Sentinel area basketball scores for December 20

PHOTO: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Kenzie Atwood and Hayden Dahl fight for rebound under the basket with LeRoy's Sadee Owens. The Spartans defeated the Panthers (8-4) on Friday, December 19, by 19 points, 59-40. The Spartans are back in action at home on Monday, hosting Watseka (10-1). Beating Rantoul back on December 3, SJO will be the Warriors' second Illini Prairie foe this season.

Here are scores and recaps for our area prep basketball teams from Saturday, December 20.

Girls Basketball

Heritage girls win two at Walsh tournament


BEMENT -The Heritage Hawks won two games on Saturday, improving to a 12-3 record after beating Arthur-Okaw Christian and Unity Christian at the annual Mike Walsh Memorial Tournament

The Hawks jumped out to a 10-point first quarter lead against the Conquering Riders and never looked back, winning 52-43. Avery Herschberger drained 25 points for AOC in the loss.

Heritage picked up their second win after knocking off Unity Christian 48-43 in tournament play. The Hawks face Windsor-Stewardson-Straburg (5-4) on Monday at 7:30 p.m.

Eagles outlast Conquering Riders in tournament play


BEMENT - Rantoul held off a fourth-quarter rally from Arthur-Okaw Christian (7-5) for another win on Saturday, beating the Conquering Riders, 53-51. Josie Roseman and Erykah Baltimore led the Eagles with 15 and 10 points, respectively. Jayden Rosenberger went 2-for-2 from the free throw line. Enjoying a three-game win streak, he Eagles improved to 8-9 on the season.

Brileight Mast grabbed eight team-high rebounds for AOC, finishing with six points. Sophomore Avery Herschberger led all scorers with 17 points, four rebounds and four assists. Elsie Beever scored 12 points to keep the game with in reach at the Mike Walsh Memorial Tournament in Bement.

Rantoul 56, Unity Christian 51


BEMENT - The Rantoul girls basketball team defeated Unity Christian 56-51 in tournament play on Saturday thanks behind 23 points from senior Josie Roseman. Erykah Baltimore, who shot 67% from the free throw line, finished with 14 points. Laniece Johnson chipped in 11 points against the Lions.

Girls' Area Scoreboard


Mt. Zion 57, Unity 25
St. Joseph-Ogden 68, Charleston 37
Rantoul 56, Unity Christian 51
Rantoul, 53, Arthur-Okaw Christian 51
Paxton-Buckley-Loda 42, St. Thomas More 23
Watseka 56, Centennial 19
Heritage 52, Arthur-Okaw Christian 43
Heritage 48, Unity Christian 43


Boys Basketball

Boys' Area Scoreboard


Urbana 51, Romeoville 42
Oakwood 55, Watseka 54


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TAGS: SJO girls basketball beats Charleston, Heritage wins back-to-back tournament games, Rantoul wins at Mike Walsh Memorial Tournament, Oakwood Comets basketball team defeats Watseka Warriors
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Prep Sports Notebook |
Area basketball scores for December 3

Here are scores and recaps for Wednesday's basketball games in and around Champaign County.


Boys Basketball

Charleston pics up first win at Toyota of Danville Classic


ST. JOSEPH - Tyler Oakley went 2-for-2 from the free throw line on his way to an 18-point night at the St. Joe tournament on Wednesday. Braxton Honner and Quinn Taylor scored nine points each in the team's first win of the season.

Despite a top-tier effort from Dierks Neukomm with 25 points and Seth Walder's 21, the Timberwolves fall to 0-3 on the season and still looking for a tournament win this week.

Fourth-quarter romp fuels Watseka comeback


ST. JOSEPH - Payton Schaumburg dropped 30 points in Watseka's Toyota of Danville Classic game against Oakwood. Tyler Waugh added 17 in the tournament win for the Warriors to post a 55-54 victory in Wednesday evening's game.

Oakwood led most of the game behind double digit performances from Alex Wallace with 14 points and Carsen Dudley's 12.

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B-Mac rolls past PBL Panthers


ST. JOSEPH - Richie Darr talled 14 points in Bishop McNamara's 51-38 win over Paxton-Buckley-Loda. Balanced scoring from seven other players sealed the Fightin' Irish's fifth win of the season.

Ethan Williams paced the Panthers with 16 points. Tyler Cole was kept quiet, scoring just eight points, and Carson Goss chipped in six points in the loss.


