Photo Gallery: Spartan football wins 5th straight game

St. Joseph-Ogden's Evan Ingram takes a snap from center Conrad Miller during the first quarter of their final regular-season home game. Both Ingram and Miller were honored before the start of Friday's game during a ceremony recognizing and thanking all the SJO seniors on the team .

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Pumping his fist after a play, Alex Funk celebrates a fumble recovery in the Spartans' favor. St. Joseph-Ogden went on to defeat visiting Rantoul, 29-6. Funk and this year's football squad need just one more victory to guarantee a playoff berth and a regular-season 6-3 record.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Opening up a running lane, Spartans' Alex Funk gives teammate Coby Miller a lead block on a play during the first quarter against visiting Rantoul.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Enduring the endless rainy conditions, SJO cheerleaders lead fans in a cheer.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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SJO assistant coach Bob Glazier keeps a watchful eye on his defensive players during his last regular-season game on the sidelines at Dick Duval Field. Glazier, who taught physics at the school during his teaching career, started his coaching career at SJO three decades ago and is a member of the IHSFCA Hall of Fame.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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SJO's Braxton Waller blocks Rantoul's Rashon Allen during first half action.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Spartans' Keaton Nolan, Mark Miller and Coby Miller stop quarterback Keddrick Terhune in his tracks.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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SJO head coach Shawn Skinner talks to players during a timeout in the second half.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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During one of the moments of heavy rainfall during the game, Rantoul receiver Kis Donald-Wheeler hauls in a pass before carrying the ball over the goal line for his team's only touchdown of the game.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Coby Miller looks for a hole while carrying the ball during first quarter action against the Eagles.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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St. Joseph-Ogden's Mark Miller and Owen Birt wrap up Rantoul running back Rashon Allen.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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The field lights at Dick Duval Field bounce light off the steady fall of rain during the game.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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While Spencer Fitch and teammates look on, Spartan Griffin Roesch hoists Evan Ingram after a touchdown.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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After shaking hands with Rantoul players, Spartan Spencer Fitch runs to join teammates with the remaining student fans who endured the rain-soaked home game to sing the school fight song. Like his teammates, Fitch was ecstatic after picking up their fifth consecutive victory on Friday.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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SJO head coach Shawn Skinner talks to his players after their 29-6 conference win over Rantoul. Skinner and the Spartans need just one more win to guarantee a spot in the 2021 playoffs.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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

Cuddling up: Cuffing season has started

The weather in central Illinois has started to turn cooler, the days are getting shorter and shorter. Gazing out the window, fall foliage is starting to appear. The sun's daily path crossing lower and lower on the southern horizon. This means not only that fall is here but for those of us single people not in some form of a committed relationship(s) that cuffing season is now open.

Photo: Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels

Fuel by a combination of biological need, psychology, societal pressure, and of course, creative holiday marketing, "Cuffing", is a phenomenon where men and women attach themselves to a romantic interest through the fall and winter months. According to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, cuffing season is "... the time of the year when the weather starts to turn cold and single people begin the active search for romantic partners in the hope of having someone with whom to ride out the colder, snowier, bleaker months." Coincidentally, enclosed in what is considered a five-month season are the big three romantic holidays of the year.

While the practice of cuffing has probably been around since the dawn of mankind when humans migrated to cooler climates, the term "Cuffing Season" was popularized back in 2011 in the online Urban Dictionary. The phenomenon has been researched and debated by scientists and matchmakers alike. Commonly seen as monogamous winter frolicking among Millenials, cuffing knows no age barrier.

Cuffing can best be described as an extended Netflix & Chill, a winter test drive, or a four-month stand, all to stave off loneliness during the dreary winter months and fill the need for companionship under the sheets and in social settings. Depending on the expert you talk to, the season usually ends by mid-April. If you have ever started dating someone new between September and mid-November, then find yourself ghosted by your cuddle buddy around the first week of May, you were cuffed.

