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St. Joseph-Ogden suffers homecoming loss to Monticello

The visiting Sages rally in the second half to spoil Spartans' homecoming weekend. Here's 20 photos from Friday night's Week 6 Illini Prairie game.

Kaden Wedig hauls in a touchdown pass for St. Joseph-Ogden.

First half | The Big Play: Kaden Wedig hauls in a pass on 42-yard touchdown play for St. Joseph-Ogden in Friday night's homecoming game against Monticello. Going up 21-7, it would be the last time the Spartans would be able to put the ball in the end zone. The Sages would go on to score three times in the second half to defeat SJO 28-21 in the Illini Prairie Conference game. After the contest, both teams need just two wins for a guaranteed spot in this year's IHSA football championships. See 19 more photso from this game below.

Tim Blackburn-Kelley and Willis Canamore break through the Spartan banner.

Tim Blackburn-Kelley and Willis Canamore break through the Spartan banner during team introductions before the start of the game. Blackburn-Kelley finished the Week 6 game with three catches for 21 yards.

Brennan Oleynichak lifts Kodey McKinney to celebrate a TD.

Brennan Oleynichak lifts quarterback Kodey McKinney to celebrate the Spartans' first TD of the game against the Sages. The senior signal caller scored two of SJO's three touchdowns, finishing the game with 68 rushing and 230 passing yards in the home loss.

Jackson Ennis and J.D. Bailey battle on the line.

SJO junior Jackson Ennis and Monticello's J.D. Bailey battle on the line of scrimmage in the first half.

Nolan Buehnerkemper throws to an open receiver.

Monticello's Nolan Buehnerkemper finds an open receiver to throw to during first quarter action against the Spartans. After scoring on a 1-yard blast into the end zone with 13 seconds left in the first quarter, he added two more touchdowns to the Sages' side of the scoreboard in the third quarter on runs of 5 and 2-yards.

Coy Hayes attempts a tackle.

Spartans' Coy Hayes tries to get around Sages' Will Osborne to make a tackle during the game.

Monticello's Maddox Utley takes a handoff from quarterback Nolan Buehnerkemper during second half action against the St. Joseph-Ogden. Utley finished the game with 118 of the Sages' 167 rushing yards to help his team improve to 4-2 on the season.

J.D. Bailey celebrates with Nolan Buehnerkemper.

Monticello lineman J.D. Bailey celebrates with Nolan Buehnerkemper after the quarterback's touchdown, making the score 21-6 in the first quarter.

Nate Darnell blocks a defensive lineman.

Monticello lineman Nate Darnell tries block St. Joseph-Ogden defensive lineman Liam Carter who was blitzing on the play. Darnell was called for holding moving the ball behind the original line of scrimmage.

Logan Umbarger runs for a first down.

With only one player between him and a touchdown St. Joseph-Ogden's Logan Umbarger carries the ball for a first down in the second quarter. Defensive back Nolan Buehnerkemper made the stop for the Sages. Umbarger, a sophomore, finished the game with 30 yards on seven carries for SJO.

More about... Kodey McKinney Jackson Ennis Coy HayesLogan Umbarger

SJO Hall of Fame inductees.

St. Joseph-Ogden High School inducted four new members into their Hall of Fame. This year's inductees honored at halftime included (left to right) Bobbi (Duval) Busboom, Morgan (Finn) Gooding, Bianca (Truitt) Green, and former principal Mike McKenzie.

A clarinet player from the SJO Marching Band performs during the halftime show.

Keeping the beat, a St. Joseph-Ogden percussionist stays focused during the halftime performance.

A marching band flag team member performs during halftime, adding color and precision to the show.

SJO flag team at halftime.

SJO marching band flag team members add color and excitement during the final song of halftime.

Fan singing with band.

A St. Joseph-Ogden fan smiles as fans sing the school song with the band after halftime.

Fans clap during school song.

St. Joseph-Ogden football fans and family clap during the school song before the second half.

Maddox Utley loses the ball.

Monticello's Maddox Utley losses the ball after running into a wall of Spartan defenders. Maddux Musselman (not pictured) recovered the ball, but officials blew the whistle, ruling the ball dead before it slipped from Utley's grasp.

Spartan Jameson Ennis quickly works his way into the backfield

Playing on the defensive side of the ball, Spartan Jameson Ennis quickly works his way around Sages' J.D. Bailey while trying to get into the Monticello backfield.

Maddox Utley avoids a tackle

4th Quarter | The Final Blow: Monticello's Maddox Utley avoids a tackle attempt by Lane McKinney. After slipping away, Utley took the ball 48 yards down the field for the go-ahead, game-winning touchdown with 7:24 left to play in the ball game.

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TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden football photos, Monticello Sages football, Illini Prairie Conference Week 6, high school football photography, SJO homecoming 2025, Maddox Utley Monticello, Kodey McKinney SJO quarterback, Central Illinois prep football, The Sentinel sports gallery, SJO marching band halftime

Four Illini Prairie gridiron warriors earn IHSFCA 3A All-State recognition

Four Illini Prairie players make the Class 3A all-state list. Two quarterbacks and a lineman from the Sentinel area will be honored at the state football playoffs.

URBANA - Three Sentinel area athletes earned All-State recognition from the Illinois High School Coaches Association. Monticello Sages' Nolan Buehnerkemper, St. Joseph-Ogden's Cameron Wagner, and Unity's Dane Eisenmenger were names among the 18 Class 3A players on this year list.

Rounding out the Illini Prairie Conference selectees is Bloomington Central Catholic's Valshun Powe. While Powe and Buehnerkemper's seasons came to a close after last Saturday's second-round losses, Wagner's Spartans and Rockets' Eisenmenger have unfinished business to attend to this Saturday in quarterfinal action.

Eisenmenger will try to lead the Unity past Williamsville on the road. The Rockets lead the series 3-2 between the two programs since the 2012 season. The winner of the contest will face the winner of the St. Joseph-Ogden and Vandalia. OL - Coleson Miller Sr
WR/TE - Tre Hoggard Sr
WR/TE - Tyler Henry Sr
RB - Crewe Eckstein Sr
QB - Dane Eisenmenger Sr

Wagner and the Spartans enjoy their first home playoff game on Saturday, hosting the undefeated Vandals. Their opponent's 11-0 record won't intimidate SJO, who knocked off the undefeated Benton Rangers with field goal at the buzzer in their first-round playoff game.

Here is a look at our area 3A all-staters.

Dane Eisenmenger

Senior - Unity - QB
Unity quarterback Dane Eisenmenger looks to throw under pressure

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Cameron Wagner

Junior - St. Joseph-Ogden - OL
St. Joseph-Ogden junior lineman Cam Wagner named 2025 All-stater

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Nolan Buehnerkemper

Senior - Monticello - DB/QB/K
Nolan Buehnerkemper unloads a long pass against Unity in playoff game.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Valshun Powe

Senior - Bloomington Central Catholic - RB/DB
Central Catholic's Valshun Powe explodes through the Unity defensive secondary.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

The other Class 3A players earning recognition from the coaching association include:

(Name, Year, School, Position)
Grant Bowen, Sophomore - IC Catholic Prep - WR/LB
Hunter Carley, Junior - Richmond-Burton - RB/LB
Caden Considine, Senior - Byron - LB/RB
Kohnor Depew, Senior - Vandalia - WR/DB
Casey Etheridge, Senior - Princeton - RB/DB
Nick Huston, Senior - Monmouth-Roseville - RB/LB
Blake Livdahl, Junior - Richmond - LB/RB
Jimmy Lollar, Junior - Olympia - RB
Levi Mallette, Senior - Hope Academy - OL/DL
Julius May, Senior - Bishop McNamara - RB/LB
Ethan McCommons, Senior - Benton - LB/OL
Matthew Miller, Senior - Williamsville - RB
Andrew Talbert, Junior - Byron - DB/QB
Dylan White, Senior - Durand-Pecatonica - OL/DL

TAGS: Unity's Dane Eisenmenger named to 3A All-State list, SJO's Cam Wagner makes All-State as sophomore, Monticello quarterback Nolan Buehnerkemper get the nod for all-state

Late rally propels Rockets past the Sages into 3A quarterfinals

Unity edged Monticello 21-20 in a dramatic Class 3A playoff rematch at Hicks Field. The Rockets sealed the victory on a last-second interception by Tre Hoggard.

Tre Hoggard catch wins Unity football game

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity's Tre Hoggard makes a leaping catch in front of a pass intended for Monticello's Jake Robinson on a two-point conversion attempt by the Sages. The snag by Hoggard as time expired ended the game with the Rockets on top 21-20 and advancing to the Class 3A quarterfinals.

TOLONO — The atmosphere was as electric and palpable as expected from the opening kickoff to the final interception that sealed Unity’s one-point victory over Monticello (8-3) at Hicks Field in their Class 3A second-round playoff game on Saturday. In a gritty, hard-fought battle, the Rockets avenged last year’s semifinal loss at Monticello with a dramatic finish of their own, winning 21-20 in a finale for the ages.

Unity, which advanced to the state quarterfinals for the fifth consecutive season and the 18th time in program history, will play at Williamsville (11-0) at 2 p.m. next Saturday.

Monticello receiver Zeke Young goes up for a Nolan Buehnerkemper pass

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Monticello's Zeke Young goes up for a pass between Unity defensive backs Tyler Henry and Adam Reedy early in the second half of their playoff game.

The matchup between the rival Illini Prairie Conference programs was a classic gridiron struggle filled with big plays and momentum swings on a gray, overcast day. Fueled by determination, athleticism, and sound fundamentals on both sides, “epic” might have been an understatement.

“Monticello is a great team with a great game plan,” Unity head coach Tony Reetz said. “We knew they would give us everything we could handle. They did a great job of making long drives and keeping our offense off the field. We never really got the field flipped the way we wanted. Hats off to them.”

Monticello senior quarterback Nolan Buehnerkemper’s swan song was bittersweet. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior played quarterback, safety and kicker, seemingly everywhere for the Sages. He completed 24 of 35 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns.

Buehnerkemper scored Monticello’s first touchdown on a 1-yard plunge that gave the Sages a 7-0 lead with 5:56 left in the first quarter. Just over two minutes later, he connected with Zeke Young on a 75-yard touchdown strike, stunning the heavily favored Rockets with a 14-0 advantage.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Crewe Eckstein pushes Sages' Drake Weeks away on his way to the tying touchdown before the end of the first half. The senior ran for 157 yards on 25 touches.

Down two scores at the start of the second quarter, Unity responded immediately. On the first play of the quarter, Tre Hoggard ran nine yards for a touchdown. With 6:16 left in the half, Crewe Eckstein found the corner of the west end zone for another score. Kicker Ty Rodems converted both extra points to tie the game 14-14 at halftime.

“A lot of respect to them. They are a good team,” Eckstein said after posing for photos with friends. The senior finished with 157 yards on 26 carries. “They filled all their gaps. They hustle and they play hard.”

Neither team scored in the third quarter as both defenses stood firm.

Unity took a 21-14 lead with 9:41 left in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Dane Eisenmenger.

“We were all clicking in the second half. The first half was a little iffy,” senior defensive back Coleton Langendorf said. “But we picked it up in the second half.”

Keegan Germano puts a major hit on a Monticello reciever

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Unity's Keegan Germano tries to fold Monticello tight end Jake Robinson in half with a solid tackle during third quarter action. Teammate Coleton Langendorf said Germano delivered an outstanding effort on defense for the Rockets. "He was just flying around everywhere. He was making things happen," Langendorf said singing praises.

Monticello didn’t back down. With less than nine seconds remaining, Buehnerkemper found Heyden Ramano, who scooped the pass just inches above the ground for a touchdown to make it 21-20.

Instead of kicking the extra point to force overtime, Monticello head coach Cully Welter made the gutsy decision to go for two. Buehnerkemper threw over the middle to senior Jake Robinson, but before the ball could reach his neon-gloved fingertips, Hoggard leapt into the air and intercepted it — ending the Sages’ season and sending Unity to the quarterfinals.

“When the ball touched my finger, it was amazing,” Hoggard said. “I just knew the game was over.”

Not bad for a player who hadn’t played defense all year but stepped in for an injured teammate in the Sages' last drive in the third quarter. He was on the field for just six plays, but his presence made the difference.

“It feels good. I wouldn’t say I was responsible for the win. There are others on our team who stepped up when they needed to. Defense stepped up in the fourth quarter for sure.”

After the game, Monticello players, even after a heartbreaking loss, displayed an impressive level of class, sportsmanship and conference camaraderie during postgame handshakes, telling their opponents, “Go get the big win.”

“They were wishing us good luck,” Eckstein said. “A lot of respect to those guys. They are all nice. They are all great.”

Desmond Winfrey and Coleton Langendor celebrate a defensive stop for the Unity Rockets

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Desmond Winfrey and Coleton Langendor celebrate a defensive stop in the third quarter. The Rockets move on in the Class 3A bracket with a roadtrip to Williamsville next Saturday.

Tags: Unity Rockets Class 3A football playoffs, Monticello Sages vs Unity playoff game recap, Illinois high school football quarterfinal preview, Unity football Hicks Field Tolono Illinois, IHSA Class 3A playoff highlights 2025

Hot Shots: The Sentinel's best from the Christie Clinic Shootout

Monticello vs Seneca

2025 Player of the Game :
Tyler Blythe, Senior - Monticello

LEFT: Monticello's Nolan Buehnerkemper drives to the paint despite the defensive efforts of Seneca's Brady Sheedy. Buehnerkemper finished with seven points for the Sages while Sheedy delivered a 15-point effort in the 62-56 loss for the Fighting Irish.

BELOW: Seneca's Grant Siegel battles Monticello's Tyler Blythe for a second-half rebound. Blythe led the Sages' scoring effort with 17 points. More photos from this game ...

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Moline vs Mt. Zion

2025 Player of the Game :
Trey Taylor, Senior - Moline

Mt. Zion's JC Anderson takes the ball up in the first quarter for two of his 20 points against Moline on Saturday afternoon in St. Joseph-Ogden High School's Main Gym. The Braves, who trailed all four quarters, threatened all eight minutes of the final quarter behind Lyncoln Koester's (not pictured) 14 fourth-quarter points.

Braden Freeman takes the ball hard into the paint during the Moline's Christie Clinic Shootout game against Mt. Zion. Freeman, a senior, finished in double digits with 14 points. Thanks to three other players scoring double digits, the Maroons defeated the Braves, 65-60. More photos from this game ...

Mahomet-Seymour vs Richwoods

2025 Player of the Game :
Amarion Smith-Holley, Freshman - Richwoods

ABOVE: Richwoods' Truman Raher attacks the baseline, trying to get around Mahomet-Seymour's Malachi Nichols. Nichols finished the game with 13 points for the Bulldogs. See more game photos ...

RIGHT: Mahomet-Seymour's Landyn Hannah goes up for a shot around Richwoods' Terrill Rickmon, Jr. in the opening quarter of the Bulldogs' Christie Clinic Shootout game against Richwoods. The Knights prevailed after an exciting four quarters of prep basketball action, 52-49.

Unity vs Fieldcrest

2025 Player of the Game :
Tre Hoggard, Junior - Unity

Knights' Drew Overocker tries to slap the ball away from Rockets' Brady Parr. Parr, who finished a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line, contributed four points in the Unity's victory. Overocker was scoreless after seeing action in the fourth quarter. See more photos ...

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Fieldcrest's Eddie Lorton drives to rim on Unity's Tre Hoggard during second half action at the Christie Clinic Shootout. Lorton and Hoggard were their respective team's leading scorer with 25 points each. Up by only two at half at 34-23, the Rockets outscored the Knights 17-12 in a decisive third quarter on the way to a 77-68 win.

SJO vs Warrensburg-Latham

2025 Player of the Game :
Kodey McKinney, Junior - St. Joseph-Ogden

Parker Fitch looks for an open St. Joseph-Ogden teammate to pass the ball during first quarter action against Warrensburg-Latham. One of four SJO players in double figures, the senior forward finished with 13 points in the Spartans' 59-49 victory. See more photos here ...

SJO senior Collin Thomey pulls down a defensive rebound out of the reach of Warrensburg-Latham's Drew Czaijkowski. Shooting 3-for-4 from the free-throw line, Czaijkokwski, a junior finished with seven points. Thomey missed just one of his six free throws to finish with 10 points.

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

University High vs BHRA

2025 Player of the Game :
Keison Peoples, Junior - Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin

Above: BHRA's Anderson Thomas pulls down a rebound under U-High's A.J. Holden. Thomas was one four Blue Devil players to finish in double figures with 10 points. More photos ...

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin's Micah Stanford looks for an open teammate

Above: With Normal U-High's Dallas Smith and Bodey Klemmensen guarding him, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin's Micah Stanford looks for an open teammate to pass the ball. Smith led the Pioneer's scoring effort with 20 points and made four of five shots from the free-throw line. Stanford delivered three treys and field goal, good for ll points. The Blue Devils defeated U-High, 68-62. BHRA's Keison Peoples (not pictured) was named Player of the Game after scoring a game-high 24 points.

2025 Christie Clinic Shootout Photo Galleries