Photo Gallery: SJO volleyball overpowers visiting Hawks

Addie Roesch and Ashley Eldridge enjoy a light moment
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartans' Addie Roesch and Ashley Eldridge enjoy a light moment during the team's home match against Prairie Central. After their road loss to Tri-Valley, St. Joseph-Ogden extended their win streak to three matches with the 2-0 conference win over the Hawks.
Kerigan Fehr
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

The ball flies toward the back wall after Prairie Central's Kerigan Fehr tried to pass a St. Joseph-Ogden serve during the first set.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Addie Roesch tips the ball over the net while playing on the front row during the first set for the Spartans.
Hannah Fox celebrates
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Hannah Fox and the Spartan bench celebrate a point for SJO on ten-point scoring run during the first set.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartan junior varsity players dance to YMCA during a timeout during set one of the varsity game. St. Joseph-0gden picked up another conference win after defeating visiting Prairie Central in straight sets, 25-15, 25-4.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden outside hitter Kennedi Burnett hammers the ball for a kill against Prairie Central. The senior finished the varsity match with two aces, four kills, and 16 digs.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Prairie Central's Gracie Edelman passes the ball during the second set while SJO's Rachel Divan and Kennedi Burnett prepare in the background to counter the Hawks' attack.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Called up to fill the junior varsity roster, Spartan freshman Reese Wheatley tries to block a tip by Hawks' Callie Eisenmann.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

With Hawks' Adeline Kilgus opposing her, Spartan hitter Josey Frerichs pounds the ball over the net during the second set of the JV match. SJO earned the match victory, 2-0.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Addison Ross attempts to block the ball during SJO's junior varsity match.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Before the varsity contest, Peyton Williams puts the ball down on a big swing around Gyllian Davies during second set action in St. Joseph-Ogden's JV match.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartans Madison Atwood and Taylor Wells attempt to block a hit from Prairie Central outside hitter Alyssa Stein.
Alexandria Hari
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Hawks' Alexandria Hari sets the ball during set of the match against SJO.
Looking for photos of a specific player from either team or from this season? Email us at photos@oursentinel.com with the athlete's name and jersey number for details.
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Looking Back: Spartans defeat Indians by 10 in conference showdown

With the hectic 2022-23 season behind us, we want to use the summer to catch up publishing some of the great moments we captured this season but didn't have the time or resources to publish. Here is The Sentinel's first installment of our summer feature called Looking Back. Visit our website weekly for more photo features starting next week.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden's Addison Frick puts the ball up for a first half shot during the Spartans' home basketball game against Pontiac. Frick finished the game with a team-high 17 points powering SJO to a 57-47 victory. See more photos from this game here.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
SJO senior Taylor Hug fires a jumper from outside the arc for one of her four treys against the visiting Pontiac Indians.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Driving past Pontiac's Makyah Hartfield, SJO's Addie Seggebruch attacks the paint in January 5 home game at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Freshman point guard Katie Ericksen moves the ball around during the second half against Pontiac.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Surrounded by Pontiac players, Spartans' Kaytlyn Baker protects the ball during second half action. Baker, a senior, contributed a field goal and one free throw in the Illini Prairie Conference win for the St. Joseph-Ogden program on Saturday.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Spartan Katie Ericksen loses control of the ball after colliding with Pontiac senior Mackenzie Coates in the second half. View 14 more photos from the SJO girls' first game of 2023 here.


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Illini Prairie announces girls' all-conference basketball team

SJO's Addison Brooks
SJO's Addison Brooks earned a spot on the IPC Second Team her junior year.
URBANA - The Illini Prairie Conference presented its girls' basketball all-conference team this week. Teams members are selected by coaches from each of the ten teams. This year's IPC First Team is comprised of two outstanding freshman players. Two players from Central Catholic and two from IVC were named to the top team this season.

Bloomington Central Catholic won the league title, finishing with a perfect 9-0 record.

See the complete list below of this year's all-conference players.


