Prep Sports Notebook: Unity top in XC, SJO soccer post another win

Rockets take 4th place at Reed-Custer Lady Comets Classic

BRAIDWOOD -- Unity won one match, tied two, and lost two at the Lady Comets volleyball tournament on Saturday.

The Rockets fell 2-0 to Maroa-Forsyth and De La Salle in close contests. The Trojans prevailed 25-23, 25-14, and the Meteors from Chicago squeaked by UHS, 25-18, 25-20.

The team split sets against Putnam County, losing the first by three, 25-22, and storming back to take the second set, 25-18. Kaitlyn Schweighart, who finished the tournament with 18 kills and 58 digs, and the Rockets also split sets in their confrontation with the Momence volleyball program, 17-25, 25-16.

UHS' only victory on the five-match day was 25-23, 25-11, win over Mendota.

Junior Ruby Tarr had 33 assists and made 22 digs during the tournament. Meanwhile, Jayci McGraww booked 31 assists and five digs, and Julia Ping helped the team's defensive effort collecting 35 digs and nine assists.

The Rockets are back in action two days next week at the Rocket Center. Starting Monday, Tarr & Co. host the Bulldogs of St. Teresa and then play a conference showdown against the Monticello. The Sages are 0-2 in conference play with straight two-set loses to St. Thomas More and Paxton-Buckley-Loda this season.

Spartans one win away from 10th

GEORGETOWN -- The St. Joseph-Ogden soccer team rallied back from a one-goal first-half deficit with two goals to beat Georgetown-Ridge Farm-Westville, 2-1.

The Buffaloes produced the only score in the first half despite numerous opportunities for SJO. A pass from freshman Ryker Lockhart gave Collin Thomey the opportunity to tie the game 1-all in the second half. Later, Lockhart put the ball between the post around the GRFW keeper to give the Spartans the go-ahead goal. Spencer Wilson got credit for the assist for the 9-3-1 Spartans.

Senior Hunter Ketchum and backup keeper Jacek Slowikowski, each guarding the goal for a half, made two saves each.

Luke Barney nailed the first goal of the game for the Buffaloes.

Unity outscored, 2-0

Tolono -- The Rockets' soccer team fell 2-0 to visiting Illinois Valley Central Saturday morning. The Grey Ghosts improved to 1-4 in conference play after scoring a goal in each half of the Illini Prairie Conference match.

Unity (2-13, 0-6) hosts Fisher on Monday at home. Opening kick is slated for 4:30p.

SJO 4th, Unity 9th at cross-country meet

St. Joseph -- St. Joseph-Ogden's Jack Fisher turned in a team-best 16:10.32 finish to help the Spartans finish fourth out of 28 participating teams after running in the 50th installment of the Spartan Classic.

The Rockets, who finished ninth in the team standings, were paced by Brendan Graven. He completed the 3-mile course in 16 minutes and 38.58 seconds Saturday morning. Urbana University High's Pieter Duursma led the Illinek's effort to the finish line, circumventing the course for a 34th overall finish at 16:51.57.

The St. Teresa boys' team won this year's team title with 60 points. El Paso-Gridley finished in second place with 92 points, and third place went to Tuscola with 113 points.

Unity girls when Spartan Classic title

St. Joseph -- The Rockets cross-country team finished first out of 27 teams at this year's Spartan Classic. Uni-High finished in third place with 149 points behind El Paso-Gridley's 97-point second-place effort. Unity's top-five runners finished the 3-mile course under 19 minutes or better for an impressive 38 points.

The St.Joseph-Ogden harriers finished in seventh place in the team standings.

Rockets' Erika Woodard, a junior, won the individual title crossing the finish line first for the ladies with a time of 17:12.28. Senior Kate Ahmari, who led the Illinek program around the course throughout St. Joseph, finished at 17:49.40 in 3rd place overall. The Spartans top runner, sophomore Savanna Franzen, clocked in at 18:02.08 for a 6th place finish overall.

Attention area high school coaches

If you are a coach at Unity, Urbana Uni-High, Urbana High School or St. Joseph-Ogden, send us your box scores, statistical leaders for each game, and other info via email to sports@oursentinel.com or editor@oursentinel.com.

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Spartan soccer team loses battle at STM

St. Joseph-Ogden defender Garrett Siems pushes the ball up the field in the second half. The Spartans fell 2-0 to the Sabers on the road on Thursday. Siems and his SJO teammates, with a record of 8 wins, 3 losses and a tie, hit the field again for a non-conference contest at Georgetown-Ridgefarm on Saturday, September 24. Match time scheduled for 9a. Then on Monday, the team will host Judah Christian with the opening touch at 4:30pm. See more photos from this game.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Recipe: Chipotle Chicken Flatbread fest

Family Features -- When dining outside with your loved ones, there are few things better than a tasty dish the whole family can enjoy. This Chipotle Chicken Flatbread makes for a perfect al fresco meal.

