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The Comets more than held their own in the first half on Wednesday against unbeaten and state-ranked Bismarck-Henning in a semifinal game of the St. Joseph-Ogden Class 2A boys’ basketball regional tournament.

Oakwood held the lead at halftime 28-25 before falling 62-52.

Josh Young led the Comets with 14 points. Jayden Cox added 10 points. Jackson Powell scored nine points and teammates Elijah Harden and Dalton Hobick finished with seven points apiece.

B-H/R-A (31-0) used a 22-14 third-quarter spurt to take a five-point lead into the final period.

Oakwood hit 7 of 8 free throws.

On Monday, for the third time in four games this season, the Comets topped Vermilion County rival Georgetown-Ridge Farm on the basketball court.

Oakwood prevailed 59-50 in a first-round game of the SJ-O regional.

Young hit a team-high 13 points and was one of four squad members to score in double figures. Cox and Harden each tallied 11 points. Brevin Wells finished with 10 points.

Young was the team’s top scorer in 11 of the final 14 games this season.

G-RF led 14-12 after one quarter, but Oakwood had regained the lead, 30-26, at halftime.

The Comets hit 20 of 29 free throws. G-RF made 7 of 16 free throw attempts.

Oakwood ends with a 17-15 season record.

Young was the team’s top scorer this season in 15 games. Wells set the pace in 13 games. Isiah Ruch led in five games, Powell in three with Kade Anderson and Harden leading in one apiece.

Wells knocked down 71 three-point shots this season, accounting for two-thirds of his 107 field goals. Powell drained 41 three-pointers and Cox netted 24.

Oakwood’s top single-game point totals were 24 by Wells, 23 by Harden and 23 by Young.

The post Oakwood boys’ basketball season ends in loss to state-ranked Bismarck-Henning first appeared on SJO Daily.

The Comets fell behind by 15 points at halftime on Friday at Schlarman Academy, and suffered a 67-59 Vermilion Valley Conference setback.

For the first time this season, Oakwood had five double-figure scorers in the same game.

Brevin Wells and Josh Young each netted 12 points. Jaydon Cox hit for 11 points while Elijah Harden and Jackson Powell tallied 10 points apiece.

Schlarman led 17-11 after one quarter and 36-21 at halftime.

Oakwood (16-14) returns to action Monday in the fourth meeting with rival Georgetown-Ridge Farm in the 7 p.m. first-round Class 2A regional game at St. Joseph.

Oakwood leads in the season series 2-1.

The post Schlarman Academy defeats Oakwood in final Vermilion Valley Conference game first appeared on SJO Daily.

The Comets assured themselves of an above-.500 season on Tuesday by overpowering visiting Georgetown-Ridge Farm 63-36 on Senior Night at Fithian.

Oakwood, which has a four-game winning streak, led 34-28 at halftime and then allowed the Buffaloes just eight more points thereafter.

Josh Young scored nine of his team-high 22 points in the first period as the Comets spurted into a 19-13 lead.

Elijah Harden tallied 10 of his 16 points during an 18-0 third-quarter run.

Brevin Wells scored nine points and Kade Anderson added seven points for Oakwood.

Anderson, Harden and Jayden Cox were the seniors who played in their final home contest.

Oakwood (16-13) returns to action on Friday in its regular-season finale at Danville Schlarman Academy.  The Comets are 9-3 in Vermilion Valley Conference games.

Oakwood and G-RF will play for the fourth time this season on Monday at 7 p.m. in a first-round Class 2A regional game at St. Joseph.

Oakwood won the first meeting in three overtimes, but G-RF captured the second game by 12 points. Friday’s win gave the Comets a 2-1 lead in the season series.

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Senior Elijah Harden scored a season-high 23 points – 12 in the fourth quarter – on Friday as Oakwood held off Westville 70-55 on the Tigers’ court.