Illini Prairie Conference Final Standings

1.  Bloomington Central Catholic 9-0 / Overall: 24-9
2.  Illinois Valley Central 8-1 / Overall: 20-11
3.  Pontiac 6-3 / Overall: 15-17
4.  Monticello 6-3 / Overall: 20-11
5.  St. Joseph-Ogden 5-4 / Overall: 12-17
6.  Tolono Unity 5-4 / Overall: 14-17
7.  Prairie Central 3-6 / Overall: 12-21
8.  Paxton-Buckley-Loda 2-7 / Overall: 4-27
9.  Rantoul 1-8 / Overall: 4-26
10. St. Thomas More 0-9 / Overall: 5-24


First Team
Karissa Cook, Central Catholic, 9
Emme Hurie, Central Catholic, 11
Anna Foster, IVC, 10
Alayah Nelton, IVC, 9
Megan Allen, Monticello, 12
Trinity Miller, Pontiac, 11


Second Team
Logan Shanks, Central Catholic, 12
Kayt Miller, IVC, 10
Tanner Graham, PBL, 12
Jayla Hammond, Prairie Central, 10
Addie Brooks, SJO, 11
Emily Decker, Unity, 12


Honorable Mention

Kate Stolfa, Central Catholic, 10
Meg Uhren, Central Catholic, 12
Sarah Cresap, Monticello, 10
Ali Weidner, Monticello, 10
Grace Lanning, Pontiac, 11
Araceli Serna, Pontiac, 9
Josie Roseman, Rantoul, 11
Sara Kearney, SJO, 12
Ashley Wells, STM, 12
Claire Meharry, Unity, 11


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Martinie scores team-high ten in SJO loss

Pleasant Plains - Hoping to extend their 1-game winning streak to two, the St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team came up short after this afternoon's road game at Pleasant Plains. Addisyn Martinie led the Spartans' in scoring with 10 points in the 55-26 loss to the host Cardinals.

Addisyn Martinie looks for an open teammate to pass the ball during the Spartans' Turkey Tournament game against Mahomet-Seymour. The junior led all SJO scorers on Saturday in the team's away game at Pleasant Plains. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

SJO struggled on offense, scoring just five points in each of the first two quarters. Martinie knocked down a pair of field goals, and Taylor Hug kicked in five points with one shot inside and one outside the arc. Junior Addison Seggebruch hit one of her two free throw attempts in the team's first half scoring effort. Seggebruch's first quarter trip to the line was the Spartans' only opportunity for free points.

Freshman Addie Brooks came off the bench in the fourth quarter to hit two treys for six points to finish as the second-leading scorer for SJO. Addison Frick chipped-in four points in the third quarter to sum up Saturday's offense.

Meanwhile, Pleasant Plains (8-3) was paced by Jaycee Smith's 15 points and frosh Anna Weber's seven points.

St. Joseph-Ogden is back in action on Monday with a home contest against Cissna Park and travels to Oakwood to face the Comets on Thursday this week.


Box Score

Final: Pleasant Plains 55 - St. Joseph-Ogden 26

St. Joseph-Ogden  5 -  5 - 10 -  6 - -26
Pleasant Plains    13 - 15 - 12 - 15 - -55

St. Joseph-Ogden: Uden 0(0)-0-0--0, Seggebruch 1(0)-0-0--2, Baltzell 0(0)-0-0--0, Ericksen 0(0)-0-0--0, Frick 2(0)-0-0--4, Baker 0(0)-0-0--0, Brooks 0(2)-0-0--6, Blackburn 0(0)-0-0--0, Kearney 0(0)-0-0--0, Martinie 5(0)-0-0--10, Osterbur 0(0)-0-0--0, Ward 0(0)-0-0--0.