For the rookies and veterans alike, cuffing season closely resembles a typical championship series in professional sports. There are regular-season events like holiday office parties, dinner with the parental units, and gatherings at the homes of married friends itching to get you hitched just like them to attend. Then, there are four mandatory "championship" events - Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and the Super Bowl of the season Valentine's Day - that paired up couples and companions to celebrate together.

Cuffing buddies are guaranteed dates, hands to hold, and arms to cling on as they make the social rounds during the holiday season. They are crucial in deflecting the annoying, endless queries wondering when will your serial singledom end. The best part for many is when the DJ spins a crowd favorite, they have a warm body to do the Double D or Electric Slide by their side. In addition to regular nocturnal activities and late-night footsies under the comforter, trapped cuffees with nowhere to run often must endure uninteresting minutiae from their partner's otherwise boring life, bad grooming habits, and sometimes embarrassing social grace.

Like college and pro sports, there is a recruiting process that can start as early as August. Prospective cuffs are evaluated, covertly tested, and vetted for the upcoming season during the three-month tryout period better known as 'summer flinging'. By the time Halloween - cuffing season's preseason event - is two or three weeks away, the attaching process started weeks earlier in the form of tailgating, pumpkin picking, and frequent Uber rides home together after last call.

In major cities like Denver, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, cuffing is played at another level with combines, so to speak, in the form of extravagant parties for singles to mingle and look for their winter bae. There is even a new cuffing season drink, mainly vodka and maple syrup, making a splash.

Cuffing season is Thanksgiving dinner with your new partner's family or yours. Cuffing season is a romantic romp on Christmas morning before opening gifts. Cuffing season is dinner, drinks, and New Year's Eve kisses. Cuffing season is dinner and shiny trinkets for Valentine's Day.

Cuffing season is officially over, some say, the day after Cupid has left the house on February 15. The uncuffing process usually takes another 30 days or so for one party or the other to weasel their way out of the relationship. Sometimes they will seemingly disappear completely off the face of the Earth. Sometimes, the breakups can be bitter, especially when one party develops stronger feelings of attachment.

However, cuffers sometimes beat the odds and move into a long-term, committed relationship. Couples that have enjoyed a variety of memorable shared experiences beyond the living room sofa are more apt to keep their relationship intact months longer into the summer and beyond.

Illinois reproductive-rights organizations protest bans before SCOTUS session

By Lily Bohlke, Public News Service

Photo: Gayatri Malhotra/Unsplash

Reproductive-rights advocates took to the streets across Illinois and the U.S. over the weekend to protest the new Texas law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, the nation's most restrictive abortion law. It is one of 90 anti-abortion bills that have been passed by state legislatures.

Brigid Leahy, senior director of public policy for Planned Parenthood Illinois, said they already are seeing Texas patients fleeing the ban and traveling long distances to get care.

"It's over 1,000 miles to get to Illinois, but people are doing that," Leahy reported. "And there are people who cannot travel. The barriers are just too much, and they are being forced to continue pregnancies that they do not want to continue."

The events -- 600 total nationwide -- came days before today's start of the U.S. Supreme Court session, during which judges plan to hear a case concerning a 15-week Mississippi abortion law, which, if upheld, could overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

Leahy noted when former President Donald Trump took office and promised to appoint Supreme Court justices who would be amenable to overturning Roe v. Wade, Illinois lawmakers began working on bills to protect the right to abortion at the state level, such as the Reproductive Health Act of 2019.

She pointed out many states are taking similar steps, but many others are now going the other way, including many Midwestern states.

"It was really important to recognize the full range of those rights and put them in our state law so that when Roe v Wade falls, we are protected in Illinois, not just for the people in Illinois, but the people in the states surrounding us," Leahy contended.

Polls show nearly 7 in 10 Americans support the decision establishing a woman's right to an abortion, and more than 900 state lawmakers from 45 states recently signed a letter urging the Supreme Court to uphold Roe v. Wade in their decision on the Mississippi law.

Healthcare workers around the country sound alarm on rising violence on the job

By Bram Sable-Smith and Andy Miller
Kaiser Health News

The San Leandro Hospital emergency department, where nurse Mawata Kamara works, went into lockdown recently when a visitor, agitated about being barred from seeing a patient due to covid-19 restrictions, threatened to bring a gun to the California facility.

