SJO, Heritage and Oakwood basketball programs pick-up wins, SJO and Oakwood fall to Clifton Central
By FRED KRONER
fred@sjodaily.com
The winning streak has reached nine games for the St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ basketball team.
The unbeaten Spartans dispatched visiting Mahomet-Seymour on Monday, 44-30.
Bree Trimble scored a game-high 18 points for SJ-O (9-0). Peyton Crowe added 11 points and Hannah Dukeman chipped in with 10.
The Spartans hit 19 of 22 free throws in the non-conference victory.
SJ-O led, 8-7, after one quarter and expanded its cushion to 22-16 at halftime.
The Spartans return to action tonight at Teutopolis.
SJ-O is ranked sixth and Teutopolis is ranked fifth in this week’s Class 2A state poll.
Villa Grove/Heritage
Aliya Holloman hit a game-high 21 points as VG/Heritage won it fourth consecutive game.
Monday’s 59-45 win over Judah Christian came in Champaign.
Kyleigh Block scored 12 of her 16 points in the opening quarter when VG/H (7-2) rushed into a 25-8 lead.
Samantha Campbell and Jordyn Ray each added seven points for the winners.
Oakwood
Kylie Neuman made a game-high 21 points — and hit a three-point shot for the fifth consecutive game — as the Comets (7-3) won at Westville on Monday, 54-36.
Oakwood led 16-12 after one quarter, but held the Tigers to four second-quarter points and owned a commanding 31-16 lead at intermission.
Kaitlyn Young scored 16 points and Aaliyah Denius had nine points for the Comets.
Boys’ basketball
Oakwood
The Comets (2-1) overcame a long-range barrage by host St. Thomas More — which nailed 10 three-point shots — and posted a two-overtime 65-62 road triumph on Tuesday.
Trevan Garrett had 26 points for Oakwood. Teammate Zane Priest scored 19 points and Noah Ruch added nine points.
Oakwood carried a 40-36 lead into the final stanza, but the Sabers — led by Riley Morris, who netted a game-high 41 points — rallied to force OT.
Each team scored four points in the first OT session. Oakwood held a 6-3 edge in the decisive second extra period.
The Comets return to action on Friday, hosting Chrisman.
Villa Grove/Heritage
The Blue Devils (6-1) built a 27-point halftime lead on Tuesday and blitzed Westvile 67-37.
VG/H has a five-game winning streak.
Will Wilson scored a game-high 17 points for VG/H. Bryce Dalle had 13 points and drained three three-point shots.
Wrestling
In a three-school meet on Tuesday at SJ-O, Oakwood/Salt Fork edged the Spartans, 36-33, while both schools dropped decisions to Clifton Central.
Clifton topped Oakwood/Salt Fork 42-26 in a match where each school won seven bouts. Clifton dispatched SJ-O 49-27.
Spartans Isaiah Moore (106 pounds) and Jake Wendling (120) had pins in less than a minute against Clifton.
Against Oakwood/Salt Fork, SJ-O’s pinners were Moore, Conrad Miller (145), Brodie Sullivan (170) and Cole Zaccarelli (285).
Spartans who went 2-0 for the night, besides Moore, were Wendling and Isaiah Immke (138).
Five Oakwood/Salt Fork athletes won twice, including three who are unbeaten for the season: Gage Reed (113), Caleb Lashuay (152) and Max Branigin (195).
Tate Johnson (160) posted pins in each of his Tuesday wins. Teammate Brian Reagan (126) had a pin and a technical fall triumph.
In the loss to Clifton, the Comets held a 6-4 edge in matches wrestled. Clifton picked up three forfeit wins.
Besides Johnson and Reagan, other Oakwood grapplers with at least one pin in the two duals were Caide Borden (285), Colby Smiley (182), Reed and Branigin.
Oakwood/Salt Fork’s dual-meet record is 7-1. The team will participate in the Vandalia Duals on Saturday.
SJ-O’s record in dual meets is 2-3. The Spartans will compete at the Porta Invitational on Saturday in Petersburg.
