Balanced scoring lifts St. Joseph-Ogden over BHRA

A trio of nine-point performances powered St. Joseph-Ogden past BHRA 46–37. The Spartans used three second‑quarter 3-pointers to take control and extend their early-season momentum.

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ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden defeated Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin 46-37 in a home matchup last Tuesday. The Spartans used a strong second quarter, highlighted by three 3-pointers, to take a 25-19 lead into halftime and maintain control the rest of the way.

SJO featured a balanced scoring effort, with senior Katie Erickson, junior Hayden Dahl and sophomore Atleigh Miller each finishing with nine points. Kayla Osterbur, Ainsley Dirksmeyer and Addie Brooks added five points apiece, while Timera Blackburn‑Kelley chipped in four to round out the Spartans’ offense.

BHRA’s Ella Acton led all scorers with 14 points, all coming in the first three quarters. Alivia Reifsteck and Gentry Elson contributed eight points each for the Blue Devils, who remained within reach but were unable to overcome SJO’s midgame surge.

The victory marks the third straight for St. Joseph-Ogden, which opened the season with a 30-point win over Arthur‑Lovington‑Atwood‑Hammond and followed with a 14-point victory against Clifton Central.

SJO looks to extend its winning streak to four when it hosts Tuscola in a nonconference matchup Monday.

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TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden vs. BHRA girls basketball recap, SJO Spartans balanced scoring highlights 46-37 win, BHRA girls basketball performance against St. Joseph-Ogden, SJO girls basketball winning streak early-season overview

Rockets' title quest stopped short in epic Class 3A battle

Unity and Byron delivered a championship matchup for the ages, breaking 10 records in a 56-50 Byron win. The Rockets’ passing attack and the Tigers’ rushing game rewrote IHSA history.

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Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity's Dane Eisenmenger avoids a sack attempt from Byron's Zion Gautier during first quarter action in the Class 3A championship game at Hancock Stadium. The All-State quarterback passed for 541 yards against the Tigers.

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NORMAL - Records didn’t just fall during Friday’s Class 3A state championship — they shattered in waves. Ten IHSA marks were rewritten in a game that roared from start to finish, delivering an offensive spectacle unlike anything the title stage had seen, before coming down to a single fourth-and-goal throw with 16 seconds left. Byron held its ground in the final moments, denying Unity at the goal line to close out a 56-50 thriller that instantly joins the list of all-time great championship finishes.

The teams combined for 106 points, breaking the previous title-game scoring record of 89 set in 2006 when St. Joseph-Ogden and Plano traded blows in another classic shootout. Their 1,211 total yards also set a new 3A championship standard, with Unity responsible for 652 of them — a new team record. Individually, the numbers were just as staggering. Byron running back Cade Considine ran for 371 yards, a new championship record, and finished with 430 all-purpose yards. Unity quarterback Dane Eisenmenger broke five marks of his own: 541 passing yards, seven touchdowns, 42 completions and 65 attempts. Tyler Henry set the new receptions record with 16 and added three scores.

Despite entering the week labeled the underdog, Unity kept swinging. The Rockets led 29-28 at halftime and went toe-to-toe with a Byron team making its third straight title-game appearance. The Tigers, who have reached the championship every other year since 2021, completed another perfect 14-0 season and extended their streak of title wins to three — 2021, 2023 and now 2025.

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Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Virtually unstoppable, Byron's Caden Considine runs the ball for a Tiger first down.

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Considine’s performance carried Byron throughout the night. “I think he saved his best for last,” head coach Jeff Boyer said. “He has been a great player here at Byron. Maybe one of the best who has ever played here. He’s a kid that wasn’t going to let us lose.”

While leaning on their dependable ground attack, Byron junior Andrew Talbert provided timely support through the air, completing four of five passes for 98 yards, though he did throw one interception.

