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.




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

SJO girls fall short in first game of the season


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.


Katie Ericksen looks for an open teammate
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.



Box Score

Pleasant Plains 48 - St. Joseph-Ogden 41

  1 2 3 4 F
St. Joseph-Ogden 14 9 7 11 41
Pleasant Plains 18 10 10 10 48

St. Joseph-Ogden --
Ericksen 2(0)-0-0--4, Seggebruch 2(1)-2-1--8, Kearney 0(0)-0-0--0, Blackburn-Kelley 0(0)-2-1--1, Frick 2(3)-2-2--15, Brooks 0(1)-0-0--3, Loschen 0(2)-0-0--6, Miller 0(0)-0-0--0, Atwood 0(0)-0-0--0, Martinie 3(1)-1-1--10, Osterbur 0(0)-0-0--0.

Pleasant Plains --
Frasse 0(0)-4-3--3, Leach 0(0)-0-0--0, Crawford 0(0)-0-0--0, Cameron 0(0)-0-0--0, Thenaisie 0(0)-0-0--0, Leach 3(0)-6-4--10, Noble 0(0)-0-0--0, Nestler 0(0)-0-0--0, Dugan 0(0)-0-0--0, Burke 3(1)-6-4--13, Romager 0(0)-0-0--0, Weber 6(0)-8-6--18, Sabatka 2(0)-0-0--4,


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SJO girls fall in opener at State Farm Holiday Classic, Ericksen leads scoring effort


NORMAL - Two minutes and 41 seconds into the first quarter of the St. Joseph-Ogden girls' first game at the State Farm Holiday Classic, the Spartans took a one-point lead over Bishop-McNamara (9-4). For the next 46 seconds, the Spartans enjoyed their only advantage in the 41-29 loss to the Lady Irish in their tournament opener at Normal Community High School.

Katie Ericksen looks for an open teammate during SJO's Country Financial Shootout game. The senior led the Spartan scoring effort in their first game at the State Farm basketball tournament.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Katie Ericksen led the hardwood effort with three treys for nine points. Kayla Osterbur finished with seven points, Timera Blackburn-Kelley contributed four points, and Addison Brooks was held to just three points for SJO.

Down 24-12 at the half, the Spartans pulled it together, matching McNamara point for point with 17 second-half points. Despite a much improved defensive effort, the first-half drought proved too much.

Moving to the consolation bracket, Ericksen & Company have a day to regroup. The Spartans return to tournament action tomorrow at Bloomington High School to face the loser between Eureka and Normal U-High at 2 PM. The Lady Irish advance to face the winner from that game at 9 PM at BHS.

Bishop McNamara duo Jaide Burse and Trinity Davis combined for 16 points, scoring eight each. Leigha Brown rounded out the top three contributors with six points to advance to the quarterfinals.




SJO holds off comeback to defeat ALAH 49-39 at Country Financial Shootout


SJO's Katie Ericksen passes the ball during second quarter action against ALAH. The sophomore finished the game with four points.

Photo: PhotoNews Media

ST. JOSEPH - Jumping out to a quick 10-point lead in the first quarter, senior Addisyn Martinie hit back-to-back treys near the end of the second to give the Spartans a 15-point advantage, their largest lead of the game at 29-14 over Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond. By halftime, Martinie had scored 15 points, and SJO was up 29-18 on the scoreboard.

Hats off to the Lady Knights, who fought with every ounce of athleticism they could muster, giving St. Joseph-Ogden a fourth-quarter scare before winning the Country Financial Shootout game, 49-39.

Aided by SJO's best players in foul trouble and a streak of missed shots, the momentum shift put the Spartans on their heels.

"We weren't hitting shots we would normally hit," said St. Joseph-Ogden head coach Drew Arteaga. "We got in some foul trouble, too, and had to put girls on the bench."

By the end of the third quarter, ALAH had cut their deficit down from 11 points to six thanks to senior Clair Seal, who lit up the scoreboard with nine points. With under four minutes to play, the Lady Knights trailed by one, 39-38.

"In the third quarter we weren't totally locked on defense," senior Addison Seggebruch said, explaining ALAH's fourth-quarter rally. "We found a way to keep going, fight through it, and stay positive. We got the 'dub'."

Fouled with 3:25 remaining, SJO's Addison Seggeburch drained a clutch free throw, giving her team a short-lived 40-38 lead. ALAH clawed back and earned a trip to the free-throw line, converting to put SJO up by one again.

It was as if someone flipped a switch, when the Spartans hit three unanswered three-point shots to go up 49-39. Katie Ericksen hit a trey, then Frick dropped a long ball through the rim, followed by a three-pointer from Martinie with one minute and six seconds to go.

"We just had a little bit of a drought, and that happens. That's basketball," Arteaga said. "Our girls found a way to come back, compete, and found a way to win."

Martinie, a senior, hit five treys to finish the game with 21 points. The Lady Knight tried desperately to keep the ball out of her hands.


Kayla Osterbur hold up an exhausted Addisyn Martinie after the post-game handshakes.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

"She is really having a great senior year," Arteaga said. "We are really proud of her. She put in the work during the off-season, and it is showing up. She's been a great senior leader."

Addisyn Martinie takes a shot in the first half over Lady Knights Sara Herschberger. Martinie hit both the game's opening and final bucket, draining three-pointers on each.

Photo: PhotoNews Media

Seggebruch added 13 points to her season total, Frick chipped in 11, and Ericksen completed the SJO scoring effort with four points.

Seal finished the contest with a game-high 23 points for the Lady Knights. Teammates Sara Herschberger and Lindsay Rohacs contributed five points each.

The shootout win was satisfying for Arteaga because of his team's lack of success in closing out recent games. After a three-game losing streak was laid to rest with a dominating 55-26 victory over Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin on Thursday, Saturday's finish was the second of newly formed win streak.

"We haven't been able to get over the hump in a lot of close games here as of late," he said. "We finally got over the hump tonight even though we struggled to score. It was good."

He was proud of his players and their effort on Saturday. His senior class and their leadership continues to impress him.

"You win with seniors. I think our core senior three are really good right now," Arteaga disclosed, referring to Martinie, Seggebruch, and Frick - all coincidentally with the first named Addison/Addisyn. "With those three, as they go, we go. When those three are going full speed, we are going to be hard to beat."



SJO volleyball drops road match, gears up for grueling week ahead



St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball drops first match of the season 25-13, 25-17. Emma McKinney leads with six digs. Home opener vs. Mahomet-Seymour on Sept. 2.


BISMARCK - The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team continued its early-season road swing on Thursday, falling in straight sets to Bismarck-Henning, 25-19, 25-16.

SJO SPORTS Emerson Williams paced the Spartans with four kills and six assists, while setter Emma McKinney dished out 11 assists to go with two kills. Ally Schmitz contributed two kills and three digs, and both Hadley McDonald and Addi Childers added two kills apiece. Childers also led the blocking effort with two at the net.

Defensively, libero Katie Ericksen anchored the back row with 11 digs. Despite the effort, SJO (0-2) mustered only seven kills in each set and couldn’t find the consistency to extend the match.

The Spartans face a demanding schedule next week, starting Saturday with a matchup at Mahomet-Seymour. The Bulldogs, last year’s Class 3A state champions, also visit SJO for the Spartans’ home opener on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Main Gym.

From there, Williams and company hit the road again, traveling to Armstrong-Potomac on Wednesday before heading to Teutopolis on Thursday. The week wraps up with a trip to the Mattoon Volleyball Tournament on Saturday.

Bismarck-Henning (1-1), which lost its opener to Unity, heads to Danville on Tuesday before hosting Villa Grove on Thursday.


Match Leaders – SJO at Bismarck-Henning

  • Emerson Williams: 4 kills, 6 assists
  • Emma McKinney: 11 assists, 2 kills
  • Ally Schmitz: 2 kills, 3 digs
  • Hadley McDonald: 2 kills
  • Addi Childers: 2 kills, 2 blocks
  • Katie Ericksen: 11 digs

TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball 2025 schedule,SJO vs Bismarck-Henning volleyball recap, Mahomet-Seymour vs St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball preview, Spartan athletics volleyball coverage

St. Joseph-Ogden Volleyball 2025 Results

Date Opponent Location Result Score Record
Aug. 26 @ Maroa-Forsyth Road L 13-25, 17-25 0-1
Aug. 28 @ Bismarck-Henning Road L 19-25, 16-25 0-2


St. Joe-Ogden Athletics

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.




St. Joseph-Ogden fall sports award winners


SJO volleyball's Hadley McDonald and Emmerson Williams celebrate
The fall of 2025 was one to remember for St. Joseph-Ogden athletics. Varsity letters were awarded to 129 student-athletes across sports and activities.


ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden High School didn’t just wrap up a fall sports season. It closed the book on one of the most memorable stretches of athletic success the program has seen in years.

Last week, the Spartans announced 129 varsity letter winners from fall sports and activities, a number that speaks not only to wins and trophies, but to depth, commitment and consistency across the athletic department. From packed Friday nights on the football field to championship-caliber finishes on the cross country course and the soccer pitch, St. Joseph-Ogden athletes left their mark throughout the fall of 2025.

Football set the tone early.

After absorbing injuries to key players at the start of the season, the Spartans could have folded. Instead, they regrouped, leaned on grit and tenacity, and found their rhythm when it mattered most. St. Joseph-Ogden finished 8-5 and authored an impressive postseason run that reminded opponents the Spartans are rarely an easy out in November.

It was the kind of season that doesn’t show up fully in a record book. It showed up in long practices, next-man-up performances and a squad that stayed connected through adversity. For the players who earned letters, it was a season built on determination as much as talent.

Distance running brought statewide recognition.

Both the boys and girls cross country teams delivered top-10 finishes at the IHSA state meet in Peoria, continuing SJO's place among Illinois’ elite programs. The boys finished seventh overall, while the girls claimed sixth, a testament to months of disciplined training and steady progression.

Cross country success rarely comes overnight. It is built mile by mile, often before sunrise and long after the school day ends on the roads through and around town. The state finishes reflected not only strong front runners but complete teams that could pack together and score when it mattered most.

Soccer might have been the headline act.

Behind the combined scoring punch of senior Zach Harper and junior Tyler Hess, the Spartans rolled through much of their schedule, overwhelming opponents with pace, precision and confidence. St. Joseph-Ogden finished the season 24-2-2, with the only blemish coming in a hard-fought sectional championship loss to Williamsville.

Under head coach Chris Stevens, the Spartans put together a program-best 22-match unbeaten run, winning 20 matches and tying two. It was the kind of stretch that defines a season and leaves a lasting standard for what Spartan soccer can be.

While championships and records grab attention, the heart of the announcement rested with the 129 student-athletes who earned varsity letters. Those letters represent early mornings, late nights, and the willingness to balance academics with the demands of high-level competition. They also represent teammates who may not always appear in box scores but are essential to a program’s success.

Below is the complete list of award winners and varsity letter recipients at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. Each fall sport and activity contributed to that total, reinforcing the idea that St. Joseph-Ogden athletics is not built on one team or one season, but on a culture of excellence.

FOOTBALL

St. Joseph-Ogden's Wyatt Wertz
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Spartan running back Wyatt Wertz celebrates as he lands in the end zone for a touchdown against Pontiac. The senior shared this season's team Offensive Award with Kaden Wedig.

Team Awards


MVP – Kodey McKinney
MIP – Jonathon Moore
Defensive Award – Coy Hayes
Offensive Award – Wyatt Wertz & Kaden Wedig
Scout Team Award – Holden Hausle
Special Teams Award – Lucas Smith
Lineman Award – Brennan Oleynichak
Spartan Team Player Award – Tim Blackburn-Kelley

Letterwinners

Matt Alexander, Sr.
Tim Blackburn-Kelley, Sr.
Will Franklin, Sr.
Charlie Hale, Sr.
Coy Hayes, Sr.
Ryker Lockhart, Sr.
Kodey McKinney, Jr.
Jackson Mohr, Sr.
Jonathon Moore, Sr.
Brennan Oleynichak, Sr.
Colton Overstreet, Sr.
Logan Rosenthal, Sr.
Landon Smith, Sr.
Lucas Smith, Sr.
Hunter Van Meenen, Sr.
Wyatt Wertz, Sr.
Willis Canamore, Jr.
Jameson Ennis, Jr.
Paityn Mann, Jr.
Maddux Musselman, Jr.
Cameron Wagner, Jr.
Brayden Waller, Jr.
Kaden Wedig, Jr.
Liam Carter, So.
Caleb Courter, So.
Landon May, So.
Lane McKinney, So.
Mason Osterbur, So.
Logan Umbarger, So.
Ryder Van Meenen, So.
Owen Wall, So.
Lucas Waters, So.

VOLLEYBALL

SJO volleyball's Hadley McDonald and Emmerson Williams celebrate
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Emma McKinney, Emerson Williams, Hadley McDonald and members of the SJO volleyball celebrate a point during set one of their regional semifinal match against Unity. Emerson received the team's Offensive Award this fall.

Team Awards


MIP – Ally Schmitz
Defensive Award – Katie Ericksen
Offensive Award – Emma McKinney
Varsity Spartan Award – Emma Wells
JV Spartan Award – Greta Goldenstein
Freshman Spartan Award – Ella Buhs

Letterwinners

Addi Childers, Sr.
Katie Ericksen, Sr.
Emma McKinney, Sr.
Ally Schmitz, Sr.
Emma Wells, Sr.
Lily Ahart, Jr.
Brynn Ikemire, Jr.
Alivia Learned, Jr.
Hadley McDonald, Jr.
Addi Stevens, Jr.
Emerson Williams, Jr.
Ava Alexander, So.
Megan Kearney, So.
Atleigh Miller, So.
Vivian Smith, So.
Raegan Wheatley, So.

TENNIS

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Maddie Wells makes solid contact while play doubles in SJO's road match at Urbana in September. Starting wrestling season last month, look for the senior to qualify for the IHSA girls' state tournament this February.

Team Awards


MVP – Sami Kelso
MIP – Shelby Warns
Mental Attitude Award – Madison Farber

Letterwinners

Claire Hartman, Sr.
Samantha Kelso, Sr.
Ava Midkiff, Sr.
Ainsely Rhoton, Sr.
Lily Rice, Sr.
Karleigh Spain, Sr.
Maddie Wells, Sr.
Madison Farber, Jr.
Audrie Helfrich, Jr.
Sophie Schmitz, Jr.
Shelby Warns, Jr.
Avarie Dietiker, So.
Kenley Ray, So.
Nora Buckley, Fr.

SOCCER

Yadiel Acosta-Reyes takes the ball down the field for St. Joseph-Ogden
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Junior Yadie Acosta-Reyes dribbles the ball down the field in the Spartans home playoff match against Unity. Look for the midfielder to return next fall to help SJO duplicate their 2025 season greatness.

Team Awards


MVP – Zach Harper
Offensive Award – Tyler Hess
Defensive Award – Steven Newman
Freshman MIP – Luke Dunn
Coaches Award – Quinn Stahl

Letterwinners

Rudra Chaudhary, Sr.
Zach Harper, Sr.
Michael McDaniel, Sr.
Branson Pearman, Sr.
Quinn Stahl, Sr.
Hadley Sweet, Sr.
Yadiel Acosta-Reyes, Jr.
Lizzie Clark, Jr.
Jaxson Colvin, Jr.
Skyler Graham, Jr.
Nicholas Harris, Jr.
Tyler Hess, Jr.
Waylon Jones, Jr.
Steven Newman, Jr.
Jaxon Potts, Jr.
Miles Atwood, So.
Hunter Cler, So.
Luke Dunn, Fr.
Lucas Stevens, Fr.
Caleb Taylor, Fr.

MARCHING BAND

SJO Marching Band's Emily Bird
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Emily Bird plays clarinet while performing with the SJO Marchng Band during the halftime show during the football team's home game against Paxton-Buckley-Loda.

Band Awards


MVP – Sara Bytnar
Up and Comer Award – Ramsay Arnold
Spirit Award – Delaney Nekolny
Leadership Award – Sydney Steinbach
Spinner Award – Arianna Pecchenino
Heartbeat of the Band Award – Gregory Wells

Letterwinners

Emily Bird, Sr.
Sara Bytnar, Sr.
Claire Hartman, Sr.
Cooper Kietzman, Sr.
Michael McDaniel, Sr.
Patrick McMahon, Sr.
Delaney Nekolny, Sr.
Kaleb Peoples, Sr.
Sydney Steinbach, Sr.
Carlee Taylor, Sr.
Zain Bialeschki-Hua, Jr.
Isabella Turner, Jr.
Cole Beckett, So.
Tyler Bonny, So.
Patrick Clark, So.
Aubrey Matheny, So.
Connor McMahon, So.
Alyssa Robinson, So.
Nayeli Steele, So.
Ramsay Arnold, Fr.
Reid Bewley, Fr.
Bailey Blakley, Fr.
Brady Blunier, Fr.
Jade Gains, Fr.
Arianna Pecchenino, Fr.
August Rosser, Fr.
Ryan Schmitz, Fr.
Taylor Vaughn, Fr.
Greg Wells, Fr.
Gwen Welsh, Fr.

GOLF

Team Awards


MVP – Asher Pruemer
MIP – Trevor Ames

Letterwinners

Trevor Ames, Sr.
Wade Clark, Sr.
Nathan Daly, Sr.
Asher Pruemer, Sr.
Graham Ray, Sr.
Devan Swisher, Sr.
Garrett Loschen, Jr.
Finn Miller, Jr.

SPORT

SIDELINE CHEERLEADING


MIP – Addison Wright
Spirit Award – Abby Reynolds
Lexi Barbour Award – Addison Walsh

Letterwinners

Iris Davis, Jr.
Leah Gaines, Jr.
Faith Jackson, Jr.
Peighton Riem, Jr.
Ava Smoot, Jr.
Abby Reynolds, So.
Samantha Ryan, So.
Addison Walsh, So.
Sorena Welsh, So.
Presley Ideus, Fr.
Addison Wright, Fr.

CROSS COUNTRY

Team Awards


Boys MVP – Colin Burnett & Lance Retz
Girls MVP – Grace Bressner
Boys MIP – Sam Zadeh
Girls MIP – Grace Bressner
Tim Mies Effort Award – Nate Farney
Ashley Wright Effort Award – Allie Bott
Rick Walden Most Consistent Award – Colin Burnett

Letterwinners

Lance Retz, Sr.
Sydney Steinbach, Sr.
Cyrus Zadeh, Sr.
Abby Bello, Jr.
Colin Burnett, Jr.v Nate Farney, Jr.
Kyla Franckey, Jr.
Mark Harbourt, Jr.
Aiden Hundley, Jr.
Kiah Riesel, Jr.
Grace Bressner, So.
Hunter Dilley, So.
Eli Franklin, So.
Nathan Hinkel, So.
Tessa Walker, So.
Sam Zadeh, So.
Ramsay Arnold, Fr.
Charlene Barbee, Fr.
Adam Bello, Fr.
Allie Bott, Fr.
Brady Johnson, Fr.
Caylah Roberts, Fr.
Taylor Vaughn, Fr.




St Joseph Ogden varsity letter winners 2025, St Joseph Ogden fall sports awards list, SJO football cross country soccer 2025 season, IHSA state cross country St Joseph Ogden results, St Joseph Ogden High School athletics feature

Ericksen and Brooks duo lead SJO in loss at home to GCMS


ST. JOSEPH - Looking for the program's first victory of the new year, the St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team will have to wait a few days after their 58-33 loss to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley at home on Saturday.

Drilling three treys each, Katie Ericksen and Addison Brooks led the Spartan effort with nine points. The duo were responsible for all of SJO's six first quarter points. Kaitlyn Beyers came off the bench in the second half to chip in six points, both made outside the arc.

GCMS (13-2) took control early in the contest, going up 35-14 at the break behind a 15-point first-half rampage from the Falcon's Lilyan Sizemore. The sophomore shooting star finished with 32 points. Teammates Lizzie Giroux and Sophia Ray also reached double figures with 12 points.

Hopefully the rough, 6-9 start behind them, the Spartan ladies open their Illini Prairie Conference season this Thursday at home against Pontiac (7-9). Four days later, SJO heads to Prairie Central to take on the Hawks, who have won just four out of the 15 games they played so far.




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