By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometdaily.com
St. Joseph-Ogden’s girls’ basketball team started the New Year with two wins in a three-day span.
The Spartans handled visiting Olympia 53-20 on Thursday and won at Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin 57-37 on Saturday.
Against Olympia, SJ-O jumped into a 17-13 lead after one quarter. Bree Trimble scored 13 of her team-high 18 points in the first stanza.
Peyton Crowe added 13 points.
Against B-H/R-A, Crowe hit seven first-quarter points, helping the Spartans into a 13-8 lead after eight minutes.
Trimble totaled 18 points, Maclayne Taylor had 10 and Crowe ended with nine. The Spartans nailed 7 of 9 free throws in the non-conference road win.
SJ-O is 15-4. B-H/R-A is 17-4.
The Spartans return to action tonight with a home game against Unity.
Oakwood
Katelyn Young scored nine of her team-high 24 points in the opening quarter on Thursday as Oakwood (15-5) captured a 50-35 Vermilion Valley Conference win at Milford (9-6).
Kylie Neuman scored 13 points for the Comets, who more than doubled the score at halftime, building a 30-14 lead.
Oakwood returns to action tonight at home against Hoopeston Area.
Villa Grove/Heritage
Aliya Holloman and Kyleigh Block combined for 44 of their team’s points as Villa Grove/Heritage overwhelmed Arcola 52-29 on Thursday at Broadlands.
Holloman hit a game-high 26 points. Block ended with 18 points.
VG/Heritage held a 29-16 lead at halftime.
VG/H returns to action on Tuesday at Chrisman.
Wrestling
St. Joseph-Ogden (11-13) topped Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin 51-28 on Thursday and dealt Hoopeston Area a 39-26 loss.
On Saturday, the Spartans went 1-3 in a series of dual meets at Cumberland.
Against B-H/R-A, Nat Nosler (126 pounds), Isaiah Immke (132 pounds), Peyton Holt (138 pounds) and Trevon Carr (145 pounds) all won by pin. Carr finished off his opponent in 18 seconds.
Cole Zaccarelli earned a 4-2 win at 220 pounds. Four teammates received forfeit wins: A.J. Wagner (106), Isaiah Moore (113), Chase Chapman (120) and Max Shonkwiler (182).
On Saturday, the Spartans defeated Lawrenceville (39-24) and lost to Cumberland (36-33), Robinson (42-26) and Mount Carmel (60-12).
Moore won all four of his matches. Wagner posted three wins.
Wagner’s wins included a 23-second pin. Moore registered a 54-second fall.
Finishing with two wins on Saturday were Chapman, Shonkwiler and Zaccarelli. Winding up with one win for SJ-O at Cumberland were Nosler, Holt, Carr, Conrad Miller (145), Jett Morris (152), Brodie Sullivan (170) and Zac Seeley (170).
The Spartans return to action on Friday and Saturday in the Illini Prairie Conference meet, at Unity.
Boys’ basketball
St. Joseph-Ogden
The Spartans (9-8) fell behind 12-4 and couldn’t recover from their deficit, losing a 63-38 decision to Pleasant Plains in the final game of Saturday’s SJ-O Shootout.
Chance Izard led SJ-O with 11 points. Jack Cook contributed eight points.
Payton Cain had four assists. Keanen Swanson pulled down a team-high three rebounds.
The Spartans play host to Villa Grove/Heritage on Tuesday.
Oakwood
Bryce Jones scored eight fourth-quarter points on Friday as the Comets (9-7) rallied from a first-quarter deficit to garner a 43-41 win at Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin.
B-H/R-A led 11-10 after the first quarter.
Jones hit 14 points for the night and Zane Priest sunk three three-pointers and added 11 points.
Priest (12.6 average), Trevan Garrett (12.3 average) and Jones (11.7) average are the team’s top scorers.
The Comets return to action on Tuesday with a game at Salt Fork.
Villa Grove/Heritage
Despite a 25-point fourth quarter on Friday, Villa Grove/Heritage was unable to catch up to Decatur Lutheran and suffered a 64-60 setback.
VG/H (1-4) scored 35 points in the first three quarters.
Jared Stevens tallied 16 points, Will Wilson had 14 and Bryce Dalle chipped in with 11 for VG/Heritage. Dalle hit three three-point shots.
VG/Heritage returns to action on Tuesday with a game at SJ-O.