Eisenmenger’s record-breaking night was fueled by his trio of reliable targets, each showing exceptional hands and speed. Tyler Henry led the Unity receiving corps with 16 catches for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Tre Hoggard added two scores and a game-high 189 yards on 12 receptions, while Mason O’Neill joined the 100-yard group with six catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

Unity was held scoreless in the third quarter but made a furious charge late. Down 56-43 with 6:01 left, Eisenmenger tossed a six-yard touchdown that cut the deficit to six with 2:00 remaining. The Rockets then executed a perfect onside kick and recovered at the Byron 45, pushing the stadium into full suspense. Eisenmenger guided Unity to a first-and-goal, and two plays later the Rockets stood on the 13-yard line after a costly penalty.

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Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity kick off team celebrates the recovery of an onside kick on the 49-yard line in the fourth quarter. With two minutes left to play, the Rockets had a minute and 46 seconds to at least tie the score or win the game outright, and came up short after 13 plays.

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With the season down to one snap, Eisenmenger rolled right and fired toward the end zone. Considine, playing linebacker, read the play and broke up the pass, sealing the Tigers’ victory and leaving Unity inches short — just as St. Joseph-Ogden had been in its memorable 2006 duel.

“I never had a doubt that we would be with them right there to the end,” first-year Unity head coach Tony Reetz said. “These kids have given us no reason to believe that we were ever out of the game. These guys have battled all year long. They’ve been on the ropes before. We came out on top, obviously. There was just one game we came up one play short.”

Unity finishes its season 12-2, earning the school’s seventh runner-up trophy — and its first in the Reetz era following six under longtime coach Scott Hamilton. It was a game that pushed boundaries, rewrote history, and ended with the Rockets leaving everything they had on the field.

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IHSA 3A championship record game, Unity vs Byron 2025 football, Illinois high school football title history, high-scoring IHSA playoff games, Byron Tigers state championship

The Sentinel On This Day | November 29

As November comes to a close, we look back on stories that shaped our community — from Thanksgiving traditions to local sports triumphs, civic milestones, and voices that stirred debate.

Revisit local news, features, and community events to politics, and Opinion-Editorial viewpoints, discover archived posts published on November 29 in previous years, offering a rich tapestry of life in Champaign County and the broader community, curated by The Sentinel. Here are the headlines from in and around Champaign-Urbana over the years.

Editor's choice ~

Sages are state football runner-up, last minute score not enough to fend of loss to Montini

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

NORMAL - Monticello's Kasen Baker and Landon Carlisle carry the team's runner-up trophy after their Class 3A title game against Montini (12-2). The Sages (11-3) were outgunned by the suburban Chicago Catholic School at Hancock Stadium, 49-8. See more headlines from the Sentinel's IHSA state football coverage below.

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November 28 Archives

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Unity falls in 3A championship game, inches away from the program's first state title

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Normal - Unity captains (left to right) Keegan Germano, Dane Eisenmenger, Coleson Miller, Coleton Langendorf, and Brayden Henry celebrate with the school's runner-up trophy after Class 3A title game against Byron at Hancock Stadium on Friday. Deemed the underdogs coming into the program's seventh championship game appearance, the Rockets proved detractors wrong, losing by one score 56-50 in record-setting contest. The two teams combined for 106 points, breaking the Class 3A record of 89 set in the 2007 St. Joseph-Ogden vs Plano championship game. More photos and game recap coming Monday.

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TAGS: Illinois soccer recruiting 2026, Fighting Illini women’s soccer, Katie Hultin Illinois coach, Big Ten soccer news, University of Illinois athletics

The Sentinel On This Day | November 28

As November settles in with crisp air and golden leaves, we look back on stories that shaped our community — from Veterans Day tributes and Thanksgiving traditions to local sports triumphs, civic milestones, and voices that stirred debate.

