Kayla Osterbur looks for an open teammate during SJO's Country Financial Shootout game in December. The junior has grown into the role of the Spartans' top performer.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
SJO's Osterbur double-double key in conference win over PBL
PAXTON - Junior Kayla Osterbur scored 13 first-half points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead St. Joseph-Ogden to a 39-25 conference road win over Paxton-Buckley-Loda on Monday. The Spartans improved to 5-4 in the Illini Prairie and 11-16 overall, closing the season with back-to-back wins.
Trailing 10-8 after the first quarter, Osterbur scored 10 points in the second quarter to give SJO a 23-16 halftime lead.
The Spartans held PBL to nine points in the second half, with senior Katie Ericksen contributing nine of her 11 points during this stretch. Addison Brooks and Hayden Dahl hit three-pointers in the third quarter to help secure the win.
For the Panthers (4-26, 2-7), Tanner Graham led with 10 points, all scored in the first half. Sophomore Kylie Rust came off the bench to add six points, while Aubrey Busboom contributed with a field goal and two free throws. Addison Lavender rounded out the scoring with a basket in the fourth quarter, totaling two points.
St. Joseph-Ogden will begin their postseason on Monday, February 17, at home against the winner of Saturday's quarterfinal between St. Thomas More and the #6 seed, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin. SJO earned the #3 seed in the regional.
Brooks leads Spartan basketball team in loss to Bulldogs
ST. JOSEPH - Twenty-one of the St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team’s 28 points came from seven 3-pointers by three players, but it wasn’t enough to hold off visiting St. Teresa (10-6) in Monday’s 40-28 loss.
Addison Brooks led the Spartans in the nonconference contest, making four 3-pointers for a team-high 12 points.
Hayden Dahl, who hit 3-pointers in the first and fourth quarters, finished with six points. Kayla Osterbur contributed five points and went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line. Katie Ericksen and Timera Blackburn-Kelley rounded out SJO’s scoring with three and two points, respectively.
Lucy Corley stole the show, scoring 19 points for the visiting Bulldogs. Jalie Eller also finished in double figures with 12 points.
Brooks and the Spartans (9-12, 2-3) travel to Bloomington on Thursday to face Illini Prairie leader Central Catholic. The Saints, undefeated in conference play at 6-0, are 17-7.
Kearney leads Spartans in conference loss at Monticello
MONTICELLO - Coming off an 18-point decision over St. Thomas More earlier in the week, the St. Joseph-Ogden girls' basketball team lost 34-24 on the road at Monticello on Thursday.
Going 3-for-4 from the free-throw line, Sara Kearney led St. Joseph-Ogden with 10 points. Katie Ericksen finished with eight points. Kayla Osterbur collected four points in the second quarter, and Timera Blackburn-Kelley was held to just a third-quarter field goal.
The Spartans held a one-point lead after the first quarter, but the Sages found their stride in the second quarter, outscoring their visitors 21-13 over the next two frames. Each team made just one field goal in the fourth quarter, with the remainder of the scoring coming from free-throw conversions.
Monticello enjoyed scoring from seven players. Megan Allen led all scorers with 13 points. Sophomore Sara Cresap finished with 10 points, contributing in all four quarters for the Sages. Ali Weidmer, another sophomore, contributed five points, and Annie Robinson, who scored the only bucket in the final quarter, drained a trey to round out Monticello's top scorers.
St. Joseph-Ogden drops to 2-3 in the Illini Prairie Conference and 8-12 overall.
Monticello improves to 2-2 in the conference and 12-8 overall. The conference is currently led by Bloomington Central Catholic at 4-0, followed by Illinois Valley Central. The Unity Rockets round out the top three spots in the IPC.
Next week, St. Joseph-Ogden hosts St. Teresa on Monday at the high school. On Thursday, the Spartans travel to Bloomington to take on the undefeated Saints.
Blackburn-Kelley leads SJO in road loss
Pleasant Plains – St. Joseph-Ogden opened the season on the road with one of the toughest foes on their 2024-25 schedule, falling to the Pleasant Plains Cardinals 54-19 on Thursday night. The defeat marks a challenging start for the Spartans, who finished last season with a commendable 16-12 record and a second-place finish in the Illini Prairie Conference.
Timera Blackburn-Kelley led St. Joseph-Ogden with 10 points, demonstrating persistence despite the team's struggles. Blackburn-Kelley also went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line. Addie Brooks finished with 5 points. Kara Osterbur and Atleight Moller each added 2 points to the Spartan tally.
On the opposing side, Pleasant Plains showcased a dominant performance, with Anna Webber leading all scorers with 23 points. Webber's scoring barrage included a remarkable stretch during the second and third quarters, where she scored all but five of her points. Bailey Leach also reached double figures, contributing 18 points and successfully converting 6 of 7 free-throw attempts.