Photo provided

Prepared along with a fresh salad or simply enjoyed by itself, this flatbread is simple to make and even kids will love adding the toppings and sauce. It’s colorful and fresh, making it a perfect addition to get-togethers on the patio.

Plus, the cooking time is only 16 minutes, which makes this a quick and delicious solution to defeat.

For more al fresco recipe ideas, visit Culinary.net.

Chipotle Chicken Flatbread


Adapted from butteryourbiscuit.com

2 flatbreads
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic, diced
4 chicken tenders, cooked and cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle seasoning
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped


Here's how you put it together for your next meal:

Start by preheating your oven to 375 F.

Place parchment paper on baking sheet and add flatbreads. Sprinkle cheese on flatbreads. Top with garlic, chicken and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake 16 minutes until cheese is melted.

In small bowl, mix ranch and chipotle seasoning.

Drizzle ranch dressing on flatbread and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.

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If you want that side gig to be a success, you need a solid plan

Photo: Desola Lanre-Ologun/Unsplash

NAPSI -- Congratulations! You’ve decided to start a business — you’re about to embark on an exciting and challenging journey. Before you dive in headfirst, however, it may pay to take time to understand how to start a business the right way and what it takes to make your new gig, be it a side one or fulltime, a total success.

Here’s Everything You Need To Know About How To Start A Business

Whether your startup is creating something new in the marketplace, improving upon an existing product or anything in between, founders need three key elements to get started. When you’re ready to kick off your startup, be prepared with the following:

1. A Clear Understanding of Your Purpose: Why are you embarking upon this business venture? And why now? Get clear on your WHY. It may seem obvious but if you don’t understand why you’re starting your business, neither will your customers.

Your WHY should reflect your business’ purpose—its reason for existence. For example, maybe you recognized an unmet need in your community or perhaps you improved upon an existing product. It’s important to be clear about the intention of your business and the value you provide to customers.

2. A Business Plan: Would you go on a road trip without a map? The answer is probably no. You need directions to get where you’re going. The same rule applies when starting a business.

With a business plan, you can plot a course from startup to success. Plans typically include:

  • A summary of your business, including the product or service you’re selling, your mission statement and current team members.
  • A breakdown of your product or service, including what makes it viable in your market.
  • Market research that demonstrates an understanding of your industry and your competition. Research your biggest competitors to understand what makes them successful.
  • A SWOT analysis that delineates your business’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
  • A compelling marketing strategy that illustrates how you’ll attract and retain customers.
  • Financial projections that show potential investors the viability of your business. Include a financial forecast for the next one, five, or even ten years.

    • As you work through your business plan, check out SCORE’s Startup Roadmap. It offers a step-by-step online guide to help you create a thorough plan for your new business.

    3. A Strong Support System: Your business is more likely to be successful with a support system. Surround yourself with people who can offer guidance, encouragement and constructive criticism.

    That may be friends or family who have a strong understanding of your market, experience running a business, or members of your professional network willing to give you their time and perspective.

    Identifying a mentor is one of the best moves an entrepreneur can make. And the reasons are well-founded. Small business clients who receive more than three hours of mentoring report higher revenues and increased business growth, according to SCORE data.

    Mentors are often business professionals with experience operating a healthy business who can guide you through your entrepreneurial journey. They act as a sounding board as you grow your business, connect you with resources and provide advice when you hit bumps along the way.

    As you prepare to launch your business, SCORE can connect you with a mentor to help you along your journey. With expertise in all aspects of starting and growing a business, SCORE mentors can guide you to resources and tools that can help you succeed.

    To learn more or find a find a mentor, visit www.score.org/find-mentor.

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    Federal Affordable Connectivity Program offers low-cost internet to eligible citizens

    Photo:NAPSI
    NAPSI -- A fast, reliable Internet connection has become a critical part of our daily lives. From remote learning and working to networking and searching for jobs, Americans everywhere felt an online shift during COVID-19. 

    And, while the country gradually recovers from the pandemic, the collective need to stay connected remains stronger than ever. 

    Enter the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

    ACP extends and makes permanent the Internet subsidy for families in need that began under the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program. Falling under the $1.2T bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the ACP is part of a $65 billion broadband Internet initiative designed to bring affordable or even free Internet service to families who qualify.

    Eligible households can save up to $30 a month, or up to $75 if they reside on tribal lands.

    So, who qualifies? Here’s a glance at the different criteria from the FCC of which one or more is required:

  • Household is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
  • Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline.
  • Participates in tribal-specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.
  • Participates in the National School Lunch or Breakfast Program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision.
  • Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
  • Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income Internet program.

    • Visit fcc.gov/acp for more details and call 844-844-WIFI (844-844-9434) to find a participating provider nearby.

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