SJ-O football gets playoff berth with win over PBL
By FRED KRONER
Not all football victories are created equally.
They all count as just one notch in the “win” column, but some are much more meaningful and significant.
St. Joseph-Ogden’s regular-season finale on Friday (Oct. 21) – a 34-20 triumph over Paxton-Buckley-Loda at SJ-O’s Dick Duval Field – was one such example.
The win officially clinched the Spartans’ berth in the IHSA Class 3A playoffs by virtue of reaching the six-win mark.
More pertinent, it meant the difference in starting the playoffs with a home game or traveling on the road.
SJ-O’s strength of schedule enhanced its playoff point total, which resulted in another game for the squad at Dick Duval Field.
The Spartans (6-3) will open the playoffs at home on Saturday (Oct. 29) with a 3 p.m. kickoff against Robinson (6-3). SJ-O is the No. 7 seed in the 16-team lower bracket. Robinson is the No. 10 seed.
“We’re really pleased. We couldn’t have asked for anything more,” SJ-O head coach Shawn Skinner said. “It’s a little bit of a reward for getting to six wins.”
Skinner was so certain that his team would start the playoffs at home that he used it as inspiration against PBL, an opponent which started the season with five successive wins.
“We were confident that 6-3 would get us a home game,” Skinner said. “That’s a credit to our conference (Illini Prairie Conference). Our conference is tough and one thing that has proven true (annually) is that if you are 7-2 or 6-3, you are battle-tested.
“I used it as motivation on Friday.”
By contrast, the PBL team that SJ-O defeated on Friday could have been 6-3 with a win, but ended with a 5-4 season record.
PBL drew the No. 6 seed and travels to top-seeded and unbeaten Prairie Central (9-0) to start the playoffs.
SJ-O, meanwhile, enters its Week 10 game on a three-game winning streak.
“We’re playing our best football, and that’s what you want going into the postseason,” Skinner said. “Now, it’s fun.”
The fun started early for the Spartans against PBL. SJ-O put up two first-quarter touchdowns and built its lead to 26-6 by halftime.
“It boils down to this was the most complete game we’ve played in a long, long time,” Skinner said. “It was an all-around program victory.
“Everyone was engaged and executed. Our kids gang-tackled the best ever and took it upon themselves to shut down their main weapon.”
PBL tailback Robert Boyd-Meents still managed a game-high 104 yards rushing.
“We used four different defenses,” said Skinner, who made it clear that the switchups weren’t a ploy to give future opponents more to prepare for when facing SJ-O “We were trying to stop No. 33 (Boyd-Meents).”
SJ-O senior Ty Pence had a memorable game, snaring nine passes from Logan Smith. He turned three into touchdowns and gained a season-high 188 yards on his receptions. His receptions also marked a season-high.
“Early on, Ty was in a zone,” Skinner said. “If it was thrown within his catch radius, there was no doubt he was coming down with it.”
Smith completed 19 of 32 passes, without an interception, for 277 yards and four TDs.
Coy Taylor hauled in eight catches for 57 yards and one score. Aiden Moberg (11 yards) and Tyler Burch (21 yards) each had one reception.
Besides the 277 passing yards, the Spartans churned out 110 rushing yards with one TD (by Burch) on the ground.
“Our offensive line has been pass-blocking well, but had by far their best run-blocking night,” Skinner said, “and that was against a huge defensive line.”
The line stalwarts were tackles Bryson Helfrich and Peyton Sarver, guards Braxton Waller and Owen Birt and center Quincy Jones. A.J. Wells rotated in as well.
“Those six guys performed well,” Skinner said.
The Spartans received a significant lift with the return of senior Alex Funk, who had been sidelined by an injury since the third game.
“He had the first tackle of the game and was outstanding,” Skinner said. “To get a kid of his caliber returning and then to have the first tackle was a shot of Adrenalin.”
Another defensive standout was Drew Thurman.
“Drew was calling the plays and the sets and had a fantastic mental game,” Skinner said.
Garrett Denhart picked off two PBL passes.
Strong starts offensively have been a point of emphasis for the Spartans.
“Our challenge to the offense is to score every time they have the ball,” Skinner said. “We tell them they help the defense by continuing to score.
“Since the BCC game (the Spartans’ last loss, which came in Week 6), the kids have embraced what we’re trying to do.
“We learned from that game and it defined us in a positive way.”
The SJ-O rushing leaders against PBL were Justice Wertz (35 yards), Burch (29 yards), Funk (25 yards) and Smith (19 yards).
SJ-O and its first-round playoff opponent, Robinson, had one common opponent and those games produced similar results this month.
SJ-O won at home over Pontiac in Week 7, 42-0. The Spartans have won five of their last six games.
Robinson won at home over Pontiac in Week 9, 40-16. Robinson has won six of its last seven games.
Skinner said he would have been pleased with whatever starting time the schools picked.
“The reality is that any time is a good time in the playoffs,” he said.
SJ-O has qualified for the playoffs four straight years that the IHSA has held postseson contests and for five of Skinner’s seven years as head coach. Robinson (coming off a 3-6 season last year) has advanced into the postseason for the first time since 2014.
The 2014 team was the last one at Robinson with more than five wins in a season.
SJ-O is seeking its first playoff win since 2015, which is also the last time the school won more than five football games in a season.
