The Sentinel

Prep Sports Notebook: SJO soccer wins with buzzer beater

Spartan tennis earns first dual win

Head coach Kevin Martlage and the St. Joseph-Ogden girls tennis team pose for a photo after their dual match of the season on the road against Urbana on Tuesday. The two teams will square off again on August 31. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Urbana, IL - It was a hot time at Blair Park for the St. Joseph-Ogden and Urbana girls' tennis match on Tuesday. Despite a reported heat index of 106º, the two teams battled in the blazing heat with the upstart area program from SJO winning the dual match, 6-3.

Claire Huffman at #1, Abby Dow on the #2 singles court and Ashlyn Lannert on court 6 secured victories in their singles matches. Hope Rajlich and Kelsey Martlage paired up to win at #1 doubles. Meanwhile, Allison Kearney and Angie Chahine held off Urbana duo Eisla Madigan and Myra Stevens at #2 doubles. The Spartans also came out on top on the #3 doubles court with a victory by Katie McDermott and her partner Jacey Lewis.

The Tigers' won three single points with dominating performances from veteran Myra Stevens, Eisla Madigan and Alisa Tangmunarunkit.

Match results:

No. 1 - Claire Huffman, SJO def. Hannah Null, URBANA, 8-3
No. 2 - Abbey Dow, SJO def. Jacie Owens, URBANA, 8-6
No. 3 - Myra Stevens, URBANA def. Grace Schmitz, SJO, 8-1
No. 4 - Eisla Madigan, URBANA def. Ella Armstrong, SJO, 8-0
No. 4 - Alisa Tangmunarunkit, URBANA def. Abby Behrens, SJO, 8-3
No. 6 - Ashlyn Lannert, SJO def. Matika Pounginjai, URBANA, 8-1

No. 1 Doubles:
Hope Rajlich/Kelsey Martlage, SJO def. Hannah Null/Jacie Owens, URBANA, 8-6

No. 2 Doubles:
Allison Kearney/Angie Chahine, SJO def. Myra Stevens/Eisla Madigan, URBANA, 8-4

No. 3 Doubles:
Katie McDermott/Jacey Lewis- SJO def. Matika Pounginjai/Alisa Tangmunarunkit, URBANA, 8-6

Wilson lifts Spartans with buzzer beater

St. Joseph, IL - With the score locked at two-all in the second half, sophomore Spencer Wilson scored his second goal of the contest with .2 seconds left on the clock to give the St. Joseph-Ogden soccer team a 3-2 advantage for win #2 of the season.

While goalkeeper Hunter Ketchum kept the visiting Argenta-Oreana shots out of the goal during the first half, SJO teammate Jackson Greer scored the first goal of the game on an assist from Will Page.

In the final half of SJO's home game, Greer fed Wilson the ball for the first of four second-half goals. The Bombers' Rylan Lawson and Landon Lawson added one goal apiece to later tie the score before Wilson spared both teams from a shootout.

Ketchum tallied eight saves for the Spartans.

Next up for Ketchum and Co., SJO will host Urbana University High on Thursday at 4:30p.

Missed opportunities sink Rockets

Tolono, IL - Fielding an inexperienced contingent this fall, the Unity soccer team opened their season with a 4-2 loss to visiting St. Teresa on Tuesday.

Nolan Remole, with the assistance of senior Grace Brock, nailed the Rockets' first goal of the season in the second half. Freshman Teaguen Williams added the team's second score after the Bulldogs clawed their way to a 3-1 lead.

"We gave up a PK and also did not score on a PK. Those slight differences can make a huge difference in the box score," said head coach Unity Michel Stringer. "As far as in the moment I thought that they played well."

Sophomore Mason Davis had eight saves while guarding the net for Unity.

"Our offensive is young, and for those who scored this was their first high school game so it is understandable that it took them a half to shake off the nerves and find the net," added Stringer.

The Rockets' next three matches are all at home on their new turf field. Unity starts the three-game homestand with Argenta-Oreana at 10a on Saturday. Two days later on Monday, the program hosts Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond at 4:30p. Unity fans' last chance to catch the team at home until September 11 will be on Thursday, September 2 in a match against Meridian, also starting at 4:30p.

Prep Sports Notebook: Immke racks up points for Spartans

Spartan volleyball team improves to 2-0

Georgetown, IL - The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team posted their second victory of the season after a 2-0 win over host Georgetown-Ridge Farm on Wednesday. Coincidentally, the Spartans' dominant play also earned the varsity squad a 2-0 record.

Shayne Immke, a junior hitter, blasted the opposition tallying eight kills. Senior Kennedi Burnett added another six in SJO's 25-14, 25-3 finish.