Pleasant Plains: Frasse 2(0)-2-0--4, Morley 0(0)-0-0--0, Taft 0(0)-0-0--0, Cameron 0(0)-0-0--0, Derrick 3(0)-0-0--6, Leach 3(0)-0-0--6, Hiltabrand 0(0)-3-3--3, Lynch 0(0)-0-0--0, Smith 5(1)-2-2--15, Burke 1(0)-0-0--2, Hadley 3(0)-0-0--6, Weber 1(1)-2-2--7, Long 0(0)-0-0--0, Redmon 1(0)-2-2--4, Sebatka 1(0)-0-0--2.

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Turkey tournament starts Monday at SJO

St. Joseph-Ogden's Peyton Jones takes a shot during last November's first installment of SJO's first girls holiday basketball tournament. The Spartans will host the tournament once again with a new team this season. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


ST. JOSEPH -- The girls' basketball season officially starts on Monday with SJO hosting the Second Annual Toyota of Danville Turkey Tournament. Mahomet-Seymour joins the four-team, round-robin style tournament replacing Urbana High School.

Spartans fans can catch the varsity program on the hardwood this week on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings at approximately 7:30p as the team will battle to defend their 2021 title against Tri-County, Centennial and the Bulldogs from Mahomet-Seymour. The SJO JV team will play in the school's practice gym at 6 pm on all three nights.

This year's St. Joseph-Ogden varsity squad includes Sammy Uden, Addi Seggebruch, Olivia Baltzell, Katie Ericksen, Addison Frick, Taylor Hug, Kaytlyn Baker, Addie Brooks, Sara Kearney, Addy Martinie, Kayla Osterbur, and Ellie Ward.


2nd Annual
TOYOTA OF DANVILLE
TURKEY TOURNAMENT


Monday, November 14th
JV: SJO JV vs. Tri-County JV 6:00 PM (Practice Gym)
JV: Centennial JV vs. Mahomet-Seymour JV 7:30 PM (Practice Gym)
VARSITY: Centennial vs. Mahomet-Seymour 6:00 PM (Main Gym)
VARSITY: SJO vs. Tri-County 7:30 PM (Main Gym)

Tuesday, November 15th
JV: SJO JV vs. Centennial JV 6:00 PM (Practice Gym)
JV: Tri-County JV vs. Mahomet-Seymour JV 7:30 PM (Practice Gym)
VARSITY: Tri-County vs. Mahomet-Seymour 6:00 PM (Main Gym)
VARSITY: SJO vs. Centennial 7:30 PM (Main Gym)

Thursday, November 17th
JV: SJO JV vs. Mahomet-Seymour JV 6:00 PM (Practice Gym)
JV: Tri-County JV vs. Centennial JV 7:30 PM (Practice Gym)
VARSITY: Tri-County vs. Centennial 6:00 PM (Main Gym)
VARSITY: SJO vs. Mahomet-Seymour 7:30 PM (Main Gym)


Slideshow

Photo gallery from the Spartans' 2021 Turkey Tournament game against the Urbana Tigers.

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Prep Sports Notebook | Area basketball teams post losses

  • Urbana 20, Normal Community 57: The Tigers didn't hit a shot from the field in the second quarter of their road game against the Lady Ironmen on Saturday. Junior Aziyaha Davis led all Urbana scorers with six points. Jasmine McCullough and Destiny Barber rounded out the top three scorers with five and four points, respectively.

  • Hoopeston Area 69, Horizon Science Academy Southwest 48: Trenton Montez and Anthony Zamora led the Cornjerkers with 16 points apiece in pool play against the Huskies. Montez snagged four steals, while Zamora collected four of his own out of the team's total of 11. Preston VandeVeer added another eight points while Owen Root provided seven at the Watseka Christmas Tournament.

    Kendrick Sigerill, who finished with six points, led the team on the boards with six rebounds. Root and fellow junior Wyatt Eisenmann hauled in four rebounds apiece. The Hoopeston boys will face VVC foe Westville in the 5th-place game at the tournament on Tuesday.

