Coming up short, four Spartan seasons end at sectionals

CLINTON - On Sunday morning, three St. Joseph-Ogden wrestlers who qualified for sectionals are grappling with season-ending losses, just one victory away from competing at the IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals this coming Thursday through Saturday. After two days and 18 matches among the four Spartans, their chance for individual glory will have to wait, at least for two of them.

Freshman Ben Wells rebounded from his quarterfinal loss on Friday, winning his next two matches at the Clinton sectional on Saturday. Facing Olympia's Brandon Gaither (40-9) in the 106-pound consolation semifinal, he struggled and fell 17-1 in the second period, concluding his first season with a 38-13 record. Gaither went on to finish third in the division.

Sophomore Cam Wagner also experienced a tough loss in his consolation semifinal to Peoria Notre Dame's Brady Mullen, who defeated him in just 42 seconds. Wagner, in his debut varsity wrestling season, achieved 37 wins against 15 losses.

Senior Jackson Walsh, finishing his final season with over 40 wins, lost his consolation semifinal to PORTA's Kainin Fillbright, who finished fourth in the 113-pound division. Walsh's prep career ended via pin just 57 seconds into the match.

The fourth SJO wrestler at sectionals, senior Landen Butts, faced a challenging draw and concluded the tournament with a 0-2 record. He wraps up the season with a 35-15 record.

Below is the summary of how all four wrestlers performed at the Clinton sectional tournament:


SJO Sectional Summary

144 - Landen Butts (35-15)
  • Champ. Round 1 - Hayden Washum, Normal University won by decision over Landen Butts - Dec 10-8
  • Cons. Round 1 - Landen Butts received a bye
  • Cons. Round 2 - Austin Kisner, Olympia won by tech fall over Landen Butts TF-1.5 5:05 (17-1)
  • 113 - Jackson Walsh (41-10)
  • Champ. Round 1 - Jackson Walsh received a bye
  • Quarterfinal - Briley Carter, Clinton won by decision over Jackson Walsh Dec 13-8
  • Cons. Round 2 - Jackson Walsh won by fall over Jackson Buehler, Camp Point Central - Fall 3:53
  • Cons. Round 3 - Jackson Walsh won by fall over Bryan Islas, Beardstown - Fall 4:28
  • Cons. Semi - Kainin Fillbright, PORTA won by fall over Jackson Walsh - Fall 0:57
  • 285 - Cam Wagner (37-15)
  • Champ. Round 1 - Cam Wagner won by fall over Liam Dodsworth, Williamsville - Fall 2:33
  • Quarterfinal - Darian Holloway, Olympia won by fall over Cam Wagner - Fall 0:53
  • Cons. Round 2 - Cam Wagner won by tech fall over Dawson Thayer, Clinton - TF-1.5 1:44 (15-0)
  • Cons. Round 3 - Cam Wagner won by fall over Joey Humphries, Dee-Mac - Fall 4:56
  • Cons. Semi - Brady Mullens, Peoria Notre Dame won by fall over Cam Wagner - Fall 0:42
  • 106 - Ben Wells (38-13)
  • Champ. Round 1 - Ben Wells won by fall over Cayden Bostic, Clinton - Fall 2:53
  • Quarterfinal - Jaxsun Owens, Canton won by fall over Ben Wells - Fall 1:43
  • Cons. Round 2 - Ben Wells won by fall over Jayden Schmider, Farmington -Fall 0:50
  • Cons. Round 3 - Ben Wells won by fall over Kole Petta, El Paso-Gridley - Fall 3:37
  • Cons. Semi - Brandon Gaither, Olympia won by tech fall over Ben Wells - TF-1.5 2:37 (17-1)

  • St. Joe-Ogden Athletics

    Off-season work pays off; St. Joseph-Ogden's Maddie Wells heads to state wrestling

    SJO wrestler Maddie Wells
    Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
    St. Joseph-Ogden's Maddie Wells (left) wrestles Urbana's Rickasia Ivy in dual meet in December. Wells and Ivy, who took second place, qualified for the IHSA Girls Individual Wrestling State Finals in Bloomington Feb. 28 - Mar. 1.

