Memory Monday: '06 Spartans win state softball title

Spartan pitcher Morgan Finn winds up for a pitch against Casey-Westfield back on June 3, 2006, in her team's second consecutive state final appearance. In the previous season, Finn, who was the number 2 pitcher, and the Spartans brought home a third place state trophy to place next to the program's first, a fourth place one from 1989 season. Using her uncanny placement and speed, Finn's pitching led St. Joseph-Ogden to a 1-0 to victory to win the first program's first IHSA state softball title. Dubbed underdogs at the start of the postseason, SJO gave up just one run in during their memorable run to the Class 1A title. See more photos from 2006 softball season here. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Left: On their way to winning the state title the Spartans took a few lumps during the 2006 season. One of them was a 3-1 loss at home against the Monticello Sages on April 27. Here Spartan second base player Stacy Ferguson hauls in a pop fly for an out. Right: Despite the loss to the Sages there was still a reason to celebrate, team co-captain Abby Williams presents coach Randy Wolken with a memento for achieving his 648th career win after defeating Mt. Zion on the previous Saturday. Wolken would go on to become and currently remains the only softball coach in the state of Illinois to achieve over 1,000 career victories. His coaching ended with an impressive career record of 1,044-242. What makes those numbers even more impressive is that record was acquired coaching for just one program. (Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Catcher Brittany Morgan catches a congratulatory kiss from her nephew Blake after the Spartans beat Westmont 1-0 to advance to the championship game against Casey-Westfield for the Class A softball title on June 3. It was through Morgan's RBI that put fellow senior Abby Williams across the plate in the first inning for the semifinal game winner. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Left: Stacy Ferguson slides into second base on a steal for the Spartans. Coming off a back-to-back doubleheader loss to Casey-Westfield, St. Joseph-Ogden beat crushed the Unity Rockets, 8-0 on April 21. Ferguson was safe on the play. Right: Sarah Thompson leaps in the air to celebrate scoring the first and only run in Spartans' title game against Casey-Westfield. After falling to the Warriors twice in a twin bill earlier in the season, SJO held on to win their first Class A softball title Saturday evening, 1-0. (Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Left: Lindsey Barron gives a teammate a high-ten after Sarah Thompson scored a run for the Spartans. Two seasons later, Barron would break the state record in the number of stolen basis in a season with 92. Currently #2 on the IHSA list for career stolen bases, she took 254 extra bases while wearing the Spartan uniform from 2005-2008. Right: St. Joseph-Ogden students [left to right] Nick Krisman, Jesse Grice, and Mark Gones cheer for the school's softball team at the start of the awards ceremony. (Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Pandemonium. After the final out of the game frenzied chaos ensued as the members of St. Joseph-Ogden girls softball team celebrates their 1-0 win over Casey-Westfield. Screams of joy, laughter, non-stop hugs and tears consumed players, coaches, family members and fans prior to the start of the official awards ceremony. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

With teammate Stacy Buck all smiles beside here, St. Joseph-Ogden pitcher Morgan Finn wipes the non-stop tears of joy from her face as she and the member of the girls softball team receive their state first-place medals. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

The St. Joseph-Ogden softball team poses with their state medals and the program's first state champion softball trophy. The Class 1A title winners finished the season with a record of 31-6. The title run followed the previous year's third-place finish and 32-4 finish. Since this season, the Spartans have made three additional state finals appearances in 2012, 2015 and 2017 bringing home second, third and fourth place trophies. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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

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Moving to 25-4 on the season, the SJO volleyball team knock off visiting Olympia 2-0.

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 by Clark Brooks
Sports Writer

ST. JOSEPH – Lindsey Aden went out in style at her final home volleyball game. The senior delivered three aces in St. Joseph-Ogden’s 2-0 victory over visiting Olympia on Tuesday night. Notching their 10th consecutive win, the maroon- and Columbia blue-clad Spartans now boast an impressive 25-4 record as the regular season draws to a close.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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.

Katelyn Berry, one of nine seniors honored earlier during the Senior Night recognition ceremony, led 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 the first half of the opening set 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 opening 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. The Spartans trailed 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 needed to."

Calm 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.

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Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

LEFT: 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. RIGHT: 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.

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The Spartans were playing in the zone. In their happy place, Berry, along with Burnett and Stephanie Trame, registered four kills in the final 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 four more kills, and Emily Bigger tallied 24 assists. Fellow senior Kenly Taylor contributed five digs and an ace in the home court finale.

Olympia’s offense was led by juniors Abby Stine and Bella Dickhut, who each had four kills. Senior Kaelyn Leverson recorded 20 assists. The Spartans fall to 4-4 in the conference and 15-13 overall.

St. Joseph-Ogden, which has lost just one road match out of 13 this season, squares off next at Monticello (19-13) in the final IPC match of the season. The Sages boast a 7-1 record at home 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," she said.