It wasn’t the first time the department faced a gun threat during the pandemic. Earlier in the year, a psychiatric patient well known at the department became increasingly violent, spewing racial slurs, spitting toward staffers and lobbing punches before eventually threatening to shoot Kamara in the face.

"Violence has always been a problem," Kamara said. "This pandemic really just added a magnifying glass."

In the earliest days of the pandemic, nightly celebrations lauded the bravery of front-line health care workers. Eighteen months later, those same workers say they are experiencing an alarming rise in violence in their workplaces.

A nurse testified before a Georgia Senate study committee in September that she was attacked by a patient so severely last spring she landed in the ER of her own hospital.

At Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, security was called to the covid unit, said nurse Jenn Caldwell, when a visitor aggressively yelled at the nursing staff about the condition of his wife, who was a patient.

In Missouri, a tripling of physical assaults against nurses prompted Cox Medical Center Branson to issue panic buttons that can be worn on employees’ identification badges.

Hospital executives were already attuned to workplace violence before the pandemic struck. But stresses from covid have exacerbated the problem, they say, prompting increased security, de-escalation training and pleas for civility. And while many hospitals work to address the issue on their own, nurses and other workers are pushing federal legislation to create enforceable standards nationwide.

Paul Sarnese, an executive at Virtua Health in New Jersey and president of the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, said many studies show health care workers are much more likely to be victims of aggravated assault than workers in any other industry.

Federal data shows health care workers faced 73% of all nonfatal injuries from workplace violence in the U.S. in 2018. It’s too early to have comprehensive stats from the pandemic.

Even so, Michelle Wallace, chief nursing officer at Grady Health System in Georgia, said the violence is likely even higher because many victims of patient assaults don’t report them.

"We say, ‘This is part of our job,’" said Wallace, who advocates for more reporting.

Caldwell said she had been a nurse for less than three months the first time she was assaulted at work — a patient spit at her. In the four years since, she estimated, she hasn’t gone more than three months without being verbally or physically assaulted.

"I wouldn’t say that it’s expected, but it is accepted," Caldwell said. "We have a lot of people with mental health issues that come through our doors."

Jackie Gatz, vice president of safety and preparedness for the Missouri Hospital Association, said a lack of behavioral health resources can spur violence as patients seek treatment for mental health issues and substance use disorders in ERs. Life can also spill inside to the hospital, with violent episodes that began outside continuing inside or the presence of law enforcement officers escalating tensions.

A February 2021 report from National Nurses United — a union in which both Kamara and Caldwell are representatives — offers another possible factor: staffing levels that don’t allow workers sufficient time to recognize and de-escalate possibly volatile situations.

Covid unit nurses also have shouldered extra responsibilities during the pandemic. Duties such as feeding patients, drawing blood and cleaning rooms would typically be conducted by other hospital staffers, but nurses have pitched in on those jobs to minimize the number of workers visiting the negative-pressure rooms where covid patients are treated. While the workload has increased, the number of patients each nurse oversees is unchanged, leaving little time to hear the concerns of visitors scared for the well-being of their loved ones — like the man who aggressively yelled at the nurses in Caldwell’s unit.

In September, 31% of hospital nurses surveyed by that union said they had faced workplace violence, up from 22% in March.

Dr. Bryce Gartland, hospital group president of Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare, said violence has escalated as the pandemic has worn on, particularly during the latest wave of infections, hospitalization and deaths.

'Front-line health care workers and first responders have been on the battlefield for 18 months," Garland said. "They’re exhausted."

Like the increase in violence on airplanes, at sports arenas and school board meetings, the rising tensions inside hospitals could be a reflection of the mounting tensions outside them.

William Mahoney, president of Cox Medical Center Branson, said national political anger is acted out locally, especially when staffers ask people who come into the hospital to put on a mask.

Caldwell, the nurse in Kansas City, said the physical nature of covid infections can contribute to an increase in violence. Patients in the covid unit often have dangerously low oxygen levels.

