Unity soccer topples Judah Christian
TOLONO -- For the first time in school history, the Unity soccer team beat one of the area's traditionally top small school programs. The Rockets literally pounded Judah Christian on Thursday via 3-1 decision.
Junior Gabe Pound delivered a hattrick, scoring one goal in the first 90 minute period on a feed from Brendan Bachert to give the Rockets a 1-0 lead at the break. After the Tribe's Okeke tied the game at 1-all in the second period, Pound found the net again with an unassisted score and later booted his third one in on a pass from Mason Davis for the hattrick.
Cole Saunders made four saves for the Unity.
The Rockets start a two-match home stand on Monday, hosting Georgetown-Ridge Farm-Chrisman at 4:30p. Twenty-four hours later, coach Michel Stringer's and his squad play their first Illini Prairie match with Bloomington Central Catholic.
Prep Sports Notebook: Area cross-country squads shine at Cow Chip
Four second-half scores gives SJO weekend soccer victory
Spartan Hunter Ketchum scored SJO's final goal of the game to seal a 4-1 win over Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin Saturday morning. Ketchum, the team's starting keeper also recorded seven saves.
Aiden Cromwell padded his stats with two assists, feeding the ball to Jackson Greer and Jacek Slowikowski in the final half. Riker Lockhart also put the ball between the post for St. Joseph-Ogden (4-1-1).
The Blue Devils scored first on a successful penalty kick from Bryson Lithgow in the first half with no response from SJO. In the second period, Greer tied the game for SJO's with the team's first score, followed by Ryker's go-ahead boot.
The St. Joseph-Ogden soccer team returns to their home pitch on Thursday to face the Olympia Spartans.
Unity girls cross-country team win Cow Chip title
All seven runners from Unity High School finished the annual Cow Chip Classic course in the top 20 on Saturday. The dominating team effort led to 64 points and this year's race title for the Rockets. Junior Erica Woodard led the field of Unity runners finishing with a time of 19:14.1 and 5th place overall. Sophomore Emily Decker was the next to cross the finish line ten seconds later at 19:24.4. Olivia Shike rounded out the top three in 18th place overall at 19:42.2. Teammates Mackenzie Pound, Camryn Reedy, Josie Cler, and Ashlyn Denney each finished the course in under 21 minutes and 45 seconds.Franzen leads Spartan harriers
Sananna Franzen finished third in Flight 1 at the Cow Chip Classic on Saturday. The St. Joseph-Ogden's top runner circumvented the course at the annual race in Chrisman in 18 minutes and 41.5 seconds. The Spartans, who finished 5th in the team standings, saw strong, early season effort from Chloe Burkhalter (20:48.5), Sophia Kapser (23:28.1), senior Kaytlyn Baker (23:28.4), Hannah Mock (23:53.1), and #7 runner Sydney Steinbach who finished at 24:49.9.University High XC girls take 4th
The Illinek running squad tallied 122 points earning a fourth-place finish ahead of St. Joseph-Ogden at the Cow Chip Classic. Senior Kate Ahmari finished the course with the second best time of day in the girls' division at 18:31.4. In addition to Ahmari, six runners contributed to Uni-High's top-four finish. Finishers included: Kara Mathias (20:38.1), Edie Hoganson (21:14.6), Shriya Nagaraj (22:55.7), Ella Ylagan (24:24.4), Clara Wood (24:31.0), and Bonnie Weaver (24:53.9).Richardson the real deal
Garrett Richardson's number was called 29 times during Unity's road game at Dick Duval Field on Friday. His five-TD, 239-yard performance against St. Joseph-Ogden was a stellar debut that will be hard to top for the rest of the season and his next two years of prep eligibility. The sophomore running back scored on runs of 40, 4, 60, 18, and 6 yards in the Week 2 game. Unity's only other ball carrier, quarterback Cale Rawdin, added insult to injury with 151 rushing yards, which includes an 83-yard touchdown run virtually untouched. Rawdin and the Rockets improved to 1-1 on the season after running the score up 50-7 on the Spartans.Sentinel area teams finish in the top 5