  • St. Joseph-Ogden 26, Pleasant Plains 55: Addisyn Martinie scored a team-high 10 points in the Spartans' road loss against the Cardinals in non-conference girls action on Saturday. Addie Brooks came off the bench to post two third-quarter treys for six points. Senior Taylor Hug was held to just five points for SJO. The St. Joseph-Ogden (4-7) varsity squad hosts the one-loss Cissna Park Timberwolves (10-1) tomorrow at 6pm.

    • Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
    6-foot-3 senior Austin Langendorf gets a hand slap from a young Unity basketball fan after his team's tough 45-43 overtime loss to Pleasant Plains on Saturday.

  • Unity 43, Pleasant Plains 45: Unity snagged 21 rebounds and tallied eight assists in the 2-point overtime loss to Pleasant Plains. Head coach Matt Reed said his 5-3 team will learn from the loss and improve, especially with a tough conference schedule in front of them. "The effort [and] the desire, that was definitely there. It was just a great high school basketball game. A really good basketball game."

    The Rockets will attempt to shake the loss off and prep for an upcoming non-conference game against Paris at the Rocket Center on Tuesday.

  • Unity 36, Mt. Zion 51: Addison Ray led the Rockets with a team-high 14 points and had five boards in the program's third loss this season. Senior Abbie Piecaynski knocked down six fourth-quarter points, but it wasn't enough to close the gap with the generous Lady Braves' lead. Frosh Claire Meharry also produced her offense contribution in the final quarter with four points and grabbed eight rebounds for the now 9-4 Rockets. Lauren Miller contributed three points, three rebounds and four steals during the home stand.
    • Published on

    Blackburn-Kelley leads SJO in road loss

    Pleasant Plains – St. Joseph-Ogden opened the season on the road with one of the toughest foes on their 2024-25 schedule, falling to the Pleasant Plains Cardinals 54-19 on Thursday night. The defeat marks a challenging start for the Spartans, who finished last season with a commendable 16-12 record and a second-place finish in the Illini Prairie Conference.

    Timera Blackburn-Kelley led St. Joseph-Ogden with 10 points, demonstrating persistence despite the team's struggles. Blackburn-Kelley also went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line. Addie Brooks finished with 5 points. Kara Osterbur and Atleight Moller each added 2 points to the Spartan tally.

    On the opposing side, Pleasant Plains showcased a dominant performance, with Anna Webber leading all scorers with 23 points. Webber's scoring barrage included a remarkable stretch during the second and third quarters, where she scored all but five of her points. Bailey Leach also reached double figures, contributing 18 points and successfully converting 6 of 7 free-throw attempts.

    Looking ahead, the Spartans have a challenging road ahead as they prepare for their next three games away from home. St. Joseph-Ogden will travel to Paris (1-0) next week, followed by matches at Tuscola on December 2 and Oakwood on December 4. The Spartans' first home game is scheduled for December 5, where they will host the Danville Vikings.

    This season's Spartan team includes Katie Ericksen, Mia Jones, Sara Kearney, Timera Blackburn-Kelley, Abby Crider, Addison Brooks, Mackenzie Loschen, Hayden Dahl, Ashlyn Miller, Kenzie Atwood, Atleigh Miller, Kayla Osterburm, Lexi Lackey, and Kaitlyn Beyers.

    Keywords: St. Joseph-Ogden basketball, Pleasant Plains basketball, girls basketball season opener, Spartans game recap, Anna Webber performance, high school basketball news.
    Published on

    SJO hosts basketball shootout on Saturday

    St. Joseph-Ogden's Addie Brooks looks for an open teammate to pass the ball at last December's Country Financial Shootout. Brooks and the Spartans defeated ALAH, 49-39. Shootout hosts SJO (3-3) will play Salt Fork (7-0) at 4 PM.

    Photo: OurSentinel.com
    ST. JOSEPH - Now that the boys' Toyota of Danville Classic is in the books, St. Joseph-Ogden will host an eight-team girls' shootout this Saturday. Opening the four-game event, the Paris Tigers will take on the Cardinals of Pleasant Plains at 1 PM in the high school's main gym for The Country Financial JV/VARSITY Girls Basketball Shootout.

    Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for students with valid Student IDs.

    The Spartans will face Salt Fork at 4 PM, after the 2:30 PM Fieldcrest and Cissna Park matchup.

    Unity (6-3) will play the following nightcap at 6 PM against the Lady Warriors of Watseka.

    The Country Financial Girls Basketball Shootout Schedule
    Varsity (SJO HS Main Gym)
    Varsity: 8 Minute Quarters – 10 Minute Halftimes & 12-15 Minute Warm-Ups

    1:00 PM:
    (NE Locker Room) Pleasant Plains vs. Paris (SW Locker Room)

    2:30 PM:
    (NW Locker Room) Fieldcrest vs. Cissna Park (SE Locker Room)

    4:00 PM:
    (NE Locker Room) Salt Fork vs. St. Joseph-Ogden (SW Locker Room)

    5:30 PM:
    (NW Locker Room) Watseka vs. Unity (SE Locker Room)


    Junior Varsity (SJO PRACTICE GYM)
    JV (8 Minute Quarters – 8 Minute Halftimes & 10-12 Minute Warm-Ups) Games MAY Start Up to 15 Minutes Early

    11:00 AM:
    (NE Locker Room) Pleasant Plains vs. Paris (SW Locker Room)

    12:30 PM:
    (NW Locker Room) St. Joseph-Ogden vs. Cissna Park (SE Locker Room)

    2:00 PM:
    (NE Locker Room) Salt Fork vs. St. Joseph-Ogden (SW Locker Room)

    3:30 PM:
    (NW Locker Room) Watseka vs. Unity (SE Locker Room)

    Published on

    St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ basketball squad secures first win of the season

    TUSCOLA - The St. Joseph-Ogden girls' basketball team notched its first win of the season Tuesday night, defeating Tuscola 38-30 in a hard-fought road game. The Spartans used a strong second-half surge to seize control after a tightly contested opening.

    The Spartans (1-3) were paced by standout Kayla Osterbur, who delivered a game-high 17 points, including nine in a decisive fourth-quarter performance. Timera Blackburn-Kelley added nine points, while Hayden Dahl provided a crucial spark off the bench, sinking four of six free throws en route to seven points. Contributions from Addie Brooks and Katie Ericksen rounded out the Spartans’ balanced attack.

    Tuscola (2-3) held a slim 7-5 lead at the end of the first quarter and remained in front by a point at halftime, 16-15. Ava Boyer led the Warriors with 15 points, while Reese Davis added six. However, Tuscola struggled to maintain momentum as St. Joseph-Ogden turned up the defensive intensity in the second half.

    The third quarter saw the Spartans shift gears, holding the Warriors to just five points while gaining a 24-21 lead. Key three-pointers from Osterbur and Dahl, combined with Blackburn-Kelley’s field goal and plus one free throw, fueled the rally. In the final period, the Spartans found their offensive rhythm, tallying their highest-scoring quarter with 14 points to seal the win.

    Looking ahead, and still on the road, St. Joseph-Ogden faces Oakwood (2-5) on Wednesday before hosting their first home game of the season Thursday against Danville.

    Published on

    The moment they've trained for, Columbia Eagles take charge at state cheer

    Four-time state championship program looks to add a fifth after a strong preliminary performance on Friday.
    Columbia High School competitive cheer squad at state
    Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

    The Columbia cheerleading team stand ready to take the floor at the IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals. The Eagles emerged as the leaders in the Small School Division after Friday's first-round competition.
    BLOOMINGTON - The Columbia High School cheerleading team delivered a standout performance in the preliminary round of the 2024-25 IHSA Competitive Cheerleading State Finals on Friday, securing a commanding three-point lead in the Small School Division at Grossinger Motors Arena. With a score of 93.82, the Eagles outpaced Breese Mater Dei (90.84) and Wheaton St. Francis (90.60), positioning themselves as the team to beat heading into Saturday’s finals. Their three-point lead — a significant margin in competitive cheerleading — puts them in prime position to contend for another state title.