"People have different political views — they’re either CNN or Fox News — and they start yelling at you, screaming at you," Mahoney said.

"When that happens, they become confused and also extremely combative," Caldwell said.

Sarnese said the pandemic has given hospitals an opportunity to revisit their safety protocols. Limiting entry points to enable covid screening, for example, allows hospitals to funnel visitors past security cameras.

Research Medical Center recently hired additional security officers and provided de-escalation training to supplement its video surveillance, spokesperson Christine Hamele said.

In Branson, Mahoney’s hospital has bolstered its security staff, mounted cameras around the facility, brought in dogs ("people don’t really want to swing at you when there’s a German shepherd sitting there") and conducted de-escalation training — in addition to the panic buttons.

Some of those efforts pre-date the pandemic but the covid crisis has added urgency in an industry already struggling to recruit employees and maintain adequate staffing levels. "The No. 1 question we started getting asked is, ‘Are you going to keep me safe?’" Mahoney said.

While several states, including California, have rules to address violence in hospitals, National Nurses United is calling for the U.S. Senate to pass the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act that would require hospitals to adopt plans to prevent violence.

"With any standard, at the end of the day you need that to be enforced," said the union’s industrial hygienist, Rocelyn de Leon-Minch.

Nurses in states with laws on the books still face violence, but they have an enforceable standard they can point to when asking for that violence to be addressed. De Leon-Minch said the federal bill, which passed the House in April, aims to extend that protection to health care workers nationwide.

Destiny, the nurse who testified in Georgia using only her first name, is pressing charges against the patient who attacked her. The state Senate committee is now eyeing legislation for next year.

Kamara said the recent violence helped lead her hospital to provide de-escalation training, although she was dissatisfied with it. San Leandro Hospital spokesperson Victoria Balladares said the hospital had not experienced an increase in workplace violence during the pandemic.

For health care workers such as Kamara, all this antagonism toward them is a far cry from the early days of the pandemic when hospital workers were widely hailed as heroes.

"I don’t want to be a hero,” Kamara said. “I want to be a mom and a nurse. I want to be considered a person who chose a career that they love, and they deserve to go to work and do it in peace. And not feel like they’re going to get harmed."

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Photo Gallery: SJO volleyball overpowers visiting Hawks

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartans' Addie Roesch and Ashley Eldridge enjoy a light moment during the team's home match against Prairie Central. After their road loss to Tri-Valley, St. Joseph-Ogden extended their win streak to three matches with the 2-0 conference win over the Hawks.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

The ball flies toward the back wall after Prairie Central's Kerigan Fehr tried to pass a St. Joseph-Ogden serve during the first set.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Addie Roesch tips the ball over the net while playing on the front row during the first set for the Spartans.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Hannah Fox and the Spartan bench celebrate a point for SJO on ten-point scoring run during the first set.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartan junior varsity players dance to YMCA during a timeout during set one of the varsity game. St. Joseph-0gden picked up another conference win after defeating visiting Prairie Central in straight sets, 25-15, 25-4.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden outside hitter Kennedi Burnett hammers the ball for a kill against Prairie Central. The senior finished the varsity match with two aces, four kills, and 16 digs.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Prairie Central's Gracie Edelman passes the ball during the second set while SJO's Rachel Divan and Kennedi Burnett prepare in the background to counter the Hawks' attack.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Called up to fill the junior varsity roster, Spartan freshman Reese Wheatley tries to block a tip by Hawks' Callie Eisenmann.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

With Hawks' Adeline Kilgus opposing her, Spartan hitter Josey Frerichs pounds the ball over the net during the second set of the JV match. SJO earned the match victory, 2-0.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Addison Ross attempts to block the ball during SJO's junior varsity match.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Before the varsity contest, Peyton Williams puts the ball down on a big swing around Gyllian Davies during second set action in St. Joseph-Ogden's JV match.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartans Madison Atwood and Taylor Wells attempt to block a hit from Prairie Central outside hitter Alyssa Stein.

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PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Hawks' Alexandria Hari sets the ball during set of the match against SJO.

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

Prep Sports Notebook: Uni-High wins regional title, SJO girls win again

Spartans defeat Grey Ghost, 2-0

The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team got three blocks and six kills from senior Ashley Eldridge in the team's road win at Illinois Valley Central on Saturday. SJO won the conference match 25-20, 28-26.

Becca Steinbach chalked up 26 assists and six digs for the Spartans. Addie Roesch also had six digs and was responsible for eight kills. St. Joseph-Ogden's offense was once again led by Kennedi Burnett, who recorded 10 kills and 10 digs. She also aced IVC once in the two-setter.

Rachel Divan also finished the match with three blocks. Meanwhile, Shayne Immke contributed four kills and seven digs to round out the team's top performers.

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Cornjerkers fall in regional title match

Hoopeston Area suffered an 8-0 defeat to Bloomington Central Catholic in their bid for the Iroquois West Regional title on Saturday. The Cornjerker season comes to a close with a 19-6-1 overall record and undefeated conference season at 11-0. Members of the senior class finished their high school career with 60 wins against 23 losses and four ties during their four-year stint.

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La Nave scores five times to advance Illineks

Noah La Nave scored five goals in University High's 5-0 shutout over Fisher-Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley to win the Fisher regional soccer title.

Teo Chemla assisted on two of the goals while Arya Thirodira and Henry Wang were credited with one assist each on the first crisp fall day of the season.

Uni-High advances to the Bloomington Central Catholic sectional to take on the hosts on Tuesday, October 19, at 7pm. The winner will advance to face the winner of the second match between the Monticello Sages and the Normal U-High Pioneers for a shot at the sectional title next Saturday.

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Win #5: Spartan rain TDs on Eagles in 29-6 win

St. Joseph-Ogden defensive players Keaton Nolan and Mark Miller bring down Rantoul's Keddrick Terhune during the first quarter of their game as Mother Nature dumps buckets of rain over the area. The Spartans picked up their fifth win of the season with a 29-6 victory over the visiting Eagles. Hoping to secure a spot in the 2021 IHSA playoffs, SJO faces Paxton-Buckley-Loda next Friday in a bid for a sixth, playoff-qualifying win. Check back in a few days for more Sentinel game photos.

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Commentary: The road to success is filled with disappointments and constant rejection

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

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Steady cash flow comes from steady work. If you want money you have to do something that produces money.

Much of what we want to do in life does not always produce cash. We may experience fun, enjoyment, fulfillment and entertainment but it may not render dollars. Often, much of what we enjoy in life typically costs us money and usually a lot of money.

You may love to play golf and even aspire to make a professional tour. You could spend most of your life and tens of thousands of dollars on green fees, memberships, lessons, travel and more and still never make a dime from playing golf.

You may love movies, theatre and plays and spend years in drama schools and Hollywood and never get a job that pays any money. This story is true for those who dream of making it big in music. I’ve talked to numbers of singers in Nashville, Tennessee who have spent years singing for tips and often for free. They pursued their dream relentlessly and some ended up homeless because while they pursued their dream, dollars were not coming in to support them.

Writers have spent their lives trying to write one great book that someone would notice. Painters often paint their entire lives without much fanfare or few sales. Would be entertainers and artsy folks from all walks of life know that the road to success is filled with disappointments, constant rejection, little to no support and poverty.

I was a weird guy in high school as I aspired to be a full-time minister. Sixteen years old was an odd time in life to start shunning my electric guitar, lose my passion for basketball and aspire to be a minister. It also didn’t do a lot for my dating life either.

My dad thought I was crazy but never said a whole lot. Once he did say, "Why don’t you get a good job and preach on the side?" I thought that was a crazy idea because I knew of too many ministers who had full time careers and seemed to do okay. Thus, I went to school until I was 29 years old to be a full-time minister. The post college degrees that I attended full-time for seven years were enough time for medical school, Law school or whatever but I pursued my calling and followed my heart.