Cross-country runners from St. Joseph-Ogden, Unity, and University High were among the 26 teams competing at the Cow Chip Classic on Saturday. The Spartans, who missed winning this year's title by just seven points, finished in second place with 112 points. The Monticello Sages took this year's team title with 106 points. SJO's Lance Retz was of three runners who ran a sub-17-minute race. He finished second overall with a time of 16:48.1 behind Bryson Grant from Iroquois West, who finished with an impressive time of 16:03.6. The Unity contingent was led by senior Brenden Graven and his time of 17:43.0. The seven-runner squad accumulated 214 points to finish fourth in the team standings. Meanwhile, the young squad from University High finished in fifth place, two points ahead of Heritage High School. Sophomore Ross Kimme sped around the grassy course to finish with a time of 17:56.2. Saturday's finishers include: Lance Retz (St. Joseph-Ogden) 16:48.1, Jack Fisher (St. Joseph-Ogden) 17:21.2, Ethan Blackburn (St. Joseph-Ogden) 17:28.4, Brenden Graven (Unity) 17:43.0, Aden Armstrong (St. Joseph-Ogden) 17:44.3, Ross Kimme (Uni-High) 17:56.2, Camden Fairbanks (Unity) 18:12.0, Holden Jones (St. Joseph-Ogden) 18:32.0, Eli Crowe (Unity) 18:40.1, Joe Griebat (St. Joseph-Ogden) 18:47.2, Felix Lee (Uni-High) 18:48.4, Kelby Svendsen (Uni-High) 18:54.5, Carter Tiemann (Unity) 18:54.8, Mason Guido (St. Joseph-Ogden) 18:58.4, Isaac Ruggieri (Unity) 18:59.2, Walter Kraetz (Uni-High) 19:10.0, Bruce Tang (Uni-High) 19:13.0, Luke Fahnestock (Uni-High) 19:17.3, Matthew Ulozas (Uni-High) 19:28.3, Collin Graven (Unity) 19:39.0, and Alex Mowrer (Unity) 20:14.4.SJO volleyball wins tournament title
The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team won four matches and lost one at the Mattoon Invitational volleyball tournament on Saturday. The Spartans' solo loss was courtesy of the host Green Wave in a thrilling three-setter that ended 17-25, 25-18, 14-15. In the final match of the day, the two teams squared off again in the tournament's championship match, but this time the Spartans prevailed, 2-1. Taylor Hug was credited 107 assists across 13 sets. She also scraped up 29 digs and served five aces. Fellow seniors Emma Ward and Shayne Immke had six aces apiece, with Immke leading the team in kills (44). Addie Roesch, who led the team with 38 digs for the day, hammered 40 kills of her own for the Spartans. Peyton Williams contributed 21 kills and 33 digs to the cause, while Mikyla Haley's 34 digs also helped the Spartan defensive effort. SJO defeated Pana, 25-19, 25-21; Mt. Vernon 25-9, 25-11, Taylorville 25-20, 15-25, 15-14; and Mattoon 25-10, 20-25, 15-12.SJO football falls to Unity at home
After the convincing debut in their season-opener on the road at Monticello, the St. Joseph-Ogden (1-1) football team took one on the chin with a 50-7 loss to the Unity Rockets (1-1). The Spartans netted just 18 rushing yards on offense. Alex Funk and Tyler Burch had 7 yards apiece, Coy Taylor picked up 5, and quarterback Logan Smith finished the game with 2 yards. SJO's passing attack faired much better against the Rockets, with Taylor's five catches for 38 yards and Ty Pence's 18-yard total. Pence's spectacular 10-yard catch in the east end zone and Joe Frasca's PAT summed up the team's point production. Today, the Spartans prepare for their next contest on Friday at Prairie Central. The Hawks (2-0) are at the top of the Illini Prairie Conference after defeating Unity a week earlier, 34-12, and thrashing Pontiac last Friday, 55-13.Covid-19 booster shots available starting Monday, Sept 12
CHAMPAIGN -- Champaign County residents over the aged 65 and older will be able to receive the latest Moderna or Pfizer Coronavirus booster shoot starting Monday, September 12, at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District office.
