Houchens and Earley combine for 10 RBIs as St. Joseph-Ogden shuts out Mt. Zion 11-0 in five innings.
ST. JOSEPH - Bryson Houchens and Nolan Earley each drove in five runs as St. Joseph-Ogden overwhelmed Mt. Zion 11-0 in five innings on Wednesday in a dominant all-around home performance.
The Spartans struck early and never let up, scoring in every inning and ending the game via the mercy rule after a two-run blast from Houchens in the fifth. Houchens finished 3-for-3 with two singles and a home run to left, while Earley’s three-run shot in the fourth broke the game open at 9-0.
Pruemer, a right-hander, silenced Mt. Zion’s bats over five efficient innings, allowing just one hit, striking out eight and walking one. He faced only two batters over the minimum and got plenty of run support as SJO piled up 11 hits and stole four bases.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Nolan Earley hits an in-field fly during SJO's home game against Westfield. The senior collected 5 RBIs at Meier Field against visiting Mt. Zion.
The tone was set in the first inning when Houchens drove in two runs with a single and Earley followed with a run-scoring double. A bases-loaded walk to Will Haley in the second extended the lead, and Earley’s sac fly in the third made it 5-0.
SJO tacked on four more in the fourth behind a string of hits, including an RBI single by Houchens and Earley’s towering three-run homer. Houchens capped his big day with a no-doubt shot over the left field fence in the fifth.
Haley, Jared Altenbaumer and Earley each recorded two hits for the Spartans. On the bases, Haley, Kody McKinney, Logan Rosenthal and Coy Taylor all swiped extra bags. Defensively, the Spartans played a clean game, committing no errors. Haley led the way in the field with eight chances at his position.
Mt. Zion’s lone hit came from Jackson Beiler, who went 1-for-2. Starting pitcher Andrew Tay took the loss, yielding eight runs on seven hits over 3-1/3 innings with four walks and three strikeouts.
St. Joseph-Ogden improves to 30-2 and will travel to Mattoon on Thursday as they continue their push through the regular season.
Many of last year's state qualifiers will once again run, jump, and throw for a chance at becoming a state champion. Here is a look at some of the Class 1A track and field athletes who will make their way to state again, and a few who made their final journey to Charleston.
As The Sentinel prepares to cover this year's IHSA Girls State Track & Field Finals, we’re diving into our archives to celebrate the athletes and moments from last year's state championships. Here's a look of state qualifiers and finalists from 2024 and how they fared.
Despite a midday drizzle, Tuscola superstar Lia Patterson clears a hurdle in the 100m distance event in last year's 2024 prelims. After finishing first in her heat at 14.50 on Thursday, Patterson went on to win the Class 1A title on Saturday, turning in a 14.51.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Walking on air
Villa Grove's Baylee Martin sails down the runway during the Class 1A Long Jump prelims. Martin went on finish 12th in the finals with her best attempt for 5.09 meters or 16' 8.5". The sophomore will compete tonight in the Tuscola Sectional to advance to next week state meet in Charleston.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Carrollton's Calie Field stays ahead of Nashville's Shelby Thorson and Seneca's Cassidy Fosen while running in Heat 4 of the 100m dash. Field, a junior in 2024, finished second in the heat at 12.71, missing the cut to the finals by 0.17 of a second. She will be back on the big blue oval at O'Brien Field, having qualified for this year's state meet yesterday by taking third in the race at the Rushville Sectional.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Senior Moment
North Mac senior Alexis Bowman tries to stop after crossing the finish line in first place in heat 3 of the Class 1A 200m Relay. Bowman along with teammates Kaelyn Swift, Emma Crawford, Addison Earley turned in a time of 1:45.71. After qualifying for the finals, the squad ran again on Saturday to win the bronze medal with an even better time of 1:42.91.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Mercer County's Grace Gillespie focuses on her next run to the pit in the pole division. She was one of five athletes to advance to state in 2024 for the Golden Eagles.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Teutopolis' Halle Bushue reaches back for the baton from teammate Adi Davidson while running in the 4x100 relay. The squad failed to make the finals with their 53.34 last year. Davidson will be heading back for another shot at a spot on the podium with three new squad members Adrienne Koester, Ella Neihls, and Emma Isley, who advanced with new 52.16 PR on Wednesday at the Newton Sectional.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Heritage junior Loran Tate finished last year's state meet in 25th place with her best leap in the Triple Jump at 10.00m or 32' 9.75".
Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
St. Anthony distance runner Isabella Keller made a splash her freshman year, placing second in the Class 1A state cross country meet in Peoria. Keller won her prelim heat in the 1600m run and went on to finish second in the championship event on Saturday.
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Tags: State track meet, IHSA Girls Track & Field State Finals, Mercer County, Golden Eagles, St. Anthony, Heritage Hawks, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Relay Race
"When you add this mistake of awarding the wrong contractor the contract, pulling them off and putting someone else in, the total adds up to $44.6 million more than the initial contract."
By Jim Talamonti.::. Illinois Reporter The Center Square
SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority is being asked to explain a costly mistake to taxpayers.
State Rep. Tom Weber, R-Fox lake, said a report from The Daily Herald highlights how a contract for tollway construction west of Chicago went to the wrong company. Weber said the work agreement on the I-88, I-290 and I-294 interchange was given to a company from out of state, even though state law gives preference to Illinois companies bidding up to 4% higher.
“The new contractor came in who, because of our 4% Illinois preference law, that was the mistake that was made,” Weber said.
Photo: Chris Duran/PEXELS
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced it is asking the public to provide feedback on the state's transportation system and the agency’s overall performance.
The tollway agency realized the error and switched to the Illinois company after work on the project began, resulting in higher labor expenses and legal costs, Weber said.
Weber said the initial contractor received a $25 million legal settlement: $15 million for work performed and $10 million in damages.
An Illinois legislator is asking the state’s tollway authority to explain a contracting error which will cost taxpayers nearly $45 million.
According to Weber, the Illinois contractor’s bid was $3.1 million higher than the out-of-state contractor. Weber said the new contractor is getting an additional $16.5 million to finish the job by the July, 2027 deadline.
“When you add this mistake of awarding the wrong contractor the contract, pulling them off and putting someone else in, the total adds up to $44.6 million more than the initial contract,” Weber said.
Speaking on the floor of the Illinois House, Weber asked for an explanation.
“I would hope that the tollway authority or the director or someone, I would invite them to please come to Transportation Committee and explain exactly how taxpayers just got a bill for $44.6 million more than the initial contract,” Weber said.
In a statement to The Center Square, an Illinois State Toll Highway Authority spokesman said that the work performed by the initial contractor included about $15 million for construction already performed, which the agency would have been required to pay even if the contract had been retained.
“The total amount of additional costs paid by the Tollway regarding this contract amounts to nearly $27 million,” the statement said.
The mistake comes as state lawmakers finalize budget discussions in the final weeks of the spring legislative session. Transportation is a major focus as regional public transit agencies face an estimated $770 million fiscal cliff.
State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, said last month that Illinois needs a $1.5 billion revenue stream to create the type of mass transit system people want.
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Monday that it is asking the public to provide feedback on the state's transportation system and the agency’s overall performance by taking its annual Traveler Opinion Survey. Conducted through May 30, the survey is available online at idot.illinois.gov.
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