    Columbia cheerleaders performing at state
    Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

    The Eagles' Friday performance was the best of the top-25 small school teams in the state. Fourth in the performance order, Columbia turned on the charm for crowd-pleasing routine. The squad is back on stage in the finals at 11:30 this morning, hoping to bring home another state trophy.
    Columbia’s strong showing on Friday made a statement: Bring your A-game. The Eagles, who last won a state trophy in 2023, have finished in the top 10 for three consecutive years, including a second-place finish in 2023 and an eighth-place finish last year. With four state championships and six runner-up finishes in program history, Columbia is no stranger to competing against high-level cheer squads, boasting four state championships and six runner-up finishes in program history. Between 2009 and 2015, Columbia enjoyed a golden era, capturing four consecutive state titles.

    This year’s finals will be intense. With Breese Mater Dei and Wheaton St. Francis in the title hunt, Columbia will need to execute their tumbling runs to perfection. Richmond-Burton (90.30) and Oakwood (89.44) rounded out the top five in the Small School Division, highlighting the depth of talent in the state. The Comets from Oakwood are newcomers to championship day competition, having qualified for day two for the first time in school history.

    How Competitive Cheerleading is Scored
    Competitive cheerleading is a high-energy sport that combines powerful athleticism, complex group choreography, and synchronized teamwork. Teams are scored on a 100-point scale, with judges evaluating teams across three major categories.

    In Building Skills, stunts are assessed for difficulty, execution, and creativity, while pyramids are judged on stability, visual appeal, and synchronization. Tosses are evaluated based on height, technique, and timing, making precision and teamwork critical in this category.

    Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

    Lylah Bridges is all smiles while performing a stunt during the Eagles' routine on Friday. Bridges and her Columbia teammates are fourth in today's performance order for small school programs. They will need the same infectious energy today in their bid for a state trophy.
    The Tumbling & Jumps category focuses on athleticism and technical skill. Standing tumbling, such as back handsprings and layouts, is scored for difficulty and execution, as are running tumbling passes like fulls and whips. Jumps are judged on height, technique, and synchronization, requiring both power and precision from performers.

    The last category is Choreography & Overall Effect which emphasizes the artistry and presentation of a team's routine. Smooth transitions and creative formations are essential, while crowd-leading ability measures how well teams engage and energize the audience. Overall performance, including energy, showmanship, and the routine’s overall impression, should tie everything together to create a memorable and high-scoring performance.

    Meet the team
    The Eagles are coached by Robbie Walters, who is assisted by Marla Rose. This year's squad includes Lucy Moore, Daylen Stevens, Mia McConachie, Morgan, Kelley, Sophia Walters, Lylah Bridges, Maddie Mudd, Ava Stanley, Maya Dill, Addie Ramage and Ellie Davis.

    Schedule for Saturday
    Small & Medium School Competition

    Tickets for Saturday's finals competition are $12 at the door and can be purchased in advance online via TicketMaster or by phone at the City Box Office at (309) 434-2777.

    10:00 a.m. - Doors of the arena open to public
    10:55 a.m. - Welcome & National Anthem
    11:00 a.m. - Small and Medium Team Finals
    (Small and Medium team performances alternate)
    12:45 p.m. - Small Team Awards
    1:15 p.m. - Medium Team Awards

    Top ten teams advancing to Saturday's Finals
    1 - Columbia 93.82
    2 - Breese Mater Dei 90.84
    3 - St. Francis 90.60
    4 - Richmond-Burton 90.30
    5 - Oakwood 89.44
    6 - Breese Central 88.92
    7 - Lexington 88.70
    8 - North Boone 88.60
    9 - Wilmington 88.36
    10 - Carterville 88.06
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