St. Joseph-Ogden soccer dominates Meridian to repeat as Bomber Classic champs

St. Joseph-Ogden captured its second consecutive Bomber Classic title with a 7-0 win over Meridian, improving to 9-0 this season.

St. Joseph-Ogden's Lucas Stevens

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Spartans' Lucas Stevens keeps the ball away Uni-High's Leo Rota during their match last month. Stevens delivered a goal and four assists across to contests in St. Joseph-Ogden's back-to-back Bomber Classic win last week.

ARGENTA - For the second consecutive year, the St. Joseph-Ogden boys soccer team captured the Bomber Classic title at Argenta High School, rolling to a 7-0 victory over Meridian High School on Saturday. The win pushed the Spartans to 9-0 on the season, continuing a remarkable stretch in which SJO has won 31 of its last 35 contests.

Led by striker Zach Harper, St. Joseph-Ogden has been nearly unstoppable offensively this season, scoring at least seven goals in every match. A talented supporting cast feeding Harper the ball has made the Spartans a difficult team to contain. The team carried that intensity throughout the Bomber Classic, leaving little doubt about their dominance.

SJO’s championship performance featured five goals in the first half. Harper scored three times and added an assist, while Tyler Hess contributed two goals with one assist. Lucas Stevens provided two assists, and Hunter Cler added one. Harper completed his four-goal performance with a second-half goal off a feed from Hess.

The tournament victory followed an earlier 7-0 win over Decatur MacArthur on September 4. Harper scored three goals and Hess added two. Lucas Stevens had a goal and two assists, Hunter Cler contributed one assist, Miles Atwood added a goal, and goalkeeper Quinn Stahl recorded one save in the shutout. SJO also received a forfeit win from Mt. Pulaski/Hartsburg-Emden, who withdrew prior to the tournament’s start.

SJO vs MacArthur

In their tournament opener against MacArthur, St. Joseph-Ogden displayed the same offensive precision that has defined their 2025 campaign. The Spartans took control early, using sharp passing and well-timed runs to create scoring opportunities. Harper, as usual, was central to the attack, with Hess and Stevens connecting on multiple chances to keep the General's on their heels. Harper finished with three goals, Hess with two, and Stevens adding icing on the cake with solo strike.

Defensively, SJO limited MacArthur’s opportunities, maintaining pressure in midfield and cutting off clear passing lanes. Goalkeeper Quinn Stahl made key saves to keep the shutout intact while the Spartans hammered away at extending their lead. The team’s discipline and cohesion on both sides of the ball showcased why SJO has been able to maintain such a dominant record this season.

Demonstrating both offensive firepower and defensive stability, the Spartans’ unbeaten streak continues for another week into the season.

On the dockett this week

The Spartans will return to Dick Duval Field this week for two matches. They host Fisher/Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, a team they tied once during last year’s season. On Saturday, SJO will welcome Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin for a non-conference showdown.

Match Stats: St. Joseph-Ogden vs Meridian High School

Final Score: 7-0

Scoring:
Zach Harper (unassisted)
Zach Harper (assist: Hunter Cler)
Tyler Hess (assist: Zach Harper)
Tyler Hess (assist: Lucas Stevens)
Zach Harper (assist: Lucas Stevens)

Second half:
Zach Harper (assist: Tyler Hess)

Stat Leaders:
Zach Harper — 4 goals, 1 assist
Tyler Hess — 2 goals, 1 assist
Lucas Stevens — 2 assists
Hunter Cler — 1 assist

Match Stats: SJO vs Decatur MacArthur

Final Score: 7-0

Scoring:
Lucas Stevens (unassisted)
Zach Harper (unassisted)
Zach Harper (unassisted)

Second half:
Zach Harper (assist: Hunter Cler)
Miles Atwood (assist: Lucas Stevens)
Tyler Hess (assist: Lucas Stevens)
Tyler Hess (unassisted)

Stat Leaders:
Tyler Hess — 2 goals
Zach Harper — 3 goals
Lucas Stevens — 1 goal, 2 assists
Hunter Cler — 1 assist
Miles Atwood — 1 goal
Quinn Stahl — 1 save

You pick 'em, Illini Prairie Week 3 football predictions

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

ST. JOSEPH - Spartans' Tim Blackburn-Kelley threads his way through Paxton-Buckley-Loda's defense on his way to first down. It took most of the night for Blackburn-Kelley to find his way into the end zone for 6. The senior ran the ball in from 17 yards out to pad SJO's 35-12 home win on Friday.

