Spartans head to Pontiac looking for playoff eligibility
By FRED KRONER
St. Joseph-Ogden’s football team twice came back from deficits on Friday (Sept. 29) at home against unbeaten Bloomington Central Catholic, but couldn’t put together a third comeback.
BCC, ranked fourth in the state in Class 2A, topped SJ-O, ranked fifth in Class 3A 35-21, in an Illini Prairie Conference contest at Dick Duval Field.
The Saints led early, 14-0, before the Spartans created a 14-14 halftime deadlock. BCC took a 21-14 lead into the final quarter, but SJ-O scored on the first play of the period on a run by Justice Wertz, lifting the team into a 21-21 tie.
BCC added two more TDs, the final one coming with 1 minute and 48 seconds to play.
“It was similar (results) to the previous week (at Carterville), when we led (an undefeated team) in the fourth quarter,” SJ-O coach Shawn Skinner said “This week, we were tied in the fourth quarter.
“Our kids competed and played hard. We played two good teams and played two really good games. We just came out on the wrong end. We can learn from these games.”
One point the SJ-O staff will make in preparation for their Week 7 game is the value of a possession.
“We had two possessions we scored on, and they were brought back (by penalties),” Skinner said, “and they were the right calls (by the officials).”
The Spartans wound up eventually reaching the end zone following one of the callbacks, but not the other.
“The difference is instead of a 70-yard score, we drive and it takes 5 or 6 minutes,” Skinner said. “It’s the same score, but what it took was a lot more work and more physicality.”
Logan Smith scored the first two Spartans touchdowns, both on 3-yard runs. Each one came in the final 3 minutes of the first half.
The second score, which occurred with 41.3 seconds left in the second quarter, took place after the Spartans’ Garrett Denhart recovered a fumble.
“We forced a turnover, gave the offense the ball and were able to tie the game going into halftime,” Skinner said.
Smith finished with a team-high 71 yards rushing on nine carries. Wertz, who scored the fourth-period TD that lifted the Spartans into a 21-21 tie, generated 49 rushing yards on nine attempts.
“Wertz had some good runs and gave us valuable yards,” Skinner said.
Smith completed 13 of 20 passes for 169 yards. He entered the week ranked fourth in the state (according to Maxpreps) in passing yards with 1,350.
He connected with Tanner Siems for 53 passing yards, Tim Blackburn-Kelley for 46 yards and Coy Taylor for 43 yards. Wertz (20 yards) and Ryker Lockhart (7 yards) also hauled in passes from Smith.
The SJ-O defense forced three fumbles, but just recovered one. Holden Brazelton and Braxton Waller were among the defensive catalysts.
The Spartans (4-2) return to action on Friday (Oct. 6) at Pontiac (1-5). SJ-O needs one more win to become playoff-eligible. Pontiac, meanwhile, had its postseason hopes dashed after sustaining their fifth loss in Game 6.
“They’re dangerous,” Skinner said. “They can ruin teams’ postseason hopes and seedings.
“What we need is to get hot and have momentum going into the playoffs.”
