Spartans rebound for homecoming win, Spartan’s strong at Classic
BY FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
The Spartans (4-1) rebounded from a shutout loss the previous week to hold Pontiac scoreless on Friday in a 19-0 homecoming triumph in St. Joseph.
Coach Shawn Skinner sees a pattern in the team’s 4-1 season record.
“We are 4-0 in games when we win the turnover battle,” Skinner said.
Against the Indians, the SJ-O defense forced five fumbles and the Spartans recovered four of them.
Jarrett Stevenson rushed for a team-high 52 yards and scored one touchdown.
Crayton Burnett tossed a 62-yard scoring pass to Brady Buss. Overall, Burnett was 7 of 18 for 120 yards. All seven completions were to different receivers.
Jaden Miller gained 26 yards on his catch. Stevenson had a 15-yard reception and Ty Pence caught a pass for 14 yards.
“We were opportunistic with plays on offense,” Skinner said. “We didn’t sustain drives as needed, but hitting on big pass plays and putting some good runs together for a final score late in the game were things we can build on.
“Our defense can keep us in games. Drew Coursey just gets better weekly at outside linebacker.”
The other Spartan score came on a 68-yard punt return by Payton Cain.
SJ-O needs one more win to become playoff-eligible. The Spartans return to action on Friday against Prairie Central (3-2) in Fairbury.
“Prairie Central has done a nice job with their offensive line and they can move people off the ball,” Skinner said. “Their quarterback and fullback pose threats and they are athletic enough to score from anywhere on the field.”
SJ-O Volleyball
Despite double-figure kill totals from two players, SJ-O had its five-match winning streak snapped at home on Thursday by St. Thomas More.
Kennedi Burnett landed 13 kills and Kaitlyn Berry closed with 10 for the Spartans in a 21-25, 25-20, 25-20 setback.
Burnett and Berry each contributed eight digs.
Emily Bigger handed out 32 assists. Lacey Kaiser ended with eight kills, seven digs and two blocks.
The Spartans (15-4) return to action tonight at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley.
After the loss to the Sabers, SJ-O is 1-1 in Illini Prairie Conference action.
SJ-O Boys’ cross-country
In a field of nearly 200 runners, four SJ-O athletes placed among the top 50 on Saturday, helping the team to a third-place finish in the Spartan Classic.
Urbana Uni High (81 points) won team honors, followed by Monticello (90) and SJ-O (132). A total of 26 schools fielded full teams.
The Spartans’ leader was Brandon Mattsey, who ended in eighth after running the 3-mile street course in 15 minutes, 41.28 seconds.
Other SJ-O competitors were Eric Poe (23rd in 16:21.31); Charlie Mabry (28th in 16:38.50); Elijah Mock (29th in 16:41.49); Luke Stegall (47th in 17:02.19); Logan Wolfersberger (79th in 17:42.72) and Lukas Hutcherson (90th in 17:50.34).
SJ-O returns to action on Tuesday, Oct. 8 in the Illini Prairie Conference Meet at Fairbury.
SJ-O Girls’ cross-country
Five Spartans entered the finish chute within 52 seconds of one another on Saturday, helping the school to a third-place finish in the Spartan Classic.
Team-leader Jillian Plotner ran the 3-mile course in 18 minutes, 29.34 seconds and was seventh in a field of 147 competitors.
The next five Spartans packed together well and placed between 17th and 38th and were separated by less than a minute.
Next in line for SJ-O were Hannah Rajlich (17th in 19:03.56); Ava Knap (26th in 19:34.22); Ashlyn Lannert (29th in 19:38.85); Kailyn Ingram (33rd in 19:45.34) and Ally Monk (38th in 19:55.91).
The team’s other competitor was Hope Rajlich (57th in 21:06.35).
SJ-O captured third among 20 full teams in the meet.
Unity (48) was the meet champion, followed by Monticello (63) and the Spartans (106).
SJ-O’s next meet is on Tuesday, Oct. 8 in the Illini Prairie Conference Meet at Fairbury.
SJ-O Golf
Payton Grimsley and Joe Acton were the SJ-O leaders in Tuesday’s Illini Prairie Conference meet at El Paso.
Grimsley fired an 87.
Acton closed at 91.
Other scores for the team were: Riley Myren (93), Jacob Kern (112), Jack Robertson (117) and Maddux Carter (124).
The Spartans’ final team tally was 392. SJ-O ended in seventh place. Meet champion Prairie Central registered a 319.
