The court will be buzzing Dec. 13! The SJO Girls Basketball Shootout brings top programs like Pleasant Plains, Eureka, and Unity to town.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden's Kayla Osterbur hauls in a rebound during the Spartans' 2023 Country Financial Shootout game. The event returns to SJO for a third time on December 13.
by Clark Brooks
Sentinel Sports
ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden High School will host an eight-team girls basketball shootout on Saturday, Dec. 13. Pleasant Plains returns to kick off the action at 1 p.m., facing Cissna Park. Paris also returns for the one-day event and will take on Eureka, back again after missing the 2024 season. Another new addition this year, Tri-Valley, joins the field and will face Unity in the nightcap.
Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for students with valid student IDs.
All JV and varsity games will feature eight-minute quarters, with about a 12-minute warm-up before each contest.
The Spartans, who will dress nine seniors this season, tip off at 4 p.m. against the Watseka Warriors.
This is the third installment of the shootout sponsored by The Arteaga Insurance Group in St. Joseph started in 2023.
2025 Country Financial JV/VARSITY Girls Basketball Shootout Schedule
Varsity (SJO HS Main Gym)
1:00 PM: (NE Locker Room) Pleasant Plains vs. Cissna Park (SW Locker Room)
2:30 PM: (NW Locker Room) Paris vs. Eureka (SE Locker Room)
4:00 PM: (NE Locker Room) Watseka vs. St. Joseph-Ogden (SW Locker Room)
5:30 PM: (NW Locker Room) Tri-Valley vs. Unity (SE Locker Room)
Junior Varsity (SJO PRACTICE GYM)
11:00 AM: (NE Locker Room) Pleasant Plains vs. Cissna Park (SW Locker Room)
12:30 PM: (NW Locker Room) Paris vs. Eureka (SE Locker Room)
2:00 PM: (NE Locker Room) Watseka vs. St. Joseph-Ogden (SW Locker Room)
3:30 PM: (NW Locker Room) Tri-Valley vs. Unity (SE Locker Room)
TAGGED: St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball shootout, Illinois high school basketball events, Unity Rockets basketball, Pleasant Plains vs Cissna Park game, SJO Spartans vs Watseka preview
SJO FFA members attended the U of I Greenhand Conference, planned online outreach and staffed a booth at the Ogden Harvest Fest before heading to nationals.
by Henry Beeler
for The Sentinel
ST. JOSEPH – October has been a full month for the St. Joseph-Ogden FFA chapter, capped by preparations for one of the organization’s biggest annual events — the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. From Oct. 29 to Nov. 1, members will join thousands of young agricultural leaders from across the country for workshops, networking, and hands-on learning opportunities.
This year’s convention theme centers on leadership, innovation, and positive change — ideals that have shaped the SJO chapter’s own activities throughout the fall. Chapter members have spent much of October working on personal development, community engagement, and ways to improve their group’s presence both locally and online.
The busy month began with a trip to the University of Illinois Greenhand Conference on Oct. 1, where newer members learned more about FFA’s mission, leadership opportunities, and agricultural careers.
A week later, on Oct. 8, the chapter held an all-committee meeting to brainstorm ideas for improving its digital outreach. Members discussed redesigning their online platforms and even considered launching a YouTube channel to share projects and community updates — an idea still under review.
By their Oct. 20 meeting, the discussion shifted toward community impact. Members reflected on how FFA has supported the St. Joseph area through service projects and leadership development.
Just days later, on Oct. 25, the chapter put that spirit of service into action by volunteering at the Ogden Harvest Fest. Members helped run various games and activities for festivalgoers, adding a fun, family-oriented presence to the local celebration.
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Archived articles published on October 27 in previous years from The Sentinel. Topics include local news, sports, community events, politics, and Opinion-Editorial viewpoints.
Each day, we revisit stories that shaped our community — from thrilling high school sports moments and heartfelt local events to coverage of state politics, healthcare developments, and opinion pieces that sparked conversation. Explore archived stories published on October 27 from previous years, offering a snapshot of life in Champaign County and beyond by The Sentinel.