The Comets built a 33-16 halftime lead, but Westville cut its deficit to 42-35 entering the final period.

Harden’s previous high game this season was 11 points. He was supported by Josh Young (18 points) and Brevin Wells (10 points).

The Comets (15-13) return to action on Tuesday in their Senior Night game at Oakwood against Georgetown-Ridge Farm. The Comets are 8-3 in VVC contests.

The Comets have a three-game winning streak.

The post Harden’s 23 helps Oakwood hold off Westville first appeared on SJO Daily.

The Comets needed a basket by Brevin Wells and four free throws by Isaiah Ruch in overtime to seize a win from Westville, 49-46, on Saturday in the fifth-place game of the Vermilion County Tournament at Danville’s Palmer Arena.

The teams were tied 43-43 after regulation. Oakwood carried a 36-27 lead into the final period.

Ruch tallied a team-high 14 points. Josh Young added 13 points. Elijah Harden and Jackson Powell each contributed seven points.

In Thursday’s game, the Comets dropped a 50-38 decision to Salt Fork in the county tournament.

The Storm jumped into a 14-7 first-quarter lead and built its margin from there.

Sophomore Young hit for 12 points and led the team in scoring for the third game in a row.

Powell drained three three-point shots and finished with 11 points. Wells added nine points.

Oakwood (11-11) returns to action on Tuesday at Armstrong-Potomac.

The post Wells and Ruch score last six points to secure win over Westville first appeared on SJO Daily.

Brevin Wells scored seven of his game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter to help the Comets rally past Salt Fork 50-45 on Tuesday.

Salt Fork carried a 39-36 lead into the final period.

Wells nailed six three-point shots, raising his team-leading total for three-pointers to 51 in 18 games.

Elijah Harden contributed 10 points. Jayden Cox and Jackson Powell each finished with six points.

The Comets return to action on Saturday in the Vermilion County Tournament at Danville’s Palmer Arena.

The post Wells helps put Oakwood boys’ basketball over Salt Fork first appeared on SJO Daily.

The Comets stayed unbeaten in Vermilion Valley Conference games by posting a 60-28 triumph at Westville on Friday.

A balanced attack led Oakwood in the opening quarter. Five different players hit field goals and the Comets led 11-10 after eight minutes.

Elijah Harden tallied six second-quarter points as Oakwood extended its lead to 26-15 at halftime.

Brevin Wells led Oakwood with 12 points. Harden and Jayden Cox hit 11 points apiece. Jackson Powell scored seven points.

The Comets had more than doubled the score after three periods, taking a 45-21 lead into the final eight minutes.

Oakwood is 6-5 overall and 2-0 in the VVC. The Comets return to action on Thursday, Dec. 26 in the Monticello Tournament, facing the host Sages at 11:30 a.m. and Tuscola at 6 p.m.

The post Oakwood boys’ basketball remains unbeaten in Vermilion County Conference play first appeared on SJO Daily.

Oakwood’s losing streak reached three games on Tuesday with a 61-50 loss to visiting St. Thomas More.

The Sabers stormed into a 17-4 lead after one quarter.

Jackson Powell led the way for Oakwood with a season-high 14 points. He nailed three three-point shots.

Teammates Kade Anderson and Isiah Ruch each finished with 11 points. Elijah Harden and Brevin Wells hit five points apiece.

The Comets (4-5) return to action on Friday at Chrisman in their first Vermilion Valley Conference encounter of the season.

The post Oakwood boys’ basketball suffers 11 point loss to St. Thomas More first appeared on SJO Daily.

The Oakwood Comets girls’ basketball team won all four games in last week’s Comet Classic to capture team honors in the eight-school event.

After knocking off Blue Ridge in the opener, 49-15, Oakwood followed up with a 49-21 triumph over Urbana University High and a 60-29 conquest of Rantoul that sent coach Stephanie Marsh’s team into Friday’s title game.