From local news, features, and community events to politics, and Opinion-Editorial viewpoints, discover archived posts published on November 28 in previous years, offering a rich tapestry of life in Champaign County and the broader community, curated by The Sentinel. Here are the headlines from local news, sports, community events, and editorial viewpoints in and around Champaign-Urbana over the years.

Editor's choice ~

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

(Left to right) Unity football captains Grant Albaugh, Dillon Rutledge, Chance Ingleman, and Blake Kimball hold up the team's runner-up trophy after the Class 3A title game at Huskies Stadium on the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb. In the program's sixth state final appearance since head coach Scott Hamilton took the reigns, the Rockets fell 35-7 to Byron Tigers finishing the season with a 13-1 record on Friday. See the photo gallery of Unity at state football ...

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November 27 Archives

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The Sentinel On This Day | November 27

As November settles in with crisp air and golden leaves, we look back on stories that shaped our community — from Veterans Day tributes and Thanksgiving traditions to local sports triumphs, civic milestones, and voices that stirred debate.

From local news, features, and community events to politics, and Opinion-Editorial viewpoints, discover archived posts published on November 27 in previous years, offering a rich tapestry of life in Champaign County and the broader community, curated by The Sentinel. Here are the headlines from local news, sports, community events, and editorial viewpoints in and around Champaign-Urbana over the years.

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November 26 Archives

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Farmers invited to Dec. 12 conference focused on nutrient planning and hybrid management

The conference blends scientific updates with real-world solutions for corn and soybean production challenges. Presenters will address nutrient efficiency, seeding strategies, row spacing, and disease prevention.

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COVINGTON, INDIANA – With the harvest complete and plans for the next season beginning to take shape, area farmers have a key opportunity to gain a competitive edge at an upcoming one-day crops conference. Set for December 12 at the Beef House's Oak Room, the event promises a packed agenda of practical, research-driven insights designed to improve crop production and profitability.

The conference, coordinated by Tricia Herr, will bring together leading university specialists from Illinois and Indiana to tackle some of the most pressing topics in modern agriculture.

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“This conference brings together some of the most knowledgeable crop specialists in the region,” Herr said. “Our goal is to give farmers practical, research-based information they can take home and apply to their own operations this growing season.”

The morning session will lead off with Giovani Preza Fontes, an Illinois Field Crop Research and Extension Specialist, who will present recent findings on nitrogen and sulfur fertilization. His talk will cover N timing for soybeans and nutrient strategies for conservation systems like strip-till and no-till.

Purdue Extension corn specialist Dan Quinn will follow, sharing agronomic management tips for new short-stature corn hybrids. He will delve into how row spacing, seeding rates, and nitrogen management impact the performance of these compact varieties compared to their full-stature counterparts.

After a break and lunch, the afternoon session will focus on protecting yields. Boris Camiletti, an Illinois Field Crop Pathology and Extension Specialist, will outline strategies for managing established and emerging diseases in corn and soybeans, including the growing threats of tar spot and southern rust.

The conference runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST, with registration opening at 9:00 a.m. The $35 registration fee, payable at the door, includes lunch. The event also offers Certified Crop Adviser CEUs and other professional credits.

For farmers looking to ground-truth their plans for the coming year with the latest science, this conference is a prime destination. To reserve a spot, visit go.illinois.edu/BiStateCrops or contact Tricia Herr at 765-364-6363.

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TAGS: short-stature corn hybrid management strategies, nitrogen and sulfur fertilization research for Midwest growers, corn and soybean disease prevention best practices, conservation tillage nutrient efficiency insights, Illinois–Indiana bi-state agriculture conference information

Prep Sports Notebook |Cornjerkers loses at home, SJO girls win again

A quick look at scoring leaders and area winners this past week. Brayden Walder scores 23 for Hoopeson in loss. Oakwood and SJO girls' squads win games before Thanksgiving.

