Spartans bounce back

Hannah Fox lunges toward the ball
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Hannah Fox lunges toward the ball to keep it in playing during St. Joseph-Ogden's home game against Monticello. SJO rebounds from a 2-0 loss against Tri-Valley 24 hours earlier defeating the visiting Sages from Monticello 25-7, 26-24. The Spartans play again on Thursday in a road match at Salt Fork.

Spartans induct Kelly Duitsman Hunt into Hall of Fame

Kelly Duitsman Hunt receives her Hall of Fame plaque from St. Joseph-Ogden superintendent Brian Brooks during halftime during the Spartans' home football game against Central Catholic. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Kelly Duitsman Hunt was one of four individuals inducted into the St. Joseph-Ogden Athletic Hall of Fame at Friday's Homecoming game Bloomington Central Catholic. She was joined by Dick Duval, Stan Harper, and Keith Sjuts as members of the Class of 2021 inductees.

Duitsman Hunt was a two-sport athlete for the Spartans who earned state-wide recognition for her success on the softball field. In addition to her own record-breaking accomplishments, she was intrumental in the SJO softball program winning its first regional title.

Learn more about her success as an athlete and after high school in her bio below.



Biography

Kelly Duitsman Hunt is a 1996 graduate of St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Kelly was Salutatorian of her class, an Illinois State Scholar, Junior Class Vice President, a member of Student Council, National Honor Society, and a part of the Principal’s Advisory Committee. She was also awarded the Parkland College Presidential Board of Trustees Scholarship.

Kelly was also a two-sport athlete. In volleyball, she was selected to the All Conference team 3 years, the All Area team 2 years and was on the team that won the school’s first ever Regional title and first Sectional Championship appearance.

In softball, Kelly was selected to the All Conference and All Area teams all four years of high school. Her senior year, Kelly was player of the year, and selected to the All State Team and the Chicago Tribune Super 60 Classic All Star Team. In 1995, her team made it to the Sweet 16 at the State tournament. Not only did Kelly’s teams succeed, but she also personally broke multiple school records of her time, with 19 season doubles and 47 career doubles (which were both a new state of IL record), 200 career hits, 62 season hits, 154 career RBIs, 50 season RBIs, 9 season home runs, a .473 career batting average, a .590 season batting average, 153 career runs, and 42 season runs.

After high school, Kelly earned an Associates in Business Administration from Parkland and a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the University of Illinois. She earned her CPA designation in 2000 and began working at Martin Hood Friese and Associates until 2016.

In 2016, she became the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Farm Credit Illinois and is still currently working in that capacity.

Kelly is a former Champaign-Urbana Schools Foundation Board Member and Treasurer. Currently, she is a Board Member and the Treasurer of the Parkland College Foundation. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Illinois CPA Society, and the Executive Club of Champaign County. In 2013, she was a part of the Central Illinois Business Magazine 40 under 40, and in 2018 she became a Parkland College Distinguished Alumna.

Kelly lives in Champaign and is married to Greg Hunt. She has two daughters, Avery and Annie Loschen.



* Biography provided courtesy of St. Joseph-Ogden High School

SJO Hall of Fame welcomes Stan Harper

Stan Harper inducted into SJO Hall of Fame
Stan Harper receives his Hall of Fame plaque from St. Joseph-Ogden superintendent Brian Brooks during halftime during the Spartans' home football game against Central Catholic. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Stan Harper was one of four individuals inducted into the St. Joseph-Ogden Athletic Hall of Fame at Friday's Homecoming game Bloomington Central Catholic. He is joined by Dick Duval, Kelly Duitsman Hunt, and Keith Sjuts in the Class of 2021 inductees.

Harper earned nine varsity letters as a student at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. After graduating from the University of Illinois, he went on to serve his community as president of the Ogden-Royal Fire Protection District and president of the Prairieview-Ogden school board.

Learn more about Harper's contributions and accomplishments in his bio below.



Biography

Stan Harper is a 1973 graduate of St. Joseph-Ogden High School. In high school, Stan was a member of the National Honor Society. He also earned 9 varsity letters; 3 in basketball, 3 in football, and 3 in track.

After high school, Stan graduated from the University of Illinois in 1977 with a major in Agriculture Industry. He has been farming the Harper family farm since 1977.

For 22 years, he was a Trustee of the Ogden-Royal Fire Protection District and was President of that district for 17 years. He was also a member and the President of the PVO School Board for 22 years. For 9 years, he was a member and the President of the Illinois Shorthorn Association. He was an SJO Golf Outing chairman for 10 years, and he ran the clock/scoreboard for SJO boys basketball for 16 years.

Currently, he is serving his 9th year on the Champaign County Board.

Stan has been married to his wife Sandy for 41 years. Their son Michael and daughter Laura are both SJO graduates. Michael, his wife Samantha and their son Max live in Royal. Laura, her husband Mitch and their children, Shane and Jillian live near Flatville.



* Biography provided courtesy of St. Joseph-Ogden High School

Dick Duval inducted into SJO Hall of Fame

SJO football coach Dick Duval
Dick Duval was one four individuals inducted into the St. Joseph-Ogden Athletic Hall of Fame at Friday's Homecoming game Bloominton Central Catholic. He is joined by Stan Harper, Kelly Duitsman Hunt and Keith Sjuts in the Class of 2021 inductees.

A well-deserved honor, Duval built a football dynasty that saw five IHSA football state championship games, six semi-finals playoff games, and the IHSA football quarter-finals 16 times. In addition to coaching and teaching math, Duval was also served as athletic director before his retirement.



Biography

Dick Duval attended Herscher High School. In high school, Dick was a member of National Honor Society. He was a three-sport athlete in basketball, baseball, and football. He was the Captain of both the baseball team and football team. He was also President of the Letterman Club.

Coach Duval graduated from Illinois State University in 1978 where he majored in Mathematics, with a minor in Physical Education. After college, he taught for three years at Herscher Grade School and coached grade school basketball and high school football. He then taught for seven years in the Kankakee School District, where he coached three sports at the high school level: football, basketball, and baseball. During this time, he was also the defensive backs coach at Olivet Nazarene University.

In 1988, Coach Duval took a position at St. Joseph-Ogden High School as a math teacher and was both the head football and baseball coach. Coach Duval coached baseball at SJO for 16 years, winning more than 200 games during a time when schools played a lot fewer regular season games. At SJO, Coach Duval was the head football coach for 28 years from 1988-2015 and in that time, never had a losing season. In 1989, his second year as head football coach, he took the Spartans to his first state championship game.


Dick Duval and players talk to the media after the Spartans' 2013 state title game against Stillman Valley. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Before his career was over, SJO went to the playoffs 25 consecutive years, and made it to the IHSA football state championship game five times, the IHSA football semi-finals six times, and the IHSA football quarter-finals 16 times. His final record was 251 wins and 75 losses. During his career at SJO, Coach Duval earned a position as an assistant coach in the 1990 and 1998 Illinois football All-Star games. He was awarded the Chicago Bears High School Coach of the Week on October 9th, 2000. On April 5th, 2008, Coach Duval was inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame where he was recognized for his ability to inspire his athletes to the highest in discipline and spirit.

Sara Ulbrich Greenstein, a member of the SJO Hall of Fame class of 2014 recently cited Dick Duval as one of her five influences that helped her become a CEO of a multi-billion dollar company.

After retiring from teaching and coaching, Dick Duval was the main scorekeeper for the SJO boys basketball team. He also was scorekeeper and announcer for many of the basketball tournaments hosted by SJO.

Surrounded by family members Lynda Duval holds a plaque with a photo of her late husband Dick who was inducted into the St. Joseph-Ogden Hall of Fame. Standing with Lynda are her daughter Bobbi and husband Cory Busboom and son, Kiel and his wife Katie, and three grandchildren. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

On August 20, 2021, the SJO football field was dedicated to Coach Duval and is now the Dick Duval Field.

Coach Duval fought a courageous battle against pancreatic cancer, but passed away on August 26, 2021.

Dick is survived by his wife, Lynda, daughters Bobbi and Toni, son Kiel, their spouses and his four grandchildren.



