St. Joseph-Ogden used balanced scoring and composure on the road to beat Watseka 65-54. Brooks, Ericksen and Hayden Dahl combined for 45 points for the Spartans.
by Clark Brooks The Sentinel WATSEKA - St. Joseph-Ogden arrived at Watseka High School on Monday facing a Warriors team that had built its reputation on defense, but the Spartans left with a statement road win and a familiar formula: balance, patience and perimeter shooting.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Addie Brooks follows through on a shot during the Spartans home game against LeRoy. The senior scored 18 points in last Monday's game against Watseka.
Senior Addie Brooks made the outcome feel inevitable. Brooks earned Player of the Game honors after drilling five three-pointers over the first three quarters, finishing with a game-high 18 points to lift St. Joseph-Ogden to a 65-54 victory in the rescheduled Country Financial Shootout. The win pushed the Spartans’ record to 8-1 and reinforced their ability to execute away from home.
Watseka entered the matchup having held Centennial and Oakwood under 20 points, but the Warriors were unable to slow St. Joseph-Ogden’s long-range efficiency. The Spartans averaged three three-pointers per quarter and finished the night with 13 from beyond the arc, repeatedly stretching the defense and opening lanes for ball movement.
St. Joseph-Ogden set the tone early, knocking down five three-pointers in the opening quarter. Brooks accounted for three of them, while Hayden Dahl added a pair. Timera Blackburn-Kelley capped the run by sinking two free throws, giving the Spartans a 17-13 lead after one quarter. From there, St. Joseph-Ogden kept steady pressure on the scoreboard, carrying a lead through the first three quarters that Watseka could not erase.
Katie Ericksen delivered a strong second-half surge, finishing with 14 points behind four three-pointers after halftime and perfect shooting from the free-throw line. Dahl added 13 points, providing a consistent scoring presence, while Blackburn-Kelley narrowly missed double figures with nine points and key contributions on both ends of the floor.
Watseka countered with balanced scoring of its own. Senior Christa Holohan led the Warriors with 14 points and was a perfect 4-for-4 at the free-throw line. Junior Rennah Barrett chipped in 11 points, and Leigha Covarrubias added 10 as three Warriors reached double figures.
Despite Watseka’s depth, St. Joseph-Ogden controlled the tempo and answered each push with timely shooting and composure.
Next up, St. Joseph-Ogden opens tournament play against El Paso-Gridley at Bloomington High School on Friday at 10:30 a.m.
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TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball Watseka game, Country Financial Shootout SJO Watseka, Addie Brooks Player of the Game SJO, St. Joseph-Ogden road win girls basketball, Watseka Warriors vs Spartans basketball
St. Joseph-Ogden dropped a 59-55 decision to visiting Sullivan on Jan. 5 after a late fourth-quarter push.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Hayden Dahl looks to make a pass in SJO's home game against Sullivan. Dahl finished the game with 8 points and 11 rebounds in the Spartans' non-conference loss last Monday. See more photos from St. Joseph-Ogden's home game against Sullivan.
ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden led early and battled to the final minute, but a cold stretch and timely second-half scoring from Sullivan proved costly in a 59-55 loss to the visiting Redskins on Monday, Jan. 5.
The setback marked a third consecutive defeat for the Spartans, who slipped to 9-4 on the season. Sullivan improved to 10-6 with the road win.
St. Joseph-Ogden opened the game with energy, jumping out to a 6-0 lead on an early three-pointer from Katie Ericksen and maintaining control throughout the first quarter. The Spartans stretched the margin to seven points during the period, using crisp ball movement and patient shot selection to keep Sullivan on its heels.
Momentum shifted early in the second quarter. After nearly three and a half minutes of play, Sullivan grabbed a 19-18 lead and used the final 4 minutes and 38 seconds of the half to build an eight-point advantage. St. Joseph-Ogden struggled to find rhythm offensively during the stretch, managing just one field goal, a three-pointer from Addie Brooks, while turnovers added to the challenge.
"We didn't relly come out in the second quarter as a team," Brooks said. "It took us a little too long to come back together and pull through. We got to fix that in practice."
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
SJO's Kayla Osterbur tries to get around a Sullivan player for another rebound. The senior finished the game with a double-double.
Sullivan carried that momentum into the third quarter, pushing its lead to double digits on three occasions. Freshman Elin Watkins began to assert herself offensively, attacking gaps and finishing in transition as the Redskins created separation. Still, the Spartans remained composed and methodically worked their way back into the game.
In the fourth quarter, St. Joseph-Ogden closed within 54-52 on a basket from Kayla Osterbur, bringing the crowd to its feet. Osterbur scored once more before fouling out with 1:05 remaining, with the Spartans trailing by three. After her exit, St. Joseph-Ogden managed just one additional free throw down the stretch.