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Boys Basketball

Hoopeston Area drops season opener to Spartans

Brayden Walder was the leading scorer with 23 points in the 67-54 loss at home on Monday. Nick Cardenas came off the bench to add 10 points, while Alandize Barnett chipped in eight points. Barnett also led the team with 10 rebounds.

The Cornjerkers (0-1) return to action on Friday after Thanksgiving to face Armstrong (0-1) in an 2:30 p.m. matinee. The two teams met back in February with Trojans coming out on top with a decisive 83-61 victory. Hoopeston Area owns the series between the two programs with a 32-9 advantage since 2007.

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Girls Basketball

St. Joseph-Ogden wins second game of the season

Katie Ericksen scored a game-high 12 points in SJO's 40-26 victory over Clifton Central on Monday. Addie Brooks connected on three treys for nine points, and Timera Blackburn-Kelley finished with seven points for the Spartans (2-0).

The Comets were paced by junior Maddie Webb with seven points in the non-conference matchup.

St. Joseph-Ogden hosts the Tuscola Warriors (2-2) on Monday in the Main Gym at 7:30 p.m.

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Oakwood girls bounce back

After a two-point loss to Casey-Westfield on Saturday, the Comets (2-1) roll over Covington 56-29.

Oakwood's Caydence Vermillion led all scorers with 16 points and six boards. Teammate Gracie Hanner nearly match Vermillion's output with 15 points, three steals and six assists in their Comet Classic tournament game. Lainee Smith was invaluable in the paint, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds and chipping in eight points.

Covington freshman Lauren Hardy led the Trojans with 11 points and four rebounds.

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TAGS: Oakwood girls basketball, St. Joseph-Ogden girls baskeball team stays undefeated, Hoopeston Area basketball, High School Sports, Central Illinois sports

Photo of the Day |The Keegan krush, Germano delivering the hits

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

TOLONO - Unity's Keegan Germano lays out Monticello's Maddox Utley in a play in the first quarter during their IHSA second-round playoff game on November 8, 2025. The Rockets defeated the Sages at Hicks Field in an exciting matchup between two Illini Prairie teams 21-20. Advancing to the quarterfinals, Unity went on the road to face Williams and cruised to victory in the first half, setting up a semifinal showdown with St. Joseph-Ogden. Germano's defensive effort all season has been the cornerstone to the Rockets' 11-1 season.

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TAGS: Unity Rockets defeat Monticello, IHSA Second-Round Football game, Illini Prairie Conference rivals Monticello and Unity, Monticello football, Unity Rockets football team.

The Sentinel On This Day | November 26

As November settles in with crisp air and golden leaves, we look back on stories that shaped our community — from Veterans Day tributes and Thanksgiving traditions to local sports triumphs, civic milestones, and voices that stirred debate.

From local news, features, and community events to politics, and Opinion-Editorial viewpoints, discover archived posts published on November 26 in previous years, offering a rich tapestry of life in Champaign County and the broader community, curated by The Sentinel. Here are the headlines from local news, sports, community events, and editorial viewpoints in and around Champaign-Urbana over the years.

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November 25 Archives

November 27 Archives

Prep Sports Notebook |Katie Ericksen leads St. Joseph-Ogden, Urbana falls at Rantoul

La’yonna Harper led the Tigers with 14 points against Rantoul last Thursday. SJO wins opener at home over ALAH by 30.

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Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

SJO's Katie Eriksen in last season's shootout game against Salt Fork. She scored 20 points against ALAH in the Spartans' first game of the 2025-26 season.

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Girls Basketball

Erikcson drains 20 in season opener
Katie Ericksen led the St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team to a 63-33 win over Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond with a career-best 20-point night. The senior drained six 3-pointers in the team’s first home game of the season. Timera Blackburn-Kelley also reached double figures with 14 points, and Hayden Dahl came off the bench to hit three 3-pointers and finish with nine last Thursday.

