Photo Gallery |
Strong first half cements victory for SJO at Monticello

Tim Blackburn-Kelly runs to a TD
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
After hauling in a screen pass on the first play of St. Joseph-Ogden's road game at Monticello, Tim Blackburn-Kelley races down the field for the first TD of the season while playing running back in Saturday's 40-28 win. The quick score that burned just 20 seconds off the game clock set the tone for the first half before the Spartans ripped off three more scores before halftime.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
SJO's Ryker Lockhart nails Monticello's Matt Swartz to the turf during first quarter action on Saturday. The first game for the two Illini Prairie Conference members was postponed until noon due to a large storm system passing through Piatt and Champaign county Friday evening.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Spartans' Nolan Earley rushes into the Monticello backfield looking to tackle the Sages' quarterback for a loss.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
SJO's Nolan Earley latches on to Monticello's Ike Young on his way to record a TFL in the first half.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Spartan's Coy Taylor barrels his way into the endzone on a 1-yard play for his team's second touchdown in the first quarter.
Tayton Gerdes celebrates
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Tayton Gerdes celebrates a big play for the Spartans during the third quarter.
SJO quarterback Kodey McKinney
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
SJO quarterback Kodey McKinney looks to the northeast corner of the field for an open receiver. The junior signal caller scored on 67-yard run in the first quarter and tossed three TD passes in his first varsity start. See all the photos from the game here . . .
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Wyatt Wertz looks for running room while following his blockers on a 37-yard dash through the Sages' defense. The junior running back rushed for 103 yards on 14 carries.
Jared Altenbaumer
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden senior Jared Altenbaumer lunges forward to pounce on Monticello quarterback Ike Young.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Almost a nailbiter as Monticello's momentum grows in the second half after another touchdown, SJO head coach Shawn Skinner strolls down the sideline while the Spartans get a lesson in tenacity during their season opener. See all the photos from the game here . . .
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Sages' Ike Young unloads a pass before Spartans' Gabe Mata can disrupt the third-quarter pass play.
Cameron Wagner and Brodie Harms
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
SJ0 linemen Cameron Wagner and Brodie Harms stack pancakes in the trenches with Monticello's Ryan Frazee and Brody Billedo during fourth-quarter action. See more photos from the game here . . .
Monticello's Ike Young
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Monticello's Ike Young looks for running room on a keeper. The senior finished 27 of 44 for 292 yards and threw two second-half touchdown passes in his first varsity start at quarterback. He also led Monticello in rushing with 18 carries for 66 yards and scored two of the Sages' four touchdowns.
Spartan Coy Taylor
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Leaping above Sages' Zeke Young, Spartan Coy Taylor hauls in a pass for second-half touchdown in the southeast corner end zone at Wilkey Sports Complex. See more photos from the game here . . .
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Photo Gallery | SJO defeats Monticello in Week 1 at Dick Duval Field

St. Joseph-Ogden quarterback Logan Smith dives into the end zone to score the first touchdown on Dick Duval Field's newly installed turf surface on Friday. Smith scored five times and three a 31-yard TD in the Spartans 40-14 win over visiting Monticello.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO's Tim Blackburn-Kelley hauls in a short pass during the first quarter of play against the Sages. The explosive sophomore running back finished the night with 38 yards on seven carries and hauled in three passes for 31 yards. Blackburn-Kelley and the Spartans travel to Hicks Field this Friday to face Illini Prairie Conference favorite Unity. The Rockets also won their season opener defeating Prairie Central at home, 27-12.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Monticello quarterback Luke Teschke, a senior, prepares throw the ball deep into SJO territory during the first quarter of their conference game. Teschke threw for 248 yards against the Spartans and ran collected 128 of the Sages' 177 yards rushing.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO student fans cheer after another Spartan first down during first quarter action.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Monticello's Jeremiah Wenke and Brandon Peters celebrate as teammate Raiden Colbert completes his 32-yard run through the St. Joseph-Ogden defense for a touchdown. The Sages would score their only other score in the third quarter on a 27-yard pass play.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden English teacher Ashton Harwood (center) works with student-journalists Maya Botts (left) and Grace Getty (right) on the sidelines during first half. In just one year's time, the high school's journalism program grew from 12 students during the previous academic year to nearly 50 students. Harwood said that after a long hiatus SJO's school newspaper resume publishing again this school year.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

