Digging themselves out of an 8-0 deficit early in the first quarter against the visiting Pioneers, the Spartans rallied to finish the first half ahead 29-27. After relinquishing their fragile lead in the opening minutes of the third quarter, St. Joseph-Ogden absorbed its second loss of the season in a 64-51 decision. Here are a few moments from the game at St. Joseph-Ogden High School on Friday.
St. Joseph-Ogden controlled the game from tip to buzzer, rolling past Charleston to improve to 7-1.
CHARLESTON - After a five-game win streak was snapped by Maroa-Forsyth more than two weeks ago, the Spartans continued to build momentum Saturday night, rolling past Charleston 68-37 to extend their current run to two straight victories.
Senior Katie Ericksen led the way with a team-high 20 points, scoring 15 in the second half as St. Joseph-Ogden pulled away. Ericksen knocked down a 3-pointer in every quarter except the second, setting the tone for an offense that connected on 12 shots from beyond the arc.
The Spartans seized control from the opening tip, jumping out to a 20-7 lead after one quarter. Charleston briefly found some footing in the second, fueled by Sadie Phillips, who scored 11 of her game-high 25 points in the period to trim the deficit to 10 at halftime.
Any momentum the Trojans built didn’t survive the break.
For the second night in a row, St. Joseph-Ogden came out of the locker room with purpose, pouring in 17 third-quarter points — a total that exceeded Charleston’s entire second-half output. The Spartans kept their foot on the gas in the fourth, adding 19 more points to turn the game into a rout.
Hayden Dahl continued her recent shooting surge, drilling four 3-pointers for the second straight game to finish with 14 points. Kayla Osterbur added 11 points in the post and went 3-for-4 from the free-throw line. Addie Brooks chipped in nine points.hitting three 3-pointers in the first half.
The Trojans, whose lone win this season came against Tuscola, fell to 1-9 and face Martinsville at home on Monday.
St. Joseph-Ogden improved to 7-1 and will host Watseka on Monday before a short break. The Spartans return to action the day after Christmas against El Paso-Gridley at the State Farm Classic in Bloomington.
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St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball win over Charleston, SJO Spartans girls basketball game recap, Illinois high school girls basketball scores, Katie Ericksen scoring performance SJO, Charleston Trojans girls basketball loss
After a nearly two-week layoff, St. Joseph-Ogden found its rhythm in the second half Friday night. Kayla Osterbur led the surge with strong post play. SJO pulled away for a 59-40 win.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Kayla Osterbur flashes a big smile as she heads to the locker room after dropping a game-high 19-point night in SJO's home win Friday night over LeRoy.
by Clark Brooks The Sentinel ST. JOSEPH - The rust showed early, but once it shook loose, St. Joseph-Ogden looked every bit like a team that had been waiting to play.
After nearly two weeks away from game action because of weather-related cancellations, the Spartans needed time to find their footing Friday night at LeRoy. Trailing by two at halftime, St. Joseph-Ogden flipped the switch in the third quarter, clamping down defensively and rolling to a 59-40 victory on their home court over the Panthers.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Timera Blackburn-Kelley takes a shot during the second half. The senior contributed 10 points in SJO's win.
LeRoy managed just four points in the third quarter as the Spartans seized control with back-to-back scoring runs, first a nine-point surge, then another eight-point burst that broke the game open.
“It was a good response,” SJO head coach Brian Brooks said. “We hadn’t played in a couple of weeks, and it probably showed in the first half. Our energy and effort just wasn’t very good, and we were fortunate to be only down two.”
Brooks made adjustments at halftime, leaning into opportunities inside with senior Kayla Osterbur. With the guards delivering the ball, Osterbur went to work in the paint, scoring eight points in the third quarter and closing the frame with a pair of free throws.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Hayden Dahl makes a second-half pass. The junior delivered four of SJO's 11 three-pointers.
Osterbur finished with a game-high 19 points, 17 coming in the second half.