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Rantoul 48 - Urbana 39
The Urbana girls basketball team fell to 0-2 after a road loss to Rantoul last Thursday. La’yonna Harper led the Tigers with 14 points, and Lizzy Lange finished with six. Kaya Hill went 4-for-6 from the free-throw line. The Eagles had two players in double figures, as Josie Roseman and Erykah Baltimore powered Rantoul’s offense with 13 points each in the nonconference game last Thursday.

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TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball 2025 season opener, Katie Ericksen career high points game, Urbana girls basketball Rantoul nonconference loss, Illinois high school basketball scores 2025

Viewpoint |Healthcare, shutdowns and the Senators who failed us

The recent government shutdown revealed a deeper issue beyond the nine lawmakers who voted to reopen it. Fifty Republican Senators refused to discuss healthcare solutions at all.

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by Dr. Julie A. Kent
      Guest Commentary

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In the aftermath of the recent government shutdown, much of the public debate has centered on the nine lawmakers—eight Democrats and one Independent—who broke ranks and voted to end the stalemate. Their decision has drawn both criticism and defense. But focusing solely on those nine misses the larger, more troubling reality: the fifty Republican Senators who refused to engage in any serious discussion about healthcare.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was not perfect. It did not solve every problem in our healthcare system, and its subsidies and tax rebates were far from flawless mechanisms of payment. Yet the ACA undeniably expanded access to affordable care for millions of Americans. It encouraged preventive care for those who otherwise would have gone without. It made healthcare a possibility, not a luxury.

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We cannot afford representatives who put party loyalty above the needs of the country.

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And still, fifty Republican Senators could not bring themselves to even sit at the table to explore alternatives. They did not debate, they did not negotiate, they did not propose solutions. They simply refused. That refusal is not just political maneuvering—it is a betrayal of ordinary Americans who depend on healthcare to live, work, and thrive.

Had the nine Senators who “caved” held firm, the government would likely still be shut down. SNAP recipients would be relying on food banks. Federal employees would still be struggling to work without pay. Perhaps, eventually, the mounting human cost would have forced Republicans to acknowledge the value of healthcare. But the real condemnation belongs to those who let the shutdown drag on without addressing the root issue.

Some of these Senators will face reelection in 2026. Others will retire, leaving their seats open. Regardless, the lesson is clear: we cannot afford representatives who put party loyalty above the needs of the country. We need Senators who will speak out for their constituents, who will negotiate in good faith, who will wrestle with hard problems rather than avoid them.

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Healthcare is not a partisan talking point, it is a human right.

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The Senators who refused to act are holding back women, neglecting children, ignoring veterans, and indulging in self-aggrandizement at the expense of taxpayers. They coerced federal employees into working without pay rather than confronting the healthcare crisis. That is not leadership, it is abdication.

If these Senators will not wrestle with the real problems facing our nation, then voters must replace them with people who will. Midterm elections are not just another political cycle; they are an opportunity to demand accountability. Healthcare is not a partisan talking point, it is a human right. And those who refuse to recognize that truth should no longer hold the power to decide our future. Here are the Senators up for re-election in 2026 that let the American people down:

Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia
Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
Susan Collins, Maine
John Cornyn, Texas
Tom Cotton, Arkansas
Steve Daines, Montana
Joni Ernst, Iowa
Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
Bill Hagerty, Tennessee
Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi
Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming
Roger Marshall, Kansas
Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma
Pete Ricketts, Nebraska
Jim Risch, Idaho
Mike Rounds, South Dakota
Dan Sullivan, Alaska
Thom Tillis, North Carolina
Tommy Tuberville, Alabama

Dr. Julie Kent has spent over 20 years supporting simulation for US Army training. She earned a PhD from UCF and supports the Anthropology Speaker Series on campus. Dr. Kent has been championing options for healthcare since the 1970s. She lives with her husband in Baldwin Park.