    HIGHLAND - At the beginning of the season in December, when asked what she wanted to accomplish this season, St. Joseph-Ogden's Maddie Wells said, "I'm really hoping to qualify for girls' state for the first time." Mission accomplished.

    Wells, a junior who started wrestling three years ago, is a warrior. Yesterday, she became the first St. Joseph-Ogden female athlete to qualify for the IHSA's Girls Wrestling State Finals. Finishing third in the 140-pound division, the junior's grueling path through the bracket to punch her ticket to the state tournament in Bloomington was sealed after six matches at the Highland Sectional.

    "I was kind of in disbelief and I was happy for all my friends that I’ve made along the way that also qualified," Wells said after her third-place finish. "I was most excited to eat Chipotle, though."

    Except for her quarterfinal loss to Collinsville's Taylor Dawson, who won the sectional title in their division, Wells won four matches by fall and recorded a techfall in her consolation semifinal win over Mt. Vernon's Daniya Musgrave.

    Mentally and emotionally, she said her first match of sectionals was the most stressful.

    "My qualification match was my toughest," she admitted. "My previous two years I had been knocked out in this round so I was the most nervous."

    Wells won her sectional opener, pinning Salem's Alan Finney at 1:44. Her quarterfinal loss to Dawson lasted 42 seconds. She bounced back from the defeat to win her next four bouts.

    All the work Wells put in during the off-season paid dividends. She heads to the state tournament at Grossinger Motors Arena with an 18-6 record.

    "I do a lot of open gyms," she said. She also attended camps at the University of Illinois during the summer to sharpen her technical skills. "And, I did some off-season girls tournaments."

    Now a trailblazer for the Spartan girls' program and one of two girls on this year's squad, she hopes that her success will influence other female athletes to join the sport.

    "I feel privileged to be able to pave the path but I feel excited to see the girls that follow," she said. "I hope I inspired girls younger than me to not be afraid of trying new things despite their gender and being able to follow their dreams."

    Maddie Wells sectional match results:
    • Champ. Round 1 - Maddie Wells won by fall over Alana Finney, Salem - Fall 1:44
    • Quarterfinal - Taylor Dawson, Collinsville 32-3 won by fall over Maddie Wells - Fall 0:42
    • Cons. Round 2 - Maddie Wells won by fall over Kaisley Shotkoski, Mahomet-Seymour - Fall 1:15
    • Cons. Round 3 - Maddie Wells won by fall over Jacee Mardirosian, Carterville - Fall 3:34
    • Cons. Semi - Maddie Wells won by tech fall over Daniya Musgrave, Mt. Vernon - TF-1.5 2:18 18-0
    • 3rd Place Match - Maddie Wells won by fall over Lillien Roughton, Unity Christian - Fall 3:09

    St. Joe-Ogden Athletics

    SJO wrestlers still in the mix at sectionals for a spot to the IHSA state wrestling tournament

    St. Joseph-Ogden's Landen Butts
    Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

    St. Joseph-Ogden Landen Butts heads back to the bench after his match during the Spartans' home dual against Hoopeston last month. The 144-pounder lost his opening match on Friday. He needs two wins today to advance to the IHSA state wrestling tournament next weekend. Butts and three other sectional qualifiers are still active at the Clinton sectional, hoping to advance to state on the consolation side of their brackets.


    CLINTON - Four wrestlers from St. Joseph-Ogden launched their sectional campaigns yesterday at Clinton High School, aiming for a spot in this year's state tournament at State Farm Center on Friday. Here's a recap of their performances:

    Jackson Walsh fell 13-8 in his quarterfinal match against Clinton's Briley Carter in the 113-pound weight class. Walsh started strong, leading 4-2 in the first period with a takedown and a penalty point. In the second period, he maintained control, extending his lead to 6-5 despite conceding a reversal. However, Carter turned the tide in the final period, securing a takedown and nearfall to take a decisive 13-6 lead. Walsh fought back with a reversal in the closing seconds but ultimately moved to the consolation bracket, now aiming for a third-place finish. Today, he faces sophomore Jackson Buehler (25-22) from Camp Point Central.

