners, Grace Bressner St. Joseph-Ogden runner profile

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Attention coaches: Want to see more coverage of your cross country program? Send meet results to sports@oursentinel.com.

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Still running out front: Unity collects sectional title, SJO qualifies for XC state

MATTOON - The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 1A Sectional Cross Country Meet at Lake Land College in Mattoon saw area powerhouse Unity advance to the state meet for the fourth consecutive year, finishing in first place with a score of 79 points. This year’s event, held on Saturday, November 2, took place under cloudy skies and cool conditions, with crip temperatures in the upper-50s at race time.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity's Ashlyn Denney runs a steady pace on her second lap around Detweiller Park at the 2023 IHSA Girls' Cross Country State Finals. Denny and Rockets will make the trip to Peoria on Saturday looking to bring home more state hardware.

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The Rockets have dominated Illinois Class 1A cross country in recent years, winning the state title in 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023. A fourth consecutive title would solidify their standing as one of the state’s most successful programs, with five state championships in the past decade. The Rockets, who hold five state titles overall, are currently tied with Yorkville for the fourth-most titles in IHSA history, behind only Winnebago’s 12 titles.

Emily Decker led Unity with an impressive fifth-place finish on the Lake Land College course, crossing the line in 17:41.5. She, along with the incredible depth of talent on this year's squad, has made Unity a formidable force heading into this Saturday's state meet at Detweiller Park to defend their title.

Decker was supported by standout junior Mackenzie Pound, who took ninth in 18:23.3, and senior Ashlyn Denney, who finished 14th with a time of 19:22.4. Other key contributors for Unity included Josie Cler (22nd, 19:58.4) and Grace Wherley (34th, 20:30.3), securing enough points to comfortably claim first place.

St. Joseph-Ogden also delivered a strong performance, placing third with 137 points to secure their place at the state meet. Senior Savanna Franzen was the top runner for the Spartans, finishing seventh in 18:01.0. Freshman Grace Bressner followed closely in 10th place with a time of 18:27.0, showing promise for the team’s future. Freshman Tessa Walker rounded out the top three for the Spartans with a 15th-place finish in 19:26.8, emphasizing the team’s mix of experienced and up-and-coming athletes.

The Illineks from Urbana University High School, led by freshman Clara Knutson, came close to advancing but fell short in the team standings. Knutson, however, secured an individual qualifying spot for state with her 17th-place finish in 19:34.7. Junior Ella Ylagan also delivered a strong performance, finishing 25th with a personal record of 20:03.3, and sophomore Cadence Scheunemann placed 46th at 20:50.7.

Top individual honors went to Isabella Keller of Effingham St. Anthony, who won the race in 16:35.0, followed closely by Kate Foltz of Tuscola with a time of 16:36.7. Shelbyville’s Tessa Bowers claimed third place in 17:21.4, leading her team to a second-place finish and a state meet berth with a score of 126 points.

Other notable local finishers included St. Thomas More’s Alex Anderson, who finished 39th in 20:43.1, and Oakwood’s Callie Richardson, who placed 13th with a time of 19:09.5. Both schools demonstrated strong individual performances but did not advance as teams.

Six advancing teams from the sectional will now prepare this week for the season finale at IHSA Class 1A State Championship meet in Peoria, where once again east central Illinois harriers are poised to make a strong showing on the state’s biggest stage.

In addition the Rockets and Spartans, the other four teams advancing out of the sectional included Shelbyville (2nd, 126), St. Anthony's (4th, 161), Fairfield (5, 176), and Paxton-Buckley-Loda, another Illini Praire Conference program, finished 6th also with 176 points.

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Keywords: Unity Rockets cross country, St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans cross country, Urbana University Illineks cross country, Illinois sectional cross country results

Unity, SJO, and Uni-High boys advance to IHSA State Cross Country State Finals

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Jack Fisher runs in the main pack at the 2023 IHSA Cross Country State Finals. Fisher and the Spartans earned another trip to state after placing second at Saturday's sectional meet in Mattoon.