A trio of St. Joseph-Ogden football fans share a laugh during a lull in second half action at Dick Duval Field.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Student fans cheer for the Spartans during the first half of the Illini Prairie Conference game.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartan quarterback Logan Smith rolls out of the pocket in the second quarter. Smith led SJO's offense with 102 yards rushing and threw for another 163 yards. With the speed and mobility of a seasoned tailback, four of the five senior's touchdowns on Friday came inside the red zone.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

A flag girl waits for the command to begin her routine during the SJO Marching Band's halftime show.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

A member of the SJO Marching Band plays rototoms during halftime.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Ray Gutierrez, Braxton Waller, Kodey McKinney, and Corbin Wells celebrate a recovered Monticello fumble.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Lightning illuminates the sky to the west of St. Joseph forcing officials to suspend the game until a small storm system passes through the area.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Kicker Joe Frasca kicks off to resume the game after a lightning delay in the third quarter.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Die-hard SJO fans watch the game from under their umbrella after a nearly hour and half lightning delay.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartan fans endure a light rain during third quarter action.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

With his team up on the scoreboard, Spartan linebacker James Barron is all smiles in the fourth quarter.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Sophomore running back Wyatt Wertz takes the ball in a handoff from SJO quarterback Kodey McKinney for a short gain during fourth quarter action. Wertz had four touches to finish with 26 yards rushing.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Following tradition, the entire Spartan football team sings the school song after their first victory on Dick Duval Field's new turf.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Stat girls from the St.Joseph-Ogden football team sing the school song after the game with the team and fans.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Photo of the Day | December 17, 2022

Big step forward
St. Joseph - SJO's Kaytlyn Baker makes a huge effort to dribble past Mahomet-Seymour's Savannah Orgeron down the baseline during their 2nd Annual Toyota of Danville Turkey Tournament game on November 17. The three-sport senior for the Spartans was held scoreless as St. Joseph-Ogden fell to the 34-29 to the Bulldogs on the final day of the tournament.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Photo of the Day - December 21, 2020

Cat (Foreman) Hesterberg goes up for a shot
SJO's Cat Foreman takes a shot over Tuscola's Rachael Buckner in the second half of their non-conference game on January 5, 2008. Foreman, who was unstoppable that Saturday afternoon, drained a career-high 20 points. Despite her also game-high effort, the Warriors squeaked by St. Joseph-Ogden on the Spartans' home court to a 67-63 win. (Photo: PhotoNews/Clark Brooks)
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Photo of the Day - September 19, 2020

Taylor White pounds the ball through the St. Thomas More defensive line

Rockets post rushing rout in the Sabers' den

Unity ball carrier Taylor White pounds the ball through the St. Thomas More defensive effort in their conference game on October 3, 2014. The senior quarterback finished the night with 150 yards and four touchdowns. Improving their record to 5-1 on the season, the Rockets rushed past the Sabers at Henneman Field to a 49-14 road victory.

(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Photo of the Day - September 18, 2020

Victoria Roberts celebrates SJO softball win
Senior day smiles
St. Joseph-Ogden senior Victoria Roberts is all smiles with her Senior Day cookie after SJO defeated St. Thomas More in their last home game of the season on May 10, 2012. The five-inning affair ended with the Spartans celebrating a 15-1 victory over the visiting Sabers. SJO went on to finish the season with a record of 41 wins and just one loss on their way to a third-place finish at the Illinois High School Association's state tournament in Peoria under head coach Randy Wolken.

