SJO football tied at #1 with BCC after Week 3 game

Spartans' Sam Shonkwiler
St. Joseph-Ogden Sam Shonkwiler blocks Prairie Central's Jacob Vega during first half action of their Week 3 game at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph - After three weeks of play, St. Joseph-Ogden and Bloomington Central Catholic remain undefeated and at the top of Illini Prairie Conference competition. The two teams will meet at Dick Duval Field on Septemeber 29.

The Saints, who have scored 163 points this season, have given up just two touchdowns against in their wins over Pontiac (1-2, IPC), Rantoul (0-3 overall - 0-2, IPC), and Paxton-Buckley-Loda (2-1, overall - 1-1, IPC).

Challenging BCC for the top spot in the conference, St. Joseph-Ogden beat Monticello (1-1, overall/IPC) and Prairie Central (1-2, overall/IPC) at home on Dick Duval Field. Week 2, the Spartans capitalized on a late game turnover to survive at Hicks Field over Unity (2-1, overall/IPC), 38-35.

SJO looks to extend their unblemished record to 4-0 later this week when they host Illinois Valley Central for Homecoming on Friday. Meanwhile, Unity, who crushed IVC 49-9 last week, will host St. Teresa in a non-conference match-up at 7 pm.


Week 3 Illini Prairie Football Standings
1. Bloomington Central Catholic 3-0
1. St. Joseph-Ogden 3-0
3. Tolono Unity 2-1
4. Monticello 1-1
4. Paxton-Buckley-Loda 1-1
6. Prairie Central 1-2
6. Pontiac 1-2
8. Rantoul 0-2
9. Illinois Valley Central 0-3

Related articles:


SJO off to a solid start, beats Prairie Central
Six moments from St. Joseph-Ogden's home game against Prairie Central.

Photo Gallery | Spartans posts road win at Unity
34 great photos from this year's gridiron thriller at Hicks Field.

Buy us a coffee

Photo Gallery | 3-and-0!!! SJO off to a solid start after hosting Prairie Central

James Barron (left) and Tim Blackburn-Kelley celebrate in the end zone after Blackburn-Kelley took the ball 60 yard on a pass from Logan Smith for a first-quarter Spartan touchdown. Locked In, St. Joseph-Ogden took care of business at Dick Duval Field on Friday night beating the Hawks, 26-19. SJ0 improves to 3-0, a feat last performed at the start of the 2018 season.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Top-left: St. Joseph-Ogden's Coy Taylor takes the ball for a 14-yard run through the Prairie Central defense for a first down. Taylor, a junior, finished the game with 49 passing yards and 3 yards rushing. Top-right: Spartans' Nolan Earley plows into Hawks' quarterback Avery Elder, who got rid of the ball a split-second before impact between the two. Bottom-left: With Garrett Denhart holding, senior kicker Joe Frasca hits an field goal for SJO. Bottom-right: Logan Smith pitches the ball out to running back Justice Wertz. Smith threw for 189 yards on 21 plas and ran for another 39. Wertz finished the conference game with 69 yards.
Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Caleb Ochs puts a lick on Prairie Central QB Avery Elder
Linebacker Caleb Ochs puts a lick on Prairie Central quarterback Avery Elder to break up a fourth-quarter pass play. The Spartan football team plays at home again this Friday when they will host Illinois Valley Central. The 0-3 Grey Ghost will come to Dick Duval Field looking to spoil SJO's Homecoming plans for their first victory of the season.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


More Sentinel Stories



Photo Galleries


2025 Illinois Marathon Photo Gallery
A couple of runners found themselves in the wrong race at this year's Illinois Marathon. Over 60 photos from the race that you should see.

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks