Prep Sports Notebook: Rockets, Spartans sweep volleyball opponents

Unity football celebrates senior night

Unity's unblemished record will be on the line as the Rockets will host 5-2 Paxton-Buckley-Loda at Hicks Field tonight. It is the first time the two teams have met on the gridiron since 2006.

Fourteen senior athletes, who have already clinched a playoff spot for their 7-0 team, will be recognized at the football team's last home game of the season prior to kickoff.

This year's senior players include Nat Nosler, Blake Kimball, Tyler Hensch, Braxton Manuel, Dillon Rutledge, Damian Knoll, Trustan Price, Liam Alt, Oran Varela, Karson Richardson, Austin McDaniel, Cameron Marvin, Colby Loftsgaard, and Chance Ingleman.



Rockets pick up 23rd win

The Unity volleyball team battled past Pontiac in straight sets 27-25, 25-19 improving to 23-3 on the season after the conference match.

Emma Bleecher pounded 12 kills and had nine digs against the Indians. Three-sport star Taylor Henry had 13 digs of her own.

The Rockets also got 14 assists and 8 digs from senior Maddie Reed. Payton Kaiser, also a senior, contributed a pair of kills of her own next to seven digs.

Up next, Unity hosts Urbana on the upcoming Monday evening. A freshman bout will start at 5pm and the varsity main event somewhere around 6pm.



Burnett double-double lifts SJO

Outside hitter Kennedi Burnett posted 10 kills and recorded 10 digs in the St. Joseph-Ogden road match at Olympia last night. Libero Hannah Fox also contributed 10 digs to help SJO cruise past the other Illini Prairie Conference Spartans, 2-0.

Becca Steinbach notched 19 assists while Rachel Divan, who was a wall at the net with three blocks, contributed three kills.

SJO's Shayne Immke added another four kills and chipped in another seven digs in the conference sweep that ended, 25-8, 25-15.

The Spartans play again at Illinois Valley Central tomorrow at noon.



Photo Gallery: Spartan soccer season ended at regional semifinal

Senior Jared Emmert dibbles the ball early in the first half in the last game of his prep career. Emmert and the Spartans fell 7-0 to the Monticello Sages in their regional semifinal game. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Collin Thomey, Charles Schmitz and Brennan Haake form a line of defense for the St. Joseph-Ogden as Monticello's Will Trimble pushes the ball toward the sideline. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Spartans' Jackson Greer and Sages' Biniam Lienhart collide while going up for a header. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Logan Mills dribbles the ball

Logan Mills dribbles the ball in the first half. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Monticello's Ben Williamson

Monticello's Ben Williamson steals the ball from the control of SJO's Collin Thomey. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Brennan Haake pushes the ball across the field

Brennan Haake pushes the ball across the field during the first half. Soon after, the Sages went on a two-goal scoring spree before the break. Monticello followed up with five more goals in the second half to win, 7-0. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Will Childers shields the ball

Will Childers shields the ball while Monticello's Biniam Lienhart flies past him during first half action on Wednesday. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Keeper Hunter Ketchum lunges unsuccessfully at a ball heading toward SJO's goal by Dylan Ginalick. Ginalick's ball found net for the first score of the game. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


St. Joseph-Ogden's Jackson Greer and Monticello's Trevor Fox collide while going up for header. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Hunter Ketchum

SJO keeper Hunter Ketchum deflects a shot on his goal as Monticello midfielder Cohen Neighbors and striker Malachi Manuel move in to finish their attack in the second half. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Carter Turner

With teammate Brennan Haake trailing, SJO's Carter Turner tries to pass the ball down the field to Owen Baltzell. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


Spartan Owen Baltzell

Spartan Owen Baltzell pursues Sages' Tucker Williamson and Cohen Neighbors as they dribble the ball down the field in the second half. 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.


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