(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Memory Monday: '06 Spartans win state softball title

Spartan pitcher Morgan Finn winds up for a pitch against Casey-Westfield back on June 3, 2006, in her team's second consecutive state final appearance. In the previous season, Finn, who was the number 2 pitcher, and the Spartans brought home a third place state trophy to place next to the program's first, a fourth place one from 1989 season. Using her uncanny placement and speed, Finn's pitching led St. Joseph-Ogden to a 1-0 to victory to win the first program's first IHSA state softball title. Dubbed underdogs at the start of the postseason, SJO gave up just one run in during their memorable run to the Class 1A title. See more photos from 2006 softball season here. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


second base player Stacy Ferguson hauls in a pop fly Illinois' most-winningest softball coach Randy Wolken
Left: On their way to winning the state title the Spartans took a few lumps during the 2006 season. One of them was a 3-1 loss at home against the Monticello Sages on April 27. Here Spartan second base player Stacy Ferguson hauls in a pop fly for an out. Right: Despite the loss to the Sages there was still a reason to celebrate, team co-captain Abby Williams presents coach Randy Wolken with a memento for achieving his 648th career win after defeating Mt. Zion on the previous Saturday. Wolken would go on to become and currently remains the only softball coach in the state of Illinois to achieve over 1,000 career victories. His coaching ended with an impressive career record of 1,044-242. What makes those numbers even more impressive is that record was acquired coaching for just one program. (Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Catcher Brittany Morgan catches a congratulatory kiss from her nephew Blake after the Spartans beat Westmont 1-0 to advance to the championship game against Casey-Westfield for the Class A softball title on June 3. It was through Morgan's RBI that put fellow senior Abby Williams across the plate in the first inning for the semifinal game winner. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Stacy Ferguson steals second Sarah Thompson scores winning run
Left: Stacy Ferguson slides into second base on a steal for the Spartans. Coming off a back-to-back doubleheader loss to Casey-Westfield, St. Joseph-Ogden beat crushed the Unity Rockets, 8-0 on April 21. Ferguson was safe on the play. Right: Sarah Thompson leaps in the air to celebrate scoring the first and only run in Spartans' title game against Casey-Westfield. After falling to the Warriors twice in a twin bill earlier in the season, SJO held on to win their first Class A softball title Saturday evening, 1-0. (Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


The future queen of stolen bases in Illinois Lindsey Barron cheers for her team. SJO students cheer for their team after winning a state softball title
Left: Lindsey Barron gives a teammate a high-ten after Sarah Thompson scored a run for the Spartans. Two seasons later, Barron would break the state record in the number of stolen basis in a season with 92. Currently #2 on the IHSA list for career stolen bases, she took 254 extra bases while wearing the Spartan uniform from 2005-2008. Right: St. Joseph-Ogden students [left to right] Nick Krisman, Jesse Grice, and Mark Gones cheer for the school's softball team at the start of the awards ceremony. (Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


SJO goes crazy with state title win
Pandemonium. After the final out of the game frenzied chaos ensued as the members of St. Joseph-Ogden girls softball team celebrates their 1-0 win over Casey-Westfield. Screams of joy, laughter, non-stop hugs and tears consumed players, coaches, family members and fans prior to the start of the official awards ceremony. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


With teammate Stacy Buck all smiles beside here, St. Joseph-Ogden pitcher Morgan Finn wipes the non-stop tears of joy from her face as she and the member of the girls softball team receive their state first-place medals. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


2006 softball state champs pose for their official team photo
The St. Joseph-Ogden softball team poses with their state medals and the program's first state champion softball trophy. The Class 1A title winners finished the season with a record of 31-6. The title run followed the previous year's third-place finish and 32-4 finish. Since this season, the Spartans have made three additional state finals appearances in 2012, 2015 and 2017 bringing home second, third and fourth place trophies. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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