Katelyn Young scored 32 points against Uni and 34 against Rantoul. Addie Wright hit seven points in each of those games. Aaliyah Denius totaled nine points against the Eagles.

Against Uni, which has a 5-2 season record, Young netted 12 first-quarter points as the Comets jumped into a 16-6 lead. Uni managed just three second-half field goals.

Young followed up with 19 points in the first half versus Rantoul (1-5). She swished 10 points and Denius added six during a 23-9 third-quarter spurt. The Eagles connected on just five second-half baskets.

In the championship game, Oakwood (5-1 overall) edged Tri-County (4-1 overall), 60-59. The Comets led 15-9 after one quarter, but had to withstand a fourth quarter where the Titans sank 7-of-8 free throws and made three three-pointers.

Young scored seven of her team-high 23 points in the fourth stanza to keep the Comets in control.

Wright (16 points) and Ashlynn Pinnick (12 points) both reached their season’s high for scoring. Wright hit what proved to be the decisive basket in the final half-minute. Her shot gave the team a three-point lead.

After making 4-of-10 free throws in the first three quarters, the Comets drained 7-of-11 in the fourth quarter.

Oakwood returns to action tonight at home against Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond. It is the first of eight games for the team in an 18-day period. Six of those games will be played at home.

Young is averaging 26.1 points per game through six games.

Oakwood Boys’ basketball

Thanks to the perimeter prowess of Brevin Wells, Oakwood won the team title in the Tri-County Turkey Tournament.

Oakwood (4-2 overall) and Judah Christian completed the tournament with 4-1 records. By virtue of a 54-43 win against Judah, the Comets emerged as the team titlists.

In his last three tourney games, Wells drained 16 of his 18 field goals from three-point range, scoring 54 points in that span.

Oakwood started the week with a 50-38 win over the Paris junior varsity team, a game where it fell behind 14-6 in the first quarter before recovering and carrying a 23-16 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Josh Young, Isiah Ruch and Kade Anderson all scored 12 points.

On Tuesday, the Comets lost a non-tournament game to Watseka, 50-40.  Ruch led the way with 12 points. Jackson Powell had 10 points and Young netted nine.

Wells’ 12 points were tops for the Comets in a 66-35 win over Martinsville. Young added 10 points and Ruch collected nine.

Martinsville managed just four second-half baskets.

A 29-24 halftime lead ballooned to 51-30 entering the fourth quarter. Wells had seven points and Young six in the third quarter.

Against Judah, Oakwood trailed 8-2 after one period and 21-14 at halftime.

Wells and Powell each made seven third-quarter points and the Comets surged ahead, 38-35.

Judah managed just seven second-half field goals.

Wells and Powell each ended with 12 points.

In a 70-65 loss to Tri-County, Wells converted eight three-point shots en route to a 24-point effort.

Powell had 13 points and Ruch totaled 12.

Oakwood completed tournament play with a 64-55 win over Hutsonville/Palestine.

Wells tallied 18 points, Young had 17 and Elijah Harden chipped in with 10.

The Comets made 16 of 21 free throws. After the first quarter, Oakwood’s lead was 25-7.

Oakwood

Wrestling

Five Comet grapplers were recognized by The Illinois Best Weekly in the publication’s preseason Class 1A state rankings.

Junior Gage Reed was rated third at 113 pounds and senior Caide Borden was ranked fifth at 220 pounds. Reed was 35-10 last year and Borden was 26-9 a year ago.

Three teammates achieved honorable mention status: sophomore Joe Lashuay (132 pounds), junior Connor Hutson (138 pounds) and senior Caleb Lashuay (152 pounds).

Oakwood will open its season on Saturday at the Cumberland Duals.

The post Oakwood Girls’ Basketball wins Oakwood Comet Classic, boys win Tri-County Turkey Tournament first appeared on SJO Daily.

Oakwood’s football team became playoff-eligible on Friday as it raced past Georgetown-Ridge Farm 34-20 in its homecoming game at Fithian.