I don’t regret pursuing my dream. I had about 35 years of being an average wage earner as a minister and sometimes did better than average. However, my dad had respectable advice as parent’s usually do. Today I give the same advice. Follow your dream but you need a sawmill on the side for stable cash flow. Church has changed. Many churches are small and can’t afford a full-time minister. Sadly, often ministers and congregations can’t survive in harmony for more than a couple of years so this makes for a very unstable life.

When I say, "you need a sawmill on the side," I mean you need something in your life you can count on. You need a plumber’s license, a teaching certificate, carpentry skills or a business of some kind that renders dollars. Why? You can’t always depend on what you love doing to produce income. It may be what you love to do and you may be terrific at what you do but often you can’t count on it financially.

Find a work that people must have or want very badly. If you are in a work that someone must have then there will be financial rewards. If they want very badly want you have to offer there will be financial rewards. If they want and need it both you are golden.

It may not be your passion but you will generally make enough money from your "sawmill" so you can sing, dance, paint, entertain, write, act or even preach on the side. When you do what you love to do without the constant pressure of needing money then you are free to do it enjoyably without the stress of wondering from where your next meal will come.

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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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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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

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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Sages shove Spartans out of soccer postseason

St. Joseph-Ogden's Logan Mills battles for ball possesion with Monticello junior Biniam Lienhart during first half action of the two team's regional semifinal at St. Thomas More on Wednesday. After a scoreless 36 minutes, the Spartans gave up the first goal with 3:53 left on the clock and second with just over a minute to play in the first half. Monticello would go on to score five more goals advancing to the title match against Oakwood on Friday on a 7-0 victory. The Spartans finish the season with a final record of 13-9-1. Click to view the match gallery.

(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Spartan volleyball team ace Sages at home match

Kennedi Burnett, Addie Roesch, and Shayne Immke combined effort produced 10 service aces to help the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball beat visiting Illini Prairie rival Monticello in straight sets 2-0 on Tuesday evening.

Senior Ashley Eldridge pounds the ball for an SJO point during set one against Monticello. The Spartans took the first set easily, 25-7. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

The Spartans jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first set before Monticello used a timeout to regroup. Five points later, with the Sages looking at a ten-point deficit at 13-3, Monticello head coach Kim Allison called for another break.

Ranked 27th in Class 2A and 102 in the state by MaxPreps, SJO's defensive effort allowed just four more points in the 25-7 first set finish.

However, the start of the second set was not as pretty as the first set for the St. Joseph-0gden team coming off a 2-0 loss to Tri-Valley on Monday. Down 4-0 and plagued by inconsistent play, McDonald called timeout to allow her team to regroup.

When the set resumed, the Spartans carefully worked their way back into the game despite a streak of tenacious play from the Sages. The two teams would tie eight times, the last at 24-all. Two exchanges later, SJO prevailed 26-24 to win the match.

"It's been a bit of a rollercoaster. Some nights we're on. Some nights we've been off finding that leadership role, that determination to be able to finish and play consistent," said head coach Abby McDonald. "We hope that we are learning from these opportunities we've been given."

Roesch led the Spartan offensive effort with seven kills and two aces. Burnett added another four kills to the mix and led the team serving effort with five aces. Immke, with three aces, notched three kills and led the defense with 11 digs.

"I thought when the pressure was on they kept their composure," McDonald said. "That's something they have done well throughout the season. They don't get rattled. It was good for them to be able to finish in a tight set like that."

Despite a tough 25-14, 25-15, non-conference loss to the Vikings of Tri-Valley a little more than 24 hours earlier, McDonald was happy with how her team performed.

"We had a rough night last night," she added. "To be able to bounce back without practice and without time to really discuss some of the things we need to fix, I thought they did a nice job of finishing."

Becca Steinbach had 15 assists and was credited with three digs. Hannah Fox also delivered nine digs in the win.

"I am proud of the kids. There were a lot of distractions tonight and a lot of different emotions in this building," Abby McDonald said, referring to the Dick Duval scholarship fundraiser the team was also heavily involved in. An early estimate of $14,000 had been raised for the memorial scholarship to honor the former SJO educator and football coach. "I thought they handled themselves well, considering everything that was going on."