Looking ahead, the Spartans have a challenging road ahead as they prepare for their next three games away from home. St. Joseph-Ogden will travel to Paris (1-0) next week, followed by matches at Tuscola on December 2 and Oakwood on December 4. The Spartans' first home game is scheduled for December 5, where they will host the Danville Vikings.
This season's Spartan team includes Katie Ericksen, Mia Jones, Sara Kearney, Timera Blackburn-Kelley, Abby Crider, Addison Brooks, Mackenzie Loschen, Hayden Dahl, Ashlyn Miller, Kenzie Atwood, Atleigh Miller, Kayla Osterburm, Lexi Lackey, and Kaitlyn Beyers.
Keywords: St. Joseph-Ogden basketball, Pleasant Plains basketball, girls basketball season opener, Spartans game recap, Anna Webber performance, high school basketball news.
Girls' regional basketball scores for February 12
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
Champaign Central 62
Eisenhower 26
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
Mt. Zion 66 - Centennial 27
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
Salt Fork 49 - Chrisman 15
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
Paris 42 - Monticello 37
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
Unity 49
Warrensburg-Latham 34
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
St. Joseph-Ogden 43
Prairie Central 29
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
Watseka 48 - Oakwood 26
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
St. Thomas More 40 - BHRA 35
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
MacArthur 61 - Rantoul 32
SJO girls stay undefeated in conference race, Martinie scores 22 in rout over Sages
ST. JOSEPH - The St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team held visiting Monticello to just seven points in the first half on the way to a 46-33 win on Thursday. The victory moves SJO to 12-8 on the season and remains undefeated in conference play with a 5-0 record.
Addisyn Martinie drained three treys in the first half and added a fourth in the third quarter to lead all scorers with 22 points.
Fellow senior Addison Frick went 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, finishing with ten points and seven rebounds.
Kayla Osterbur and Timera Blackburn-Kelley came off the bench, contributing four points each to the Spartan cause. Meanwhile, Addison Brooks finished the night with one three-pointer, Sara Kearney scored a field goal in the fourth quarter, and Katie Ericksen rounded out SJO's effort with a solo free throw and a team-high six assists.
The Spartans have the weekend off and travel to Matton on Monday to take on the 17-5 Green Wave.
Addisyn Martinie drained three treys in the first half and added a fourth in the third quarter to lead all scorers with 22 points.
Fellow senior Addison Frick went 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, finishing with ten points and seven rebounds.
Kayla Osterbur and Timera Blackburn-Kelley came off the bench, contributing four points each to the Spartan cause. Meanwhile, Addison Brooks finished the night with one three-pointer, Sara Kearney scored a field goal in the fourth quarter, and Katie Ericksen rounded out SJO's effort with a solo free throw and a team-high six assists.
The Spartans have the weekend off and travel to Matton on Monday to take on the 17-5 Green Wave.
Photo Gallery | Lady Irish topple Spartans at State Farm Classic
NORMAL - Addison Seggebruch makes a pass to an open teammate while being guarded by McNamara's Trinitee Thompson and Lydia Nugent in the second quarter of their State Farm Holiday Classic game. The Spartans fell 50-18 to the Lady Irish in the first Small School girls' game at Normal Community High School this morning. Seggebruch finished with five points for SJO. Moving into the consolation bracket, the Spartans will face Rockford Lutheran at 9:30 am at Bloomington High School tomorrow. The Lady Crusaders lost to Brimfield 49-39 in the contest following SJO's.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
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Prep Sport Notebook | Unity stays undefeated, SJO too much for Oakwood
Unity 70 - Amstrong 20
Spartans win at home, Martinie scores 17
The St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team kept a lid on Oakwood's offense on Thursday to pick up their fifth win of the season. The Comets (4-9), who average 34 points per game, fell 53-23 to the Spartans.
Addisyn Martinie finished with 17 points, nine in the third quarter. Addison Frick added another 12 points on the scoreboard, and Addison Brooks drained three treys for nine points.
Gracie Hanner scored five points to lead Oakwood's scoring effort. Jaydah Arrowsmith, Nikita Taylor, Luci Morris, and Taylor Smoot contributed four points each in the non-conference loss.
Area high school coaches
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Martinie's 21 points seals SJO win over ALAH at shootout
ST. JOSEPH - Spartans' Addisyn Martinie goes up for a shot in front of Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond's Sarah Herschbrger during the second half action in their Country Financial Shootout game on Saturday. Draining five treys and going 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, Martinie finished the day with 21 points. The St. Joseph-Ogden senior earned the game's Player-of-the-Game award.
Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
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