The Sentinel

Jackson Greer does it all, SJO rolls over Rantoul

RANTOUL -- It not very often you see a soccer player score a goal or two, get credit for an assist, AND make a save while playing at the keeper position all in the same game. Thursday, St. Joseph-Ogden's Jackson Greer did just that to help the Spartan post a conference shutout over the Rantoul Eagles.

St. Joseph-Ogden's Jackson Greer dribbles the ball

St. Joseph-Ogden's Jackson Greer dribbles the ball down the field against Rantoul. The senior scored two goals in the 5-0 win for the Spartans. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Showing he is an asset anywhere on the pitch, Greer helped SJO get on the scoreboard with a pass to Alex Accosta for the open goal of the game in the first half.

At the start of the second half Greer replaced Hunter Ketchum, who had one save, at keeper. While guarding and directing teammates on the field, Greer deflected one of the few solid threats made on the SJO goal during his short stint. He returned to the offensive side of the field, and with 23:10 left on the clock he put an unassisted shot into the north goal at the Rantoul Family Sports Complex. Minutes later, on a pass from the team's top defender Will Page, Greer scored a second goal to give the Spartans at 5-0 lead.

Between Greer's assist and first solo shot, freshman Zach Harper padded his stats with two goals. He notched the first one on a pass from Will Childers in the first half to give St. Joseph-Ogden a 2-0 lead. Harper than put his team up 3-0 after he guided the ball into the net on a corner kick.

Greer, Ketchum and Carter Mabry each recorded one save as the Spartans improved to 12-4-1 on the season.

The Spartans face St. Anne tonight at home in their final contest of their run of five consecutive matches in a row.

Slideshow | St. Joseph-Ogden wins homecoming game, 42-12

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Prep Sports Notebook: SJO, Unity soccer programs suffer losses

Rice picks win for Spartan tennis program

Watseka -- St. Joseph-Ogden's Lily Rice defeated Watseka's Annika Greene in tie-break 8-7 (6) on Tuesday. Spartan doubles duo Halie Harms and Emma Thurman cruised to a 8-4 victory in the team's road match over Warriors' Annika Greene and Marisa Clark at #3 doubles. SJO lost the dual match, 7-2.

Box Score:

Singles:
No. 1 - Emma Simons, Watseka def. Abbey Dow, SJO, 8-5
No. 2 - Ava Swartz, Watseka def. Katie McDermott, SJO, 8-1
No. 3 - Baler Rigsby, Watseka def. Addison Seggebruch, SJO, 8-5
No. 4 - Moriah Pueschell, Watseka def. Lauren Lannert, SJO, 8-0
No. 5 - Sarah Parsons, Watseka def. Izzy Sexton, SJO, 8-0
No. 6 - Lily Rice, SJO def. Annika Greene, Watseka, 8-7 (6)

Doubles:
No. 1 - Emma Simons/Baler Rigsby, Watseka def. Addison Ross/McKennah Hamilton, SJO, 8-1
No. 2 - Moriah Pueschell/Sarah Parsons, Watseka def. Jessica Gadbury/Madison Clampitt, SJO, 8-4
No. 3 - Halie Harms/Emma Thurman, SJO def. Annika Greene/Marisa Clark, Watseka, 8-4

Spartan soccer team blanked

St. Joseph -- The St. Joseph-Ogden soccer team fell 3-0 to visiting Bloomington Central Catholic after their Illini Prairie Conference match. Starting keeper Hunter Ketchum made three saves and backup goalie Jacik Slowikowski also recorded three saves for the Spartans (10-4-1).

The Saints got first half goals from Boyden Chaon and Jarrett Wieduwilt. Jaylen Bischoff scored the third time for BCC.

Rockets 2, Olympia 6

Sanford -- Nolan Remole scored once and later feed a pass on an attack that allowed Gabe Pound to score in the second half for Unity against the visiting Spartans. After Pound's goal, Olympia scored two more to go up 6-2 in the non-conference match.

The Rockets' regular season contest winds down next week with a home match against Oakwood on Monday. The team is on a bus for a roadtrip to north Champaign to face the Sabers of St. Thomas More.

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