The more I do this, provide a platform for stories that may otherwise not be told, the more I understand the power of keeping a record of events. Part of being a journalist is to catalog happenings so that we can know about recent history and decades from now know about how things came to be.

The story that many news organizations will tell coming out of this weekend at the IHSA volleyball tournament will be about the winners and the losers, the heartbreak and the triumph of missing out or playing for the state championship. Honestly, we will tell those stories, too, because they are important stories to tell.

I think that the best part about being a journalist, though, is that you get to watch events for a long period of time. My counterparts are much better than me in remembering names and dates and scores and statistics. I spend the majority of my time daydreaming, so it is hard for me to recall such things.

But there are instances that leave an impression on my heart, and those are the ones that I can recall very quickly.

When we began the SJO Daily, I didn’t know much about the communities that we were preparing to cover. I was aware that they’d had some successes in sports over the years, but other than that, I was just excited to learn about new people and how they live their common life together.

One of the first games I went to the St. Joseph-Ogden High School volleyball team was playing Mahomet-Seymour High School. It seemed like a no-brainer to attend the game since we were covering both teams in different publications.

I don’t know if it was a special occasion, but after the game, the girls went over to the bleachers where their classmates were standing and they sang the school song together. The fact that their classmates were at a volleyball game in the middle of the day on a Saturday struck me, but watching the students come together like that at the very least caught my attention.

Then they migrated down the bleachers a bit to sing “Happy Birthday” to someone in the stands.

Immediately, I thought, ‘I hope every program at this school is like this.’ Who cares about the score at the end of the game, this is what community is about.

Fast forward almost one year later and St. Joseph-Ogden is playing at Mahomet-Seymour in the championship game of the Bulldog Invitational. Please forgive me here because recalling names and scores is not my thing, but I believe it was the second game and that SJ-O was winning.

An SJ-O player got hurt. As she came out of the game, she sat on the end of the bench. A time-out was called. The players circled up near the middle of the bench, as they normally would, but all of a sudden the circle, girls with interlocked pinkies, moved down to their teammate and they held their time-out with her by their side.

I texted my friend who was sitting on the other side of the bleachers: “This is what it’s all about. THIS!”

As we chronicle the wins and losses, the excitement and nail-biting as athletes navigate the ups-and-downs of playing sports, we tend to forget these little moments that are actually the real goodness that is happening in this world.

On Friday, we watched a St. Joseph-Ogden team play their hearts out. Sure, they had their sights set on a state championship trophy. But what we witnessed on Friday and maybe what we’ve seen from this Spartan volleyball team is that they are a team playing with and for each other.

You can see it in their eyes as they cheer with fire for a point gained or when they are tear-filled from disappointment. It’s beautiful. And one of the most important things that they will do their entire lives.

The thing we often forget when we are just paying attention to scores are those little moments. They never get recognition. They are actually hard to write about. But they make up the essence of belonging, togetherness and community.

They, too, deserve to be written down and remembered in years to come.

The post The unwritten side of SJ-O Volleyball’s story appeared first on .

The past met the present on Saturday for the St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ cross-country team.

A legacy of success added another chapter at Peoria’s Detweiler Park in the annual state meet.

The Spartans placed seventh in the 26-school field, marking the 13th year in a row that the school finished among the top 10 teams at state in Class 1A.

“One reason for the consistency is the consistency in their training,” SJ-O coach Jason Retz said. “We’ve done a lot of the same things over the years.

“When kids enjoy doing it, that’s the biggest part.”

Seniors led the way on Saturday for the Spartans. Jillian Plotner finished 43rd in the 215-runner field. Her 3-mile time was 18 minutes, 34.59 seconds.

Teammate Hannah Rajlich was next, clocking a 19:03.99.

Overall, the top six SJ-O runners finished the course within a minute of each other.

“We’ve been focused on that kind of split,” Retz said.

The next four SJ-O runners were sophomores: Ava Knap (71st in 19:04.54), Ashlyn Lannert (73rd in 190.9), Malorie Sarnecki (75th 19:28.50) and Addie Allen (77th in 19:34.24).

“They stepped up and performed,” Retz said. “Four of the seven ran lifetime bests and two others were within a few seconds (of personal bests).”

Allen, Knap, Lannert and Sarnecki were the Spartans who posted career-best times. Plotner was near her all-time best and Rajlich was close to her best-ever time at Detweiller.

The team’s seventh state runner was senior Ally Monk, who ended 95th in 19:59.07. Her placing meant that the entire Spartans’ lineup completed the course among the upper half of the field.

“You want to finish on top, but you want to get the most out of your group,” Retz said. “We’ve made huge gains forward from last year.”

Winnebago claimed team honors, with a total of 63 points.

