Spartans of the Week: Bigger and Ketchum

Week 4
Lady Spartan of the Week:
Emily Bigger

Emily Bigger booked 38 assists in the Spartans' last two volleyball victories. Thanks to her precision passing ability and quickness, SJO boasts an impressive 14-3 record heading into tonight's homecoming game against Illini Prairie Conference rival St. Thomas More.

Honorable Mentions: Jenna Albrecht (volleyball), Katelyn Berry (volleyball), Kennedi Burnett (volleyball), Hanna Eastin (cross country), Ally Monk (cross country), Jillian Plotner (cross country) and Stephanie Trame (volleyball).

Week 4 Spartan of the Week: Hunter Ketchum

The freshman goal tender has logged 483 minutes of playing time in his rookie season with the Spartans. With 57 saves so far at the keeper position, he is becoming more fearless by the week. From the start of the season until the Monticello match at the Cornjerker Classic, Ketchum was averaging 6.3 saves per game. Look for Ketchum to be one of the area's best in the box over the next three seasons with the St. Joseph-Ogden soccer program.

Honorable Mentions: Crayton Burnett (football), Braden Clampitt (cross country), Zach Martinie (football), Brandon Mattsey (cross country), Eric Poe (cross country), Jarrett Stevenson (football), Brayden Wearver and Sam Wesley (football).

Previous Spartans of the Week

Week 1: Jarrett Stevenson / Katelyn Berry
Week 2: Emily Elsbernd / Jaden Weaver
Week 2: Drew Coursey / Hannah Rajlich

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Attention high school coaches: Help us recognize our area prep athletes each week. Please send game scores and stats to us for freshman and junior varsity as well as varsity games. Send game, race and match results and weekly stats to sports@oursentinel.com.

Wayback Wednesday: Walsh leads team to victory over Momence

Spartans' Connor Janes finds plenty of running room through the Redskin's defense during their Sangamon Valley Conference game on September 8 back in 2012. A year later, Janes and the Spartans would play in program's most recent state championship game appearance in a controversial Class 3A overtime thriller game against Stillman Valley. Want to see more? Follow this link to the gallery with 45 more photos.

Left: Spartans' Dalton Walsh rolls out while calmly looking for an open receiver. After giving up an early first quarter touchdown on Friday night, St. Joseph-Ogden rolled to a 34-6 win on Saturday. The game was postponed on Friday evening as lightning kept the game from restarting at a reasonable hour. Walsh threw two touchdown passes and tallied 201 yards in the air on 11 receptions. Right: Louis Acklin prepares to take a hit by Redskins' Austin Saindon after catching one of his four passes in the game.

St. Joseph-Ogden football fans watch the first half of the game while enjoying perfect fall temperatures on Saturday afternoon. The home game against Momence, originally scheduled for Friday night, was postponed due to inclement and resumed less than 24 hours later. See more photos from this game here: St. Joseph-Ogden vs Momence.