    Cam Wagner began his sectional debut with a victory, pinning Williamsville's sophomore Liam Dodsworth in 2:33. He faced a first-period defeat in his second match against Olympia's Darian Holloway. Wagner advances to the consolation round in the 285-pound bracket, where he will meet Clinton senior Dawson Thayer (26-6).

    Another Spartan, Ben Wells, also contends for a third-place finish today. He is set to wrestle Farmington freshman Jayden Schmider (19-24) in the consolation bracket. Wells secured his sectional opener with a second-period pin against Clinton's Cayden Bostic. In his subsequent match, he was pinned in the first period by Canton's Jaxsun Owens.

    Today, senior Landen Butts (35-14) continues his pursuit through the 144-pound consolation bracket. Butts narrowly lost his opening match to Normal University's Hayden Washum, 10-8. Washum took an early lead with a takedown and near fall in the first period, leading 5-0. Butts responded in the second period with a reversal, closing the gap. Washum earned an escape point, countered by Butts with a takedown, making it a one-point match. In the third period, Butts briefly led 8-6 with a takedown but was outscored by Washum, who secured a reversal and near fall in the final seconds to win 10-8.

    Receiving a bye in the second round of the consolation bracket, Butts faces Olympia's Austin Kisner today. He needs two victories to secure a spot in next week's state tournament in Champaign.



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

    St. Joseph-Ogden's Jackson Walsh
    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.



    Unity topples SJO in conference meet wrestling showdown

    CHILLICOTHE - In a clash between perennial rivals, Unity soared to a commanding victory over St. Joseph-Ogden in a dual meet that showcased the prowess of Unity's senior wrestlers. The match, held on Saturday, January 18, 2025, underscored Unity's dominance as they clinched a decisive 49-17 win over their opponents on the way to the Illini Prairie Conference title.

    Unity, boasting a lineup featuring four seasoned seniors who were all state finalists last season, delivered a masterclass performance from start to finish. Leading the charge was Hunter Eastin, the defending state champion who stepped up in weight to 215 pounds for this encounter. Eastin's technical proficiency was in play as he pinned his opponent from SJO, Nathan Phillips, in 2 minutes and 10 seconds, contributing crucial points to Unity's overall score.

    Unity's Hunter Eastin is declared winner after his 5-2 win over St. Thomas More's Brody Cuppernell in the 190 pound title match at the 2024 IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals. See more photos from his state victory here. Eastin made short work of St. Joseph-Ogden's Nathan Phillips in their 215 pound match at the Illini Prairie Conference Meet.

    Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

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    Joining Eastin in Unity's formidable senior quartet were Kaden Inman, Holden Brazelton, and Ryan Rink, each bringing their own stellar track records to the mat. Inman, a senior standout who narrowly missed the state title last year, left no room for doubt in his match at 144 pounds, securing a dominant technical fall victory over SJO's Landen Butts with a commanding score of 19-4. Brazelton, who recently transferred to Unity from St. Joseph-Ogden, won his 150-pound match with a convincing tech fall, earning 17 unanswered points against his opponent, Thomas Ware.

    Ryan Rink, another integral part of Unity's senior cadre, demonstrated his resilience and skill at 175 pounds, overpowering his counterpart from SJO with an 18-3 tech fall victory. These performances highlighted Unity's depth and experience, underscoring their status as a force to be reckoned with in the conference and beyond.

    The dual meet began with early momentum swings, as SJO claimed forfeit victories at 106 and 113 pounds, courtesy of Ben Wells and Jackson Walsh, respectively. However, Unity quickly turned the tide with a series of strategic victories, starting with Zayden Mansfield's hard-fought decision over Camden Getty at 120 pounds, setting the stage for Unity's dominant run.