Due to the current limited supply of the vaccine, administration of the boosters shots will prioritize to the vulnerable members of the population, according to CUPHD. An appointment is required and can be made online at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B054CA8A82CA5F94-bivalent or by phone at (217) 531-4934.
The COVID-19 bivalent vaccination, which contains updated protection from the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants, was approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on September 1. The updated COVID-19 booster from Pfizer-BioNTech is recommended people ages 12 years old and older and those 18 years and up for the Moderna version.
The booster shot will also be available at area hospitals. Availability and appointment information for OSF HealthCare will be posted here: https://www.osfhealthcare.org/covid19/vaccine/. Carle Health will also offer the booster shots and will announce availability in the near future here: https://carle.org/Home/COVID-19-Resources/COVID-19-Booster-Information. At this time, Christie Clinic recommends patients utilize community vaccine clinics or visit vaccines.gov for local availability of the vaccine.
Photo Gallery: Unity beats St. Joseph-Ogden, 50-7
St. Joseph-Ogden's Alex Funk is brought down during first quarter action by a Unity defender. After dropping their season opener on the road seven days earlier to Prairie Central, the Rockets (1-1) stunned the host Spartans at Dick Duval Field last Friday with a dominating 50-7 win. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
A Unity player celebrates the team's first quarter touchdown against the Spartans (1-1). The Rockets drew first blood on a 40-yard run from sophomore Garrett Richardson to go up 6-0 after the PAT failed. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Spartans' Logan Smith tries to outrun Rockets' senior Kyus Root later in the first quarter. Smith finished the game with just 2 rushing yards and completed 8 of 17 passes for 57 yards. One week earlier against Monticello in SJO's season opener, the junior signal-caller collected 165-yards (11-20) passing in their 21-14 victory. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
St. Joseph-Ogden's Bryson Helfrich blocks Unity's Hunter Duncan in the second quarter. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Senior Cale Rawdin scrambles in the backfield while looking for an open Unity reciever. Rawdin chewed 151 yards rushing and threw for another 93 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown pass to junior Jay Saunders in the second quarter. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Unity head coach Scott Hamilton throws up the U's after Jay's Saunders'34-yard catch second quarter catch against the Spartans. The snag plus the 2-point conversion put the Rockets up 28-0 with 6:41 left to go in the first half. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Spartan lineman Spencer Fitch holds off Unity's Mason Perry and a teammate while playing on the offensive line. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Spartan defensive backs Tyler Burch and Coy Taylor bring down Unity quarterback Cale Rawdin. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
With a commanding 28-7 lead on the scoreboard at the start of the second half, Cale Rawdin hands off the ball to running back Garrett Richardson. The sophomre took the ball 21 yards to chalk up his fourth touchdown of the game. In for an injured Matt Brown, Richardson capped off his varsity debut with one more TD in the 4th quarter. He finished the night with 239 yards on 29 carries. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Alex Funk finds open grass as he runs the ball down the field on kick return against the Rockets. Funk, a senior, finished the SJO's second game of the season with 23 all-purpose yards. His longest run came on 16-yard kick return. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Finding plenty of wide open turf in front of him, Unity's Cale Rawdin sprints down the field on his way to an 83-yard touchdown. The run accounted for more than half of his total rushing yardage of 151. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
SJO's Tyler Burch fields the last Unity kickoff of the game. Burch gained 5 yards on the play. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Spartans' Justice Wertz and Aiden McCorkle stop Unity's Cale Rawdin in the 4th quarter. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Guest commentary: Biden proves many Americans are dummies
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
If you worked hard for a scholarship, paid your way through school, paid back loans or your family sacrificed for you to go to school, President Biden has shown that you were a big dummy.
Don’t knock yourself out. Just sit back and the government will throw you some crumbs to take care of you.
In a move that Biden had promised during his campaign he erased between $10,000 to $20,000 of debt from millions of Americans college spending spree extravaganza. Years ago, Americans starting learning to spend money like it’s water. Maybe they thought, “I won’t have to pay it back”. Their dream has come true. You and I along with the rest of America’s tax payers will get to pay at least a half trillion dollars of this debt.