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MATTOON - Notre Dame de La Salette captured the team title at the Illinois High School Association Class 1A Sectional Cross Country Meet on Saturday at Lake Land College, finishing with 97 points to secure the top spot. St. Joseph-Ogden and Urbana University placed second and third, respectively, each tallying 152 points, with Unity rounding out the top four teams at 194 points. Cumberland and Gillespie also qualified for the Class 1A state finals, finishing fifth and sixth.

St. Joseph-Ogden's Jack Fisher led the way among area runners, finishing sixth with a time of 15:42.6. The senior recorded his best time of the season last month at the Patriot XC Invite, clocking in at 15:31.7. Urbana University’s Ross Kimme and Kai Schwartz also delivered strong performances, placing 13th and 22nd respectively. Kimme crossed the finish line at 15:59.6, while Schwartz posted a time of 16:21.6, both contributing to Urbana University’s third-place finish and a ticket to state.

Unity’s top finishers included Camden Fairbanks and Eli Crowe, placing 16th and 21st. Fairbanks, a junior, completed the course in 16:03.0, just shy of his season-best of 15:33.1 set at the Illini Prairie Conference meet. Crowe, also a junior, recorded a time of 16:20.9 after setting a personal record of 15:19.7 at the Spartan Classic earlier this season. Their consistent efforts helped Unity secure the fourth-place position and continue their season at the state championship.

The meet’s top three individual runners turned exceptional performances. Gillespie’s Chaz Oberkfell earned first place with an impressive 15:11.8, leading from the start. Evan Cook of St. Teresa secured second, clocking 15:20.6, while Will Fuson from Cerro Gordo-Bement took third at 15:22.0. These athletes set the tone for a competitive field and will enter the state meet with momentum.

Additional area runners making notable appearances included Collin Graven, Ryan Akers, and Alex Mowrer from Unity, finishing 55th, 59th, and 74th, respectively. Urbana University’s Bruce Tang placed 37th with a time of 16:43.5, further bolstering the Illineks' third-place finish.

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Keywords: IHSA Class 1A Cross Country, Lake Land College, St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans, Urbana University Illineks, Unity Rockets, Illinois high school sports

Dominant Performance, Unity girls' claim IPC cross country title, SJO second

RANTOUL - The Unity Rockets lived up to their reputation at the Illini Prairie Conference Cross Country meet, capturing the team title with a commanding score of 31 points on Tuesday at Brookhill Golf Course. Unity placed five runners in the top ten, showcasing their depth and consistency on the 3-mile course.

Emily Decker led the charge for Unity, winning the individual title in 17 minutes, 24.8 seconds. Running a tenacious race up front, the remaining Rockets packed in behind her for a strong team finish. Decker, who has posted faster times this season, including a 16:55.2 at the Spartan Classic, comfortably outpaced the competition, setting the tone for the Rockets’ conference title.

The Spartans finished second with 63 points, led by senior standout Savanna Franzen. Franzen finished just 10 seconds behind Decker, clocking in at 17:34.2, which was a personal best. Franzen’s performance was a significant improvement over her previous 17:54 showing at the Spartan Classic, where she finished eighth.

Freshman Grace Bressner continued her rapid rise with a third-place finish, shaving nearly a minute off her previous best time to cross the line in 18:10.9. Tessa Walker, another freshman, rounded out St. Joseph-Ogden's top-three with a ninth-place finish in 19:50.8. Having two freshmen in the top 10 is indicator of great things to come for the Spartan running program.

In the end, despite strong individual showing from SJO's top three, Unity’s team depth proved too much to overcome.

Junior Mackenzie Pound finished fourth in 18:36.1, and seniors Josie Cler and Camryn Reedy finished fifth and tenth, respectively, to help secure the Rockets’ conference title. Unity’s fifth scorer, sophomore Grace Wherley, finished just outside the top ten in 11th with a time of 20:25.1, further cementing their dominance.

Behind Unity and St. Joseph-Ogden, Paxton-Buckley-Loda placed third with 81 points, followed by Monticello (108) and St. Thomas More (134).