Boys' Area Scoreboard


Toyota of Danville Classic

Watseka 55, Oakwood 54

Other area game results

Springfield HS 53, Central 42


Girls Basketball

Comet girls fall to Illineks


Oakwood - A weak second quarter allowed U-High to take a five-point lead at the half in their road game at Oakwood on the way to a 37-36 win on Wednesday.

Caydence Vermillion finished the game for the Comets with 11 points and 13 boards. Gracie Hanner turned nine points and four rebounds in the non-conference loss.

Josie Roseman leads Eagles in loss


Watseka - Rantoul's Josie Roseman scored 15 points and made 8 out of her 10 free throws in the Eagles road game against the Warriors. Junior Addyson Sherrick hit three treys for nine points and senior Joselyn Espinoza had two of her own on the way to an 8-point finish.


Girls' Area Scoreboard


Urbana University 37, Oakwood 36
Watseka 72, Rantoul 50
Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin 36, Paxton-Buckley-Loda 31
Glenwood 65, Centennial 29
Clinton 64, Unity 24


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TAGS: Central Illinois basketball scores, Watseka boys basketball team wins, Toyota of Danville Classic scores
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Ten local players earn all-conference volleyball recognition in Illini Prairie Conference

The all-conference list reflects depth across local programs, with STM accounting for half of the area selections.


URBANA - The Illini Prairie Conference released its all-conference volleyball teams last week, and 10 players from St. Thomas More, Unity, and St. Joseph-Ogden earned postseason recognition for their performances throughout the fall.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Unity's Jillian Schlittler
St. Thomas More led the area with five selections after finishing 23-13 and second in the league at 7-2. Seniors Campbell Phillips and Cassidy Monahan were named to the First Team, helping the Sabers post wins over four of the five Champaign County opponents on their schedule. Their only local loss came in a narrow 2-1 setback against St. Joseph-Ogden. Senior Sophia Hill earned a Second Team spot, while senior Audrey Gooding and junior Juju Kerr collected Honorable Mention honors.

Unity had two players represented on this year’s list. Senior Jillian Schlittler, who guided the Rockets to a regional championship, earned First Team honors. Sophomore Olivia Williams added an Honorable Mention nod. The Rockets started hot with wins over Bismarck-Henning, LeRoy, and Mattoon before their season ended in the sectional semifinal against Class 2A runner-up Bloomington Central Catholic.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
SJO's Emma McKinney
St. Joseph-Ogden placed three players on the all-conference lists. Senior Emma McKinney was named to the Second Team, while juniors Hadley McDonald and Emerson Williams received Honorable Mentions. The Spartans closed the season at 13-21 but earned notable wins over Danville, Kankakee, and Rock Island.

Below is the complete list of Illini Prairie Conference all-conference honorees for the 2024 volleyball season.


First Team All-Conference

Name - Grade - School
1 Kampbell Niepagen Jr. BCC
2 Kayt Miller Jr. IVC
3 Mady Melton Sr. MHS
4 Cassidy Monahan Sr. STM
5 Rosie Krenz Sr. BCC
6 Trinity Cheek Jr. PTHS
7 Jillian Schlittler Sr. UNITY
8 Aubrey Fair Sr. BCC
9 Paige Young Sr. PC
10 Campbell Phillips Sr. STM

Second Team All-Conference

Name - Grade - School
1 Jayce Taylor Jr. IVC
2 Ashley Stiverson Sr. MHS
3 Addison Hoeniges Sr. BCC
4 Ellie Dirks So. PBL
5 Morgan Dewald Sr. PTHS
6 Miranda Hari Jr. PC
7 Emma McKinney Sr. SJO
8 Kendall Fair Jr. BCC
9 Airiana Bell Sr. RHS
10 Sophia Hill Sr. STM

Honorable Mention

Name - Grade - School
1 Trinity Miller Sr. PTHS
2 Olivia Williams So. UNITY
3 Kyah Creek Sr. PC
4 Audrey Gooding Sr. STM
5 Juju Kerr Jr. STM
6 Regan Baker So. BCC
7 Josie Certa Sr. BCC
8 Addison Finet Sr. MHS
9 Josie Roseman Sr. RHS
10 Hadley McDonald Jr. SJO
11 Emerson Williams Jr. SJO


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TAGS: illini prairie conference volleyball awards, st thomas more five all-conference players, unity rockets volleyball first team schlittler, st joseph-ogden volleyball all-conference honorees, central illinois high school volleyball postseason recognition
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Thursday prep basketball recaps and scores for January 22

Here are recaps and scores from area girls and boys basketball games last Thursday.


Girls Basketball

Strong effort in the paint notches Oakwood victory

The Lady Comets hauled in 28 rebounds with frosh Ashtyn Dailey and senior Caydence Vermillion's pulling eight each. Vermillion and sophomore Lainee Smith led the team's scoring effort with ten points in their 31 minutes on the hardwood.

Hurie post double-double in win over Pontiac

Bloomington Central Catholic's Emme Hurie led the Saints to a 56-50 conference win over Pontiac with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Taylor Cook finishd the Illini Prairie Conference matchup with 13 points and led the team with five steals. Maddi Welch chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds and snagged three steals to help BCC improve to 11-9 overall and 4-1 in conference play.

Next up, Central Catholic hosts Quincy Notre Dame (16-4) on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

Roseman steps up for Eagles in victory over STM

Josie Roseman dropped 15 points in Rantoul's Thursday night home game against St. Thomas More. Erykah Baltimore finished with 11 points while six other players contributed for the cause. The Eagles improved to 12-12 after picking up their second conference victory and play again on Monday, hosting East Peoria.

Cyclones fall to Illineks

Cornerstone Christian's Annika Risinger scored 13 points in the Cyclone's 39-28 loss to Urbana University High School. Sophomore Trinity Kalmes chipped in eight points as the team slips to 1-10 on the season.

Bickers finishes big for Rockets in conference win

Unity improved to 3-2 in Illini Prairie Conference action on Thursday with a 50-48 win over Prairie Central. Grace Bickers, who was 7-for-8 from the free throw line, led all scorers with 19 points. Kendal Zerrusen and Claire Meharry finished with nine point each. The Rockets host Bloomington Central Catholic on Tuesday and travel to Monticello on Friday to close out the first month of the year on the hardwood.

SJO picks up win 14th win

St. Joseph-Ogden rode a 13-point halftime into victory lane, beating visiting Monticello 54-47. Katie Ericksen finished with 18 points to lead all scorers in the victory to maintain SJO's second place standing in the Illini Prairie Conference. Fellow senior Kayla Osterbur finished with 14 points and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe. Hayden Dahl made three treys to round out the top three Spartan scorers with nine points.


Girls' Area Scoreboard


St. Joseph-Ogden 54, Monticello 47
Oakwood 38, Georgetown-Ridge Farm 30
Central Catholic 56, Pontiac 50
Rantoul 50, St. Thomas more 35
Urbana University 39, Cornerstone Christian 28
Tri-County 51, Heritage 32
Unity 50, Prairie Central 48
Mahomet-Seymour 47, Normal University 43


Boys Basketball

Hoopeston beats GR-F

Brayden Walder scored 19 in the Cornjerkers' 50-36 win over the Buffaloes on Thursday. Nick Cardenas delivered 11 points and seven rebounds, while senior Cole Miller finished with six points and seven rebounds. On tap next, Hoopeston faces Salt Fork at home on Saturday.


Boys' Area Scoreboard


Bismarck-Henning 54, Armstrong 46
Westville 81, Oakwood 46
Rantoul 58, Charleston
Hoopeston Area 50, Georgetown-Ridge Farm 36


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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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Prep Sports Notebook |
Katie Ericksen leads St. Joseph-Ogden, Urbana falls at Rantoul

La’yonna Harper led the Tigers with 14 points against Rantoul last Thursday. SJO wins opener at home over ALAH by 30.

SJO's Katie Ericksen in the Spartans' home game against Salt Fork
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

SJO's Katie Eriksen in last season's shootout game against Salt Fork. She scored 20 points against ALAH in the Spartans' first game of the 2025-26 season.

Girls Basketball

Erikcson drains 20 in season opener
Katie Ericksen led the St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team to a 63-33 win over Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond with a career-best 20-point night. The senior drained six 3-pointers in the team’s first home game of the season. Timera Blackburn-Kelley also reached double figures with 14 points, and Hayden Dahl came off the bench to hit three 3-pointers and finish with nine last Thursday.


Rantoul 48 - Urbana 39
The Urbana girls basketball team fell to 0-2 after a road loss to Rantoul last Thursday. La’yonna Harper led the Tigers with 14 points, and Lizzy Lange finished with six. Kaya Hill went 4-for-6 from the free-throw line. The Eagles had two players in double figures, as Josie Roseman and Erykah Baltimore powered Rantoul’s offense with 13 points each in the nonconference game last Thursday.


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TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball 2025 season opener, Katie Ericksen career high points game, Urbana girls basketball Rantoul nonconference loss, Illinois high school basketball scores 2025
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