By FRED KRONER
fred@sjodaily.com
St. Joseph-Ogden built up a 30-point halftime lead on Monday and blitzed Rantoul 63-24 in an Illini Prairie Conference girls’ basketball game.
SJ-O (20-4) reached the 20-win mark with the triumph.
The Spartans led 15-4 after one quarter and thanks to a 21-2 second-quarter blitz, led 36-6 at intermission.
Peyton Crowe scored 11 of her team-high 20 points in the second quarter.
Hannah Dukeman and Bree Trimble each added nine points. Payton Jacob scored eight points.
SJ-O is ranked seventh in this week’s Class 2A state poll.
The Spartans return to action on Saturday at Chillicothe IVC, seeking to extend a seven-game winning streak.
Oakwood
Kylie Neuman hit three three-point shots for the third time this season on Monday as Oakwood (21-5) hammered Chrisman 56-21.
Neuman scored 13 points and reached the 1,000-point mark for her prep career.
Katelyn Young hit a team-high 22 points, including 12 in the first quarter when the Comets built a 21-2 lead.
Chrisman managed just three first-half field goals.
Oakwood returns to action tonight at home against Westville. The Comets have won seven consecutive games.
Villa Grove/Heritage
The Blue Devils (19-6) started the week with three wins in three nights. On Monday VG/Heritage won at Cumberland, 48-26, and on Tuesday, it earned a 55-16 win on the road against Georgetown-Ridge Farm.
In Wednesday’s overall third-place game of the Little Okaw Valley Conference Tournament, the Blue Devils tripped up Arcola 62-50 in Arthur.
Aliya Holloman led the way at Cumberland with 27 points. She had 13 during her team’s 21-6 third-quarter spree.
Kyleigh Block scored 10 points.
Leading the way at Georgetown were Holloman with 30 points, Block with 11 and Madie Burwell with nine.
VG/Heritage led 27-1 after eight minutes.
Holloman netted 19 of her points in the opening frame.
On Wednesday, Holloman tossed in 26 points, Jordyn Ray hit 15 and Block chipped in with 12.
VG/Heritage has won three games in a row and returns to action tonight at home against Oblong.
Boys’ basketball
St. Joseph-Ogden
Joel Orcutt scored 18 points and Chance Izard had 10 on Tuesday as SJ-O (12-8) knocked off Unity, 47-38, on the Spartans’ court.
Jack Cook and Keanen Swanson each grabbed four rebounds.
The Spartans return to action on Friday at Prairie Central.
Oakwood
The Comets (13-8) bounced visiting Armstrong-Potomac 67-38 on Tuesday.
Zane Priest scored 20 points and Trevan Garrett had 15 for Oakwood.
The Comets return to action on Friday at Milford.
Villa Grove/Heritage
Three players scored in double figures on Tuesday as VG/Heritage opened play in the Little Okaw Valley Conference Southeast Division tournament with a 71-68 triumph over Hutsonville/Palestine.
Jake Eversole netted 17 points, Jared Stevens had 13 points and Will Wilson finished with 12.
The Hawks led, 13-11, after one quarter and 39-35 at halftime.
Wrestling
St. Joseph-Ogden
The Spartans picked up wins in five of six dual meets this week, to move above the .500 mark for the season.
SJ-O is 18-17 in dual meets.
In the conclusion of the Illini Prairie Conference Tournament on Monday at Unity, SJ-O decisioned Olympia 42-35, IVC 45-16 and Rantoul 47-29 before losing to Monticello 56-9 to finish in fourth place.
On Tuesday, the Spartans handled Westville 54-26 and Argenta-Oreana 66-17.
A.J. Wager (106 pounds) and Isaiah Moore (113 pounds) each went 4-0 in the conference meet. Cole Zaccarelli (220 pounds) was 3-0.
Peyton Holt (138 pounds) was 3-1.
Teammates with two wins apiece at conference were Chase Chapman (120 pounds), Nat Nosler (126 pounds), Conrad Miller (145 pounds), Trevon Carr (152 pounds) and Max Shonkwiler (182 pounds).
In the Tuesday duals, Wagner pinned both of his opponents as did Chapman.
Also finishing 2-0 on Tuesday were Moore, Holt, Miller, Carr and Zac Seeley (!60 pounds).
Oakwood
The Comets dispatched North Vermillion (Ind.) 46-26 on Tuesday.
Winners by pin for Oakwood were Joe Lashuay (126 pounds), Tate Johnson (152 pounds), Colby Smiley (182 pounds) and Caide Borden (220 pounds).
Winning by decision was Connor Hutson (138 pounds),
Picking up forfeits were Gage Reed (113 pounds), Brian Reagan (120 pounds) and Max Branigan (195 pounds).
Oakwood returns to action on Saturday at the Eastern Illinois Invitational, in Robinson,
