St. Joseph-Ogden ties Monticello at conference wrestling meet, Wagner averts SJO loss

CHILLICOTHE - St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling showcased resilience and grit on January 18 during the Illini Prairie Conference at Illinois Valley Central High School, battling Monticello to a dramatic 40-40 tie.

After defeating Rantoul earlier in the tournament, the Spartans started strong against the Sages, jumping to a commanding 17-0 lead. Jackson Walsh set the tone with a dominant 17-0 tech fall over Aiden Komnick at 113 pounds, while Camden Getty followed with a lightning-fast 34-second pin against Monticello's Kellan Lamb at 120 pounds.

Monticello responded with a string of victories, including Nick Litchfield’s 18-2 tech fall at 126 pounds and a forfeit at 132 pounds. Despite SJO's Aiden Hundley and Landen Butts securing key wins at 138 and 144 pounds, Monticello mounted a comeback. Russ Brown’s 16-1 tech fall at 190 pounds tied the score at 34-all, and Hunter Romano’s second-period pin at 215 pounds gave the Sages their first lead of the match, 40-34.

The Spartans’ hopes rested on sophomore heavyweight Cam Wagner, who delivered under pressure. Wagner pinned Nate Darnell in just 55 seconds, tying the match at 40-40 and preserving SJO’s unbeaten record for the day.

With Monticello behind them, the Spartans faced two more challenges on Saturday: Unity, a 2023 IHSA Class 1A Elite 8 team, and host Illinois Valley Central.

Summary of Key Results
  • 106: Ben Wells (SJO) pinned River Young (Monticello), 1:32
  • 113: Jackson Walsh (SJO) tech fall over Aiden Komnick (Monticello), 17-0
  • 120: Camden Getty (SJO) pinned Kellan Lamb (Monticello), 0:34
  • 138: Aiden Hundley (SJO) pinned Daniel Moore (Monticello), 1:31
  • 144: Landen Butts (SJO) tech fall over Drake Weeks (Monticello), 16-0
  • 190: Russ Brown (Monticello) tech fall over Carter Liam (SJO), 16-1
  • 215: Hunter Romano (Monticello) pinned Nathan Phillips (SJO), 4:38
  • 285: Cam Wagner (SJO) pinned Nate Darnell (Monticello), 0:55

Box Score
106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Young, River (Monticello), Fall 1:32; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Komnick, Aiden (Monticello), Tech Fall 17-0; 120 - GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO) over Lamb, Kellan (Monticello), Fall 0:34; 126 - Litchfield, Nick (Monticello) over BIRT, ELI (SJO), Tech Fall 18-2; 132 - Osborne, Will (Monticello) over Forfeit, (SJO), FORFEIT; 138 - HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO) over Moore, Daniel (Monticello), Fall 1:31; 144 - BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO) over Weeks, Drake (Monticello), Tech Fall 16-0; 150 - Ducker, Isaiah (Monticello) over WARE, THOMAS (SJO), Fall 0:35; 157 - Shubert, Colton (Monticello) over DALY, NATHAN (SJO), Fall 1:08; 165 - MOORE, JONATHON (SJO) over Mikulich, Christian (Monticello), Fall 5:51; 175 - Sinkosky, Max (Monticello) over SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO), Fall 0:55; 190 - Brown, Russ (Monticello) over Carter, Liam (SJO), Tech Fall 16-1; 215 - Romano, Hunter (Monticello) over PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO), Fall 4:38; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over Darnell, Nate (Monticello), Fall 0:55.



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SJO wrestling wins home match over BHRA, Getty and four others shine

Camden Getty wrestles against a Danville opponent in December. The junior picked up another win over another Vermilion County wrestler, defeating Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin's Dylen Toller via 37-second pin last Monday.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
ST. JOSEPH - Last Monday, the St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling team rolled past visiting Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin with a 62-16 victory. The last time the Spartans hosted the Blue Devils at home in 2023, it was a different story.

This time, SJO prevailed in five of the seven contested weight classes. The Blue Devils forfeited five weight classes, while the Spartans gave up points at 132 in the nonconference dual meet with a forfeit.

Camden Getty got things started for SJO with a 37-second pin over BHRA's Dylen Toeller in the 120-pound match. Wrestling at 144, Landen Butts also pinned his opponent, securing a win over Caleb Hamilton at 2:07 and giving the Spartans a 30-10 lead. Barely giving Blue Devil Dalyn Topp a chance to react, SJO's Thomas Ware ended their match with a 34-second pin, earning six team points.

Later, Spartan Alex Vaughn notched a technical fall over BHRA's Collin Hardin for the team's fourth win at 157.

In the only bout to go the distance, SJO's Chaz Bowlin pulled out a narrow 6-5 victory over BHRA's Ricky Smith at 190 pounds.

Bismarck-Henning secured wins at 138 from Landen Toeller and at 215 from Landynn Balla.

Complete match results:

106 - Wells, Ben (SJO) over Forfeit, (BHRA), FORFEIT, 6-0

113 - Hale, George (SJO) over Forfeit, (BHRA), FORFEIT, 12-0

120 - GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO) over Toellner, Dylen (BHRA Alvin)), Fall 0:37, 18-0

126 - BIRT, ELI (SJO) over Forfeit, (BHRA), FORFEIT, 24-0

132 - Willard, Dane (BHRAAlvin)) over Forfeit, (SJO), FORFEIT, 24-6

138 - Toellner, Landen (BHRA) over HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO), Maj Dec 17-7, 24-10

144 - BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO) over Hamilton, Caleb (BHRA Alvin)), Fall 2:07, 30-10

150 - WARE, THOMAS (SJO) over Topp, Dalyn (BHRA Alvin)), Fall 0:34, 36-10

157 - VAUGHN, ALEX (SJO) over Hardin, Collin (BHRA Alvin)), Tech Fall 17-0, 41-10

165 - HAYES, COY (SJO) over Rodgers, Michael (BHRA Alvin)), Fall 1:43, 47-10

175 - Mata, Gabe (SJO) over Forfeit, (BHRA), FORFEIT, 53-10

190 - BOWLIN, CHAZ (SJO) over Smith, Ricky (BHRA Alvin)), Decision 6-5, 56-10

215 - Balla, Landynn (BHRA) over PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO), Fall 2:14, 56-16

285 - Wagner, Cam (SJO) over Forfeit, (BHRA), FORFEIT, 62-16

More SJO sports ~

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SJO continues to dominate IPC foes at conference meet, defeats Rantoul 58-16

CHILLICOTHE - In a commanding display of prowess, the St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling program continued their winning streak at the Illini Prairie Conference wrestling meet, triumphing over the Rantoul Eagles with a resounding 58-16 victory on day 2 of competition.

After a stellar performance on the opening day against Prairie Central, Pontiac, and St. Thomas More, SJO entered the match against Rantoul with justifiable confidence. The Spartans wasted no time asserting their dominance, securing wins in nine of the 14 weight classes. Almost every contested match ended in a pin, serving notice of SJO's rise back to its former reputation as a formidable small school wrestling program with the return of the Gallo family as coaches.

Leading the charge for SJO were standout wrestlers who delivered exceptional performances throughout the tournament. Landen Butts maintained his undefeated streak, going 3-0 over the weekend with impressive victories including a decisive pin against Daemian Spisak of Prairie Central and a quick takedown of Cale Christenson from Pontiac. Eli Birt also showcased his prowess with a solid decision victory over Drake Clemons from Prairie Central.

Aiden Hundley added to SJO's tally with a commanding fall over Kooper Wiles from Pontiac, while Jackson Walsh displayed his dominance with a pin over Sophia Mussari from Pontiac, solidifying his 2-0 record for the weekend.

Taking a look at their overall performance, SJO has outscored their opponents by a notable margin, tallying an impressive 226-75 since the start of the conference tournament. With three matches to go, the Spartans positioned the team for a top-three finish at this year's tourney.

Looking ahead, the Spartans are gearing up for their upcoming matches. Tomorrow, SJO will host a Multi-Quad event featuring Decatur Unity Christian, Decatur MacArthur, Hoopeston, Cumberland, and St. Thomas More, starting at 8:30 AM. Next week, they will face off against Champaign Central High School in a dual meet on Wednesday at 6 PM, followed by a visit to GCMS on Thursday at 5:30 PM.

Box Score
106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Rantoul), FORFEIT; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Hench, Emmett (Rantoul), Fall 1:20; 120 - GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Rantoul), FORFEIT; 126 - BIRT, ELI (SJO) over Taylor, Ryker (Rantoul), Tech Fall 22-6; 132 - Forfeit, (Rantoul) over Forfeit, (SJO), Double Forfeit; 138 - HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO) over Beach, Bryson (Rantoul), Fall 1:29; 144 - BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO) over Dunner, Nicholas (Rantoul), Fall 4:35; 150 - WARE, THOMAS (SJO) over Buck, Wyatt (Rantoul), Tech Fall 21-3; 157 - Almanza, Brandon (Rantoul) over MOORE, JONATHON (SJO), Fall 4:03; 165 - Williams, Darius (Rantoul) over VAUGHN, ALEX (SJO), Fall 7:14; 175 - SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO) over Mager, Alex (Rantoul), Fall 1:52; 190 - Schultz, Harley (Rantoul) over Carter, Liam (SJO), Maj Dec 14-6; 215 - PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO) over Nutter, Alexander (Rantoul), Fall 0:41; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over Forfeit, (Rantoul), FORFEIT.



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SJO rolls past Prairie Central at IPC Meet, Walsh notches first period-pin in rout

CHILLICOTHE - Michael Jackson sang "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and the St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling took the song to heart, going undefeated during the first day of competition and the Illini Prairie Conference wrestling meet last week.

SJO grapplers delivered a commanding performance on Jan. 17, overwhelming the Prairie Central Hawks 54-12 at the two-day Illini Prairie Conference wrestling meet at Illinois Valley Central High School. The Spartans also claimed victories over Pontiac (48-35) and St. Thomas More (66-12).

Despite a few competitive bouts, including a 10-7 overtime decision at 138 pounds in favor of Prairie Central’s John Traub over Aiden Hundley, the Spartans’ depth and ability to secure bonus points proved decisive. Other key contributors included Eli Birt (126 pounds), who earned a 4-1 decision, and Devan Swisher (175 pounds), who posted a 10-3 decision.

Ben Wells (106 pounds) won the dual opener for the Spartans by pinning Prairie Central’s Andrew Patino in 1:37. Jackson Walsh (113 pounds) followed with another first-period pin, defeating Julius Smith in 1:33. Camden Getty (120 pounds) kept the momentum going, recording a fall over Prestin Gero in 2:08.

Landen Butts (144 pounds) added to the Spartans’ strong showing with a pin over Daemian Spisak in 4:20, while heavyweight Cam Wagner capped the dual with a forfeit victory. Wagner, a sophomore enjoying a standout debut season, is also a top-rated football player with Division I scholarship offers.

Day one conference meet standouts
Several Spartans delivered standout performances across all three matches on day one. Walsh (113 pounds) was a force on the mat, securing two first-period pins, including a 1:49 fall against Pontiac’s Sophia Mussari. Getty (120 pounds) also recorded two pins, showcasing the improvement he has made through the hard work he put in during the off-season.

Wagner (285 pounds) continued to impress with two falls, including a decisive 1:35 pin over Pontiac’s Hunter McCullough. Butts (144 pounds) added two pins to his tally, further highlighting the Spartans’ dominance in the middleweight classes.

Box Score
106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Patino, Andrew (PC), Fall 1:37; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Smith, Julius (PC), Fall 1:33; 120 - GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO) over Gero, Prestin (PC), Fall 2:08; 126 - BIRT, ELI (SJO) over Clemons, Drake (PC), Decision 4-1; 132 - Forfeit, (PC) over Forfeit, (SJO), Double Forfeit; 138 - Traub, John (PC) over HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO), Decision 10-7 (OT); 144 - BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO) over Spisak, Daemian (PC), Fall 4:20; 150 - WARE, THOMAS (SJO) over Forfeit, (PC), FORFEIT; 157 - Ziller, Ethan (PC) over MOORE, JONATHON (SJO), Decision 9-6; 165 - Martin, Jaxson (PC) over VAUGHN, ALEX (SJO), Fall 1:02; 175 - SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO) over Mowery, Elijah (PC), Decision 10-3; 190 - Carter, Liam (SJO) over Forfeit, (PC), FORFEIT; 215 - PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO) over Forfeit, (PC), FORFEIT; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over Forfeit, (PC), FORFEIT.


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St. Joseph-Ogden secures hard-fought victory over Pontiac at IPC meet

CHILLICOTHE - The St. Joseph-Ogden wrestling team had an impressive run during the first day of the two-day Illini Prairie Conference wrestling meet on Jan. 17 at Illinois Valley Central High School, defeating the Pontiac Indians 48-35 in a closely contested dual.

The Spartans, who went 3-0 on day one, also secured commanding wins against Prairie Central (54-12) and St. Thomas More (66-12).

The meet began at 106 pounds, with Ben Wells earning a forfeit victory for the Spartans. At 113 pounds, Jackson Walsh notched the first of several key first-period pins for St. Joseph-Ogden, defeating Pontiac’s Sophia Mussari in 1:49. Cam Wagner, a standout sophomore heavyweight, capped the match with a first-period pin over Hunter McCullough in 1:35 to seal the victory. Wagner, who is enjoying a stellar debut season, is also a top-rated football player in Illinois with Division I scholarship offers from Nebraska, Illinois, Louisville, Miami of Ohio, and Iowa.

Other Spartans who delivered standout performances included Aiden Hundley (138 pounds), who pinned Kooper Wiles in 5:35, and Landen Butts (144 pounds), who recorded a fall over Cale Christenson in 5:60. Jonathan Moore (157 pounds) also added a pin, defeating Hunter Christenson in 3:02.

Pontiac kept the meet competitive with wins in several weight classes, including Noah Davis’ technical fall at 126 pounds and pins by Brayden Quas (150 pounds), Lucas Maier (165 pounds), Carlito Lattin (175 pounds), and Jackson Crawford (190 pounds). Despite their efforts, the Indians fell short as the Spartans’ depth and ability to secure bonus points proved decisive.

Box Score
106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Pontiac), FORFEIT; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Mussari, Sophia (Pontiac), Fall 1:49; 120 - GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Pontiac), FORFEIT; 126 - Davis, Noah (Pontiac) over BIRT, ELI (SJO), Tech Fall 18-2; 132 - Hoegger, Alex (Pontiac) over Forfeit, (SJO), FORFEIT; 138 - HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO) over Wiles, Kooper (Pontiac), Fall 5:35; 144 - BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO) over Christenson, Cale (Pontiac), Fall 5:60; 150 - Quas, Brayden (Pontiac) over WARE, THOMAS (SJO), Fall 4:13; 157 - MOORE, JONATHON (SJO) over Christenson, Hunter (Pontiac), Fall 3:02; 165 - Maier, Lucas (Pontiac) over VAUGHN, ALEX (SJO), Fall 3:39; 175 - Lattin, Carlito (Pontiac) over SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO), Fall 8:28; 190 - Crawford, Jackson (Pontiac) over Carter, Liam (SJO), Fall 4:49; 215 - PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO) over Forfeit, (Pontiac), FORFEIT; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over McCullough, Hunter (Pontiac), Fall 1:35.


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Spartans dominate on the mats at IPC conference wrestling meet

CHILLICOTHE - The St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans showcased their dominance during the first day of the two-day Illini Prairie Conference wrestling meet on Jan. 17 at Illinois Valley Central High School, going undefeated with a 3-0 record. The Spartans capped their performance with a commanding 66-12 victory over the St. Thomas More Sabers.

The Spartans also notched decisive wins against Prairie Central (54-12) and Pontiac (48-35) to complete their sweep of day one.

The meet began at 106 pounds, where St. Joseph-Ogden’s Ben Wells set the tone with a first-period pin over RJ Cinnamon of St. Thomas More in just 1:30. Wells’ performance was one of the few contested matches, as the Sabers forfeited 10 of the 14 weight classes.

St. Thomas More found success in two of the three matches wrestled. Philip Christhilf earned a pin at 157 pounds, defeating Jonathon Moore of St. Joseph-Ogden in 1:23. James Schmidt added another win for the Sabers at 215 pounds, pinning Nathan Phillips in 1:32.

The Spartans’ depth was evident throughout the meet, with wrestlers like Jackson Walsh (113 pounds), Camden Getty (120 pounds), and Devan Swisher (175 pounds) earning points through forfeits. Aiden Hundley (138 pounds), Landen Butts (144 pounds), and Thomas Ware (150 pounds) also were present to help dominant scoreline.

With the victory, St. Joseph-Ogden improved its season record and solidified its position as a top contender in the conference. The team’s strong showing highlights its potential as postseason tournaments approach.

Next on the Schedule
The Spartans will host a multi-quad meet this Saturday, facing Decatur Unity Christian, Decatur MacArthur, Hoopeston, Cumberland, and St. Thomas More. Matches begin at 8:30 a.m.

St. Joseph-Ogden then hits the road for dual meets at Champaign Central High School on Wednesday, Jan. 29, and at GCMS on Thursday, Jan. 30.

Box Score
106 - WELLS, BEN (SJO) over Cinnamon, RJ (STM), Fall 1:30; 113 - WALSH, JACKSON (SJO) over Forfeit, (STM), FORFEIT; 120 - GETTY, CAMDEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (STM), FORFEIT; 126 - BIRT, ELI (SJO) over Forfeit, (STM), FORFEIT; 132 - Forfeit, (STM) over Forfeit, (SJO), Double Forfeit; 138 - HUNDLEY, AIDEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (STM), FORFEIT; 144 - BUTTS, LANDEN (SJO) over Forfeit, (STM), FORFEIT; 150 - WARE, THOMAS (SJO) over Forfeit, (STM), FORFEIT; 157 - Christhilf, Philip (STM) over MOORE, JONATHON (SJO), Fall 1:23; 165 - VAUGHN, ALEX (SJO) over Forfeit, (STM), FORFEIT; 175 - SWISHER, DEVAN (SJO) over Forfeit, (STM), FORFEIT; 190 - Carter, Liam (SJO) over Forfeit, (STM), FORFEIT; 215 - Schmidt, James (STM) over PHILLIPS, NATHAN (SJO), Fall 1:32; 285 - WAGNER, CAM (SJO) over Forfeit, (STM), FORFEIT.


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Spartans’ depth shines in 7-2 win over Decatur St. Teresa, Kelso & team growing

Senior Samy Kelso leads St. Joseph-Ogden with a 5-3 record, guiding a balanced Spartans tennis team built on depth and commitment.

URBANA - St. Joseph-Ogden senior Samy Kelso has become the anchor of the Spartans’ girls’ tennis team, showcasing a season defined by growth, resilience and mental toughness.

With a 5-3 record, Kelso has delivered some of the team’s most notable performances, including a Sept. 10 victory over Schlarman standout Reagan Troglia, 6-2, 6-1. Eight days later, she squared off with Pontiac’s state-qualifier Olivia Masching, battling hard in a 6-2, 6-1 loss that highlighted the high level of competition she continues to face. For Kelso, both matches were steppingstones in what has become one of her strongest campaigns yet.

SJO SPORTS

Kelso added another notch to her winning record this week against Decatur St. Teresa, defeating Vinathi Marri in straight sets, 7-5, 7-6 (4). The victory wasn’t easy, as Marri forced Kelso into a tiebreaker in the second set, but the senior dug deep and held her composure to seal the win.

St. Joseph-Ogden head coach Kevin Martlage praised her ability to embrace the team’s mantra of “play it one point at a time” after Tuesday's marathon match at Atkins Tennis Center.

He said Kelso’s mental strength has allowed her to rally in tough moments, turning what might have been losses in past seasons into wins. “She has also honestly become an absolutely great tennis player that loves the sport and is driven by continuing to get better and better each day,” Martlage said.

While Kelso has drawn much of the spotlight, the Spartans have seen depth across their lineup. Lily Rice continues to solidify the No. 2 singles slot, topping Decatur’s Brooke Nelson 6-3, 6-4, with steady serves and quick returns. At No. 5, Avarie Dietiker delivered a steady performance, winning 6-1, 7-5, while Nora Buckley powered through a two-set win at No. 6, showing the importance of closing out long rallies.

Though losses came at the No. 3 and No. 4 singles spots, teammates Audrie Helfrich and Maddie Wells continue to gain valuable experience against strong competition. Martlage noted that both players have made strides in their confidence on the court, even in defeat.

The team’s progress in the latter half of the season comes from strong chemistry, individual commitment, and off-season skill development by returning players.

SJO’s doubles squads made a clean sweep against Decatur, providing the perfect capstone to the 7-2 team win. The pairings of Ainsley Rhoten and Shelby Warns, Madison Farber and Kenley Ray, and Sophie Schmitz and Karleigh Spain all secured victories, with Schmitz and Spain closing out their match in dominating fashion, 6-1, 6-0.

Rhoten and Warns pulled away in the second set to finish 7-5, 6-2, while Farber and Ray battled through a tight tiebreaker to secure a 7-6 (4) victory in the second set. The effort reflected the Spartans’ team-first mentality, one that emphasizes spreading opportunities across the lineup and giving every player a chance to compete under pressure.

SJO's Ava Midkiff plays in a tennis match against Urbana
Ava Midkiff lines up a shot while playing at #2 doubles in St. Joseph-Ogden's against Urbana back in early September. The Spartan dropped the road match 6-3 to the Tigers. The two teams face each other again on Monday at Blair Park for a season rematch.

The team’s progress in the latter half of the season comes from strong chemistry, individual commitment, and off-season skill development by returning players. Martlage pointed out that from starters to alternates, veterans to neophytes, everyone works hard in practice to improve. Unlike a lot of high school teams, SJO doesn't rely on the strongest six players for every lineup.

"Every person on the team also works hard in practice and they continue to advance their ability to play a sport many of them never played before joining the team," said head coach Kevin Martlage. "I also feel that an 'X Factor' is our approach to playing 12 different players each and every match instead of doubling up the same 6 players between singles and doubles."

While it hasn’t always translated to a winning record, Martlage's goal is to build long-term success for his players to continue tennis year-round. "This has helped to prepare them for success while giving them important court time and confidence," he said.

Match Results

St. Joseph-Ogden 7, Decatur St. Teresa 2

Singles
No. 1 – Samantha Kelso (SJO) def. Vinathi Marri (St. Teresa), 7-5, 7-6 (4)
No. 2 – Lily Rice (SJO) def. Brooke Nelson (St. Teresa), 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 – Nora Jerabek (St. Teresa) def. Audrie Helfrich (SJO), 6-1, 6-2
No. 4 – Xaniyah Todd (St. Teresa) def. Maddie Wells (SJO), 6-3, 6-3
No. 5 – Avarie Dietiker (SJO) def. Addison Johnson (St. Teresa), 6-1, 7-5
No. 6 – Nora Buckley (SJO) def. Audrey Cunningham (St. Teresa), 6-4, 6-1

Doubles
No. 1 – Ainsley Rhoten/Shelby Warns (SJO) def. Nelson/Jerabek (St. Teresa), 7-5, 6-2
No. 2 – Madison Farber/Kenley Ray (SJO) def. Todd/Cunningham (St. Teresa), 6-3, 7-6 (4)
No. 3 – Sophie Schmitz/Karleigh Spain (SJO) def. Johnson/Perry (St. Teresa), 6-1, 6-0


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TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden girls tennis, Samy Kelso senior season, IHSA tennis Illinois, SJO vs Decatur St. Teresa tennis, Illini Prairie Conference sports
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St. Joseph-Ogden tennis rolls past St. Teresa in season opener

Spartans take five of six singles matches in road victory. Veterans Rice, Farber, and Helfrich start the season with stellar performances.


DECATUR — The St. Joseph-Ogden girls tennis team opened its season with a convincing 7-2 win on the road at St. Teresa, showing balance across the lineup in both singles and doubles play.

SJO SPORTS The Spartans secured five of six singles matches to set the tone early. Lily Rice, Madison Farber, Ainsley Rhoten, Avarie Dietiker and Audrie Helfrich all collected victories, with Helfrich cruising to an 8-0 sweep at No. 6 singles.

St. Joseph-Ogden added two more wins in doubles competition. The pairing of Kenley Ray and Karleigh Spain battled to an 8-6 victory at the No. 2 position, while Sophia Schmitz and Shelby Warnes delivered an 8-3 win at No. 3 doubles.

St. Teresa earned its two points at the top of the lineup. Vinathi Marri defeated Samantha Kelso 8-4 at No. 1 singles, while Brooke Nelson and Nora Jerabek combined to take an 8-2 win over Ava Midkiff and Maddie Wells at No. 1 doubles.

With the early road test behind them, the Spartans demonstrated the depth of their roster and strong season potential.

Match Results

Team Score: St. Joseph-Ogden 7 - St. Teresa 2

Singles
No. 1 — Vinathi Marri (St. Teresa) def. Samantha Kelso (SJO) 8-4
No. 2 — Lily Rice (SJO) def. Brooke Nelson (St. Teresa) 8-1
No. 3 — Madison Farber (SJO) def. Nora Jerabek (St. Teresa) 8-4
No. 4 — Ainsley Rhoten (SJO) def. Xaniyah Todd (St. Teresa) 8-2
No. 5 — Avarie Dietiker (SJO) def. Addison Johnson (St. Teresa) 8-4
No. 6 — Audrie Helfrich (SJO) def. Audrey Cunningham (St. Teresa) 8-0

Doubles
No. 1 — Brooke Nelson / Nora Jerabek (St. Teresa) def. Ava Midkiff / Maddie Wells (SJO) 8-2
No. 2 — Kenley Ray / Karleigh Spain (SJO) def. Xaniyah Todd / Audrey Cunningham (St. Teresa) 8-6
No. 3 — Sophia Schmitz / Shelby Warnes (SJO) def. Addison Johnson / Tiarra Perry (St. Teresa) 8-3

St. Joseph-Ogden girls tennis 2025 season opener, SJO vs St. Teresa tennis results, Illinois high school girls tennis scores, Spartans tennis Decatur road win, St. Joseph-Ogden high school sports news
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2020 Spotlight on St. Joseph-Ogden seniors Brendan Cooperider, Logan Lindsey & Mason McLain

Mason McLain

Clubs & Activities
Baseball (4 years)
Maroon Platoon
Spanish Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Older sister

Hobbies:
Playing video games and hanging out with friends.

Favorite SJO memories:
His junior year baseball season. The Spartans had a great year last year, and he was excited to play baseball again this spring. He knows the SJO baseball team could have really done something this spring.

Favorite classes:
Civics with Mr. Marshall Schacht and Geography with Mr. Jeff Kieffer.

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Dunker at St. Joseph Grade School, Mr. Risley at St. Joseph Middle School, and Mr. Marshall Schacht and Mrs. Lianne Rash at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
University of Illinois, majoring in Kinesiology

Advice to future SJO students:
Dot take anything for granted and to enjoy all four years of high school.

Logan Lindsey

Clubs & Activities
Football (3 years)
Track and Field (2 years)
Wrestling (1 year)
Drama Club, Maroon Platoon

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
One older sister and one younger brother

Hobbies:
Writing and building his own computers

Favorite SJO memories:
Hanging out with his friends at lunch time and being around his friends playing sports. Logan developed a strong bond with his friends through athletics.

Favorite classes:
All of his math classes and science with Mr. Kevin Simondsen.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Baker and Mrs. Camp at St. Joseph Grade School; Mr. Risley and Mrs. Stone at St. Joseph Middle School; and Mr. Simondsen, Mrs. Morgan Downs, Mrs. Alisyn Franzen, and all of his math teachers at SJO.

College:
Parkland College, majoring in computer programming

Advice to future SJO students:
Pay attention and to get your homework done

Brendan Cooperider

Clubs & Activities
Football (4 years)
Baseball (4 years)
Student Council, Spanish Club, NHS, Maroon Platoon

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Hobbies:
Weightlifting and learning about cars

Favorite SJO memories:
His greatest memories at SJO revolve around the baseball team, which he enjoyed being a part of for all four years. One memory that stood out was the SJO Invite in May 2019, a round robin tourney hosted at SJO each year.

Favorite classes:
U.S. History and Civics

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Risley, Mr. Steele, and Mrs. Ford at St. Joseph Middle School and Mr. Kiel Duval and Mr. Marshall Schacht at SJO.

College:
University of Iowa, majoring in Mechanical Engineering

Career goal:
Become a part of the Formula SAE race team.

Advice to future SJO students:
Learn time management skills early on

Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.


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Good spin for Tigers, Urbana tennis team downs St. Joseph at home

Lillian Hall hits the ball back over the next during her match at #2 singles against St.Joseph-Ogden's Madison Clampitt. Hall, a senior, defeated Clampitt, 6-3 , 6-7, 7-4.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
URBANA - The Urbana tennis team won five singles matches and all three doubles contests to defeat St. Joseph-Ogden at home Monday. The Tigers were dominant on all nine courts, winning the dual match 8-1.

All but one of the four matches decided by a third-set tiebreaker ended in Urbana's favor. Lillian Hall won the first set 6-3 and dropped the second set 7-6 in her match at No. 2 singles against SJO's Madison Clampitt. Taking an early lead in the tiebreaker, Hall secured the win with a 7-4 finish.

Coming off a 6-1, 6-1 loss to Danville’s Aliya Morgan, Urbana’s Ananyah Tangmunarunkit lost her first set against St. Joseph-Ogden’s Madison Farber at No. 3 singles, 6-3. Regrouping, she frustrated Farber with strong defensive play, running down good shots that could have been winners to take the second set 6-1. Tangmunarunkit, a sophomore, held on to an early lead to win 10-7 in the final set.

The Tigers also won both doubles matches that required an extra set.

Urbana’s Grace Coady and Lillian Hall pulled out the win at No. 1 doubles after defeating St. Joseph-Ogden duo Lily Rice and MaKennah Hamilton, 4-6, 6-2, 10-6.

Ananyah Tangmunarunkit, a sophomore, lines up a short-angled shot during her doubles match with partner Elianna Lee. The Tigers' doubles duo beat St. Joseph-Ogden’s Ella Dieteker and Sara Kearney in a three-setter. Tangmunarunkit's singles matches was also decided after three sets.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

At No. 2 doubles, Ananyah Tangmunarunkit and Elianna Lee played an exciting match against St. Joseph-Ogden’s Ella Dieteker and Sara Kearney. The Spartan pair won the first set 6-4, thanks to outstanding net play from Kearney. The Urbana duo regrouped, keeping the ball away from SJO’s best net player to win the second set 6-2. Tied at one set apiece, Urbana won the decider 10-5.

The Spartans’ only victory came at No. 1 singles. In a contentious battle, SJO’s Sami Kelso defeated Urbana’s Grace Coady 3-6, 7-5, 10-5.

The Tigers are back on the courts at Blair Park next Tuesday for their final home match of the season, hosting Central.


Final Score:
 Urbana 8 - St. Joseph-Ogden 1

Singles:
Samantha Kelso, SJO def. Grace Coady, Urbana, 3-6, 6-5, 10-5; Lillian Hall, Urbana def. Madison Clampitt, SJO, 6-3 , 6-7, 7-4; Ananyah Tangmunarunkit, Urbana def. Madison Farber, SJO, 4-6, 6-1, 10-7; Elianna Lee, Urbana def. Ainsley Rhoten, SJO, 6-2, 6-2; Gwen McLean, Urbana def. Audrie Helfrich, SJO, 6-0, 6-4; Amani Brown, Urbana def. Avarie Dietiker, SJO, 6-4, 6-2.

Doubles:
Grace Coady - Lillian Hall, Urbana def. Lily Rice - MaKennah Hamilton, SJO, 4-6, 6-2, 10-6; Ananyah Tangmunarunkit - Elianna Lee, Urbana def. Ella Dieteker - Sara Kearney, SJO, 4-6, 6-2, 10-5; Catherine Bretl - Amani Brown, Urbana def. Audrey Benoit - Claire Hartman, SJO, 7-6, 6-0.

St. Joe-Ogden Athletics
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Spartans blank Rockets 7-0, pushing season record to 17-0

St. Joseph-Ogden rolled past Unity 7-0 for its 17th straight win, extending its shutout dominance so far this season.

St. Joseph-Ogden's Hunter Cler
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Hunter Cler settles the ball during the Spartans' home match on Saturday against IVC. Cler delivered two goals in St. Joseph-Ogden's game against Unity on Tuesday.

ST. JOSEPH - The St. Joseph-Ogden soccer team rumbled to a 5-0 first half start against visiting Unity on Tuesday. Adding two more goals in the second frame, the Spartans defeated the Rockets 7-0 in Illini Prairie Conference play at Dick Duval Field.

Hunter Cler opened the scoring with a finish off a Lucas Stevens pass, and the goals came quickly after that. Tyler Hess buried one, Cler struck again—again with Stevens providing the setup—and Stevens himself joined the party with a goal of his own. Before halftime, Zach Harper dished an assist to Skyler Graham, who closed the first-half scoring with the Spartans up 5-0.

The second half played out much the same way. Harper found the net and later turned provider again, assisting Waylon Jones to close out SJO’s seven-goal shutout win.

The victory only added to a remarkable run under head coach Chris Stevens, who has led the Spartans to 55 wins against just 11 losses in his two and a half seasons at the helm. Ranked by both the Associated Press and MaxPreps, the Spartans are a perfect 17-0 this fall. For context, the Illinois high school record for consecutive wins belongs to New Trier, which strung together 88 victories between 2002 and 2005. While SJO isn’t there yet, the streak has put them in rare company.

Even more eye-catching than the win-loss column is the team’s defensive dominance. Tuesday’s clean sheet was their 12th of the season, and between August 29 and September 18 they stacked nine straight to enter the IHSA’s consecutive shutouts list. The Spartans have scored 98 goals so far this season while surrendering just seven—yes, you can still count them all on two hands.

The Sentinel's Illini Prairie Conference sports coverage

SJO’s schedule doesn’t slow down. They’ll host Georgetown-Ridge Farm-Westville on Sept. 27, face Danville in a non-conference match on Sept. 29, and return to league play Oct. 1 at St. Thomas More. Four more regular season games remain before the Spartans turn their focus toward postseason play.

For Unity, the night was another tough outing. The Rockets fell to 1-5-2 overall and 0-2 in the Illini Prairie. They’ll travel to Rantoul on Sept. 25 and then host Illinois Valley Central Saturday morning at 10 a.m.


Box Score

Scoring Summary
St. Joseph-Ogden 7, Unity 0

First Half
SJO – Hunter Cler (assist Lucas Stevens)
SJO – Tyler Hess
SJO – Hunter Cler (assist Lucas Stevens)
SJO – Lucas Stevens
SJO – Skyler Graham (assist Zach Harper)

Second Half
SJO – Zach Harper
SJO – Waylon Jones (assist Zach Harper)

Team Records
St. Joseph-Ogden: 17-0 (2-0 IPC)
Unity: 1-5-2 (0-2 IPC)

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St. Joseph-Ogden Athletics | Unity Athletics | Illini Prairie Sports
TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden soccer 2025 season, Unity Rockets vs SJO soccer recap, Illini Prairie Conference boys soccer scores, Illinois high school soccer shutouts, unbeaten high school soccer teams Illinois
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With playoff bid on the line, Spartans suffer road loss at Monticello

As head coach Shawn Skinner headed to the locker room Friday after the Spartans' 35-6 loss to Monticello, Glen Fisher, an ardent fan of SJO athletics and retired employee of the district, hoped to comfort head coach Shawn Skinner after Friday's game against Monticello.

"Dick Duval didn't start out that great," he said gently.

Duval, St. Joseph-Ogden's head coach football coach from 1988-2015, had a combined win-loss record of 29-15 his first four years at the helm. Five seasons later, his Spartans were playing 12+ games a seasons, make deep playoff runs for the next half a decade.

That probably didn't make Skinner, who is now 19-19 after Friday night's contest in his first four season, feel much better after the lackluster loss to the Class 3A defending state champions.

The Sages scored five times before the Spartans, courtesy of Jarrett Stevenson, put their only TD on the board in the final quarter of a game that held possible playoff implications depending results from other IHSA member schools.

Xander Rieches plays at tight end
Xander Rieches plays at tight end for the Spartans in their road game against Monticello. Despite the 29-point loss, SJO will play at least one more game this season in the Class 3A playoff bracket. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
"Early on we kind of were doing our job, but we weren't playing hard," Skinner said. "Then, we start playing hard, but weren't doing our job. Either way, that's a bad combination."

And, bad it was. Nothing good went the Spartans' way when they really need it.

Down 21-0 in the second quarter, Chance Izard pulled in a short pass from Crayton Burnett and ran toward the south endzone. Breaking four tackles along the way and sprinting down the east sideline, he put the ball over the goal line 60 or so yards from where he started. The celebration by players and fans was short-lived.

It was deja vu from the Prairie Central game two weeks earlier where every substantial play in SJO's favor was negated with a yellow hankie. And, just as in the road game the Hawks, the ball came back.

"I don't think we matched their intensity right away," said Skinner. "When we tried to react to their intensity, we lost all of our technique. We lost all of our assignments. We were trying to play hard, but we weren't doing our job."

Monticello's offense was fueled and supercharged by tailback Chris Brown. He exploited SJO's weaknesses as skillful as a brain surgeon.

The Sages' junior scored a touchdown in three of the four quarters and churned up 265 yards on 13 carries. The Spartans had a difficult containing him on the outside and his explosive burst caused missed tackles when took the ball between the tackles.

"There were glimmers on defense, but not nearly enough," said Skinner. "I thought Brodie Sullivan (and) Trevon Carr (played well). Drew Coursey continued to play really well. I thought Coby Miller stepped in at middle linebacker in the second half and did some nice things for us."

Trevon Carr wraps up Monticello ball carrier
Trevon Carr wraps up Monticello's quarterback Nick Tackels for a loss in the second half. The loss to the Sages wrapped up SJO's regular season at 5-4. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

The Spartans entered the game without senior linebacker Brayden Weaver, who suffered a season-ending injury to a knee in an earlier game. Fellow senior and linebacker Sam Wesley admitted his presence was missed on the field.

"Some people don't know my sophomore year, I didn't play. I only came back my junior year because of Brayden Weaver," Wesley confessed. "It was definitely a big loss. People have stepped up. We got to keep playing."

Though not official until Saturday evening, Wesley was confident of a Class 3A playoff bid for his team.

Luke Renfrew stands up to block Monticello's Cooper Mitze
Luke Renfrew stands up to block Monticello's Cooper Mitze during second half action of the Illini Praire Conference finale. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
"We still have playoffs next week. We just have to come (in) and prepare (for it)," he said, happy that he will have the chance to play one more game. He was confident SJO will rebound from the loss. "We just have look at the film, make some adjustments and we will be alright."

Stevenson led the Spartans' offensive effort with 86 yards and 22 carries. His 9-yard touchdown run with less than three minutes to play avoided what would have been the second shutout this season.

With Weaver out, SJO enlisted their young guns and called on them to fill the senior's role at fullback. Sophomore Keaton Nolan picked 12 yards, collecting seven of those on his last touch. Meanwhile, Coby Miller chipped in an additional 15 yards.

"We had a good week of preparation and practice. I saw good things," Skinner remarked during his postgame interview from the 50 yard line before passing Fisher. "Yesterday, was one of the best Thursday practices we had this year. It just didn't translate into anything worthwhile."

Drew Coursey was clearly disappointed after the game.

"It's hard to take away any positives right now," he said. He focused more on the Sages' success than on SJO failures during his last regular season game. "Number 8 (Chris Brown) is fast and number 12 (Nic Tackels) is a good player. They played well."



Box Score
St. Joseph-Ogden   0 0 0 6   6
Monticello 14 7 7 7 35




Scoring by quarters
1st Quarter
MHS - C.Brown 14 yd run (Ellison kick)
MHS - Tackels 15 yd run (Ellison kick)

2nd Quarter
MHS - Kerr 10 yd pass from Tackels (Ellison kick)

3rd Quarter
MHS - C.Brown - 81 yd pass from Tackels (Ellison kick)

4th Quarter
MHS - C.Brown 49 yd run (Ellison kick)
SJO - Stevenson 14 yd run (pass failed)


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