    St. Joseph-Ogden's only bright spot was once again at heavyweight. Sophomore Cameron Wagner stuck Unity's Jaden Dene at 5:45 to give the Spartans their only contested win against the Rockets.

    Throughout the match, Unity's conditioning and mental toughness, exemplified by Bryce Martin's controlled decision over Eli Birt at 126 pounds and Taylor Finley's decisive pin at 138 pounds. Keegan Germano and Abram Davidson continued Unity's winning ways with pins at 157 and 165 pounds, respectively, solidifying their team's dominant victory.

    As the final whistle blew, Unity celebrated a resounding 49-17 triumph over St. Joseph-Ogden. With the postseason around the corner, Unity looks locked and loaded for another trip to Bloomington for the state team dual championships.

    With state-ranked seniors Inman, Brazelton, Rink, and Eastin leading the Rockets, the program is poised take this year's Class 1A team title.


    Box Score
    106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Unity), FORFEIT; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Forfeit, (Unity), FORFEIT; 120 - Mansfield, Zayden (Unity) over GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO), Decision 14-8; 126 - Martin, Bryce (Unity) over BIRT, ELI (SJO), Decision 11-4; 132 - Forfeit, (Unity) over Forfeit, (SJO), Double Forfeit; 138 - Finley, Taylor (Unity) over HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO), Fall 4:28; 144 - Inman, Kaden (Unity) over BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO), Tech Fall 19-4; 150 - Brazelton, Holden (Unity) over WARE, THOMAS (SJO), Tech Fall 17-0; 157 - Germano, Keegan (Unity) over DALY, NATHAN (SJO), Fall 3:55; 165 - Davidson, Abram (Unity) over MOORE, JONATHON (SJO), Fall 3:58; 175 - Rink, Ryan (Unity) over SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO), Tech Fall 18-3; 190 - Winfrey, Desmond (Unity) over Carter, Liam (SJO), Maj Dec 16-2; 215 - Eastin, Hunter (Unity) over PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO), Fall 2:10; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over Dene, Jaden (Unity), Fall 5:45.


    Spartans' Daly falls in final match, finishing the day 3-2 at multi team dual

    St. Joseph-Ogden's Nathan Daly tries to pin Hoopeston Area's RaSiah Jones during their 157 pound match on Saturday at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. Daly dominated in the first two periods but Jones scored two takedowns late in the third period to win by a 19-18 decision. SJO went on to win the final match of the day over the Cornjerkers, 42-34. Daly, a junior, finished day with three wins and two losses. See more photos from this match here . . .

    Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks


    St. Joe-Ogden Athletics

    St. Joseph-Ogden ties Monticello at conference wrestling meet, Wagner averts SJO loss

    CHILLICOTHE - St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling showcased resilience and grit on January 18 during the Illini Prairie Conference at Illinois Valley Central High School, battling Monticello to a dramatic 40-40 tie.

    After defeating Rantoul earlier in the tournament, the Spartans started strong against the Sages, jumping to a commanding 17-0 lead. Jackson Walsh set the tone with a dominant 17-0 tech fall over Aiden Komnick at 113 pounds, while Camden Getty followed with a lightning-fast 34-second pin against Monticello's Kellan Lamb at 120 pounds.

    Monticello responded with a string of victories, including Nick Litchfield’s 18-2 tech fall at 126 pounds and a forfeit at 132 pounds. Despite SJO's Aiden Hundley and Landen Butts securing key wins at 138 and 144 pounds, Monticello mounted a comeback. Russ Brown’s 16-1 tech fall at 190 pounds tied the score at 34-all, and Hunter Romano’s second-period pin at 215 pounds gave the Sages their first lead of the match, 40-34.

    The Spartans’ hopes rested on sophomore heavyweight Cam Wagner, who delivered under pressure. Wagner pinned Nate Darnell in just 55 seconds, tying the match at 40-40 and preserving SJO’s unbeaten record for the day.