* Biography provided courtesy of St. Joseph-Ogden High School

Prep Sports Notebook: Unity volleyball gets conference win, Spartans miss the cut in golf

Unity cruises to win over Paris

Emma Bleecher posted 10 kills and three digs in Unity's 2-0 win on the road against Paris. Sophomore Katy Moore added another four kills as Unity roared past the Tigers 25-13, 25-12.

Meanwhile, Maddie Reed served up three aces and had 33 assists to help the Rockets improve to 22-1 on the season.



SJO golf season ends

Two St. Joseph-Ogden golfers who advanced to today's sectional at Beecher failed to make the cut for a slot at this weekend's state tournament in Bloomington-Normal.

Jacob Kern finished 24 strokes over with a 91 on the PAR 72 course at Balmoral Woods Country Club on Monday. Teammate McGwire Atwood turned in a score of 102 in 85th place.

Kern was 70th in the overall standings and Atwood in 85th place in the field of 110 athletes at the sectional meet.



Cornjerkers post shutout

Hoopeston Area held Clifton Central scoreless winning 3-0 at home. Talan Gredy-Nelson and Ben Brown scored a goal apiece in the first half. Brown, a senior, scored the third goal for a 3-0 lead on a header. Nick Hofer book the assist on all three scores.

Goaltender Derek Drayer had seven saves to earned another Cornjerker victory and shut-out.

Hoopeston Area will have their Annual Pink Night Kick Cancer and celebrate senior night at Tuesday's home game against Bismarck-Henning Rossville-Alvin.



Oakwood football field dedication on Friday

Oakwood - This Friday, the Oakwood High School football field will have a new name. The athletic program will christen the field with its new name, "Marty McFarland Field" before the Comets kick off their week seven game against visiting Hoopeston-Armstrong.

During his 23-year career guiding the OHS football program, McFarland won 126 games, four conference championship titles, and led the Comets to nine IHSA playoffs appearances. He is also the only coach in school history to reach a state football quarterfinal game. A 1998 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee, he was selected as an assistant coach for the annual East/West All-Star football game during his final season with the Comets.

The dedication ceremony are scheduled to begin at 6:30p on Friday.


Oakwood High School to name football field after legendary coach

Oakwood - This Friday, the Oakwood High School football field will have a new name. The athletic program will christen the field with its new name, "Marty McFarland Field" before the Comets kick off their week seven game against visiting Hoopeston-Armstrong.

The dedication ceremony will take place at 6:30p with the unveiling of the sign and former Oakwood football head coach Marty McFarland receiving a commemorative plaque.

Coach Mac, who will be presented a plaque by Oakwood Superintendent Larry Maynard and Oakwood School Board President Randy Smith, started his teaching and football coaching career at Oakwood High School in 1970. He later went on to coach girls track (1980-1992), during which he won five straight conference titles, and he was an assistant wrestling coach from 1978-1985.

During his 23-year career guiding the OHS football program, McFarland won 126 games, four conference championship titles, and led the Comets to nine IHSA playoffs appearances. He is also the only coach of the school's football program to reach the state quarterfinals. A 1998 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee, he was selected as an assistant coach for the annual East/West All-Star football game during his final season with the Comets.


Guest Commentary: They are coming here and moving in

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator


Imagine a family of six people coming to your house. They knock on the door. They look tired, frail, dirty and very hungry. They are desperate. Two of the six people are under six years old. Their clothes are rags and their shoes are barely still on their feet. They tell you about their plight. They have traveled a long way. They left their country in search of a better life. They need you to help them. They need you to give them shelter, food, clothes and some cash. They need to stay with you for a while.

What if your sole income is $2,000 a month in Social Security? What if your pantry is no longer overstocked? What if you have trouble saving enough money each month to pay your utility bills and keep your car running? Your heart goes out to these people.

You would like to help them, but you don’t have the means to care for yourself and so you have to say, "I can’t. The reason I can’t is because seriously, I just don’t have the financial means to do so."

The next thing that happens is they totally ignore what you’ve just said and come into your house anyway. They scatter out to your bedrooms and begin to make themselves at home. They open your refrigerator and eat the food you have and then ask you to fix them more. Next, they need money.

"Do you have money you can please give us?" they ask. You ask them to leave but they remind you they are desperate people who need for you to help them.