TAGS: senate refusal to debate healthcare during shutdown, impact of government shutdown on healthcare access, 2026 senate elections healthcare accountability, analysis of republican senators’ healthcare inaction, consequences of stalled healthcare negotiations in congress, voter response to congressional inaction on healthcare policy

Viewpoint |Winter Park’s holiday celebration reflects a deep cultural vision like no other

The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park was founded in 1935. The beauty of Central Park during this holiday season, it’s worth pausing to appreciate a civic dream that continues to resonate in the arts community.

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by Rick Baldwin
      Guest Commentary

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As the holiday season arrives in Winter Park, thousands gather in Central Park for Christmas in the Park, one of our city's most cherished traditions. The illuminated Tiffany windows from The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art glow against the night sky as the Bach Festival Society Choir fills the air with timeless carols. It’s a scene that feels uniquely ours, a blend of beauty, music, and community that truly captures the spirit of Winter Park.

But beyond the festive cheer, this annual celebration tells a deeper story. The convergence of art and music in Winter Park’s Central Park is no coincidence. It’s the realization of a cultural vision that took root nearly a century ago, when the city’s founders and Rollins College leaders dreamed of building a community defined by education, music, and the arts.

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In March 1936, during the festival’s first full year, President Holt hosted President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt for a Bach concert at Rollins.

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That vision came to life through the leadership of remarkable individuals like former Rollins presidents Hamilton Holt and Hugh McKean. Holt, a journalist and reformer, believed that a liberal education was incomplete without appreciation for the arts. McKean, a Rollins College professor of art who later became president of the institution, shared that belief and helped translate it into action. His influence extended even further when he eventually became director of The Morse Gallery of Art, further solidifying the town’s cultural triangle of academia, music, and visual art.

The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, founded in 1935, remains one of the most enduring expressions of that early vision. As one of the oldest continuously operating Bach festivals in the country, it has long been intertwined with Rollins College and the Winter Park community. From its earliest performances in Knowles Memorial Chapel, the festival has served as a bridge between professional artistry and community engagement, bringing world-class music to local audiences while giving Rollins students the chance to learn directly from experienced musicians.

Its prestige was recognized early on. In March 1936, during the festival’s first full year, President Holt hosted President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt for a Bach concert at Rollins. The visit drew national attention and symbolized the growing cultural stature of both the college and the city.

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They are the embodiment of a civic dream that continues to resonate through every note sung

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Just a few years later, in 1942, Rollins College benefactor and wife of Hugh McKean, Jeannette Genius McKean, founded The Morse Gallery of Art on campus, naming it in honor of her grandfather, Charles Hosmer Morse. Under her and her husband’s guidance, the gallery flourished, eventually moving to Park Avenue and evolving into The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art we know today. The museum’s world-renowned collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany stands as a testament to the same belief Holt and McKean held: that art should be accessible, inspiring and integral to community life.

Each year, when those Tiffany windows are prominently displayed in Central Park during Christmas in the Park, we see more than decorative beauty. We see a living connection between three institutions – Rollins College, the Bach Festival Society and The Morse Museum – that together helped define our city’s identity.

As we stare in awe at the beauty of Central Park during this holiday season, it’s worth pausing to appreciate the enduring partnership that has made Winter Park a cultural haven for nearly 100 years. They are the embodiment of a civic dream that continues to resonate through every note sung, every window illuminated and every generation that gathers to celebrate in our beloved Winter Park.

Rick Baldwin is the recently retired Chief Executive Officer of Baldwin Brothers Cremation Society, operating from 19 locations in Central Florida. He grew up in Winter Park and graduated from Winter Park High School in 1965. He currently serves as Vice President of the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Board of Trustees, among other board positions.

TAGS:Winter Park Christmas in the park history, Rollins College Bach Festival connection, Charles Hosmer Morse Museum Tiffany Windows tradition, winter park holiday cultural heritage, history of arts and music in Winter Park Florida, Hamilton Holt and Hugh Mckean Winter Park legacy