Following the state championship team were runner-up Monticello (144 points), Unity (third place with 147 points), Normal University High (fourth with 154 points), Rock Falls (fifth with 186 points), Eureka (sixth with 225 points) and SJ-O (seventh with 267 points).

In the final runnerspace.com Class 1A state poll, SJ-O’s girls were ranked sixth.

SJ-O’s team placements during its 13-year state streak:

YEAR PLACE
2019 Seventh
2018 Fifth
2017 Second
2016 First
2015 Third
2014 First
2013 Sixth
2012 Tenth
2011 Seventh
2010 Third
2009 Ninth
2008 Fifth
2007 Fourth

St. Joseph-Ogden Boys’ cross-country

There will be no bragging rights for individual supremacy between the SJ-O boys’ and girls’ cross-country programs.

Junior Brandon Mattsey was the Spartans’ leader in Saturday’s Class 1A state meet at Peoria’s Detweiler Park.

He placed 43rd, matching the top performance of the school’s first finisher in the girls’ state race. Mattsey’s 3-mile time was 15 minutes, 48.78 seconds.

“It was fun to watch him compete,” SJ-O coach Jason Retz said. “He put himself in position.  Halfway through, he was in the top 25.”

Mattsey moved into the 19th spot for the fastest-ever SJ-O times at Detweiller.

In all, the first five Spartan finishers had a split of 1 minute, 21 seconds.

“We performed well and it was enjoyable to watch the character of the kids on the course,” Retz added.

Senior Eric Poe was the team’s No.  2 runner, posting a time of 16:27.75.

The remainder of the team’s lineup consisted of underclassmen.

Sophomore Charlie Mabry was 119th in 16:40.19, sophomore Elijah Mock was 149th in 17:02.54, sophomore Luke Stegall was 159th in 17:09.99, junior Logan Wolfersberger was 175th in 17:28.50 and junior Lukas Hutcherson was 184th in 17:46.59.

All seven of SJ-O’s competitors ran quicker times than they did the previous week at sectionals.

Monticello won the team crown, totaling 115 points.

SJ-O, which was ranked 25th in the final runnerspace.com state poll, took 18th with 421 points.

With so many underclassmen gaining experience in 2019, Retz is excited about the future.

“It will be a lot of fun to watch them a year from now,” Retz said. “This could be a very special group if they keep their focus.

“We have guys ready to step in and a good group of eighth-graders that we hope can help fill the six, seven and eight spots.”

The post Legacy of consistency and hard work keeps Spartan Runners successful appeared first on .

St. Joseph-Ogden’s volleyball team has one more road trip in its future.

The Spartans are headed to the Class 2A state semifinals in Normal following Friday’s rousing come-from-behind super-sectional victory over Chicago Christian on the Knights’ home court.

“So surreal,” senior middle hitter Lacey Kaiser said.

“Pure excitement,” added Stephanie Trame, another senior middle hitter.

The showdown didn’t lack for tension and drama.

Almost half of the match was played before the Spartans secured their first lead, 10-9 in the second set.

That followed an opening set where the Knights doubled the score quickly (12-6) and coasted to a 25-15 triumph.

“They had a strong offense, and it took us a little bit to get used to it,” Kaiser said.

“After the first set, we saw spots that were open and were able to put balls there,” Trame said.

The Spartans have needed to rally in other matches and Trame said the team wasn’t distraught after Friday’s start.

“We’re used to starting off slower,” Trame said. “The first set didn’t do anything to our confidence.

“We know we’ll never give up.”

SJ-O fought back to garner a 25-23 triumph in the second set and then trailed just twice in the decisive third set, a 25-16 victory that produced the school’s 21st consecutive victory.

Middle hitters Kaiser and Trame were two of the team’s catalysts.

“They were game-changers,” SJ-O coach Abby McDonald said. “They got us going and stood out in the middle.”

The Spartans only trailed 1-0 and 5-4 in the final set while raising their school-record season win total to 36.

Consecutive blocks by Trame and Kennedi Burnett helped the Spartans build a 16-10 cushion in the final set.

McDonald struggled to keep her composure, even though her team needed nine more points to secure its advancement.

“After the big block, it brought me to tears,” McDonald said. “They were in control and that’s when I realized, ‘They’re going to do this.’”

Having experienced the state tournament with the Spartans’ team in 2016, McDonald was keenly aware of what would be awaiting her current squad.

“I know the types of memories these kids are going to make,” she said, “ones that will last a lifetime, and that made me emotional.”

Next up for SJ-O (36-4) is one of the state’s all-time small-school powerhouses, Breese Mater Dei (32-9) at noon on Friday at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena. That winner will play for the state championship on Saturday afternoon.

“Our whole goal was to make it to state,” Trame said. “Now that we’re here, we’re so excited.