This is just what you had been hoping for! More taxes! Oh wait, just those rich people in America will have to pay this off, right? Every American on some level will share in this new financial burden.
Universities are legally raping America’s families because we sign up and agree to pay the tuition. We do it to ourselves. Universities don’t put a gun to the heads of Americans and make us pay. Americans foolishly agree to this debt. Yet, most universities are the last sector in America to feel the pain of the economy. In 2020-2021, most of them received millions of free government paycheck protection program money. This is more government money that will be eaten by you – the taxpayer. Millions of American businesses also received tens of thousands to millions of dollars of free PPP money in the last two years that will also slam all Americans in more taxes.
Some tenured professors are making over $200,000, a year. Many University Presidents across the country are making over one million dollars a year, plus major perks. Many coaches make a million or more a year. Universities spend money like its water. They are the ones who need to be lending and collecting or forgiving some of this debt. Not you.
You probably already paid once. Now we get to pay more for the students and the Universities who just kept spending money. Why are you responsible for the foolish people who borrow $50,000 to $100,000 and more?
I believe in helping people, but Biden needs to pass some of this lending and collecting burden to the Universities. You the taxpayer keep giving the money. The universities want $30,000 to $50,000 a year and more. American families foolishly swallow the poison. Next, their financial insanity becomes everybody’s problem. Does this seem right to you?
Sadly, millions of Americans rack up college debt and never complete their degrees. Millions more get degrees they never use. You don’t need a college degree for a lot of jobs. Most jobs do require training that can be accomplished in far less time and money.
Congratulations if your debt is $10,000 to $20,000 lighter, but your debt will still have to be paid, by your friends, family, neighbors and others.
Consider spending the first two years in a community college or trade school. You can move on to the big-name school for your Junior and Senior years. The first two years are generally electives and classes you don’t enjoy that much anyway. You’ll save a lot of money and maybe grow up some before you land in a dorm room 200 miles away from home.
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If you worked hard for a scholarship, paid your way through school, paid back loans or your family sacrificed for you to go to school, President Biden has shown that you were a big dummy.
Don’t knock yourself out. Just sit back and the government will throw you some crumbs to take care of you.
In a move that Biden had promised during his campaign he erased between $10,000 to $20,000 of debt from millions of Americans college spending spree extravaganza. Years ago, Americans starting learning to spend money like it’s water. Maybe they thought, “I won’t have to pay it back”. Their dream has come true. You and I along with the rest of America’s tax payers will get to pay at least a half trillion dollars of this debt.
This is just what you had been hoping for! More taxes! Oh wait, just those rich people in America will have to pay this off, right? Every American on some level will share in this new financial burden.
Universities are legally raping America’s families because we sign up and agree to pay the tuition. We do it to ourselves. Universities don’t put a gun to the heads of Americans and make us pay. Americans foolishly agree to this debt. Yet, most universities are the last sector in America to feel the pain of the economy. In 2020-2021, most of them received millions of free government paycheck protection program money. This is more government money that will be eaten by you – the taxpayer. Millions of American businesses also received tens of thousands to millions of dollars of free PPP money in the last two years that will also slam all Americans in more taxes.
Some tenured professors are making over $200,000, a year. Many University Presidents across the country are making over one million dollars a year, plus major perks. Many coaches make a million or more a year. Universities spend money like its water. They are the ones who need to be lending and collecting or forgiving some of this debt. Not you.
You probably already paid once. Now we get to pay more for the students and the Universities who just kept spending money. Why are you responsible for the foolish people who borrow $50,000 to $100,000 and more?
I believe in helping people, but Biden needs to pass some of this lending and collecting burden to the Universities. You the taxpayer keep giving the money. The universities want $30,000 to $50,000 a year and more. American families foolishly swallow the poison. Next, their financial insanity becomes everybody’s problem. Does this seem right to you?
Sadly, millions of Americans rack up college debt and never complete their degrees. Millions more get degrees they never use. You don’t need a college degree for a lot of jobs. Most jobs do require training that can be accomplished in far less time and money.
