SJO dedicates athletic complex to long-time supporter

Former St. Joseph-Ogden Athletic Director and head football coach Dick Duval speaks during the dedication of school's athletic complex to district long-time employee and volunteer Glenn Fisher. A close and respected friend of Fisher for 32 years, Duval regaled stories of his extraordinary dedication in the caretaking of school's athletic fields, scoreboards and facilities.

"He has wired every scoreboard here, inside and out, and the controls and the power for them. He installed play clocks. He installed locker room clocks. He installed the lights around the basketball backboards," Duval told spectators before the start of SJO final home football game of the 2020-21 season. "Glenn has done it all because he loved SJO. He loved doing things to benefit the kids, no matter what it took."

Fisher passed away at the beginning of the year on January 7.

Duval also underscored Fisher's humility.

"Glenn is up there in heaven shaking his head at us because he did not want this," he said, relating a story about the moment he and the group shared with his old friend the school board's decision to name the facility after him. "In my 32 years of knowing Glenn, I never heard him swear until that day. He swore at me. He didn't think he deserved it. He didn't want it."

"I told him tough," Duval said. "It's already done. It's gonna happen."

The athletic complex includes the track and football field, the football practice field and the gym as well as both the softball and baseball fields located on the school grounds.

3rd inning rally secures Spartan baseball victory

St. Joseph-Ogden's Hayden Brazelton puts the ball during Monday's home baseball game against Oakwood. SJO (4-0) remains undefeated after knocking off the Comets, 7-1. Later, in the bottom of the fourth inning, Brazelton hit the games only home run. The junior also finished with two runs and one RBI after four trips to the plate in the non-conference game held at the Glenn Fisher Athletic Complex.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Baker sets hurdles PR, SJO girls snag 9 first at home meet

The St. Joseph-Ogden girls track team took first place in nine events in a home dual meet against Eureka last Thursday.

Haleigh Maddock turned in a 31.10 in the 200m Dash. She was followed over the finish line by teammates Yamilka Casanova (32.32) and Jayci Hayes (32.48) to secure the top three spots on the podium.

SJO's Malorie Sarnecki won the 400m Dash with at time of 1:07:53. The performance was prep personal record for the junior middle distance runner.

In the hurdles, Kaytlyn Baker set a new PR finishing the 100m hurdles at 18.10. In her first meet of the Spring 2021 season against Clinton, the sophomore turned in 18.51 in the event.

Baker also placed second the 300m Hurdles following Ashlyn Lannert over the line at 54.47. Lannert, a junior, won the event with a time of 53.47, just a little under her personal best in the race at 51.53.

The Spartans enjoyed first place finishes in two of the four relay events at the meet.

The Womens 4x100m relay quartet of Atleigh Hamilton, Payton Carter, Raegan Crippen and Macy Reed-Thompson finished more than two second ahead of the Hornets contingent at 52.18 to take first.

The same four Spartans joined forces for another first place finish, this time in the 4x200m relay. The foursome's combined efforts yielded a time of 1:53.13.

Reed-Thompson also earned another gold medal worthy finish taking the top honor in the High Jump. The freshman tallied first place points after her best attempt at 1.49m.

Also earning field event points for SJO, Carter cleared 2.9 meters in the Women Pole Vault for another first place Spartan finish.

Finally, it comes as no surprise that the winner of the Women's Long Jump was 2x Class 1A state champion was Atleigh Hamilton.

The senior cleared 5.23 meters, or 17 feet and 1.91 inches, of sand in her home pit to win the pit. Her best mark in the event, set at the 2019 state championships, is 5.68m (18' 7.75").

The Spartans will host their third meet of the season in a quad event featuring Shelbyville, Judah Christian and St. Teresa tomorrow at the Glenn Fisher Athletic Complex starting at 4pm.

Miller rips first home run of the season

With SJO down 1-2 in the first inning, Coby Miller watches his ball go high and deep toward centerfield on his first trip to the plate in almost two years. Nearly 80 baseball fans watched the ball sail over the fence for his 3-run homer in St. Joseph-Ogden's season opener against Centennial. After the dust had settled at the Glenn Fisher Sports Complex, Miller finished the day with 2 runs and 4 rbi, includin on one hit. The Spartans defeated the visiting Chargers 9-5 in non-conference baseball action at home on Monday. More photos from this game coming soon.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Spartan football: What spectators need to know this season

SJO students cheer for the Spartans during the team's 2019 home football game against Central Catholic. St. Joseph-Ogden issued the school's ticketing and admissions policy for the upcoming football season.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks


This week, St. Joseph-Ogden High School announced its guidelines for fan and spectator attendance for this season's home football games.

With IHSA and Illinois Department of Public Health agreeing to increase fan capacity at outdoor events to 20%, the school will allow 735 spectators into the facility to view varsity home games. Through the school's ticketing system 115 tickets are allocated for visiting fans, 100 will be distributed among the student body and 520 will be available for general admission into the two home varsity contests this season.

The ticketing system will not be used for the five total Junior Varsity and Freshman/Sophomore home games. The Fresh/Soph team will open their season at the newly renamed Dick Duval Field on March 22 with a 6pm battle against Illinois Valley Central.

The varsity squad will take play the first of their two home games on March 26 against Pontiac. SJO senior football players, cheerleaders and band members will be honored for their contribution and dedication before kickoff that evening.

Key points in the guidelines that fans and spectators will need to remember are masks must be worn at all times, only spectators with printed tickets will be allowed to enter, and failure to follow any of the established IDPH guidelines "will result in immediate removal from the facility." Fans will be able to enter through any of sports complex's three gates into the Glenn Fisher Athletic Complex.