Next, they insist you go to the bank and draw out your life savings and hand it over to them. They are desperate and need money. They promise they will leave. Now you are scared.

You wonder what’s next? You call The White House. You talk to Joe Biden and he lets you know that Kamela Harris is on top of this and hangs up. Of course, you don’t see any of them moving in with him. Delaware is a long way from the border. He doesn’t figure Immigrants will be much of a problem up there when he retires.

At least sixty thousand immigrants are coming to the border of Mexico to enter the United States. They are all desperate people in search of adequate housing, jobs, free education, free medical insurance and more.

Panama’s Prime Minister sounded a warning that a massive group is passing their county and many of them are coming from Haiti. Erika Mouynes is reported to have notified the White House of the most recent migration surge. She recently described how her country has seen 80,000 Haitian immigrants and evacuees crossing from South America, through Panama, headed to the United States this year.

Outlaws rob out of desperation. Drug addicts steal and kill out of desperation. Rapists assault out of deranged desperation. We don’t overlook these criminal acts in America.

They are coming here. They are moving in. They are desperate for shelter, food, free education, free Medicare, free transportation and more. Their desperation doesn’t make it right.

America is a nation of immigrants. Most of them have come legally and followed an orderly process. If our national leaders do not gain control of our border crisis a further humanitarian crisis unlike, we’ve ever seen is fast approaching.


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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.


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Photo Gallery: Three-game win streak, SJO clobbers BCC for Homecoming

SJO cheerleaders Alexis and Emily
Ready to enjoy another Homecoming tradtion, cheerleaders Alexis Taylor and Emily Jeffries share a pregame smile before the start of the St. Joseph-Ogden's homecoming game against Central Catholic. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Ethan Vanliew
Ethan Vanliew slaps hands of fans as he runs down the tunnel during team introduction for the Spartans. Vanliew would intercept a Bloomington Central Catholic pass in their end zone and run the ball back for a one-hundred yard pick six in the second quarter. He also caught three passes for 25 yards in St. Joseph-Ogden 33-0 shutout on Friday. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


St. Joseph-Ogden head football coach Shawn Skinner shares a big smile with assistant coach Nick Bialeschki before the opening kickoff between his Spartans and visiting Saints from Central Catholic. About two and half hours later, Skinner had an even better reason to smile with the homecoming win in the books and the program record improving to 3-3 on the season. "Defense was phenomenal from the very beginning," said Skinner, who pointed to the tenacity of his defensive backs and their attention to detail. SJO picked off two passes, one that was returned 100 yards for a TD in the second quarter. "We had a good scouting report, but our kids had to execute it and they were fabulous."

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Lineman Conrad Miller and linebacker Alex Funk

Spartan lineman Conrad Miller and linebacker Alex Funk bring down a Saints' ball carrier during first quarter action. In their best performance of the season, the SJO defense held BCC scoreless and just 144 yards in total offense. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Evan Ingram hurls a pass to an open receiver in the first quarter. The senior signal caller completed eight of 17 passes for 63 yards against the Saints.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Seniors Conrad Miller (77) and Keaton Nolan (8) explode off the line while playing defense in the second quarter for the Spartans. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Peyton Sarver, Keaton Nolan and Ramsey Primmer celebrate

A game official signals touchdown while Spartans Peyton Sarver, Keaton Nolan and Ramsey Primmer celebrate the score in the west end zone after teammate Ethan Vanliew ran an interception back 100 yards for a TD in the second quarter. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Ramsey Primmer breaks up a pass play for SJO
St. Joseph-Ogden defensive back Ramsey Primmer breaks up a pass play to Central Catholic receiver Nick Mardis during the second quarter.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Jett Morris

Spartans' Jett Morris fights off Central Catholic lineman Michael Mier while battling in the trench during second quarter action. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


St. Joseph-Ogden student fans in the Maroon Platoon section catch comemorative footballs tossed into the stand by cheerleaders. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


