Stockton volleyball players celebrate their 2-1 win over Hartsburg-Emden during semifinal action at the 2024 IHSA state volleyball championships. The Lady Blackhawks dropped the first set 11-25, then stormed back to win the last two 25-20, 25-21 to advance to the Class 1A title game. The team is back at CEFCU again this year in the program's second state finals appearance.
NORMAL - If you can't make it to the CEFCU Arena to watch semifinal championship on Friday, you can catch all the action online via the NFHS Network. Viewers can subscribe to watch games on various platforms, including computers, mobile devices, and third-party apps like Roku and Apple TV.
Below is Friday's broadcast schedule. Click the image to watch the game.
Nov 14, 2025 - 10:00 AM EST
2025 IHSA 1A Girls Volleyball Semifinals #1 Norris City-Omaha-Enfield High School vs Stockton High School
Nov 14, 2025 - 11:30 AM EST
2025 IHSA 1A Girls Volleyball Semifinals #2 Tremont vs Cissna Park
Nov 14, 2025 - 1:00 AM EST
2025 IHSA 2A Girls Volleyball Semifinals #1 Columbia vs Rockford Christian
Nov 14, 2025 - 2:30 AM EST
2025 IHSA 2A Girls Volleyball Semifinals #2 Central Catholic vs Riverdale
Nov 14, 2025 - 5:00 AM EST
2025 IHSA 3A Girls Volleyball Semifinals #1 Nazareth Academy vs Providence Catholic
Nov 14, 2025 - 6:30 AM EST
2025 IHSA 3A Girls Volleyball Semifinals #2 University vs Prairie Ridge
Nov 14, 2025 - 8:00 PM EST
2025 IHSA 4A Girls Volleyball Semifinals #1 Benet Academy vs Lockport Township
Nov 14, 2025 - 9:30 PM EST
2025 IHSA 4A Girls Volleyball Semifinals #2 Marist vs Fremd
The Sentinel may receive a commission if you click on our links and make a purchase. This does not impact our reviews or recommendations for the service provider.
Unity edged Monticello 21-20 in a dramatic Class 3A playoff rematch at Hicks Field. The Rockets sealed the victory on a last-second interception by Tre Hoggard.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Unity's Tre Hoggard makes a leaping catch in front of a pass intended for Monticello's Jake Robinson on a two-point conversion attempt by the Sages. The snag by Hoggard as time expired ended the game with the Rockets on top 21-20 and advancing to the Class 3A quarterfinals.
TOLONO — The atmosphere was as electric and palpable as expected from the opening kickoff to the final interception that sealed Unity’s one-point victory over Monticello (8-3) at Hicks Field in their Class 3A second-round playoff game on Saturday. In a gritty, hard-fought battle, the Rockets avenged last year’s semifinal loss at Monticello with a dramatic finish of their own, winning 21-20 in a finale for the ages.
Unity, which advanced to the state quarterfinals for the fifth consecutive season and the 18th time in program history, will play at Williamsville (11-0) at 2 p.m. next Saturday.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Monticello's Zeke Young goes up for a pass between Unity defensive backs Tyler Henry and Adam Reedy early in the second half of their playoff game.
The matchup between the rival Illini Prairie Conference programs was a classic gridiron struggle filled with big plays and momentum swings on a gray, overcast day. Fueled by determination, athleticism, and sound fundamentals on both sides, “epic” might have been an understatement.
“Monticello is a great team with a great game plan,” Unity head coach Tony Reetz said. “We knew they would give us everything we could handle. They did a great job of making long drives and keeping our offense off the field. We never really got the field flipped the way we wanted. Hats off to them.”
Monticello senior quarterback Nolan Buehnerkemper’s swan song was bittersweet. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior played quarterback, safety and kicker, seemingly everywhere for the Sages. He completed 24 of 35 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns.
Buehnerkemper scored Monticello’s first touchdown on a 1-yard plunge that gave the Sages a 7-0 lead with 5:56 left in the first quarter. Just over two minutes later, he connected with Zeke Young on a 75-yard touchdown strike, stunning the heavily favored Rockets with a 14-0 advantage.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Crewe Eckstein pushes Sages' Drake Weeks away on his way to the tying touchdown before the end of the first half. The senior ran for 157 yards on 25 touches.
Down two scores at the start of the second quarter, Unity responded immediately. On the first play of the quarter, Tre Hoggard ran nine yards for a touchdown. With 6:16 left in the half, Crewe Eckstein found the corner of the west end zone for another score. Kicker Ty Rodems converted both extra points to tie the game 14-14 at halftime.
“A lot of respect to them. They are a good team,” Eckstein said after posing for photos with friends. The senior finished with 157 yards on 26 carries. “They filled all their gaps. They hustle and they play hard.”
Neither team scored in the third quarter as both defenses stood firm.