Top 10 Individual Finishers:
1. Emily Decker, Unity – 17:24.8
2. Savanna Franzen, St. Joseph-Ogden – 17:34.2
3. Grace Bressner, St. Joseph-Ogden – 18:10.9
4. Mackenzie Pound, Unity – 18:36.1
5. Josie Cler, Unity – 19:08.4
6. Taylor Mabry, Monticello – 19:17.3
7. Audrey McCoy, Paxton-Buckley-Loda – 19:31.3
8. Kyla Franckey, Paxton-Buckley-Loda – 19:46.7
9. Tessa Walker, St. Joseph-Ogden – 19:50.8
10. Camryn Reedy, Unity – 19:51.6

The final team standings for the meet were:
1. Tolono Unity - 31
2. St. Joseph-Ogden - 63
3. Paxton-Buckley-Loda - 81
4. Monticello - 108
5. St. Thomas More - 134
6. Illinois Valley Central - 151
7. Central Catholic - 160
8. Pontiac - 171
9. Rantoul - 206

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Three area schools finish in top 5, Evan Cook shines at Spartan Classic

ST. JOSEPH — Evan Cook of St. Teresa High School captured the title at the Spartan Classic on September 28, 2024, posting a time of 14:54.97, the second-best in the state this season for the Class 1A division. The race, which featured 195 runners from 28 teams, took place under clear skies and mild temperatures in the upper 60s.

Cook's performance marked a significant milestone in his career, as he achieved a new personal record, surpassing his previous best times of 16:35.9 as a freshman, 15:22.9 as a sophomore, and 15:37.6 last year. His victory solidifies his status as one of the top competitors in Illinois cross country.

Unity cross country standout Eli Crowe runs his first lap around Detweiller Park at last year's state cross country meet. Crowe recorded a career best 3-mile run at the Spartan Classic, finish the course 15:19.7 in fourth place. So far, he as turned in the 9th best time in Illinois in Class 1A this season. The Rockets finished fourth in the team standings St. Joseph-Ogden's annual cross country meet.

Photo: PhotoNews/Clark Brooks

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The Spartan Classic continues to be a highlight of downstate Illinois' high school cross country season, showcasing the talent and determination of harriers across the state.

Three other local runners finished in the top 15, showcasing the depth of talent in the region. Eli Crowe of Unity finished fourth with a time of 15:19.69, while Jack Fisher of St. Joseph-Ogden and Camden Fairbanks of Unity placed ninth and tenth, respectively.

Crowe's performance was particularly impressive, as he recorded his season-best time of 15:19.7 at the Spartan Classic, currently ranking him ninth in the state for Class 1A.

The team competition saw University High take the top spot with a score of 110, followed by Clinton with 133 points. St. Joseph-Ogden and Unity both finished with 174 points, but St. Joseph-Ogden secured third place based on tiebreakers. Pleasant Plains rounded out the top five with a score of 219.

Urbana U-High had several notable finishes, with Ross Kimme placing sixth at 15:34.75. Other top finishers for U-High included Pieter Duursma in 20th with a time of 16:00.31, Kai Schwartz in 24th at 16:03.36, Luke Fahnestock in 28th at 16:13.79, and Bruce Tang in 32nd at 16:18.76.

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St. Joseph-Ogden's Jack Fisher runs to the finish line at the 2023 IHSA Cross Country State Finals last November. Fisher led the Spartans to the finish line at last month's Spartan Classic.

Photo: PhotoNews/Clark Brooks

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St. Joseph-Ogden's top finishers included Jack Fisher in ninth place (15:43.97), followed by Lance Retz in 33rd (16:21.42), EJ Beckett in 37th (16:31.49), Colin Burnett in 44th (16:44.62), and Eli Franklin in 51st (16:58.06).

Unity's top finishers were Eli Crowe in fourth place, Camden Fairbanks in tenth (15:44.63), Collin Graven in 30th (16:15.82), Ryan Akers in 66th (17:18.14), and Alex Mowrer in 81st (17:37.29).