Fans for both home and away teams unable to secure a game ticket or who would rather enjoy at watch party at home can watch games via the NFHS streaming services. The SJO Fan Club purchased a video system that now allows home football games to be streamed live as well as recorded for later viewing. If you are not already a subscriber, follow this link sign up for a monthly or annual subscription to watch SJO athletics live. Monthly passes are just $10.99 each or save 47% and purchase an annual subscription at $69.99. A portion of the annual purchase is donated to the school by NFHS.

Otherwise, admission to the game for both home and away fans is $4 per person. SJO students will be admitted at no charge.

Fans and spectator can familiarize themselves with the guidelines available here: St. Joseph-Ogden Guidelines for Spectators.


St. Joseph-Ogden 2020 football schedule is set

Jarrett Stevenson carries the ball down the field for the Spartans against Prairie Central. SJO will face the Hawks at home on October 2 as one of four home games this season. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Things are shaping up for the return of prep sports to the newly named Glenn Fisher Athletic Complex this fall. This week, the Illinois High School Association has released schedules for the upcoming high school football season.

The Spartans kickoff the 2020 campaign with a road opener against last year's Class 2A state runner-up Nashville. The Hornets, who replaced St. Thomas More on the schedule, outscored postseason opponents 153-89 despite a 21 point loss to Newman Catholic last fall.

Earlier this year, the Sabers announced they would move to seven-man competition this season.

The trip to Nashville is the only non-Illini Prairie Conference matchup on the schedule. In 2021, Paxton-Buckley-Loda will return to the Spartans' schedule as a member of the IPC.

The program will play its first of it four home contests at Dick Duval Field on September 4 against Rantoul and will close out the regular seasons against Monticello.

SJO finished their 2019 campaign with a 5-5 record and first-round playoff 54-26 loss the Williamsburg. The Bullets, who crushed opponents from week one last August, finished the season undefeated with the Class 3A title.

2020 St. Joseph-Ogden
Football Schedule

Aug 28 7:00 Away Nashville
Sep 4 7:00 Home Rantoul
Sep 11 7:00 Away Central Catholic
Sep 18 7:00 Home Unity
Sep 25 7:00 Away Pontiac
Oct 2 7:00 Home Prairie Central
Oct 9 7:00 Away Illinois Valley Central
Oct 16 7:00 Away Olympia
Oct 23 7:00 Home Monticello


2020 SJO Hall of Fame class honored tonight

St. Joseph - Due to COVID guidelines and the suspension of the fall 2020 football season, the 2020 SJO Hall of Fame class will be honored tonight during St. Joseph-Ogden's home football opener against Monticello at Dick Duval Field.

Tonight, four individuals will be welcomed into the 8th Hall of Fame class. Amy Scharlau-Lewis, Gary Garrison, Greg Knott and Ron White will receive well-deserved recognition for their outstanding athletic career as an SJO athlete

Amy Scharlau Lewis, who graduated in 1991 was a member of the National Honor Society and the Scholastic Bowl team. She was a two-year letter winner and captain of the volleyball team in 1990. A four-year softball letter winner, she earned All-Conference first team recognition three times. In 1990 and 1991, her name made the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette's All-Area Softball list. Her senior year she was a team captain and later became the News-Gazette Softball Player of the Year. She was also a member of the 1989 IHSA State Softball All-Tournament Team.

For over 30 years, Gary Garrison served as a guidance counselor, teacher, and coach at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. As the boys' head track coach he brought home two IHSA state championship titles under the two-class system in both 1993 and 2000. He was also an assistant coach for the SJO girls’ track team that won a 2000 state title.

Also being recognized is 1984 SJO graduate Greg Knott. A knowledgeable source on the history of St. Joseph, he played football from 1980-1983. During the winter season, he was a varsity manager for Coach Randy Wolken during basketball season from 1982-1984 and during the softball manager from 1983-1984. Knott was also elected to President of the SJO Letterman’s Club his senior year and was on the yearbook staff.

The fourth honoree is Ron White, who played football for the University of Illinois earning his varsity college letters in 1975 and 1976. Before attending the U of I, White was a three-sport athlete at SJO. In addition to earning recognition as an All-Area Offensive and Defensive lineman, the 1972 graduate was president of the Student Council his senior year. He lettered twice in basketball and earned three varsity letters in both football and baseball.

Past Hall of Fame recepients include:

Class of 2019

STEPHANIE FISCUS
JIM ACKLIN
JOHN BUSS
Class of 2018

ASHLEY WRIGHT (Paddock)
LES HOVELN
STEVE MADDOCK
ROBBIE RING
Class of 2017

KELLY FRANZEN (MARSH)
PAT GEGG
LES MEIER
Class of 2016

NICKI BRYANT
SEAN FREEMAN
JIM RISLEY
Class of 2015

PATTY PLYMIRE  
KENNETH MCGEE  
BOB KARY  
ALLISON PRESLEY  
Class of 2014

RICH CONNELL  
DALE DOEHRING  
NITA BROOKS  
SARA ULBRICH GREENSTEIN  
Class of 2013

RON WRATHER  
MARK SJUTS  
JUDY CHIZEK GRAFFIS  
DEON FLESSNER  
RUDY SCHMIDT  
MARIANNE DICKERSON  
LES BUSBOOM  
JENNIFER BROWN  
GLENN FISHER  
RICK SCHMIDT  


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