Oakwood is 5-1 overall and faces the other 5-1 team from the Vermilion Valley Conference on Friday when it plays host to Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin. Neither team has lost this fall in VVC games.

Gaven Clouse led the Comets with two touchdowns and 169 rushing yards on 16 attempts. He scored two touchdowns and added one two-point conversion.

Quarterback Rhett Harrison connected on 7 of 8 passes for 113 yards. He tossed two TD passes and ran for one TD.

Elijah Harden hauled in two scoring strikes from Harrison, covering 5 and 19 yards respectively. The 5-yard reception accounted for the only points of the first period.

Harden is the ninth different Comet to score a touchdown this season.

Joe Lashuay converted two extra-point kicks.

Defensively, the Oakwood leaders were Blaine McCord with 11 tackles and Caide Borden with 10 stops.

“We played pretty well against a good Georgetown team,” Oakwood coach Al Craig said. “It’s always a really physical game every time you play those guys, so it is good to get a win.

“We are starting to play well offensively and we are starting to get healthy for the stretch run of the season.”

Oakwood Girls’ cross-country

Grace Davis placed ninth for Oakwood/Salt Fork in Saturday’s Oakwood Invitational at Kickapoo State Park.

Her 3-mile time was 21 minutes, 39 seconds.

The team champion was St. Thomas More. Oakwood/SF did not have enough runners to be scored as a team.

The other Comet finishers were Allie Morris (12th in 23:11) and Cassie Fugate (19th in 25:33).

Oakwood/Salt Fork returns to action on Tuesday at Kickapoo against Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin.

Oakwood Boys’ cross-country

Ethan Brewer was the top Oakwood/Salt Fork finisher in Saturday’s Oakwood Invitational at Kickapoo State Farm.

Brewer covered the 3-mile course in 20 minutes, 43 seconds and ended in 41st place.

Teammate Bryce Tucker was 63rd in 24:01.

The Comets return to action on Tuesday at Kickapoo against Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin.

Oakwood Volleyball

Milford dealt the Comets their first Vermilion Valley Conference setback on Thursday, handling the visiting Comets 25-18, 25-16.

Oakwood is 6-1 in VVC matches and 12-10 overall.

Oakwood returns to action tonight at home against Judah Christian.

Oakwood Boys’ Golf

Logen Hoshauer tied for sixth and Reed Sperry finished 10th on Thursday to earn all-league honors in the annual Vermilion Valley Conference Golf Tournament at Harrison Park.

Hoshauer fired an 89. Sperry carded a 94. Both are juniors.

In the team race, the Comets combined for a 405 and placed fourth. The meet champion was Schlarman Academy (357).

Travis Goodner, Kyle McFarland and Seth Halls were the team’s other competitors at the VVC meet.

Oakwood returns to action today in a 15-school Class 1A regional it will host at Harrison Park.

Oakwood Girls’ Golf

Senior Joie Sollers fired a 106 on Thursday, placing third individually and winning all-conference honors in the Vermilion Valley Conference meet at Harrison Park.

Milford took team honors in the tournament.

Oakwood returns to action on Thursday in a 16-school Class 1A regional hosted by St. Thomas More, which will be held at Lincolnshire Fields Country Club.

Oakwood Soccer

Reef Pacot’s second-half goal cut into Oakwood/Salt Fork’s deficit on Saturday, but visiting Judah Christian added four more goals thereafter to produce a 6-1 non-conference win.

Pacot’s goal was assisted by Brady Tevebaugh.

Aaron Dean recorded 11 saves.

Oakwood was shut out on Thursday at Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin, 7-0, in a Vermilion Valley Conference game.

The Comets (5-12-1) return to action today at St. Thomas More, in Champaign.

The post Comets became playoff-eligible, Hoshauer, Sperry and Soellers named All-Conference first appeared on SJO Daily.