Taylor Wells was credit with three blocks and chipped in another pair of kills for the Spartans. Junior setter Taylor Hug had 11 assists.

Next up, Immke and the Spartans travel to Bismarck-Henning High School on Thursday for the third of four road matches starting their 2021-22 campaign. After a few days to recoup, the volleyball team is back on the highway heading west for a showdown with St. Teresa in Decatur.

SJO tennis team steamrolls St. Teresa

Decatur, IL - Twenty-four hours after SJO's Angie Chahine and Allison Kearney won their doubles match against Urbana, the pair notched a second prep doubles win against the Bulldogs, this time each with a new partner. Chahine, along with partner Katie McDermott, bageled St. Teresa's Alexis Rayhill and Zia Boulier on the #2 court, 8-0. Meanwhile on court #3, Kearney, playing alongside Emma Rydell, also earned an 8-0 shutout besting Bulldogs' Alyssa Wicks and Emma Norton.

Thanks to the two victories in doubles along with the four from singles competition, St. Joseph-Ogden celebrated their second win of the season via a 6-3 decision over St. Teresa.

Abbey Dow, Hope Rajlich, Kelsey Martlage and Ashlyn Lannert delivered command performances on their individual courts on Wednesday. Together, the quad won 48 of the 51 games played.

Match results:

Singles:

No. 1 - Colleen Larry, St Teresa def. Claire Huffman, SJO, 6-0 , 6-0
No. 2 - Abbey Dow, SJO def. Katherine Combs, St Teresa, 6-0 , 6-0
No. 3 - Hope Rajlich, SJO def. Alexis Rayhill, St Teresa, 6-0 , 6-1
No. 4 - Kelsey Martlage, SJO def. Zia Boulier, St Teresa, 6-0 , 6-1
No. 5 - Joella Livingston, St Teresa def. Grace Schmitz, SJO, 2-6 , 6-3 , 11-9
No. 6 - Ashlyn Lannert, SJO def. Emma Norton, St Teresa, 6-1 , 6-0

Doubles:

No. 1 - Colleen Larry - Katherine Combs, St Teresa def. Jacey Lewis - Abby Behrens, SJO, 8-6
No. 2 - Angie Chahine - Katie McDermott, SJO def. Alexis Rayhill - Zia Boulier, St Teresa, 8-0
No. 3 - Emma Rydell - Allison Kearney, SJO def. Alyssa Wicks - Emma Norton, St Teresa, 8-0

Final score: SJO 6 - St. Teresa 3

Friday Night Lights are back!

St. Joseph-Ogden senior Coby Miller waves to parents and fans at the SJO Kickoff last Friday. Miller and the Spartans will host Monticello to start their campaign for a 2021 football playoff berth. Prior to the opening kick, a service remembering head coach Dick Duval, who passed away Thursday evening after a long battle with cancer, will be held. Also, during halftime, this year's SJO Hall of Fame Class will also be recognized at Dick Duval Field. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Guest Commentary: Give women a fighting chance

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

Afghanistan has guns but they are in the hands of the wrong people.

Television news reports have confirmed the Taliban has our helicopters, our tanks, our trucks, along with billions of dollars of our American tax payer bought military weapons and more.

Afghanistan already had a strict gun policy. The Taliban’s is stricter. You aren’t allowed to own automatic weapons or handguns. Thus, while the Afghan citizens have struggled for defense weapons, the Taliban and other terrorists have had access to any and all they have wanted. The bad people have guns. The good people do not have guns. The bad people have taken over the country, murdering and raping as they do what they want to do without anyone interfering or fighting back.

We can only imagine the pain and heartache of the Afghan women. The previous Taliban rule enforced a strict fundamentalist style of Islam religion that confined women to their homes, banned television and music and held public executions. Women were relegated to a dress code that required a burka or similar clothing that covers the woman’s face. Women were treated as slaves and sex objects. Their every move was controlled by the Taliban’s interpretation of an oppressive Islam religion. The Taliban has not changed their ways. Why would you think they have? They continue to kill, plunder weapons and take over government buildings or whatever they want for their own use.

In a nation where guns are restricted the Afghan women have no way to protect themselves. They have no one to protect them.

The Taliban has the finest American tax payer bought weapons in the world. The everyday citizens of the country and the helpless women of the country aren’t allowed to own guns. This means they aren’t allowed to protect themselves. Attackers, rapists, evil men can come and go as they please assaulting the average citizen, the women and children and no one has access to guns to utilize for protection.

What if all the women in Afghanistan had access to automatic rifles? Our military should assign our guns to the citizens including all the women of Afghanistan. Their army won’t protect them, they have no one to protect them. Give the women of Afghanistan a fighting chance.