Congratulations if your debt is $10,000 to $20,000 lighter, but your debt will still have to be paid, by your friends, family, neighbors and others.
Consider spending the first two years in a community college or trade school. You can move on to the big-name school for your Junior and Senior years. The first two years are generally electives and classes you don’t enjoy that much anyway. You’ll save a lot of money and maybe grow up some before you land in a dorm room 200 miles away from home.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, 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.
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.
Illinois theater convention September 24
CHICAGO -- The Illinois Theatre Association will hold its 2022 ITA Annual Membership Meeting & Award Celebration at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel & Conference Center in Downers Grove on September 24. In addition to presenting annual excellence awards to Illinois thespians, the all-day event will include the induction of the 2022-2024 Board of Directors, workshops sponsored by the ITA, a special presentation on intimacy direction, and its Red Carpet Gala Award Luncheon.
The keynote address will presented by Michael Novak, Artistic Director of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Novak has danced in 57 roles in 50 Taylor dances, and created gigs for five of the Taylor Company Commission choreographers.
This year's award winners include Teatro Vista, a Chicago-based theater group created in 1990, Dr. David Allan Kuester director of the IVCC Theatre, Judy Ruzevich Klingner, and Marjorie Hillocks.
Hillocks won the award for Creative Drama/Theatre for Young Audiences and Klingner is the recipient of the Anne Thurman Mentorship Award.
Festival 56, a Princeton Theatre Group, that won this year's Award of Honor, along with Streator High School and the Vermillion Players, a community theater group, will also be honored with awards the gala.
Workshop sessions include "OUCH! Hits, Kicks, and Other Combat Tricks" by Kyle Cassady from the Society of American Fight Directors, "Creating the Best Audition Package for You" with Paul Stancato & Felicia Finley from the Timber Lake Playhouse, and "Collaborative 10 Minute Play Writing: Hearing Every Voice" presented by Friar Dominic Garramone from Saint Bede Academy.
For more information and registration to this year's event go to https://illinoistheatre.org/event-4897079.
How to deal with your child and bullying
Lee Batsakis
OSF Healthcare PEORIA -- According to the National Bullying Prevention Center, one in five students reports being bullied – but the actual number is believed to be even higher, perhaps even one in three kids, as some cases are not reported. Bullying can be verbal, emotional, or physical and can be based on a variety of aspects – from looks and size to academics and athleticism, and more. During the peak of the pandemic, a decline in bullying was seen as so many kids were learning from home. Now, with schools back in full swing and in person, kids are spending more time with classmates than they have since early 2020. Talking to your kids at home each day is important to not only learn more about what is going on in their lives, but it also helps to identify potential bullying.
"A good 10 to 15 minute conversation every day about what happened during the day, what was good, what was bad, and what did they struggle with. Use open-ended questions and don’t necessarily try to solve problems they are experiencing, but just listen and understand what they’re saying and how they’re feeling in these situations. That is an important first step," says Joseph Siegel, an OSF HealthCare licensed clinical social worker.
This conversation can turn into part of your daily routine by starting the discussion before bed, or any point after your kid is home from school. If your child indicates that he or she may be experiencing bullying, Siegel advises to first try to understand their feelings. Some children may be hesitant to have these conversations and keep their responses short when asked about their day. In these cases, Siegel recommends an app for your phone, such as Gather – Conversation Starters, to help get the conversation flowing.
If in conversation you find out that your kid might be a victim of bullying at school or elsewhere, a whole range of emotions may be stirred up and you might not know where to begin. Many adults tend to want to immediately get all the details from their child, but parents need to understand their kids’ feelings should be a priority. Most importantly, Siegel strongly advises against telling your child to respond to a bully with violence. For example, a parent may tell their kid that if another kid shoves them to shove them back. This advice may worsen the situation.
"Sometimes the bully is acting out of the desire to provoke and they want an angry response, so if the person is calm and says to stop and then walks away from the situation, that could be somewhat helpful because not it is not elevating or becoming worse," Siegel advises.