The top 15 finishers were as follows:

1. Evan Cook (12) - St. Teresa - 14:54.97
2. Elijah Teefey (11) - Pleasant Plains - 15:11.28
3. Johnathan Iacobazzi (11) - Sullivan - 15:14.02
4. Eli Crowe (11) - Tolono Unity - 15:19.69
5. Blake McLeese (11) - Tuscola - 15:33.40
6. Ross Kimme (12) - Urbana U-High - 15:34.75
7. Xander Neamtu (12) - Tuscola - 15:35.04
8. David Hornaday (12) - Tuscola - 15:43.44
9. Jack Fisher (12) - St. Joseph-Ogden - 15:43.97
10. Camden Fairbanks (11) - Tolono Unity - 15:44.63
11. Ryne Norton (12) - Maroa-Forsyth - 15:45.52
12. River Derby (12) - Monticello - 15:47.83
13. Julius Ramos (11) - Effingham - 15:50.29
14. Ryan Kuhn (12) - Deer Creek-Mackinaw - 15:51.39
15. Tim Sikorski (9) - Monticello - 15:52.79

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Cross-Country: Jack Fisher lead SJO's sectional cross country effort

by Daniel L. Chamness
      Special to The Sentinel

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CHAMPAIGN --The St. Joseph-Ogden boys' cross country team destiny to compete at this year's Illinois High School Association Class 1A State Finals was confirmed at the sectional meet. Hosted by SJO on October 29 at Dodds Park in Champaign, the Spartans dashed to a fourth-place finish in what was arguably the toughest Class 1A Sectional in the state.

SJO finished with 164 points behind Decatur St. Teresa, who finished with 77 points.

While every cross-country athlete would like to make the state finals, it is highly-unlikely the current Spartan program will miss any in the forseeable future. Three juniors, two sophomores, one freshman, and one senior made up the SJO's top seven runners on the roster.

"We have been running in competitive meets all season to get to this point," said Jason Retz, SJO's head coach. "It will be great for them to have the state experience."

The team was led by sophomore Jack Fisher, who crossed 26th after he toured the three-mile course in 16 minutes, 29.38 seconds. Freshman Lance Retz finished immediately behind Fisher 28th in 16 minutes and 29.98 seconds.

The other Spartan athletes that finished within a second of each other were sophomore Mason Guido (17:02.61) and senior Ethan Blackburn (17:02.88). They were 50th and 51st, respectively.

Two juniors served as the third and fourth runners. Carson Maroon and Aden Armstrong took 37th and 41st, respectively. Maroon ran the three-mile course in 16:45.99, while Armstrong finished in 16:52.05.

The Spartans have competed in every state final except for two in 2012 and 2018. There was no state championship in 2020. In the seven times they advanced as a team, they were in the top 10 six times. They earned a team trophy in 2015, taking third in the state.

"We want to take advantage of every opportunity we are given," said Retz. "I want to see them show up and compete. We are excited to be here, but the athletes need to have a sense of urgency and purpose."

The Tolono Unity boys finished 10th in the sectional, scoring 260 points. Like their arch-rivals at SJO, the had a very young lineup, with only one senior. Four freshmen ran in the varsity race. One sophomore and one junior were also in the lineup.

Eli Crowe, one of the freshmen, took 25th in the SJO Class 1A Sectional. He finished the race at 16:28.91. The rest of the scoring top five were within a minute of each other. Camden Fairbanks took 44th in 16:53.75. On his heels was the lone senior on the team, Brendan Graven, who finished in 17:00.32, good for 47th place.

Isaac Ruggieri (85th) and Alex Mowrer (91st) rounded out the top five. Ruggieri crossed the finish line at 17:39.59, while Mowrer finished at 17:52.0.

Two freshmen served as the sixth and seventh runners. Carter Tiemann (93rd, 17:57.59) and Collin Graven (155th, 20:44.56), respectively.

Prep Sports Notebook: Unity top in XC, SJO soccer post another win

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Rockets take 4th place at Reed-Custer Lady Comets Classic

BRAIDWOOD -- Unity won one match, tied two, and lost two at the Lady Comets volleyball tournament on Saturday.