    With Monticello behind them, the Spartans faced two more challenges on Saturday: Unity, a 2023 IHSA Class 1A Elite 8 team, and host Illinois Valley Central.

    Summary of Key Results
    • 106: Ben Wells (SJO) pinned River Young (Monticello), 1:32
    • 113: Jackson Walsh (SJO) tech fall over Aiden Komnick (Monticello), 17-0
    • 120: Camden Getty (SJO) pinned Kellan Lamb (Monticello), 0:34
    • 138: Aiden Hundley (SJO) pinned Daniel Moore (Monticello), 1:31
    • 144: Landen Butts (SJO) tech fall over Drake Weeks (Monticello), 16-0
    • 190: Russ Brown (Monticello) tech fall over Carter Liam (SJO), 16-1
    • 215: Hunter Romano (Monticello) pinned Nathan Phillips (SJO), 4:38
    • 285: Cam Wagner (SJO) pinned Nate Darnell (Monticello), 0:55


    Box Score
    106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Young, River (Monticello), Fall 1:32; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Komnick, Aiden (Monticello), Tech Fall 17-0; 120 - GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO) over Lamb, Kellan (Monticello), Fall 0:34; 126 - Litchfield, Nick (Monticello) over BIRT, ELI (SJO), Tech Fall 18-2; 132 - Osborne, Will (Monticello) over Forfeit, (SJO), FORFEIT; 138 - HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO) over Moore, Daniel (Monticello), Fall 1:31; 144 - BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO) over Weeks, Drake (Monticello), Tech Fall 16-0; 150 - Ducker, Isaiah (Monticello) over WARE, THOMAS (SJO), Fall 0:35; 157 - Shubert, Colton (Monticello) over DALY, NATHAN (SJO), Fall 1:08; 165 - MOORE, JONATHON (SJO) over Mikulich, Christian (Monticello), Fall 5:51; 175 - Sinkosky, Max (Monticello) over SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO), Fall 0:55; 190 - Brown, Russ (Monticello) over Carter, Liam (SJO), Tech Fall 16-1; 215 - Romano, Hunter (Monticello) over PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO), Fall 4:38; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over Darnell, Nate (Monticello), Fall 0:55.



    St. Joe-Ogden Athletics

    SJO continues to dominate IPC foes at conference meet, defeats Rantoul 58-16

    CHILLICOTHE - In a commanding display of prowess, the St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling program continued their winning streak at the Illini Prairie Conference wrestling meet, triumphing over the Rantoul Eagles with a resounding 58-16 victory on day 2 of competition.

    After a stellar performance on the opening day against Prairie Central, Pontiac, and St. Thomas More, SJO entered the match against Rantoul with justifiable confidence. The Spartans wasted no time asserting their dominance, securing wins in nine of the 14 weight classes. Almost every contested match ended in a pin, serving notice of SJO's rise back to its former reputation as a formidable small school wrestling program with the return of the Gallo family as coaches.

    Leading the charge for SJO were standout wrestlers who delivered exceptional performances throughout the tournament. Landen Butts maintained his undefeated streak, going 3-0 over the weekend with impressive victories including a decisive pin against Daemian Spisak of Prairie Central and a quick takedown of Cale Christenson from Pontiac. Eli Birt also showcased his prowess with a solid decision victory over Drake Clemons from Prairie Central.

    Aiden Hundley added to SJO's tally with a commanding fall over Kooper Wiles from Pontiac, while Jackson Walsh displayed his dominance with a pin over Sophia Mussari from Pontiac, solidifying his 2-0 record for the weekend.

    Taking a look at their overall performance, SJO has outscored their opponents by a notable margin, tallying an impressive 226-75 since the start of the conference tournament. With three matches to go, the Spartans positioned the team for a top-three finish at this year's tourney.