If you want to ensure your child is able to stand up for his or herself, there are ways to do so appropriately and safely. Siegel adds that being assertive is different than being violent, and that there is nothing wrong with being assertive.
"Assertive, nonviolent behavior and communication should be the goal. They need to be able to express themselves – which they can with a bully – without letting it get into a situation that can be violent and become out of control, turning into a situation where they can no longer handle," explains Siegel.
Siegel recommends having a plan in case your child is approached by a bully. This could include advising your child to either ignore them altogether and hold their head high, or helping to create some type of brief yet appropriate verbal response such as “please stop” or “no thanks, not today” or simply “I prefer you don’t do that” – and then walking away.
In addition to implementing these responses for your child, Siegel advises parents to take the same approach. While you may feel the desire to reach out directly to the parents or guardians of the bully, this is something that should be avoided.
"It is recommended that we try to resist calling the other parent. That often can make the situation much more complex or even taken to a different level completely. That is what schools do – they mediate these kinds of conflicts all the time and are very good at it. If you feel like you need to talk to the other parent, then it’s probably better to talk to the school instead so they know what is happening and can document it," Siegel says.
Many times, bullying stems from a bully not accepting someone for their differences. Siegel says it is important to watch how you speak and act in the presence of your child, adding that setting a good example is important.
"We live in a very diverse state and our language often is about differences. Whether it’s politically or racially or spiritually, sometimes we end up in this spot where we don’t focus on the commonality that we have. And focusing on the commonality just in our everyday conversation with our kids is going to help a lot with their level of acceptance at school," advises Siegel.
If your child is not disclosing bullying, some signs to look for include the child “losing” or misplacing things, coming home with unexplained injuries, developing a change in eating patterns or sleep disruption, and experiencing head or stomach aches that could be caused by increased stress and anxiety. Other changes in a child’s behavior that might indicate bullying include not wanting to go to school or a change in their social relationships.
If your child has disclosed they are being bullied, start by documenting what you have learned and contacting their school. If the bullying continues and is taking a toll on your child’s mental health, Siegel advises setting up an appointment with a mental health professional for your child.
Most importantly, sticking to those daily conversations with your child is key for getting them to open up to you. Additionally, creating a home environment that is based around acceptance plays a significant role in not only reducing the chance of bullying, but also helping your child identify when bullying is happening.
For more information and resources, go to https://www.stopbullying.gov/.
OSF Healthcare PEORIA -- According to the National Bullying Prevention Center, one in five students reports being bullied – but the actual number is believed to be even higher, perhaps even one in three kids, as some cases are not reported. Bullying can be verbal, emotional, or physical and can be based on a variety of aspects – from looks and size to academics and athleticism, and more. During the peak of the pandemic, a decline in bullying was seen as so many kids were learning from home. Now, with schools back in full swing and in person, kids are spending more time with classmates than they have since early 2020. Talking to your kids at home each day is important to not only learn more about what is going on in their lives, but it also helps to identify potential bullying.
"Whether it’s politically or racially or spiritually, sometimes we end up in this spot where we don’t focus on the commonality that we have."
Joseph Siegel
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Latest social media trend deemed dangerous by doctors
Libby Allison
OSF Healthcare PEORIA -- The popularity of entertainment app TikTok continues to skyrocket. It has been installed on devices over three billion times worldwide, and has surpassed Google and Facebook as the world’s most popular web domain.
The video sharing app seems to have something for everyone – from makeup trends and relationship advice to comedy sketches and life hacks. In fact, the company’s tagline in TV commercials is even, “TikTok taught me.” While recipes, fashion finds or cleaning hacks found on the app can certainly provide a smile, improve your life or save you time – sometimes the advice from TikTok influencers can fall flat, especially when that advice is medical in nature.
One of the latest TikTok trends that has medical professionals concerned is mouth taping, which is being touted as a sleep treatment. It is exactly what it sounds like; people are taping their mouths closed before bed. Dr. Kaninika Verma, the clinical sleep director for OSF HealthCare, explains.
"So this started with this TikTok challenge, where people would tape their mouth before they went to sleep,” she says. “They thought they were sleeping better because it prevented them from opening their mouth, and somehow or another made them sleep better because they were forced to breathe through their nose."