While the post game opened the door, the perimeter slammed it shut. St. Joseph-Ogden buried 11 3-pointers, hitting three each in the first, second and fourth quarters. Hayden Dahl happily knocked down four from long range, and Katie Ericksen added three as both finished with 12 points.
Osterbur, Ashlyn Miller and Addie Brooks each connected from beyond the arc, while Timera Blackburn-Kelley chipped in a 3-pointer and finished with 10 points.
“I thought Katie was great tonight at the point, especially in the second half,” Brooks said. “She made some really good reads.”
Ericksen expected the slow start.
“I knew it was going to be a mind game for us being off for two weeks,” she said. “We knew we were going to have to put in a lot of effort to get back to where we were.”
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Spartans' Katie Ericksen looks for an open teammate to pass the ball during first quarter action against the Panthers.
The Spartans (6-1) face a quick turnaround, traveling to Charleston for a 12:30 p.m. nonconference game before hosting Watseka on Monday ahead of the State Farm Classic.
LeRoy was led by Parker Mann with 15 points and Annie Coon with 11. The Panthers fell to 8-3 and play Saturday at El Paso-Gridley.
Box Score
SJO 12 15 19 13 - 59
LeRoy 9 20 4 7 - 40
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St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball win over LeRoy, SJO Spartans second-half comeback basketball, Kayla Osterbur scoring performance SJO, Illinois high school girls basketball road win, LeRoy vs St. Joseph-Ogden basketball recap
Here is a recap of the headlines published on this day in December in the Sentinel from Champaign‑Urbana and surrounding communities. From local news and sports to community events, politics, and opinion pieces, The Sentinel archives capture the stories that shaped life in Champaign County year after year.
TAGS: Area basketball scoreboard, SJO defends home court, A safer weight-loss regimine, SJO basketball photo gallery, Job hunters to see pay and benefits in job listings
St. Joseph-Ogden's Parker Fitch makes a pass in the second half while being pressured by Normal University's Austin Kruger. Fitch led the Spartans' offense, delivering a 17-point performance against the Pioneers. Despite a stellar night, SJO fell 64-51 to U-High.
Here are scores and recaps for area prep basketball teams from Friday, December 19.
Boys Basketball
Knights drop road game at Monticello
MONTICELLO - Will Hilligoss scored 15 and Brennon Hutson added another 12 in Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond's 59-41 loss to Monticello on Friday. Hutson and Cooper Shoemaker led the team in rebounding with four each.
Unity Christian trio notch double figures in win over the Sabers
CHAMPAIGN - Trailing by one at the end of the third quarter, Unity Christian roared back to win their non-conference outting at St. Thomas More, 66-61. Kenyon Greer scored a team-high 21 points for the Lions. Qayden Bond and Monty Wilson, both seniors, finished with 14 points and 12, respectively.
SJO drops home game, Fitch scores 17 in loss
ST. JOSEPH - The Spartans led by as many as nine points in the second quarter before falling 64-51 in their non-league bout against Normal U-High. Pioneers' Cameron Johnson led all scorers with 22 points for non-conference win heading into next week's State Farm Classic tournament.
The Spartans were led by Parker Fitch and his 17-point output. Nolan Franzen and Ryker Lockhart contributed 11 points each in the loss.
Cornjerkers quiet the Storm
ST. JOSEPH - The Hoopeston Area defeated the Salt Fork 42-28 on the road. Alandez Barnett scored 14 points and Nick Cardenas added another 14. Cole Miller led the team in rebounds with 10 rebounds.
Hoopeston Area is set to play their first home game on January 6th against the Comets of Oakwood.