"I was disappointed in our effort on both ends of the floor. We weren't very crisp," said head coach Brian Brooks. "I'm not taking anything away from them (Sullivan). They capitalized on it."
Brooks said the number of game over the past two weeks, coupled with weather-related cancellations hadn't given the team ample time to practice.
"We've played a lot of games lately. We haven't been practicing because it, not enough, and it is showing right now," he said. "We've lost three, one or two possession games in the last week. That can't happen."
Addie Brooks led the Spartans with 17 points, connecting on five three-pointers and going 2-for-2 at the free-throw line. Osterbur posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Hayden Dahl added eight points and 11 boards. Ericksen finished with nine points and eight assists, and Timera Blackburn-Kelley chipped in six.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Spartan head coach Brian Brooks make a strategy change in the fourth quarter that helped SJO get within two points of tying the game. St. Joseph-Ogden has suffered three consecutive losses by four or fewer points.
Watkins led all scorers with 20 points for Sullivan, 16 coming in the second half. Senior Aeralyn Thrasher added 18 as the Redskins secured their second win in three games.
The Spartans turned the ball over 16 times.
"We gave them a lot of possessions on both ends of the floor," Brooks said. "We just got to get back to what we do in practice. We had some great practice habits early in the season. We've got to get back to that."
More SJO Sports Articles
St. Joseph-Ogden vs Sullivan girls basketball recap, Addison Brooks five three-pointers SJO, Sullivan Redskins road win girls basketball, Illinois high school girls basketball Jan 5, SJO girls basketball third straight loss
Unity's Lauren Miller blocks a shot from St. Joseph-Ogden's Ashlyn Lannert during the first half of their Illini Prairie Conference game on Saturday. With home court advantage, the Spartans won the contest 49-27 to clinch the Illini Prairie Conference title. Miller finished the game with six points, five rebounds, and four assists for the Rockets.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Unity head coach Dave Ellars reminds his players to keep their arms up during second quarter play against the Spartans.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Keep the ball away from Unity's Erika Steinman, Addison Frick secures a loose ball for the Spartans during the first half of the game. The sophomore guard finished the game with six points.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
SJO's Ella Armstrong goes after the ball for a steal from Rockets' Addison Ray. Armstrong finished with a game-high 12 points for the Spartans. Ray, who went of 0-2 from the free throw line, contributed one field goal in Unity's loss and finished with a hard-fought five rebounds.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Katey Moore hauls in a offensive rebound for the Rockets. The senior guard chipped in six of the team's 27 points.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden senior Ashlyn Lannert tries to put a shot up over Unity's Katey Moore during the fourth quarter. Lannert finished the night with two points drained back in the first quarter of the contest.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Spartans' Ella Armstrong puts up a fourth-quarter shot on Unity's Lauren Miller. Armstrong, a senior, was the only player to score in all four quarters of the game on Saturday.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Rocket's Addison Ray looks to make a pass after coming up with a loose ball in the fourth quarter. Unity dropped to 20-8 overall and 6-3 in conference play after the loss to the Spartans. Ray and the Rockets hope to correct their three-game skid against 18-10 Monticello tonight at 7pm.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Kaytlyn Baker drives past Unity's Erika Steinman into the paint. Baker came off the bench late in the final quarter contributing a free throw to the Spartan's cause. The St. Joseph-Ogden girls team is back in action tonight against the Panthers of Paxton-Buckley-Loda (11-16) in their final IPC game of the season.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Unity senior Gracie Renfrow congratulates SJO players and staff on their win on Saturday.
Search the PhotoNews Media archives for more photos:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
ST. JOSEPH - At the end of the first quarter, the St. Joseph-Ogden girls' basketball team trailed on the scoreboard by four in the season opener at home last Saturday. Despite six different players putting points in the scorebook, the Spartans fell after a gritty effort, 48-41.
Addison Frick led SJO's scoring effort with a team-high 15 points. The senior drained three treys and went 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
St. Joseph-Ogden's Katie Ericksen looks for an open teammate to pass the ball around the defensive efforts of Pleasant Plains Bailey Leach during second-quarter action of the Spartans' home opener last Saturday. Ericksen finished the game with four points in the first half.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Addisyn Martinie, also a senior, finished the game with ten points, eight collected in the final quarter. Addison Seggebruch, also a senior, closed-out the game two points shy of reach double-digits with eight points.
The Spartans struggled defensively to contain the Cardinals' young forward Anna Weber. The sophomore, who sank five of her eight free throws, led all scorers with 18 points. Dropping ten points in the first quarter Weber set the tone for the remaining three.