The Rockets fell 2-0 to Maroa-Forsyth and De La Salle in close contests. The Trojans prevailed 25-23, 25-14, and the Meteors from Chicago squeaked by UHS, 25-18, 25-20.

The team split sets against Putnam County, losing the first by three, 25-22, and storming back to take the second set, 25-18. Kaitlyn Schweighart, who finished the tournament with 18 kills and 58 digs, and the Rockets also split sets in their confrontation with the Momence volleyball program, 17-25, 25-16.

UHS' only victory on the five-match day was 25-23, 25-11, win over Mendota.

Junior Ruby Tarr had 33 assists and made 22 digs during the tournament. Meanwhile, Jayci McGraww booked 31 assists and five digs, and Julia Ping helped the team's defensive effort collecting 35 digs and nine assists.

The Rockets are back in action two days next week at the Rocket Center. Starting Monday, Tarr & Co. host the Bulldogs of St. Teresa and then play a conference showdown against the Monticello. The Sages are 0-2 in conference play with straight two-set loses to St. Thomas More and Paxton-Buckley-Loda this season.

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Spartans one win away from 10th

GEORGETOWN -- The St. Joseph-Ogden soccer team rallied back from a one-goal first-half deficit with two goals to beat Georgetown-Ridge Farm-Westville, 2-1.

The Buffaloes produced the only score in the first half despite numerous opportunities for SJO. A pass from freshman Ryker Lockhart gave Collin Thomey the opportunity to tie the game 1-all in the second half. Later, Lockhart put the ball between the post around the GRFW keeper to give the Spartans the go-ahead goal. Spencer Wilson got credit for the assist for the 9-3-1 Spartans.

Senior Hunter Ketchum and backup keeper Jacek Slowikowski, each guarding the goal for a half, made two saves each.

Luke Barney nailed the first goal of the game for the Buffaloes.

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Unity outscored, 2-0

Tolono -- The Rockets' soccer team fell 2-0 to visiting Illinois Valley Central Saturday morning. The Grey Ghosts improved to 1-4 in conference play after scoring a goal in each half of the Illini Prairie Conference match.

Unity (2-13, 0-6) hosts Fisher on Monday at home. Opening kick is slated for 4:30p.

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SJO 4th, Unity 9th at cross-country meet

St. Joseph -- St. Joseph-Ogden's Jack Fisher turned in a team-best 16:10.32 finish to help the Spartans finish fourth out of 28 participating teams after running in the 50th installment of the Spartan Classic.

The Rockets, who finished ninth in the team standings, were paced by Brendan Graven. He completed the 3-mile course in 16 minutes and 38.58 seconds Saturday morning. Urbana University High's Pieter Duursma led the Illinek's effort to the finish line, circumventing the course for a 34th overall finish at 16:51.57.

The St. Teresa boys' team won this year's team title with 60 points. El Paso-Gridley finished in second place with 92 points, and third place went to Tuscola with 113 points.

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Unity girls when Spartan Classic title

St. Joseph -- The Rockets cross-country team finished first out of 27 teams at this year's Spartan Classic. Uni-High finished in third place with 149 points behind El Paso-Gridley's 97-point second-place effort. Unity's top-five runners finished the 3-mile course under 19 minutes or better for an impressive 38 points.

The St.Joseph-Ogden harriers finished in seventh place in the team standings.

Rockets' Erika Woodard, a junior, won the individual title crossing the finish line first for the ladies with a time of 17:12.28. Senior Kate Ahmari, who led the Illinek program around the course throughout St. Joseph, finished at 17:49.40 in 3rd place overall. The Spartans top runner, sophomore Savanna Franzen, clocked in at 18:02.08 for a 6th place finish overall.

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Attention area high school coaches

If you are a coach at Unity, Urbana Uni-High, Urbana High School or St. Joseph-Ogden, send us your box scores, statistical leaders for each game, and other info via email to sports@oursentinel.com or editor@oursentinel.com.