Boys' Area Scoreboard
Normal University 64, St. Joseph-Ogden 51
Unity 50, Pleasant Plains 39
Monticello 59, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 41
Unity Christian 66, St. Thomas More 61
Peoria 73, Centennial 57
Champaign Central 72, Bloomington 57
Heritage 81, Arthur-Okaw Christian 75
LaSalle-Peru 59, Rantoul 38
Armstrong 63, Oakwood 52
Mahomet-Seymour 62, Effingham 48
Hoopeston Area 42, Salt Fork 28
Girls Basketball
Girls' Area Scoreboard
St. Joseph-Ogden 59, Leroy 39
Peoria Notre Dame 70, Urbana 20
More basketball stories
TAGS: Monticello boys basketball team beats ALAH, Oakwood girls lose VVC game, St. Thomas More defeats Herscher
Here is a recap of the headlines published on this day in December in the Sentinel from Champaign‑Urbana and surrounding communities. From local news and sports to community events, politics, and opinion pieces, The Sentinel archives capture the stories that shaped life in Champaign County year after year.
TAGS: tips for a happy holiday season, keeping your pets warm and safe during the winter, impress guests at your next wine party, bathrooms are breeding grounds for germ, how to discuss getting vaccinated with family and friends
Your toilet can aerosolize and throw germs up onto surfaces within about five feet. Make sure you're wiping flat areas down frequently. At least weekly, if not daily.
Photo: Nik/Unsplash
Minerals in toilet water can get stuck to the toilet bowl, which can also be a breeding ground for germs.
by Matt Sheehan OSF Healthcare
PEORIA - Bathrooms are filled with germ-breeding objects, and your toilet isn’t the sole culprit.
Showers, toothbrushes, soap dispensers and any surface can be added to the germy list, according to Kaylin Heinz, an infection preventionist RN with OSF HealthCare. Heinz offers some cleaning tips for the different areas of your bathroom.
Shower Cleaning tips
"When you're cleaning, go from top to bottom," Heinz says. “If you start cleaning your tub and then you clean your shower walls, you're going to have to re-clean the tub. When you're getting out of the shower, think about the moisture that's there. That's where the bacteria and fungus are going to grow, so you're going to want to get rid of that moisture if you can.”
The moisture buildup isn’t limited to linens, Heinz says. She recommends wiping down any moisture seen in the shower before getting out. Use a Squeegee, towel or paper towel to dry the area.
Normally, you should clean your shower at least once a week. If many people use the shower on a daily basis, or if someone is sick, Heinz says it is best to clean it every day.
Charles Gerba, PhD, a microbiology professor at the University of Arizona, told Reader’s Digest that bathmats and other fabrics are some of the dirtiest items, because people step on them with dirty shoes, and they stay wet and damp the longest.
Bathtubs’ path to bacterial and fungal infections
If you have a cut on your body, you can introduce bacteria or fungus to the area during a shower.
"You can get athlete's foot or a staph infection just through the tub and not cleaning," Heinz says. She adds the film on the bottom of the shower or bathtub is a clear sign of where bacteria is living. Make sure to scrub the area, clean it and let it dry completely. If you notice discoloration in your shower or bathtub, Heinz recommends cleaning it immediately.
Bathroom cleaning tips
"Your toilet can aerosolize and throw germs up onto surfaces within about five feet," Heinz says. “With flat surfaces, it can collect dust or other things that are in the air, so make sure you're wiping those down frequently. At least weekly, if not daily.”
Heinz recommends cleaning areas of your bathroom twice. The first time is for cleaning, the second time is for disinfecting. And don’t forget about the soap dispenser! Heinz says since this is one of the first places people reach to clean their hands, it’s one of the dirtiest places in the bathroom.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the surface you’re wiping stays wet the entire time of contact to make sure germs are killed. You should clean surfaces with water and soap and scrub them before sanitizing or disinfecting them.
According to the CDC, “Cleaning removes most germs, dirt and impurities from surfaces. Clean with water, soap and scrubbing. Sanitizing reduces germs to levels public health codes or regulations consider safe. Sanitizing is done with weaker bleach solutions or sanitizing sprays. Clean surfaces before you sanitize them. Disinfecting kills most germs on surfaces and objects. Disinfecting is done with stronger bleach solutions or chemicals.”
