The Sentinel

Spartans dominate Iroquois West 10-1, breaks IHSA record for most goals in a season

ST. ANNE - St. Joseph-Ogden continued its remarkable soccer season on Friday with a commanding 10-1 victory over Iroquois West in the IHSA Regional Semifinals, setting a new state record for most goals in a season. The Spartans’ 165th goal of the year broke a record that had stood since 1993, when Sandburg High School scored 164 goals across 30 matches.

The game ended at halftime due to the lopsided score, as SJO’s offense overwhelmed the Warriors from the start, scoring at will. With the win, St. Joseph-Ogden advanced to the regional title game, where they will face Watseka on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Quinn Stahl fends off a Blue Ridge defender during a non-conference home match on September 16. Stahl delivered one of ten goals scored against Iroquois West in Friday's regional semifinal game at St. Anne.

The Spartans’ high-powered attack was led by standout performances from several key players. Alex Acosta notched a hat trick, adding an assist for good measure, while Tyler Hess matched his teammate with three goals and one assist. Logan Mills contributed two goals and two assists, and Yadi Acosta and Quinn Stahl each chipped in with a goal.

SJO’s relentless offensive pressure proved too much for Iroquois West, which struggled to contain the Spartans’ dynamic attack. Davin Alvarez also added an assist in the rout, while goalkeeper Jaxson Colvin made two saves on three shots to secure the win.

While the offense garnered much of the attention, St. Joseph-Ogden’s defense has been equally formidable throughout the season. Friday’s match marked the 21st game since the team’s last loss on August 29, a stretch that has included 14 shutouts. The Spartans have allowed just 15 goals all season, a testament to their balanced play on both sides of the ball.

St. Joseph-Ogden (21-1-1) will now prepare for the regional championship match against Watseka. With the Spartans riding a 21-game unbeaten streak, including 20 wins and one draw since their lone defeat to Urbana University High, they appear poised to make a strong push in the remainder of the postseason.

The Spartans’ offensive firepower, combined with their stingy defense, has made them a formidable contender in the IHSA playoffs. As they head into the regional final, SJO will look to continue its historic season and add more hardware in an already impressive campaign.

Keywords: St. Joseph-Ogden soccer, IHSA soccer record, Illinois high school soccer, SJO vs Iroquois West, St. Joseph-Ogden regional title, Illinois soccer playoffs.

Week 8 area football scores

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity's Andrew King puts the initial hit on Illinois Valley Central quarterback Bryce Ratcliff during their Illini Prairie Conference home game on September 13. The Rockets (6-2), who won 48-6, host Monticello (7-1) in the regular season finale at Hicks Field on Friday. Below are results for Friday's contest and this week's upcoming games.

Champaign Central 63
@ Normal West (5-3) 7
Next week: Central hosts Manual (1-7)

Champaign Centennial (4-3) 6
Normal Community (#6 7A) (6-1) 49
Next week: Centennial @ Bloomington (#10 6A) (6-2)

Urbana (0-8) 14
@ Manual (1-7) 58
Next week: Urbana host Normal West (5-3)

Unity (6-2) 56
Paxton-Buckley-Loda (6-2) 6
Next week: Unity host Monticello (#8 3A) (7-1)

St. Joseph-Ogden (#4 3A) (8-0) 53
Rantoul (1-7) 0
Next week: SJO host Paxton-Buckley-Loda (6-2)

Oakwood (5-3) 42
Salt Fork 33
Next week: Oakwood hosts Bismarck-Henning (#3 2A) (8-0) *

Small business employ 44% of workers in Illinois, two laws set to expire will hurt if not renewed

by Terri Dee
Illinois News Connection

A large tax hike could appear soon, that would affect Illinois' small businesses still rebounding from the pandemic. One group hopes Congress will act before two bills expire, and the tax increase takes effect.

A small business advocacy group, The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) says one of them - the 20% Small Business Deduction Act - was created to align small business tax rates with those of larger corporate competitors.

The group's Vice President for Federal Government Relations Jeff Brabant said...

"It's difficult for small businesses to be able to compete with a lot of their larger competitors, and increasing prices isn't always a great option for them," said Brabant. "If you're an employee and you go to a small employer who may not have the money to be able to offer great benefits, versus a large employer who can offer those benefits, it's always going to put the smaller employer at a little bit of a disadvantage."

If Congress decides not to renew the 20% Small Business Deduction Act, Brabant predicted that 90% of America's businesses would face additional barriers to growth and hiring more workers.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration's 2023 Profile report, Illinois has slightly more than 2 million small business employees - which account for 44% of the state's employees.

The other law up for review by the House is the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, which permits small businesses to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income and make it a permanent deduction.

Brabant noted that the NFIB strongly supports both measures, which expire on December 31, 2025 - and have bipartisan support.

As the country waits to see the presidential election results, he said he believes the plight of small businesses should be the "number one issue" on Congress's mind.

"It shouldn't be a Republican or Democratic issue," said Brabant. "This should be 'small businesses are the foundation of the economy,' and I don't think anyone wants to see Main Street businesses have a tax hike."

Brabant said the organization is glad both presidential candidates have talked about small businesses, because these discussions don't always occur.

He said NFIB's focus is to educate and increase Congress' awareness, and he said he hopes they will act sooner rather than later.

Keywords: Illinois small business tax increase, 20% Small Business Deduction Act, Main Street Tax Certainty Act, Small business tax reform 2025, Impact of tax hike on small businesses