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Photo Gallery |Area runners give all at state cross country meet

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Savanna Franzen runs in the Class 1A Cross Country State Finals on Saturday. Franzen, a freshman, finished in 6th place over all at 17:51.72 to help the Spartans to a fourth-place finish in the girls Class 1A division.

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Unity's Malia Fairbanks runs her second lap around Detweiler Park during the Class 1A Cross Country State Finals on Saturday. The veteran senior harrier was the fifth runner from the Rockets to cross the finish line at 19:04.82 to secure the team title with 126 points. The victory secured Unity's sixth consecutive cross country state trophy in over the past six seasons.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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University High School junior Kate Ahmari heads to the finish line on her way to a second-place Class 1A finish on Saturday. The Illineks finished in ninth-place with at team score of 320 behind #7 IC Catholic (246pts) and Wheaton Academy in 8th place with 289 points. Ahmari crossed the finished line at 17:29.24.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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SJO's Ava Knap runs the last thirty yards to the finish line in her 3-mile race at Detweiller Park. The Spartans' top finisher clocked in 17:48.51 in fifth-place.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Incoming Storm

Salt Fork runner finishes in top 25

Oakwood-Salt Fork runner Macie Russell heads to the finish line in the Class 1A race. The sophomore earned All-State status after coming in 16th place. A student at Salt Fork High School, she ran the 3-mile course in 18 minutes and 21.94 seconds.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Urbana University's Stefania Dzhaman runs to the finish line behind Eureka's Meika Bender in the Class 1A Cross Country State Finals on Saturday. Dzhaman, a senior, finished her run at 19:42.85.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Pulling away from her nearest competitor, Unity's Harper Hancock closes in on the finish line. The Rockets have won the state title two other times since the 2015 season (2015, 2017). The program was runner up in 2016 and finished in third-place in 2018 and 2019 in Class 1A. Hancock, a senior, finished in 30th place with her time at 18:39.30. Follow link to view more photos of Unity cross country runners on Saturday.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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With a few more strides to go to finish his race, St. Joseph-Ogden's Luke Stegall leans forward in preparation to cross the finish line during the boys' Class 1A race. Stegall, a senior, finished the last cross country race of his prep career at 15:52.49. The Spartans finished in sixth-place in the boys team standings.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Pushing himself the last eight yards of his race, Urbana University's Henry Laufenberg runs to a 15:58.37, placing 46th place overall.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Champaign Central's Maaike Niekerk runs in the Class 2A girls' race. The senior clocked in at 19:05.30 in 86th place on Saturday.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Urbana's Celia Barbieri and Northside's Allison Feeney runs in the Class 2A Cross Country State Finals on Saturday. The solo runner representing the Tigers at state finished 111th overall at 19:19.22.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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With about 10 yards left in their race, Urbana's Brian Allison and Julio Angrave along with Champaign Central's Nick Bonn continue their final kick to the finish line during the Class 2A race.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Urbana's Hudson Coady and Champaign Central's Enrique Bueschlein run through a shaded area of the Detweiller Park course on their second lap in the Class 2A race. Coady finished 220th oveall at 17:28.15, while Bueshlein crossed over 13 seconds later for a time of 17:41.80 in 227th place.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Urbana's Sam Lambert closes in on the finish line in the Class 2A race. The senior harrier for the Tigers finished just one place away from making All-State status in 26th place at 15:25.63. Earlier in the season, Lambert won the Big12 Conference title for UHS. See more photos of Urbana's cross country athletes here.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Area runners qualify for IHSA state cross country championship on Saturday

Sixty-eight individual runners qualified for the Illinois High School Association's state meet in Peoria this Saturday.

Urbana High School's Celia Barbieri and University High School's Henry Laufenberg qualified as individual competitors. Laufenberg finished in 15th place with a time of 16:55.85 at the St. Teresa sectional last Saturday. Barbieri, a senior, made the cut running the Class 2A race on the same course in 20 minutes, 12.07 seconds.

The remaining 66 runners made of athletes from both St. Joseph-Ogden, Unity, and Urbana will represent their school programs at Detweiller Park.