Don't mix multiple chemicals
"With any products that you're going to be using, I'd make sure you're looking at the warning labels. I would definitely not mix chemicals," Heinz says. “If you are going to use one chemical and then use another, I'd make sure that you're rinsing thoroughly, making sure it dries, and then you can use the next product.”
If you’re diluting a chemical-based product, the CDC says to only use water at room temperature. Adding that an extra safety precaution is to wear eye and skin protection (like gloves) and store chemicals out of children’s reach.
Don’t forget your toothbrush!
Does your toothbrush hang out on the bathroom counter? You might want to rethink that.
"If you keep your toothbrush on the counter, it likely has fecal matter on it. So, put your toothbrush away or switch it often and clean it,” Heinz says.
Stop the spread | Toilet style
Here’s a habit change you can consider. Instead of flushing the toilet and just walking away, close the lid before you flush and keep the germs inside.
"Make sure when you're flushing the toilet, go ahead and close the lid. That's going to minimize the number of germs that are spraying all over your bathroom and aerosolizing," Heinz says.
Heinz adds another fun fact about the dirtiness of toilets – the minerals in the water. She says the minerals in toilet water can get stuck to the toilet bowl, which can also be a breeding ground for germs.
Looking for off-campus housing? This fictional account shows how easily rental scams can happen, even in familiar college towns.
Photo: Surface/Unsplash
Hunting for your next apartment can be stressful. Don't rely solely on online listings. Check to make sure leasing agents showing you a home or apartment is legit.
StatePoint Media - Megan and Tatianna had sworn they wouldn’t wait until April again.
Last year’s apartment hunt had been a mess—cramped layouts, ancient appliances and landlords who acted like “close to campus” was a luxury amenity. This time, they started in January.
Both were from the same Chicago suburb, close enough that their parents still waved at each other in grocery store parking lots. Megan, a senior in materials science engineering, lived by spreadsheets. Tatianna, an electrical engineering junior, trusted her instincts. Together, they felt balanced.
Then the Facebook Marketplace listing appeared.
“2BR/2BA. Five blocks from Engineering campus near the korner of 5th and Clark Street. Free WiFi and rooftop pool. Fitness room with waits provided.”
The rent was $1,400 a month. Expensive, but worth it. No bus rides. No winter bike disasters. Just a short walk to class.
They toured the apartment the next day.
The building was barely four years old, all clean lines and glass doors. The workout room had actual equipment. The rooftop pool was small, unimpressive. Inside, the unit had stainless appliances, in-unit laundry and two real bathrooms. A parking space was included in the price.
“This is it,” Megan said, making up her mind quickly.
Damon, the leasing agent, seemed legit—casual, organized, not pushy. When they said yes, he suggested meeting later to sign the lease at a restaurant near Sixth and Green.
It felt slightly off, but not enough to stop them.
A few days later they signed the lease and paid the deposit along with the first month’s rent. Damon would meet them in August with the keys.
Move-in day came. Damon didn’t.
Calls went unanswered. Texts sat unread.
When they contacted the rental company, the truth hit fast.
There wasn't a Damon working for them last March. They were told the apartment was rented to months earlier in January.
They sat on the curb with their boxes, stunned. Tatianna's mother was on the phone with her father speaking in rapid-fire burst of angry Russian.
“We got scammed,” Tatianna said quietly, shaking her head in disbelief.
Megan exhaled trying to control her emotions. “Yeah. We did.”
Photo: Ubeyonroad/Unsplash
Fraudsters are known to post phony ads using real pictures of properties they don’t actually own.
If you’re searching for an apartment or home this spring, take steps to protect yourself from rental fraud so your first night isn’t spent somewhere else, like in the fictional account of Megan and Tatianna.
Rental scams are common. The Federal Trade Commission reported over 10,000 cases in 2023 alone. Fortunately, they are avoidable. By following a handful of practical, common-sense steps, you can protect yourself and avoid costly mistakes.