But before you reach for that tape, be aware that many medical providers, including Dr. Verma, believe the risks of mouth taping far outweigh the benefits. Taping one’s mouth shut while sleeping could exacerbate breathing problems, worsen some risk factors of sleep apnea or simply cause sleep disruption.
"Most of us physicians when we when we first saw this, we thought this was a joke. But clearly it's not. You can buy these mouth tapes on Amazon and CVS, and all these places. So it's clearly a real thing, but it is not safe at all," Dr. Verma warns.
Mouth taping enthusiasts claim that the practice helps with dry mouth, bad breath, oral hygiene and snoring prevention. Dr. Verma disagrees, and says taping your mouth shut to improve shuteye is not only dangerous, but could mask the root cause of a sleep problem.
"So the bigger question is, why are you using that mouth tape? Is it because you're snoring? Is it because you're a mouth breather? Is it because your nasal passages are blocked, or what is going on that's making you do this? So there needs to be a bigger question that needs to be asked, and to take a deeper dive about that issue with a physician or a trained professional," says Dr. Verma.
Mouth taping is just the most recent TikTok trend branded as health or wellness advice. Dr. Verma warns that health trends popularized via sites like TikTok can have significant consequences, and any health advice coming from these platforms should be interpreted with caution. When in doubt, ask a professional.
"A lot of these are just fads. There are people doing this for entertainment. So be very cautious and very careful what you believe. If you have an issue – any health care issue – please reach out to your health care professional. You know, most of us – we've trained our whole lives to do this. We've dedicated our lives to this."
Sleep disorders are serious medical conditions. Running on a sleep deficit compromises your ability to learn, hinders the immune system, and may raise your risk for other health conditions.
If you think you are having issues with snoring or mouth breathing you should consult your doctor or a sleep specialist. Visit osfhealthcare.org/sleep to learn more about OSF Sleep, including programs and services available.
OSF Healthcare PEORIA -- The popularity of entertainment app TikTok continues to skyrocket. It has been installed on devices over three billion times worldwide, and has surpassed Google and Facebook as the world’s most popular web domain.
Dr. Kaninika Verma
Sports Nutrition webinar for coaches coming up
EVANSTON -- Katie Knappenberger, Director of Performance Nutrition at Northwestern University, will lead a discussion with Illinois coaches on how to help their athletes stay fueled for peak performance during every game. The online talk via Zoom will held on September 7 at 4pm.
Pre-registration for the free webinar sponsored by Midwest Dairy can be done here: IHSA and Midwest Dairy Nutritional Conversation for Coaches.
Among her other qualifications, Knappenberger is a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a Registered Dietitian and a Certified Athletic Trainer Illinois.
Prep Sports Notebook: SJO soccer, volleyball notch wins
Spartans roll over Lady Shoes
St. Joseph-Ogden's Shayne Immke goes up to block a kill attempt by Teutopolis' Molly Pals. The senior outside hitter put away six kills and chalked up four aces in the Spartans' 2-0 win (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
ST. JOSEPH -- The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team evened-out their season-record on Thursday after defeating the visiting Lady Shoes of Teutopolis, 2-0. The Spartans, now 3-3, got six kills each from senior Shayne Immke and junior Addie Roesch. After a few miscues at the start and Immke at the service line, SJO grinded out a five-point run to go up 7-3 in the first set. Their opponent later answered a five-point rally of their own to pull within a score 11-10 before the momentum shifted back to the Spartans's favor for the remainder of the game. Head coach Abby McDonald's team closed out the opening set with six consecutive points for a 25-16 win. The Spartans' won the second set by an even wider margin, 25-12. The Lady Shoes called a timeout while nursing a 5-point deficit on the score board, 11-6. When the two teams returned to the floor, SJO took total control of the contest giving up just six points out of the last 20 exchanges. Setter Taylor Hug tallied up 18 assists, and hammered an ace in the first set. Roesch led the team with five digs defensively. Meanwhile, Immke's four aces led the team's offensive effort.