The SJO volleyball team plays again this week on Thursday against Salt Fork.

SJO recognizes the voice of Spartan sports, Keith Sjuts inducted into Hall of Fame

St. Joseph-Ogden school district superintendent Brian Brooks presents Spartan alumn Keith Sjuts with a Hall of Fame plaque during a halftime ceremony at Friday's home football game against Central Catholic. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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

A lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Flatville, Sjuts was the voice of SJO football and basketball for more than 20 seasons. He wore the Spartan basketball uniform all four years of his prep career and earned first-team recognition for both all-conference and all-area teams his senior year at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Learn more about his athletic career and success after high school in his bio below.

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Biography

Keith Sjuts is a 1977 graduate of St. Joseph-Ogden High School. In high school, Keith played baseball for one year and ran track for one year. He played basketball all four years of his high school career. Keith was selected to the 1st Team All Area and 1st Team All Conference teams his senior year.

After high school, Keith became Branch Manager of Safety Clean, as well as a member of Corporate National Blitz Team for Safety Clean. He was a Co-Owner of TK Wendl’s. In 1994, he started working at Zep, Inc. and was the National Rookie of the Year. He was also the National Account Manager and Sales Trainer of Zep Inc. Besides work, he was able to have some fun and continue his athletic career by playing on the Regional Traveling Softball Team with his brother Mark and brother-in-law Wally.

Keith was the voice of the Spartans for over 20 years, serving as the announcer for both the football and boys basketball teams. One of his favorite memories was announcing the only state semi final football game hosted at SJO against Williamsville. He also always enjoyed the rivalry games between SJO and Unity.

Keith has been a lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Flatville where he has held several positions on the council, including President of the church council. Keith takes great pride in being a part of the St. Joseph-Ogden community his entire life.

He wants to thank his team of people who have surrounded him to help him earn this great accomplishment, especially his most valuable team member, Roger Koss.

Keith’s greatest joys are his son Ryan, daughter Rylee and granddaughter Charlie.

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

A monstrously delicious treat you will want to make this Halloween

(Family Features) - Among the scary decorations, unique costumes and fun parties, there’s perhaps nothing quite like sharing a wonderful homemade holiday treat at the office or sending a bags full to school with your kids to share with classmates on Halloween.

This year, you can add to the fun with a new annual activity by creating a delightful dessert with the help of little ones and adults alike. Start a new tradition to pass along to your next generation of trick-or-treaters. With an easy recipe like Peanut Butter Saltine Candy that calls for just a handful of ingredients, you can get the whole family involved in the kitchen.

Photo provided

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Ask your little helpers to measure out ingredients while a grownup prepares the pan and use the stove. Once the base is finished baking, call the kids back into action to sprinkle chocolate chips and peanut butter chips over the top.

After your candy creation is cooled, just break it into pieces meant to be shared with the entire family. An added benefit: all can enjoy the nutrient-rich flavor of peanuts, which rise to superfood status by delivering 19 vitamins and minerals and 7 grams of protein per serving.

Find more holiday recipes at gapeanuts.com.

Peanut Butter Saltine Candy

Yield: 45 pieces

Nonstick cooking spray (butter flavor)
1 sleeve (4 ounces) regular saltine crackers
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup rough chopped, dry roasted peanuts

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line 10-by-15-by-1-inch pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray then lay saltines flat in single layer on prepared pan. Set aside.

In heavy duty, 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, peanut butter and sugar. Stir constantly until butter and sugar are melted, bringing mixture to boil. Boil 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour cooked mixture over saltines and bake 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over saltines. Let cool 3 minutes then spread melted chocolate completely over saltines.

Sprinkle peanut butter chips evenly over chocolate. Return pan to oven 1 minute to soften chips. Pull pointed tines of fork through softened peanut butter chips to partially cover chocolate. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top, gently pressing into candy.

Let cool on rack about 15 minutes then place in freezer 3 minutes. Remove from freezer and break into pieces. Store in airtight container.