1. Always see the apartment before renting. Fraudsters are known to post phony ads using real pictures of properties they don’t actually own. They will push you to rent the unit, and to send your personal information to them, without seeing the apartment first. Visiting a unit is not only a way to avoid this scam--it also has the benefit of helping you ensure the apartment fits what you are looking for. If you are moving to a new city and can’t visit in person, ask if the property manager will take you on a video tour of the unit.
2. Don’t pay rent or a security deposit until you have signed a lease. Application fees are commonly requested before signing a lease agreement, but the security deposit or first month of rent are not required before signing. Be especially careful if a prospective property manager asks you to wire transfer money. There’s never a good reason to wire money to pay an application fee, security deposit or first month’s rent. And when you wire money, it’s the same as sending cash: you have no way to get it back.
3. If the price seems too good to be true, it might be. If the unit is listed for substantially less than other comparable units in the area, that could be a sign that the listing is part of a rental scam.
4. Make sure you sign a complete lease. Do not rent an apartment without signing a lease. When you get a copy of the lease, make sure to read it carefully and confirm key details. The agreement should always include these terms:
Applicable fees
Monthly rent cost
Maintenance costs
If you have questions or concerns about the language in the lease, ask.
5. Do not give a property manager extensive personal information until you want to move forward. A property manager asking for personal information before you’ve seen a unit or before you’ve stated that you would like to rent the unit is often a sign of a scammer looking to steal your identity. That said, providing personal information, including your social security number, should be required before you are ready to move ahead with renting the unit.
6. Watch out for listings with grammatical and spelling errors. If the rental listing has a lot of errors, this might be a red flag. Most property managers will take the time to proofread the listing before they publish it online.
For clear guidance and tools to help you stay one step ahead of scammers, access Freddie Mac’s My Home resources about fraud prevention at https://myhome.freddiemac.com/blog/keyword/fraud-prevention.
The search to find a place to live can be stressful, especially if you don’t know what to expect. Understanding the rental process can help you avoid fraud and find something that fits your budget and lifestyle.
Maddie Wells’ state tournament run included two matches against highly ranked senior opponents. After an opening-round loss, Wells battled Morton’s Karen Canchola in the wrestleback.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden’s Maddie Wells wrestles Morton’s Karen Canchola during their 140-pound first-round wrestleback match at the 2025 IHSA Girls Individual Wrestling State Finals on Feb. 28. Wells, a junior who entered the two-day tournament with an 18-8 record, faced a challenging path in her weight class.
In her opening match, Wells drew Mother McAuley senior Maggie Zuber (33-6), who went on to finish second. After being pinned at the six-minute mark, Wells moved into the wrestleback round to face Canchola, another senior. Canchola (36-4) was relentless, pinning Wells at 4:17 on her way to a third-place finish.
Wells, the first wrestler to represent St. Joseph-Ogden at the girls wrestling state finals, looks to return to Bloomington at the end of February for another shot at a state title.
More SJO Sports Articles
TAGS: SJO's Maddie Wells falls a state tournament, First SJO girls wrestler competes at state, IHSA girls wrestling, Morton's Karen Canchola finishes 3rd at state tournament, Sentinel Photo of the Day
Here is a recap of the headlines published on this day in December in the Sentinel from Champaign‑Urbana and surrounding communities. From local news and sports to community events, politics, and opinion pieces, The Sentinel archives capture the stories that shaped life in Champaign County year after year.
TAGS: Coping with holiday grief, Sentinel Prep Sports Notebook, Moving scams are the worse, Cool holiday party ideas for New Year's Eve, St. Joseph-Ogden basketball beats St. Thomas More
Discover the headlines published on each of these days from our news and sports coverage from Champaign‑Urbana and the wider community. From local news and sports to community events, politics, and opinion pieces, The Sentinel archives capture the stories that shaped life in Champaign County year after year.