With SJO's focused on stopping Weber, it allowed Plains' Bailey Leach and Madison Burke to enjoy a number of open looks. Burke, also a sophomore, scored 13 points, while Leach added another ten.
Three other St. Joseph-Ogden players contributed in the team's scoring effort. Katie Ericksen delivered four points in the first quarter, Addison Brooks came off the bench to hit a three in the third quarter, and Timera Blackburn-Kelley chipped in a free-throw.
Next week, the Spartans host Tuscola on Monday and play their first road game of the 2023-24 season at Danville.
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St. Joseph - Earlier this week, St. Joseph-Ogden High School announced the third quarter Honor Roll and High Honor Roll recipients. This year's freshman class labored to produce 72 scholars who earned High Honor recognition.
To receive Honor Roll recognition at SJO, students must earn a grade point average of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Students whose GPA is above 3.74 are recognized as High Honor Roll students. Below is the list of this semester's students who achieved High Honor Roll recognition. Follow this link to see the names of students who made the Honor Roll.
Seniors
Alyssa Acton
McGwire Atwood
Kaytlyn Baker Olivia Baltzell
Cara Blanchard
Taylor Burch
Tyler Burch
Maddux Carter
Yamilka Casanova
Ariana Chambers
Madelynn Cook
Morgan Cramer
Aiden Cromwell
Zachary Dahman
Aleah Dial
Emily Elsbernd
Leah Finley
Joselyn Frerichs
Jessica Gadbury
Brent Golladay
Kennedy Greer
Kylie Greer
Andrew Guelfi
Mikyla Haley
Hayden Henkelman
Maya Hewkin Taylor Hug Shayne Immke
Emily Jeffries
Peyton Jones
Cameran Kelley
Jade Kelley
Jacob Kern
Aaron Lane
Collin Livesay
Haleigh Maddock
Kyle Meccoli
Teagan Miller
Courtney Myren
Ava Northen
Madeline Osterbur
Allegra Pearman Ty Pence
Jack Robertson
Kirsten Schaefer
Johanna Schmitz
Jack Setterdahl
Isabel Sexton
Paige Siegmund
Payton Vander Logt
Taylor Voorhees
Alayna Wagle
Emma Ward
Maggie Ward
Juniors
Edward Alewelt
Logan Allen
Aden Armstrong
Owen Baltzell
Samantha Beetz
Chloe Burkhalter
Payton Carter
Rachel Divan
Sadie Ericksen
Addison Frick
Grace Getty
Chloe Harper
Rachel Harris
Brody Hausman
Annabelle Hueber
Tanner Jacob
Kya Jolley
Helene Jones
Lauren Lannert
Hayden Lewis
Quinn Lewis
Taylyn Lockhart
Addisyn Martinie
Shannon McMahon
Talan Miller
Isaiah Mock
Caleb Ochs
Macy Reed-Thompson Addison Roesch
Addison Ross
Daniel Santiago
Addison Seggebruck
Lucas Skelton Logan Smith
Dylan Smoot
Drew Thurman
Emma Thurman
Braxton Waller
Elissia Ward
Colin Wayland
Corbin Wells
Hayden Williams
Peyton Williams Spencer Wilson
Sophomores
EJ Beckett
Audrey Benoit
William Besson
Sul Bonny
Preslee Christians
Madison Clampitt
Ella Dietiker
Luke Ditchfield
Jackson Ennis
Savanna Franzen
Addison Funk
Tayton Gerdes
Olivia Getty
Makennah Hamilton
Lauren Harris
Maebree Houston
Paige Johnson
Dylan Jones
Amilliya Kindle
Madison Lankster
Logan Mills
Gabriel Mortlock
Grace Osterbur
Chayse Palmer
Sonia Patel
Nathan Phillips
Audrey Ruppel
Charles Schmitz
Kyler Swanson
Collin Thomey
Samantha Uden
Kailynn West
Reese Wheatley
Charley Wright
Fiona Xiao
Freshman
Trevor Ames
Kylie Barrowman
Lexie Barrowman
Kaitlyn Beyers
Emily Bird
Tim Blackburn-Kelley
Aiden Bonny
Addison Brooks
Sara Bytnar
Shelby Campbell
Jacob Carlson
William Carlson
Rudra Chaudhary
Adelyn Childers
Christopher Coffey
Katie Ericksen
Callie Evans
Abigail Getty
Camden Getty
Brandon Goodwin
William Haley
Zachary Harper
Claire Hartman
Amelia Huckstadt
Lydia Huckstadt
Adalyn Jannusch
Kaelyn Jolley
Sophia Kasper
Madilyn Kelley
Cooper Kietzman
Alexis Lackey
Ryker Lockhart
Mackenzie Loschen
Michael McDaniel
Isabelle McGinnis
Emma McKinney
Kodey McKinney
Patrick McMahon
Ava Midkiff
Ashlyn Miller
Hannah Mock
Delaney Nekolny
Allison Ochs
Brennan Oleynichak
Kayla Osterbur
Colton Overstreet
Garrick Page
Branson Pearman
Kaleb Peoples
Asher Pruemer
Ainsley Rhoton
Lily Rice
Landon Roberts
Amber Ruppel
Cameron Schluter
Allison Schmitz
Trevor Sexton
Landon Smith
Lucas Smith
Tao Smith
Karleigh Spain
Quinn Stahl
Sydney Steinbach
Hadley Sweet
Carlee Taylor
Luke Tranel
Hunter Van Meenen
Sophia Vliet
Madeline Wells
Wyatt Wertz
Logan Xiao
Cyrus Zadeh