Unity took a 21-14 lead with 9:41 left in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Dane Eisenmenger.
“We were all clicking in the second half. The first half was a little iffy,” senior defensive back Coleton Langendorf said. “But we picked it up in the second half.”
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Unity's Keegan Germano tries to fold Monticello tight end Jake Robinson in half with a solid tackle during third quarter action. Teammate Coleton Langendorf said Germano delivered an outstanding effort on defense for the Rockets. "He was just flying around everywhere. He was making things happen," Langendorf said singing praises.
Monticello didn’t back down. With less than nine seconds remaining, Buehnerkemper found Heyden Ramano, who scooped the pass just inches above the ground for a touchdown to make it 21-20.
Instead of kicking the extra point to force overtime, Monticello head coach Cully Welter made the gutsy decision to go for two. Buehnerkemper threw over the middle to senior Jake Robinson, but before the ball could reach his neon-gloved fingertips, Hoggard leapt into the air and intercepted it — ending the Sages’ season and sending Unity to the quarterfinals.
“When the ball touched my finger, it was amazing,” Hoggard said. “I just knew the game was over.”
Not bad for a player who hadn’t played defense all year but stepped in for an injured teammate in the Sages' last drive in the third quarter. He was on the field for just six plays, but his presence made the difference.
“It feels good. I wouldn’t say I was responsible for the win. There are others on our team who stepped up when they needed to. Defense stepped up in the fourth quarter for sure.”
After the game, Monticello players, even after a heartbreaking loss, displayed an impressive level of class, sportsmanship and conference camaraderie during postgame handshakes, telling their opponents, “Go get the big win.”
“They were wishing us good luck,” Eckstein said. “A lot of respect to those guys. They are all nice. They are all great.”
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Desmond Winfrey and Coleton Langendor celebrate a defensive stop in the third quarter. The Rockets move on in the Class 3A bracket with a roadtrip to Williamsville next Saturday.
More Unity Athletics Stories
Tags: Unity Rockets Class 3A football playoffs, Monticello Sages vs Unity playoff game recap, Illinois high school football quarterfinal preview, Unity football Hicks Field Tolono Illinois, IHSA Class 3A playoff highlights 2025
The Heyworth Hornets capped off an outstanding football season today, concluding their impressive playoff run against a formidable Stockton Blackhawks squad in the IHSA Class 1A Second Round. While the final scoreboard, Stockton 26, Heyworth 3, did not fall the Hornets' way, it cannot overshadow the tremendous accomplishments of this team and its community.
The Hornets fought hard, earning a valuable field goal and demonstrating the resilience and tenacity that defined their path to the second round. Playing against the number one seed is a testament to the level of success Heyworth achieved this year—a season marked by tenacity, skill, and the unified spirit of the entire town.
To the players, coaches, and the loyal Heyworth faithful: hold your heads high. You competed fiercely and represented your school with honor and pride. This deep run into the playoffs establishes a strong foundation and raises the bar for the program's future. The entire Heyworth community can look back on this season with immense pride. This is not an ending, but a springboard for even greater things to come.
Tags: GCMS Falcons Heart of Illinois Medium Division title, Ridgeview vs GCMS high school football highlights, Central Illinois high school football championship game, Alan Look Photography sports action shots, Senior Night high school football game
St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball players Emerson Williams and Hadley McDonald celebrate a point for SJO during the third set of their regional championship game against the Unity Rockets. After a dominating 25-14 victory in the first set, the Spartans battled to the end in the final two sets, losing 25-21, 25-22. The volleyball team finished a tough campaign with a 13-21 record. Here are a dozen more photos from their best performance of the season.
This season's Spartan Volleyball Team included seniors Adelyn Childers, Katie Ericksen, Emma McKinney, Ally Schmitz, and Emma Wells. Juniors on this year's squad were Brynn Ikemire, Alivia Learned, Hadley McDonald, Addi Stevens and Emerson Williams. The roster rounded out with five sophomores, including Ava Alexander, Megan Kearney, Atleigh Miller, Vivian Smith and Raegan Wheatley.
Back on October 24, seniors from the Spartan football team were honored before the start of the Spartans' home game against Pontiac. Seniors from the SJO Marching Band and other fall sports were also recognized before kickoff. Here's a look at the members of this year's fall sports senior class at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.
Football Seniors
More SJO Sports Articles
SJO Senior Football Salutes
Wyatt Wertz ~
Few players run harder — or think faster — than Spartan Wyatt Wertz. At a solid 5'11", 180 pounds, the senior back has combined quick reads with relentless determination ... >> Get know Wyatt
Landon Smith ~
For Landon Smith, physical play in the trenches define what football is all about — toughness, teamwork, and trust. The senior lineman ... >> Get know Landon
Ryker Lockhart ~
Fierce and tenacious, Lockhart delivered four solo and was in on six more tackles in a career night against Seneca. >> Get know Ryker
