By FRED KRONER
fred@sjodaily.com
The final half of Oakwood’s last regular-season football game was a parallel to the entire last half of the season.
After an 0-3 start, the Comets had their backs to the wall as far as qualifying for the playoffs.
In a Week 9 game against visiting Salt Fork, where a win meant a postseason berth and a loss meant the end of the season, Oakwood recovered from a 15-point halftime deficit on Friday to handle the playoff-bound Storm, 35-28.
Salt Fork led, 21-6 at halftime.
Colby Smiley, who rushed for 206 yards on 25 carries, scored three second-half touchdowns, including one in the final minute that gave the Comets the lead and the victory.
Smiley’s late scored created a 33-28 lead which was expanded to 35-28 on Jack Carey’s two-point conversion run.
Cody Hansbrough and Nick Grubb also scored TDs for the Comets.
Grubb totaled 70 yards rushing and shared the team-lead in tackling with Smiley. Each had nine stops.
Caleb Lashuay had an extra-point kick and Rhett Harrison also added a two-point conversion run. Harrison passed for 76 yards.
All four Salt Fork TDs came on pass plays, but in the final minute, the Storm (6-3) was 0-for-4 on its possession after falling behind. The Storm is 6-3.
The Comets shared the Vermilion Valley Conference championship with Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin.
Oakwood (5-4) plays at Pana (8-1) on Saturday at 1 p.m. in a Class 2A playoff game.
St. Joseph-Ogden (5-4) and Monticello played in a Week 9 game in St. Joseph. The visiting Sages captured a 50-7 victory to conclude a 9-0 regular season.
The same teams will play a rematch in a first-round Class 3A playoff game at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
This time, the game will be played in Monticello.
In Friday’s Senior Night encounter, the lone SJ-O touchdown was courtesy of a 77-yard kickoff return by Keanan Swanson.
In a must-win game, Villa Grove/Heritage used two long scoring runs by Cole Thomas to post a 13-7 win at Cerro Gordo/Bement.
Thomas returned the opening kickoff 81 yards for a TD and scored the clincher on a 51-yard run from scrimmage.
VG/H (5-4) returns to action in a Class 2A playoff game at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Tuscola (8-1).
Boys’ cross-country
St. Joseph-Ogden placed third and qualified its entire team for the sectional while Oakwood/Salt Fork will be represented by two individuals next week.
The top teams at Saturday’s Class 1A regional at Tuscola’s Wimple Park were Urbana Uni High (54 points), Monticello (57) and SJ-O (100).
The Spartans were led by all-regional runner Isiah McCune. The senior covered the 3-mile course in 16 minutes, 20 seconds and placed fifth in a field of 96 competitors.
Other SJ-O regional participants were: Brandon Mattsey (11th in 16:51); Eric Poe (22nd in 17:24); Charlie Mabry (35th in 18:05); Elijah Mock (36th in 18:06); Luke Stegall (40th in 18:23) and Kaleb Harshbarger (56th in 19:12).
Two Oakwood/Salt Fork seniors also qualified for this Saturday’s St. Teresa Sectional.
Cameron Helka was 23rd in 17:25 and Dawson Rogers was 24th in 17:27.
Teammate Andy Hohn was a near-miss. He was 26th in 17:29 and missed the final individual qualifying spot by 1.58 seconds.
Girls’ cross-country
St. Joseph-Ogden and Oakwood/Salt Fork both advanced full teams to sectional after their showings in Saturday’s Class 1A regional at Tuscola’s Wimple Park.
SJ-O was second and Oakwood/Salt Fork was seventh. The top seven schools automatically moved on to this Saturday’s St. Teresa Sectional.
SJ-O’s effort was paced by senior all-regional performer Cassidy Bagby.
She was the individual runner-up, running the 3-mile loop in 18 minutes, 29 seconds.
Rounding out the Spartans’ lineup were: Hannah Rajlich (12th in 19:41); Hope Rajlich (15th in 19:55); Ally Monk (18th in 20:06); Ashlyn Lannert (19th in 20:13); Kailyn Ingram (22nd in 20:20) and Ava Knapp (25th in 20:44).
Oakwood/Salt Fork’s conference champions were led by junior Grace Davis who was 37th in 21:41.
The rest of the Comets’ lineup included: Mackenzie Russell (38th in 21:58); McKenna Plotner (43rd in 22:27); Carlie Thompson (54th in 23:38); Carlee Richardson (57th in 23:46); Amber Kirby (60th in 24:15) and Aubrey Wells (70th in 25:26).
Unity captured team honors (29 points) followed by SJ-O (57), Monticello (81), Urbana Uni High (87), Decatur St. Teresa (125), Tuscola (192) and Oakwood (200).
Volleyball
SJ-O (27-3) extended its winning streak to 17 matches before falling in the semifinals of the Mount Pulaski Tournament on Saturday.
The Spartans, who won pool play matches against Illini Central, Shelbyville and Windsor Stewardson-Strasburg, salvaged third-place in the tourney.
On Thursday, SJ-O clinched the Illini Prairie Conference crown with a 25-20, 25-19 triumph over Monticello (15-13).
Rylee Walsh had 12 assists and six digs. Emily Bigger totaled eight assists and Bree Trimble ended with team-high 12 digs.
Offensively, Katelyn Berry, Emory Ericksen and Lacey Keith each landed five kills.
SJ-O was 9-0 in conference matches.
The Spartans are hosting their own Class 2A regional tournament this week and will face either Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin or Salt Fork in a 5:30 p.m. Tuesday semifinal match.
Oakwood (23-9) secured its Vermilion Valley Conference title with a 25-10, 25-8 conquest of Schlarman (9-15).
The Comets have a 10-match winning streak and closed with an 11-2 league mark.
McKenzie Doan handed out 16 assists and Kylie Neuman registered seven kills.
Oakwood returns to action tonight against Hoopeston Area in a first-round match at the SJ-O Class 2A Regional.
Heritage (22-6) handled Villa Grove (10-13), 25-20, 25-15 on Thursday.
The Hawks were 5-1 in conference action and ended as the runner-up behind Tri-County.
Olivia Sorensen had 20 assists and eight digs for Heritage. Aliya Holloman chipped in with 11 kills and nine digs.
The Hawks return to action on Tuesday in the Schlarman Class 1A Regional against the winner of tonight’s Villa Grove/Chrisman match.
