Emma McKinney (left) and Reese Wheatley celebrate a point for the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team in their home match against Maroa-Forsyth. McKinney was credit with 23 assists and led the team in digs in SJO's regional semifinal against Unity on Tuesday.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
OAKWOOD - In a high-stakes, do or stay home, semifinal showdown, St. Joseph-Ogden eked out a three-set win over Unity on Tuesday at the Oakwood Regional, outscoring the Rockets 25-17, 19-25, 25-16 to secure their spot in Thursday’s regional title game against St. Thomas More. Despite Unity's strong season-ending push, the Spartans’ balanced attack and relentless defense proved decisive.
St. Joseph-Ogden (18-18), who came into the match with momentum from a two-game win streak, saw strong play from outside hitter Tinley Ideus leading the offense, forcing Unity’s defense to work overtime. Ideus, a standout for SJO, amassed 10 kills and added 10 digs, demonstrating her versatility and impact on both sides of the ball. Senior Ava Seggebruch complemented Ideus with seven kills and 10 digs.
Unity, however, did not go down easily. After falling in the first set, the Rockets adjusted their defensive strategy. Their efforts paid off in the second set, where they clawed back, winning, 25-19. Capitalizing on their defensive stands and taking advantage of Spartan errors, Unity found its footing to force a third set.
But the Spartans regrouped for the final frame, tightening up defensively and refocusing on their attack. Junior Emma McKinney played a critical role as a setter, tallying 23 assists for the evening and orchestrated an offense that saw contributions from multiple hitters. Ally Schmitz added four kills and nine digs, while Addi Childers and Reese Wheatley, who led in team blocks with two, each chipped in two kills, ensuring that SJO’s attack remained dynamic and unpredictable.
Ava Seggebruch pass the ball during SJO's home match against Maroa-Forsyth. The Spartans face a formidable St. Thomas More squad in their regional title match.
Defensively, Katie Erickson anchored the back row for the Spartans, tallying nine digs and serving two aces to keep the Rockets off balance. Ultimately SJO sealed their advance, winning the set with a 25-16 win.
Tuesday’s victory was particularly sweet for St. Joseph-Ogden, as Unity had previously bested them in straight sets, 25-23, 25-18, on September 24. This time, with a title game on the line, the Spartans showed marked improvement in their attack and defensive consistency, areas that had hampered them in the previous encounter. The win sends St. Joseph-Ogden to Thursday's regional final against a formidable opponent in St. Thomas More, who triumphed over Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin in their own semifinal matchup.
The Sabers will present a stiff challenge for SJO, having defeated the Spartans convincingly, 25-10, 25-12, earlier in the season. However, with renewed confidence and a balanced lineup, the Spartans look ready to give St. Thomas More a tougher contest this time around. Thursday’s title game, set for 6 p.m., will likely be an intense matchup as the Spartans seek their first regional title since their 2022 three-set win over BHRA.
Editor's correction: In our original story, we wrote that SJO had not won a regional title since "their 2019 trip to the Class 2A Final Four". That was incorrect. The article has been updated to reflect the Spartans won their most recent title in 2022 at the Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin regional.
Keywords: St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball, Unity Rockets, Oakwood Regional volleyball, Tinley Ideus, Ava Seggebruch, St. Thomas More volleyball, Illinois high school volleyball playoffs