Unity cross country runner Malia Fairbanks carries the team 2021 cross country sectional plaque after the team was honored during halftime at Saturday's Unity home playoff game against Newton. "We're super excited about going to state," Fairbanks said. "It's crazy how fast the season has gone by." The Rockets' along with girls teams from St. Joseph-Ogden and Uni-High will race for a possible state title at 9am on Saturday at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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St. Joseph-Ogden finished in second place on the mud-soaked course at Hickory Point golf club with 87 points in the 1A race. University High came in 10th place and Unity rounded out The Sentinel area schools in 11th place with 316 points.

It was nearly a clean sweep of the top three places with the three programs The Sentinel covers. The Unity girls team won the sectional title with four runners finishing under the 19 minutes and 47 seconds. The Rockets secured the title with a 13-point advantage over St. Joseph-Ogden, who finished in second place with 75 points. University High finished fourth in the final standings just one point behind Monticello 108.

In Class 2A action, the Urbana boys' team celebrated a fourth-place finish ahead of 14 other programs. Leading the Tigers' contingent over the finish line was senior Sam Lambert who was ninth overall at 16:35.75 and Park Mitchell 15 seconds later at 16:50.51 in 16th place.

Saturday's championship race schedule starts at 9am with Class A girls running first followed by the boys' race at 10a. The Class 2A race featuring Barbieri starts at 11am and the Urbana boys squad will race for the title at noon. The awards ceremonies will occur one hour after the start of the last race for that class.

Below is a list of our area qualifiers.

Boys 1A Qualifiers

Aiden Armstrong (SJO)
EJ Beckett (SJO)
Ethan Blackburn (SJO)
Braden Clampitt (SJO)
Jack Fisher (SJO)
Joe Griebat (SJO)
Mason Guido (SJO)
Holden Jones (SJO)
Charlie Mabry (SJO)
Carson Maroon (SJO)
Isiah Mock (SJO)
Elijah Mock (SJO)
Luke Stegall (SJO)
Payton Wendell (SJO)
Henry Laufenberg (Uni-High)

Girls 1A Qualifiers

Chloe Allen (SJO)
Addie Allen (SJO)
Kaytlyn Baker (SJO)
Chloe Burkhalter (SJO)
Madison Clampitt (SJO)
Savanna Franzen (SJO)
Kailyn Ingram (SJO)
Ava Knap (SJO)
Malorie Sarnecki (SJO)
Taryn Sexton (SJO)
Josie Cler (Unity)
Krystal Crossin (Unity)
Emily Decker (Unity)
Malia Fairbanks (Unity)
Harper Hancock (Unity)
Annabelle Jokisch (Unity)
Caelyn Kleparski (Unity)
Arianna Pruitt-LeFaivre (Unity)
Camryn Reedy (Unity)
Audrey Remole (Unity)
Olivia Shike (Unity)
Sophia Stierwalt (Unity)
Reagen Stringer (Unity)
Erica Woodard (Unity)
Kate Ahmari (Uni-High )
Marina Bowers-Wong (Uni-High)
Stefania Dzhaman (Uni-High)
Edie Hoganson (Uni-High)
Cadi Hu (Uni-High)
Madeleine Keenan (Uni-High)
Bridget Lu (Uni-High)
Kara Mathias (Uni-High)
Erin Smith (Uni-High)
Jeana To (Uni-High)
Grace To (Uni-High)
Maxine Van der donk (Uni-High)
Bonnie Weaver (Uni-High)
Clara Wood (Uni-High)

Boys 1A Qualifiers

Michael Allison (Urbana)
Brian Allison (Urbana)
Julio Angrave (Urbana)
Christian Berry (Urbana)
Hudson Coady (Urbana)
Feras Hamayel (Urbana)
Dereje Jahiel (Urbana)
Sam Lambert (Urbana)
Emmanuel Lokango (Urbana)
Asaph Lokango (Urbana)
Patrick Lyon (Urbana)
Park Mitchell (Urbana)
Jonathan Sanchez-Huanca (Urbana)
Parker Schroeder (Urbana)

Girls 2A Qualifiers

Celia Barbieri (Urbana)