Chelsey Stotler of Stark County wins Class 1A shot put at IHSA State Finals with a 12.91m throw, improving from 4th last year. Nashville’s Makayla Gajewski falls just 0.08m short of defending her 1A shot put title, takes 2nd at 12.83m.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Making her third throw during Thursday's prelims, Stark County's Chelsey Stotler tosses her shot this year's top distance. Moving up from a 4th place finish in 2024, Stotler, a senior, ends her prep career on a championship note. CHARLESTON - Stark County senior Chelsey Stotler delivered a championship throw of 12.91 meters to win the Class 1A shot put title Saturday at the IHSA Girls Track & Field State Finals at Eastern Illinois University, capping a steady climb from last year’s podium.
Stotler, who placed fourth in 2024 with an 11.80-meter effort, improved by more than a full meter in her final high school appearance. She entered the state series with the third-best sectional mark at 12.51 meters but found another gear in the finals to edge out a deep field that included several returning state qualifiers.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Hornets' Makayla Gajewski unloads a long throw while attempting to defend her 2024 IHSA shot put title. Heading into the state meet, the sophomore posted the best throw out all 14 sectionals.
Nashville sophomore Makayla Gajewski, last year’s state champion with a 12.11-meter throw, came within inches of repeating. She finished second at 12.83 meters, just 0.08 meters shy of Stotler’s winning mark. Gajewski’s 13.06-meter sectional throw led the state this spring, and her silver-medal finish suggests she’ll remain a contender for years to come.
Maroa-Forsyth’s Zion Young, also a sophomore, earned her second consecutive top-three finish with a 12.41-meter throw to take third. She placed third in 2024 as well, throwing 11.83 meters as a freshman representing Decatur St. Teresa. Her progression signals a strong upward trajectory in the event.
Vandalia junior Hannah Brown rounded out the top four with a personal-best 12.34-meter throw—nearly a full meter improvement from her ninth-place finish a year ago (11.22 meters). Brown qualified this year with a 11.29-meter sectional mark and found her best form when it mattered most.
The top four athletes in this year’s finals all returned from last year’s state field, making their improvements and consistency stand out in a discipline that demands technical precision and raw strength. Each surpassed their previous state finals marks by wide margins—demonstrating year-over-year growth that underscores the level of competition in the small-school division.
Left to right: Nashville senior Ellie Bartling makes her first throw during the prelims. Second: Hannah Brown throws the put 12.34m for a new PR. Third: Carlinville's Hannah Gibson reacts after her second foul. Fourth: El Paso-Gridley's throws the shot 11.62m on her third attempt.
Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Maroa-Forsyth sophomore Zion Young throws the shot 11.99m on her third throw. She also finished third in the final standings her freshman season.
While no athlete approached the state record of 15.55 meters set by Kathleen Young in 2016, this year’s results highlight the competitive depth and promise of a new generation of throwers.
The 1A field also featured several other athletes who returned from last year’s finals, including Warrensburg-Latham’s Emma Whightsil (6th, 12.14m in 2025; 10th, 11.16m in 2024), St. Teresa’s Addison Johnson (10th, 11.50m; 6th, 11.56m in 2024), Nashville’s Ellie Bartling (9th, 11.72m), and Carlinville’s Hannah Gibson (12th, 11.12m), each of whom continued to show consistency at the state level.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Watseka's Megan Martin throws the shot to her longest distance for the day to 10.41m from the circle. She finished 22nd overall out of 36 competitors.
IHSA 1A girls shot put 2025, Chelsey Stotler shot put state champion, Illinois high school track and field finals, 2025 IHSA girls track field results, Class 1A shot put results Charleston, Makayla Gajewski Nashville track and field, Zion Young Maroa-Forsyth shot put, Hannah Brown Vandalia shot put performance
Individual standouts powered Unity’s run through the tournament. Hunter Shike and Chason Daley both finished 6-0, recording multiple...
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