Can you imagine if America begins to restrict our guns? What happens if we aren’t allowed to have guns or it becomes so restrictive that people give up trying to own guns? We become as vulnerable as the Afghan people. We have zero ability to take care of ourselves.

It’s very troubling and America hasn’t made it any better. Equipping Terrorists with guns only breathes more years of life into their evil mission.

Give our guns to the desperate citizens of Afghanistan and make sure every woman and teenager has a gun. The young girls of Afghanistan do not want to be raped and married off to men to become part of a slave harem. They have a right to fight.

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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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Prep Sports Notebook: Spartan teams open season with victories

SJO volleyball tops Trojans

There is nothing better than starting a new season with a victory. The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team return to action this month with Kennedi Burnett leading the Spartans' offensive effort with 13 kills. Becca Steinbach tallied 32 assists, nine digs and a couple of blocks in the non-conference match on Monday. After dropping the first set 23-25, the Spartans roared back to take the next two, 25-20, 25-18 for the road win.

Addie Roesch served up three aces while senior Hannah Fox led the team's defensive effort with 16 digs. Junior Shayne Immke contributed another nine kills and six digs.

The Spartans, who will host their first home match of the season on August 31, will play their next three contests on the road starting with Georgetown-Ridge Farm on Wednesday followed by another Vermilion Valley foe, Bismarck-Henning, 24 hours later on Thursday. SJO's road campaign ends on Monday after a trip to Decatur for a showdown with St. Teresa.

Soccer avenges last season loss

Will Page settles the ball while playing in last Friday's Spartan Kickoff against teammates. Page scored one of two goals against the Comets on Monday.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Back in March, the Oakwood-Catlin soccer coop crushed the SJO soccer team on their home turf, 6-2. On Monday, the Spartans invaded the Comets' home field, scoring a goal in each half for a 2-1 season-opening win.

Aiden Cromwell notched the program's first goal of the season in the first half to put St. Joseph-Ogden up 1-0. Senior Brennan Haake was credited with the assist on the play. Later, in the second half, junior Will Page nailed a penalty kick to give SJO a 2-0 lead before an Oakwood-Catlin kick from Saul Carillo found net.

Starting keeper Hunter Ketchum fended off 15 attacks on his goal.

Coaches, please send us your game scores

The 2021 fall athletic season is here and we want to make sure all Sentinel high school coaches know where to send box scores and other sports information this year. The Sentinel needs your game scores and stat leaders after each game. Our goal is to keep fans, college recruiters and area readers well-informed.

The Sentinel is looking forward to the days, hopefully soon, when we will have enough business advertising with us to help expand our coverage to more teams at each school as well as outstanding individual athletes and their accomplishments. Until then, we'll do what we can with the limited resources at our disposal. We really rely on coaches, managers, ADs, parents and even players emailing or calling us to let us know the stories, final scores and interesting features we are missing. If you don't see it on The Sentinel, it is probably because no one took the time to tell us about it.

If the team you would like us to cover has a team website, Facebook page or Twitter feed, do us a favor and email the link to us. If your team is posting scores, stats, and achievements it will give us a place to check. Send us a link so we can bookmark it. Let us know who is getting what honors from All-League and All-Conference, who is going to sign their NLI, and so on. The best way to send box scores and other info is via email to sports@oursentinel.com or editor@oursentinel.com. Do you have a player on the verge of breaking a school record, got a story idea or hot news tip? Don't hesitate to send an email to either address.

The Sentinel looks forward to covering your 2021-2022 season.

Coaches and fans, send us your team scores and stats

The 2021 fall athletic season is here and we want to make sure all Sentinel area high school coaches know where to send box scores and other sports information this year. The Sentinel needs your game scores and stat leaders after each game to keep fans, college recruiters and area readers well-informed on the four area prep athletic programs we are covering this season.

New this season, by request, The Sentinel will begin covering high school sports at both Urbana University and Urbana High School in addition to St. Joseph-Ogden and Unity athletics. If you don't see it on The Sentinel, it is probably because no one took the time to tell us about it. We are relying on coaches, managers, ADs, parents and even players emailing or calling us to let us know the stories, final scores and interesting cool stuff we are missing. We would also like to let our readers know about schedule changes and cancellations, too.

Tag us on Twitter with @Sentinel_News or hashtag us with #SentinelSports or tag us on Facebook with @OurSentinelNews.

Let us know who is getting what honors from All-League and All-Conference, who is going to sign their NLI, and so on. The best way to send box scores and other info is via email to sports@oursentinel.com or editor@oursentinel.com. Do you have a player on the verge of breaking a school record, got a story idea or hot news tip? Don't hesitate to send an email to either address.

The Sentinel looks forward to covering your 2021-2022 season.