Unity suffers soccer loss on the road
MACON -- Unity goal keeper Cole Saunders made four saves during his team's road match at Meridian High School. After an unassisted score from Hawks in the first half, the Rockets were unable to respond.Dow celebrates Senior Day with a win
URBANA -- St. Joseph-Ogden senior Abbey Dow picked up a win at #1 doubles with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Watseka's Emma Simmons. She and five other seniors were honored at the tennis team's final home match of the season.
In doubles action, two other SJO seniors pulled out wins. Duo Hallie Harms and Katie Earley defeated Warriors' Annika Greene and Marisa Clarke on the #3 court, 6-2, 7-6.
The team's six senior members include Dow, Earley, Harms, Jessica Gadbury, Isabel Sexton, and Katie McDermott.
Cafarelli shoots a 40
RANTOUL -- Spartans' Ashten Cafarelli carded 40 strokes on the back nine holes at Willow Pond golf course, but it wasn't enough as the St. Joseph-Ogden golf team finished in third place in a three-team meet in Rantoul. Monticello, with three players turning in scores lower than Cafarelli's, won the day with a 159. Rantoul slipped by SJO with a six-man score of 173. Maddux Carter (43), Jacob Kern (45), McGwire Atwood (49), Jack Robertson (51), and Tyler Buss (51) rounded out the Spartans' top six players on Thursday who counted 177 strokes.Lockhart scores game winner
ST. JOSEPH -- Freshman forward Ryker Lockhart second-half shot on the Hoopeston Area (3-2) goal found the back of the net to give St. Joseph-Ogden (3-1-1) their third win of the season. Hunter Ketchum, a senior, had 12 saves in the keeper position in the 1-0 thriller. Cornjerker goalie Owen Root fended off eight solid attacks from SJO including one on a penalty kick.Rockets' volleyball squad sweeps Tuscola
TOLONO -- The Unity volleyball team defeated visiting Tuscola in straight sets 25-21, 25-20.Attention area high school coaches
Haven't seen the latest news or result about your program on OurSentinel.com? If you are a coach at Unity, Urbana Uni-High, Urbana High School or St. Joseph-Ogden, send us your box scores, statistical leaders for each game, and other info is via email to sports@oursentinel.com or editor@oursentinel.com.Recipe: Lentil Bolognese Penne, the perfect pasta dish
FAMILY FEATURES -- Weeknight meals are all about putting tasty dishes on the table in a short amount of time so you can share precious moments together despite busy schedules. In a matter of minutes, you can prepare this Lentil Bolognese with Veggie-Based Penne for a quick yet flavorful recipe that can be enjoyed by little ones and adults alike.
Using Veggiecraft Farms Cauliflower Penne as its key ingredient, this family meal makes it easy to incorporate vegetables without sacrificing taste. Available in popular shapes like penne, spaghetti and elbow, and made with lentils, peas and cauliflower, zucchini or sweet potato, the veggie-based pastas are gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan, Kosher and good sources of protein and fiber.
Make an extra batch for healthy leftovers or to take to work for lunch the day after. Serve with fresh garlic bread and a simple lettuce salad for a complete meal.
1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 box Veggiecraft Farms Cauliflower Penne
Toppings:
fresh basil
Parmesan cheese
red pepper flakes
fresh crushed garlic
How to make it: Cook lentils according to package directions. Drain then return to pot and add marinara and vegetable broth. Stir well and simmer over low heat about 10 minutes. Cook penne according to package directions. Top cooked pasta with lentil Bolognese, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Visit veggiecraftfarms.com for more information and family-friendly recipes.
Photo provided
Lentil Bolognese Penne
What you'll need: 1 cup dry French green lentils or brown lentils1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 box Veggiecraft Farms Cauliflower Penne
Toppings:
fresh basil
Parmesan cheese
red pepper flakes
fresh crushed garlic
How to make it: Cook lentils according to package directions. Drain then return to pot and add marinara and vegetable broth. Stir well and simmer over low heat about 10 minutes. Cook penne according to package directions. Top cooked pasta with lentil Bolognese, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Visit veggiecraftfarms.com for more information and family-friendly recipes.
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