SJ-O tops Monticello at Lady Spartan Classic, Meyer and Knott place first at Clinton Carnival

By FRED KRONER
fred@sjodaily.com

Thanks to champions in four events and runner-up performances in six events, SJ-O captured team honors on Friday in its own 15-school Lady Spartan Classic.

SJ-O amassed 133 ½ points. Runner-up Monticello ended with 120 points.

Three individuals and one relay led the way for the Spartans.

The individual winners were Maclayne Taylor in the 100-meter dash (12.93 seconds), Jillian Plotner in the 800-meter run (2:26.69) and Atleigh Hamilton in the long jump (16 feet, 10 inches).

The 1,600-meter relay outdistanced all competitors, clocking a time of 4:24.42. Sharing the baton were Rylee Sjuts, Ashlyn Lannert, Hope Rajlich and Danie Kelso.

In the 800-meter run, SJ-O produced the top two finishers.  Following Plotner was Hannah Rajlich in 2:29.21.

Taylor was the runner-up in the 200 meters (26.25), Olivia Klotz was second in the 3,200-meter run (13:19.73), Abby Behrens was second in the high jump (4-8) and Jenna Albrecht was second in the triple jump (32-1 ½).

Two relays also ended up in the runner-up position.

The 400 foursome featured Kelso, Taylor, Hailey Birt and Hamilton. Their combined time was 51.00.

The 3,200 unit included Lannert, Addie Allen, Ally Monk and Brianna Suits. They stopped the clock in 10:30.61.

The Spartans’ 800 relay placed fourth. The runners were Mimi Allen, Mabrie Sarnecki, Alyssa Hamilton and Hailey Gaines. They were time in 1:58.76.

Other top-eight  placers in running events for SJ-O were Birt (seventh in the 100 meters, 13.81); Atleigh Hamilton (third in the 200 meters, 26.36), Jenna Albrecht (fifth in the 400 meters, 1:08.61), Kailyn Ingram (sixth in the 1,600 meters, 5:53.29), Kendra Riddle (eighth in the 1,600 meters, 6:09.61), Hanna Eastin (third in the 3,200 meters, 13:21.73), Sjuts (fourth in the 300-meter hurdles, 51.29) and Angie Chahine (seventh in the 300-meter hurdles, 54.45).

Payton Vallee was a double-placer in the field events, securing third in the discus (106-8) and fifth in the shot put (30-4).

The school’s other field-event placers were Grace Schmitz (third in the pole vault, 9-0); Lindsey Aden (fourth in the shot put, 30-7 ½), Chahine (tied for sixth in the high jump, 4-6) and Hope Rajlich (eighth in the long jump, 13-10).

The Spartans return to action on Friday, hosting their own Class 1A sectional. Field events will start at 4 p.m. with running events set to start at 5:30 p.m.

Baseball

The Spartans dropped their second one-run decision of the week on Friday, losing 9-8 to Olympia in Stanford.

Olympia took advantage of an eight-run fourth inning to seize control.

SJ-O outhit Olympia, 11-7, with Sam Wesley and Drew Coursey stroking two hits apiece.

Adam Rose took the loss. In four innings of work, he walked three and struck out five.

Reliever Joseph Acton finished with two hitless and scoreless innings. Acton fanned two.

On Saturday, the Spartans received back-to-back pitching gems to win its own mini tournament.

Keegan McCarty pitched a seven-inning no-hitter and struck out 17 in a 9-0 first-game win over Decatur St. Teresa.

The lone runner to reach base did so by drawing a walk.

In the nightcap, Coursey pitched six innings of two-hit ball and didn’t allow an earned run as SJ-O topped Tri-Valley 7-1. Coursey allowed two hits, walked no one and fanned five.

Collectively, SJ-O pitchers held its opponents scoreless for the first 12 innings played on Saturday.

Wesley pitched a hitless final inning in Game 2, striking out two batters.

Six Spartans had hits in each game, including Blake Primmer, who homered in the opener.

Brayden Weaver, Zach Martinie and Kaden Jacobs pounded three hits for the day. Wesley and Adam Frerichs also had hits in both games. Wesley knocked in three runs for the day. Primmer scored three runs as did Martinie.

Coursey was 2-for-3 in the second game at the plate.

SJ-O (19-8-2) returns to action today at Danville.

Boys’ track and field

Three Spartans were individual top-three placers on Friday in the Clinton Carnival.

Aiden Meyer won the 400-meter dash (51.38 seconds) and placed second in the 100 meters (11.34).

Hayden Knott was triumphant in both the shot put (44-2 ¼) and the discus (143-8). Teammate Isiah McCune took third in the 1,600 meters (4:48.48).

The Spartans put together two championship relays, The 400-meter foursome raced to victory in 44.29 seconds and the 1,600-meter unit ran away with a 3:28.81 victory.

In the throwers’ 400 relay, SJ-O was second in 54.12.

There were no team scores kept at the meet.

Softball

After not being shut out in any of their first 20 games, the Spartans were blanked on consecutive days.

Bailey Dowling had two of the Spartans’ four hits on Friday in a 10-0 Illini Prairie Conference loss at Pontiac.

On Saturday, SJ-O dropped a 7-0 decision to Salt Fork. Ashtyn Cromwell and Kaylee Ward each registered two hits. Zoey Witruk collected 13 strikeouts in five innings.

SJ-O (15-7) returns to action today at home against Monticello.