    Looking ahead, the Spartans are gearing up for their upcoming matches. Tomorrow, SJO will host a Multi-Quad event featuring Decatur Unity Christian, Decatur MacArthur, Hoopeston, Cumberland, and St. Thomas More, starting at 8:30 AM. Next week, they will face off against Champaign Central High School in a dual meet on Wednesday at 6 PM, followed by a visit to GCMS on Thursday at 5:30 PM.

    Box Score
    106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Rantoul), FORFEIT; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Hench, Emmett (Rantoul), Fall 1:20; 120 - GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Rantoul), FORFEIT; 126 - BIRT, ELI (SJO) over Taylor, Ryker (Rantoul), Tech Fall 22-6; 132 - Forfeit, (Rantoul) over Forfeit, (SJO), Double Forfeit; 138 - HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO) over Beach, Bryson (Rantoul), Fall 1:29; 144 - BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO) over Dunner, Nicholas (Rantoul), Fall 4:35; 150 - WARE, THOMAS (SJO) over Buck, Wyatt (Rantoul), Tech Fall 21-3; 157 - Almanza, Brandon (Rantoul) over MOORE, JONATHON (SJO), Fall 4:03; 165 - Williams, Darius (Rantoul) over VAUGHN, ALEX (SJO), Fall 7:14; 175 - SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO) over Mager, Alex (Rantoul), Fall 1:52; 190 - Schultz, Harley (Rantoul) over Carter, Liam (SJO), Maj Dec 14-6; 215 - PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO) over Nutter, Alexander (Rantoul), Fall 0:41; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over Forfeit, (Rantoul), FORFEIT.



    St. Joe-Ogden Athletics

    SJO rolls past Prairie Central at IPC Meet, Walsh notches first period-pin in rout

    CHILLICOTHE - Michael Jackson sang "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and the St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling took the song to heart, going undefeated during the first day of competition and the Illini Prairie Conference wrestling meet last week.

    SJO grapplers delivered a commanding performance on Jan. 17, overwhelming the Prairie Central Hawks 54-12 at the two-day Illini Prairie Conference wrestling meet at Illinois Valley Central High School. The Spartans also claimed victories over Pontiac (48-35) and St. Thomas More (66-12).

    Despite a few competitive bouts, including a 10-7 overtime decision at 138 pounds in favor of Prairie Central’s John Traub over Aiden Hundley, the Spartans’ depth and ability to secure bonus points proved decisive. Other key contributors included Eli Birt (126 pounds), who earned a 4-1 decision, and Devan Swisher (175 pounds), who posted a 10-3 decision.

    Ben Wells (106 pounds) won the dual opener for the Spartans by pinning Prairie Central’s Andrew Patino in 1:37. Jackson Walsh (113 pounds) followed with another first-period pin, defeating Julius Smith in 1:33. Camden Getty (120 pounds) kept the momentum going, recording a fall over Prestin Gero in 2:08.

    Landen Butts (144 pounds) added to the Spartans’ strong showing with a pin over Daemian Spisak in 4:20, while heavyweight Cam Wagner capped the dual with a forfeit victory. Wagner, a sophomore enjoying a standout debut season, is also a top-rated football player with Division I scholarship offers.

    Day one conference meet standouts
    Several Spartans delivered standout performances across all three matches on day one. Walsh (113 pounds) was a force on the mat, securing two first-period pins, including a 1:49 fall against Pontiac’s Sophia Mussari. Getty (120 pounds) also recorded two pins, showcasing the improvement he has made through the hard work he put in during the off-season.

    Wagner (285 pounds) continued to impress with two falls, including a decisive 1:35 pin over Pontiac’s Hunter McCullough. Butts (144 pounds) added two pins to his tally, further highlighting the Spartans’ dominance in the middleweight classes.

