Girls XC advances to Effingham sectional meet

Despite cold conditions and wet, rainy conditions, the St. Joseph-Ogden girls cross county team finished in third place behind Monticello (first) and Unity (second) as one of seven teams advancing to next Saturday's Class 1A sectional in Effingham.

Hannah Rajlich runs during the Spartan Classic in September. The all-conference runner did not compete in Saturday's regional race. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

The Spartans finished the meet just two points ahead of St. Thomas More with a score of 85 points in arguably the state's toughest small school sectional qualifier.

Led by senior Jillian Plotner, SJO's scoring runners completed the course at Wimple Park in a strong formation of 9, 16, 19, 20 and 21.

Plotner circumvented the course in 19 minutes and 10 seconds for a ninth place overall finish. Ashlyn Lannert was the next Spartan to cross the finish line 33 seconds later at 19:43. Two runners and five seconds later, Ava Knap locked up 19th place.

Malorie Sarnecki rounded out the top 20 finishers with a time of 19:54 with teammate Ally Monk one second behind her at 19:55.

Sophomores Addie Allen and Kailyn Ingram finished their races under the 21 minute mark.

Volleyball team revels in Senior Night victory

While her father Mark smiles holding one of her many mementos, Emily Bigger receives a kiss from her mother Melissa during SJO's senior night recognition on Tuesday prior to the start of volleyball team's final home match of the season. Bigger, a four-year volleyball veteran, is also involved in Spanish Club, FCA, National Honor Society and the school's Advisory Mentoring Program. She and eight other seniors received gifts and were thank for their contribution to program's success over the past four seasons. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Lindsey Aden went out in style at her last home volleyball game. The senior delivered three aces in St. Joseph-Ogden's 2-0 victory over the visiting Olympia Spartans on Tuesday night. Notching their tenth consecutive win, the the maroon and Columbia blue clad Spartans now enjoy an impressive 25-4 record as the end of the regular season draws close.

Katelyn Berry, one of nine seniors honored earlier during the senior night recognition ceremony, lead SJO with a match-high 10 kills. The four-year veteran was also credited with three digs.

"It's so weird, so sad honestly," said Berry, who was multitasking between processing the first of many milestones of her senior year and celebrating her team's victory. "It felt good to get the win."

It was nearly an even matchup for first half of set one until the home team blasted seven unanswered points to go up 18-11. After allowing their opponent six more points, SJO closed out the set with a down-the-line boomer from junior Kennedi Burnett for a 25-17 finish.

"We started off slow, but came back," Berry said, analyzing the initial set. "We need to work on starting out stronger."

In a mirrored start of the first set, SJO dropped the first point of the second and let Olympia take a 3-1 lead. They led the contest for just three of the next 20 exchanges until the score reached 10-all.

"We kept our composure," said head coach Abby McDonald, whose program improved to 7-1, second in the Illini Prairie Conference behind St. Thomas More. "We played a mature match and we made it count when we need to."

Calmly and self-assured, McDonald's team turned up the intensity collecting five points for every one they relinquished to the visiting Spartans. Olympia called a timeout at 19-12 hoping the break would shift the momentum back to their side of the court, but it was too late.

Brodie Sullivan leads fellow football players and volleyball fans in singing Sweet Caroline before the start of St. Joseph-Ogden's last home match of the season. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Senior Katelyn Berry puts the ball away during set two of SJO's home match against Olympia. SJO play their final conference match of the season at Monticello Thursday and start their postseason campaign next Tuesday at Oakwood High School. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

The Spartans were playing in the zone. In their happy place, Berry along with Burnett and Stephanie Trame, registered four kills for the last eight points of the match sealing their Illini Prairie Conference win, 25-14.

Burnett finished the contest with five kills, seven digs and two aces for SJO. Jenna Albrecht added another four kills and Emily Bigger racked up 24 assists. Fellow senior Kenly Taylor contributed five digs and an ace in their home court finale.

Olympia's offense was lead by junior Abby Stine and Bella Dickhut with four kills each. Kaelyn Leverson, a senior, had 20 assists. The Spartans fall to 4-4 in the conference and 15-13 overall on the season.

St. Joseph-Ogden, who have lost just one road match out of 13 this season, squares off next at Monticello (19-13) in the last IPC match of the season. The Sages boast a 7-1 record on their home court going into tomorrow night's contest.

McDonald is eagerly looking forward to the match in Monticello and competing in the annual Mt. Pulaski tournament this weekend. SJO will face Mt. Zion and Illini Central in pool play on Saturday morning.

"I think this group plays much better on the road."

Great Value products recalled

Before you chow down on those sausage patties in the morning you might want to look at the label first.

Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released a statement that more than six thousand pounds of ready-to-eat pork sausage and turkey patty products produced in George's Prepared Foods' Caryville, Tennessee facility is subject to recall after a small quantity tested positive for Salmonella.

The contaminated product packaged under the Great Value brand name may have been distributed to Walmart Stores after their third-party cold storage facility inadvertently shipped the meat products.

If you purchased these items you are urged not to eat them and return it to the place of purchase for a refund or exchange, or thrown away immediately.

"FSIS is concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers' refrigerators or freezers or both," the agency announced in Friday'statement. "Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase." Here are the packaged goods recalled :

Product Name: Great Value Original Breakfast Turkey Patties 24.92oz
UPC: 0007874212373 Best If used By Date: 10/24/2019 EST Number: 2260T

Product Name: Great Value Fully Cooked Original Pork Sausage Patties 35.6oz
UPC: 0007874203062 Best If used By Date: 11/05/19 EST Number: 2260T

Product Name: Great Value Fully Cooked Original Pork Sausage Patties 35.6oz
UPC: 0007874203062 Best If used By Date: 11/03/19 EST Number: 2260T

Product Name: Great Value Original Pork Sausage Patties 24.9oz
UPC: 0007874202095 Best If used By Date: 10/16/19 EST Number: 2260T

Salmonella symptoms usually start 12 to 72 hours after the contaminate food has been eaten. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever. While most people recover in four to seven days without treatment, death may occur with older people, infants, or those with compromised immune systems.

As of today there has not been any reported illness attributed to the listed products. George's issued a statement on their website confirming the recall.