Submit your picks for this week's Friday Night Forecast and see how your calls stack up against other Illini Prairie Conference football fans. Drop back by OurSentinel.com Friday morning to see which teams are predicted to win as they work to qualify for this year's state football playoffs.

This poll is closed

Week 2 Scores

Central Catholic 59, IVC 0
Unity 34, Monticello 7
Prairie Central 17, Pontiac 12
St. Joseph-Ogden 35, PBL 12
Mattoon 42, Rantoul 0

Week 2 Results

Rank	Name	Record	Notes
1	Brooks Look	5-0	Week 2 winner
2	Alan	3-2
3	Denise	3-2

Cumulative Standings (After Week 2)

Rank	Name	Total Record	Wins	Notes
1	Brooks Look	9-1	1	Week 2 winner
2	Denise	7-3	0
3	Alan	6-4	0
4	J	5-0	1	Week 1 winner
5	Sara	5-0	0

Previous predictions:

Week 1 Predictions | Week 1 Results
Week 2 Predictions |

Expert advice for handling tantrums and big feelings in children

Photo: Creation Hill/PEXELS

FAMILY FEATURES - Little children experience big emotions. When things don't go as planned or they feel overstimulated or face new experiences, children may respond with anger and frustration, fueled by feelings of shame, embarrassment or even a sense of injustice.

Because young children often don't have the language or regulation skills to handle these big feelings, they can result in tantrums, mood swings, rebellion and emotional outbursts, which may trigger feelings of embarrassment and exasperation for parents. Fear not; every parent has been there.

Help your child label feelings and seek to understand what caused the outburst.

Dr. Lauren Loquasto, senior vice president and chief academic officer at The Goddard School, and Kelly Oriard and Callie Christensen, co-founders of Slumberkins and authors of "All Feelings Welcome," share guidance to help parents effectively deal with these situations.

Managing Meltdowns

Parents are most effective when they stay calm, speak quietly and move slowly. Counterbalance your child's extreme emotion and behavior with the opposite extreme. Take deep breaths and stay near your child while the emotion dissipates.

Scolding only heightens the emotion, so start with empathy, not discipline, and affirm the feelings. For example, "We all get angry sometimes," or "It makes sense that you're feeling this way."

Help your child label feelings and seek to understand what caused the outburst. Try "sportscasting" - objectively narrating what you see. For example, "I see you taking deep breaths. I see your cheeks are puffed up and your fists are clenched. I know your sister just took your toy and that might make you feel angry. Are you feeling angry?"

This technique can help your child associate physiological feelings with an emotional label.

Once calm, work with your child to repair and reconnect. Share your coping techniques. For example, "I feel angry sometimes. When I get angry, I like to stomp my feet and turn up my music. Do you want to try this with me?"

When children are not in a heightened emotional state, reading books about characters and big emotions can be helpful.

Model this often, either when you're upset or as a teaching moment by pretending to feel angry. Real-life examples help normalize feelings and teach emotion regulation skills.

If you acted in a way you regret - yelling, for instance - address it by apologizing and taking responsibility. This grounding can help you and your child move forward.

Taking Proactive Preventative Steps

While big emotions and corresponding behaviors are a natural part of early childhood, there are steps you can take to help mitigate future meltdowns.

Develop a routine and stick to it as much as possible. Children thrive with structure; the unexpected or unknown can lead to emotional dysregulation. That said, there will always be disruptions and transitions - some small (such as an out-of-town houseguest) and some large (like moving or welcoming a new sibling). Discuss these moments in advance to help your child anticipate and prepare for the change.

Certain situations, such as the grocery store or a public event, may be triggers for children. Avoiding these situations altogether won't help them learn, so prepare them with social scripting. Tell a story about the situation, discuss what they'll experience and how they might feel and label the emotions. This talk can reduce anxiety, build confidence and make the situation more manageable.

Additionally, it's important to recognize a child's emotional state can be intertwined with yours; if you're overwhelmed, stressed or anxious, your child may pick up on that and experience some of those same feelings. Likewise, if you're calm, your child is more likely to be, too.

Finding Helpful Resources

When children are not in a heightened emotional state, reading books about characters and big emotions can be helpful. Pause and ask them what they think the character is feeling and if they ever feel that way. Consider "Hammerhead, Mad's Not Bad" and "Felix and the Picnic."

To watch a webinar featuring Loquasto, Oriard and Christensen sharing additional guidance, and to access a wealth of parenting insights and resources, visit the Parent Resource Center at GoddardSchool.com. Visit Slumberkins.com for materials and resources for educators, parents and children.