    Box Score
    106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Patino, Andrew (PC), Fall 1:37; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Smith, Julius (PC), Fall 1:33; 120 - GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO) over Gero, Prestin (PC), Fall 2:08; 126 - BIRT, ELI (SJO) over Clemons, Drake (PC), Decision 4-1; 132 - Forfeit, (PC) over Forfeit, (SJO), Double Forfeit; 138 - Traub, John (PC) over HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO), Decision 10-7 (OT); 144 - BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO) over Spisak, Daemian (PC), Fall 4:20; 150 - WARE, THOMAS (SJO) over Forfeit, (PC), FORFEIT; 157 - Ziller, Ethan (PC) over MOORE, JONATHON (SJO), Decision 9-6; 165 - Martin, Jaxson (PC) over VAUGHN, ALEX (SJO), Fall 1:02; 175 - SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO) over Mowery, Elijah (PC), Decision 10-3; 190 - Carter, Liam (SJO) over Forfeit, (PC), FORFEIT; 215 - PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO) over Forfeit, (PC), FORFEIT; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over Forfeit, (PC), FORFEIT.


    St. Joe-Ogden Athletics

    St. Joseph-Ogden secures hard-fought victory over Pontiac at IPC meet

    CHILLICOTHE - The St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling team had an impressive run during the first day of the two-day Illini Prairie Conference wrestling meet on Jan. 17 at Illinois Valley Central High School, defeating the Pontiac Indians 48-35 in a closely contested dual.

    The Spartans, who went 3-0 on day one, also secured commanding wins against Prairie Central (54-12) and St. Thomas More (66-12).

    The meet began at 106 pounds, with Ben Wells earning a forfeit victory for the Spartans. At 113 pounds, Jackson Walsh notched the first of several key first-period pins for St. Joseph-Ogden, defeating Pontiac’s Sophia Mussari in 1:49. Cam Wagner, a standout sophomore heavyweight, capped the match with a first-period pin over Hunter McCullough in 1:35 to seal the victory. Wagner, who is enjoying a stellar debut season, is also a top-rated football player in Illinois with Division I scholarship offers from Nebraska, Illinois, Louisville, Miami of Ohio, and Iowa.

    Other Spartans who delivered standout performances included Aiden Hundley (138 pounds), who pinned Kooper Wiles in 5:35, and Landen Butts (144 pounds), who recorded a fall over Cale Christenson in 5:60. Jonathan Moore (157 pounds) also added a pin, defeating Hunter Christenson in 3:02.

    Pontiac kept the meet competitive with wins in several weight classes, including Noah Davis’ technical fall at 126 pounds and pins by Brayden Quas (150 pounds), Lucas Maier (165 pounds), Carlito Lattin (175 pounds), and Jackson Crawford (190 pounds). Despite their efforts, the Indians fell short as the Spartans’ depth and ability to secure bonus points proved decisive.

    Box Score
    106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Pontiac), FORFEIT; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Mussari, Sophia (Pontiac), Fall 1:49; 120 - GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Pontiac), FORFEIT; 126 - Davis, Noah (Pontiac) over BIRT, ELI (SJO), Tech Fall 18-2; 132 - Hoegger, Alex (Pontiac) over Forfeit, (SJO), FORFEIT; 138 - HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO) over Wiles, Kooper (Pontiac), Fall 5:35; 144 - BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO) over Christenson, Cale (Pontiac), Fall 5:60; 150 - Quas, Brayden (Pontiac) over WARE, THOMAS (SJO), Fall 4:13; 157 - MOORE, JONATHON (SJO) over Christenson, Hunter (Pontiac), Fall 3:02; 165 - Maier, Lucas (Pontiac) over VAUGHN, ALEX (SJO), Fall 3:39; 175 - Lattin, Carlito (Pontiac) over SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO), Fall 8:28; 190 - Crawford, Jackson (Pontiac) over Carter, Liam (SJO), Fall 4:49; 215 - PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Pontiac), FORFEIT; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over McCullough, Hunter (Pontiac), Fall 1:35.


    St. Joe-Ogden Athletics


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    2025 Illinois Marathon Photo Gallery
    A couple of runners found themselves in the wrong race at this year's Illinois Marathon. Over 60 photos from the race that you should see.

    Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks