Prep Hoops | Not holding back, SJO keeps perfect record intact

The St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team put their collective feet on the gas and didn't let up for four quarters in last week's home game against Rantoul. Rallying behind Peyton Jacob, Ella Armstrong and with double digit scoring all four quarters, SJO posted a 64-32 rout over the visiting Eagles.

Jacob notched the first two buckets for the Spartans sandwiched around a pair of free throws from Armstrong in the first four minutes for a 6-2 lead. Despite points after a SJO turnover and subsequent score by Eagles' Tanaya Young, SJO never had look over their shoulder to pick up their third victory and second conference win of the season.

Armstrong then widened the scoring gap to 11-4 with a jumper and trey. From here on, point production became a team effort for St. Joseph-Ogden. Payton Jones started bucketfest after putting a shot through the rim for a nine point advantage with 44 seconds left in the first quarter.

Rantoul's Young, determined not to let the game get away from her team, hit a three making it a 13-7 game.

SJO responded with basket from 6-foot-3 junior Taylor Wells to close out the first quarter.

Rantoul, thanks to a strong defensive effort by the Spartans, was held scoreless during the first 4 minutes and 49 seconds of the second half. By the time Kianna Berlasky's sank a free throw for her Eagles for their first point of the quarter, the Spartans had built a 17-point advantage.

Berlasky went on to finish the loss with 12 points for RTHS behind Young's team-high 14.

Once again, the Spartan offensive effort was a team collaboration. Armstrong led nine other scorers from her team with 16 points and she was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.

When Rantoul's defensive effort transitioned to clamping down on Armstrong and Payton Vallee, Jacob doubled her first half output with eight points in the third quarter point to secure the conference win with 12 points. Wells rounded out SJO's top three scorers with seven points.

Wells and the Spartans travel to Bloomington tomorrow night to face Central Catholic. Fans can catch the Illini Prairie Conference game on the NFHS Network starting with the junior varsity game at 5:30pm.

Box Score

St. Joseph-Ogden	15	15	18	16	- 64
Rantoul	7	3	13	9	- 32

St. Joseph-Ogden
Ashlyn Lannert 2 (0) 0-0 -- 4, Taylor Campbell 2 (0) 0-0 -- 4, Payton Jacob 6 (0) 0-0 -- 12, Taylor Wells 3 (0) 1-2 -- 7, Atleigh Hamilton 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Taylor Hug 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, Abby Behrens 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, Isabell Smith 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Peyton Jones 3 (0) 0-0 -- 6, Alyssa Hamilton 1 (1) 0-0 -- 5, Payton Vallee 3 (0) 0-3 -- 6, Ella Armstrong 2 (2) 6-6 -- 16.

Rantoul
McClyde 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, Walton 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Berlatsky 3 (0) 4-8 -- 10, Emery 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, Jackson-Romper 2 (0) 0-0 -- 4, Sutherland 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Dixon 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Young 4 (2) 0-1 -- 14, Vermillon 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0.

Photo of the Day - February 14, 2021

Downs finishes 3rd at state!

Blood trickes down the face of Unity's Micah Downs during his third place match against Dakota's Evan Riggles at the 2020 Illinois High School Association Individual Wrestling State Finals. Downs, a senior, won the bout by major decision, 11-3. The 182-pounder finished the state tournament with four wins, including a 58 second pin in one match, and one loss for a 46-6 record in last season of prep wrestling.

(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Prep Hoops | Porter delivers 15 points in Unity's third loss

Brady Porter and Dillon Rutledge drilled three treys apiece in Unity's home game against Illinois Valley Central (2-1) this past Tuesday. Their combine effort was not enough in the Rockets' eventual 59-43 loss.

A three-pointer from both players and another from Will Cowan left UHS with mere six-point deficit after a competitive 17-11 first quarter. Once again, the Rockets' were crippled by second quarter shooting woes, delivering just two field goals and a free throw to fall behind at the half, 32-18.

The period might have been more manageable if it wasn't for the plethora of foul calls against the Rockets. IVC took advantage of all six trips to the foul line, missing just two of the nine attempts offered. It more of the same in the second half. After the final buzzer, the Grey Ghost capitalized on 22 of their 32 shots from line.

Meanwhile, on the side of the scorer's table, the Rockets drew just six foul calls from the guys in stripes. Austin Langendorf made one of his four attempts while William Jokish finished the game 2-for-2.

Unity's effort was led by Porter who finished the night with 15 points. Rutledge chipped in three first half long range shots for nine points and Damian Knoll added eight points to the cause, all tacked on in the second half to round out the Rockets' top three shooters.

Mac Parmelee spearheaded the Illinois Valley Central offensive. The 6-foot-3 senior buried seven field goals and was 6-for-8 from the line good for 20 points in IVC's second win of the season. Stepping back to a supporting role, Holt Geltmaker was 7-for-8 from the free throw line and finished with 15 points.

Still in search of their first victory of the season, the 0-3 Rockets are on the road at Olympia on Tuesday.

Box Score

Unity	11	7	15	10	- 43
Illinois Valley Central	17	15	18	9	- 59

Unity

Kimball () - -- , Cowan 0 (2) 0-0 -- 6, Hensch 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, Rawdin 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Rutledge 0 (3) 0-0 -- 9, Knoll 1 (2) 0-0 -- 8, Porter 3 (3) 0-0 -- 15, Drennan () - -- , Page 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Langendorf 0 (0) 1-4 -- 1, Alt 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Jokisch 0 (0) 2-2 -- 2.

Illinois Valley Central

Hulson 0 (1) 2-2 -- 5, Parmelee 7 (0) 6-8 -- 20, Brooks 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Hulett 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Harms 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Rainey 1 (0) 1-4 -- 3, Mercer 2 (0) 4-8 -- 8, Sawyer 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Wollard 3 (0) 0-0 -- 6, Geltmaker 4 (0) 7-8 -- 15, McNaught 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, McCoy 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Edlman 0 (0) 2-2 -- 2.

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