SJO Cheerleaders perform at halftime
SJO cheerleaders perform a stunt for during their portion of the halftime show. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Baritone saxophone player Wyatt Loghry and members of the Spartan marching band perform their competition piece during Friday night's halftime show. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Eri Shimada performs with the SJO Marching Band
Eri Shimada performs with the St. Joseph-Ogden High School Marching Band during halftime.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Coby Miller carries the ball through the Saints defensive line during the second half. The senior tallied up 178 yards in game six of the season on 20 carries. He also caught one pass for three yards in the Homecoming game. Miller and the Spartans play at home again in two weeks against Rantoul and will celebrate senior night at the last regular season home contest of the season. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Braxton Waller plays offense for SJO
Sophomore Braxton Waller looks to pick up a downfield block while playing on the the offensive line in the second half of the game.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Spartan linemen Mitchell Wright and Austin Cotter move with the flow of the play while playing on the defensive line during the fourth quarter. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


SJO's Alex Funk

Junior Alex Funk takes a well-earned drink on the sidelines in the fourth quarter of the game. Funk was a key figure on defense and finished the game with 5 receiving yards and 20 rushing yards. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


SJO players and student fans sing the school fight song together after the school's big homecoming football victory. St. Joseph-Ogden, improving to 3-3 on the season, needs just three more wins to quarantee a berth in this year's IHSA playoffs. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Looking for photos of a specific player from either team? Email us at photos@oursentinel.com with the athlete's name and jersey number for details.

A great night to be a Spartan - SJO defeats BCC, 33-0

Lineman Spencer Fitch lets out a joyous roar as he runs to waiting teammates and fans to sing the school fight song after he and the St. Joseph-Ogden shutout visiting Bloomington Central Catholic, 33-0. Extending their win streak to three games and moving to a 3-3 record with the Homecoming game victory on Friday, the Spartans travel to Pontiac looking for win #4 next Friday. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Spartans advance to IHSA golf sectional

Danville - SJO junior Jacob Kern shot 16 over Par and nine strokes behind regional champion Will Ross from Monticello to advance to Monday's sectional tournament at Balmoral Woods. Fellow junior McGwire Atwood, who finished in 12th place on the Par 72 course at Turtle Run, will also represent St. Joseph-Ogden at the Beecher sectional meet as the pair will try to qualify for the following weekend's IHSA Golf State Final.

Kern finished in a three-way tie with Judah Christian's Grant Hendershot and Monticello's Tanner Buehnerkemper, each with 85 strokes. Atwood's day ended with an 89.

The Spartans, who finished with 377 points on Wednesday, missed advancing to sectionals as a team by just one stroke behind St. Thomas More with 376.

Also representing St. Joseph-Ogden in Danville was Logan Smith, who shot a 96 and finished in 21st place, Jack Robertson in 37th with 107 strokes, and Connor Hale 52nd with a 117.


New optometry location in St. Joseph hosts open house next week

Chittick Eye Care will host a Grand Opening at its new St. Joseph location on Friday, October 8 from 11a until 2p.

Located at 226 East Lincoln, the office will offer quality optometry services to area residents including eye exams and medical treatment for eye problems. Chittick Eye Care operates eight other offices in downstate Illinois and plans to open its tenth unit in Arcola in 2022. Opening in 1959, sister operations can be founds in Danville, Hoopeston, Watseka, Rantoul, Savoy, Villa Grove, Paris and Lincoln.

Doctors Jim Lohrberg and George Rix will use state-of-the-art technology to serve area patients and also focus on building long-term relationships with patients to support their overall eye health. Lohrberg, an optometrist who has practiced for more than twenty years in Danville and Springfield, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. Rix, who graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 2010, is a native Illinoisian and joined Chittick Eye Care in 2018.

"Our goal is to provide small communities with a hometown eye doctor," says Dr. Shawn Mallady, Owner of Chittick Eye Care, in a release announcing the upcoming event. "We are thrilled to bring top-notch personnel, high-tech services, and world-class fashion to all the towns we serve - which now includes St. Joe."

Visitors who stop in to see the new business in downtown St. Joseph can register to win a TaoTao scooter as well as prizes from other local merchants. There will be a live radio broadcast during the event and the first 75 attendees will receive a boxed lunch from SCRATCH. For more information, call 217-442-2631 or visit their website at www.chittickeyecare.com.



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