“The teams will be a lot tougher, but we have confidence.  We have improved so much.”

In its history, Mater Dei has captured seven state championships in volleyball and earned nine other top-four state finishes.

The state match will be SJ-O’s sixth in a row on the road since the postseason series began, but it will be nothing compared to Friday’s journey

SJ-O traveled more than two hours to Palos Heights on Friday to play a memorable super-sectional match that lasted 70 minutes. The total round trip covered more than 266 miles.

McDonald is sticking to her plan of giving her players two days off before resuming practice on Monday.

“When we go (to state), we’re going to enjoy every moment, whether we win or lose,” she said.

After pulling into a tie in the first set at 3-3, SJ-O was unable to draw even again until a Trame kill made it 9-9 in the second set.

It wasn’t just the offense that found a spark in the middle set.

“We did a better job on our defense,” McDonald said. “We found some weaknesses that we didn’t take advantage of in the first set.

“We played a lot more controlled on our side of the net.”

The Spartans captured their first lead of the night – on the match’s 59th point (out of 129 total points) – when Chicago Christian (32-6) hit the ball out of bounds. At that point, SJ-O was ahead, 10-9, in the second set.

Setter Emily Bigger (26 assists) involved all of her hitters in the final set, including getting the ball to Trame, Burnett, Katelyn Berry and Kaiser for kills at key junctures.

For the match, the Spartans put all but two serves in play. They not only didn’t give away many points, but also made it tough for the home team to find a rhythm.

“We served aggressively and took them out of their first-ball contact,” McDonald said. “We served short. We served deep. They are confident in any zone I give them. That gave them more confidence as we went.”

SJ-O took the lead for good in the third set, 17-16.

McDonald was filled with good feelings after the teams traded wins in the first two sets.

“The way we controlled the end of the second set, things were starting to pick up for us and our body language changed,” she said. “I told them (before the final set), ‘This is what we’ve prepared for all season.’”

The team made its presence felt at the net, registering 10 blocks. Kaiser and Payton Vallee each put up three blocks. Burnett and Trame had two blocks apiece.

The Spartans have won six consecutive three-set matches and overall are 6-2 for the season in three-set matches. Four of the three-set victories occurred in matches where SJ-O lost the opening set.

SJ-O picked up many of the Knights’ attacks, amassing 70 digs overall.

Rylee Stahl led with 19 digs and Bigger completed her double-double with 16 digs.

They were far from the only standouts.

Burnett contributed nine digs, Kaiser had eight, Lindsey Aden had eight and Kenly Taylor had six digs.

Burnett was the leader of a balanced offense. She totaled 11 kills and Trame pounded seven kills. Berry and Vallee each finished with six kills. Bigger had three and Kaiser added one kill.

The quartet of Trame, Vallee, Bigger and Kaiser combined for 17 kills in the match without any hitting errors.

McDonald is ready to go to battle again with her team.

“They are not only great volleyball players, but also good people,” she said, “and I’m thankful to the coaching staff for the time they have put in.”

The winners of the Friday, Nov. 15 state semifinal matches will play in the championship match at 1:55 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16. The semifinal losers will return to action on Nov. 16 in the third-place match at 12:25 p.m.

The post McDonald: “This is what we’ve prepared for all season.” appeared first on .

St. Joseph-Ogden couldn’t do anything about the location of Wednesday’s sectional championship volleyball match, but the Spartans had a say in the location of the seating arrangements.

Prior to the final set at Watseka High School, SJ-O coach Abby McDonald instructed setter Emily Bigger to switch sides for the third set, if the choice presented itself.

“In 14 years of coaching, that is not something I’ve said,” McDonald said.

And yet, on this night, the coach believed it would be the right call.

“Herscher’s student section was right behind our bench,” McDonald said. “It was hard to stay focused.”

The teams made the switch and the Spartans were able to change the momentum and pull out a victory over the Tigers, the 20th in a row and one that sends SJ-O into a Class 2A super-sectional at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

SJ-O (35-4), which had advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in the past five years, registered a 25-19, 12-25, 25-23 triumph.

The Spartans are now in the Elite Eight and one win away from a state semifinal berth.

Losing the second set by more than a 2-to-1 margin could be unnerving for a teen-aged group, but McDonald reminded them of the situations they found themselves in throughout the season.

“Our focus has been, ‘Right here. Right now,’ “ she said. “What can we learn right here, right now that will prepare us down the road?

“There were plenty of matches where we were down and had to come back. Those moments are not ideal, but our kids are so knowledgeable and have shown they could come back.

“We talked about that this is nothing different than what we’ve prepared for. Their experience allowed us to be successful.”

With Kennedi Burnett posting a double-double (17 kills, 10 digs) and Bigger distributing 40 assists for the match, the Spartans were able to extend their season.

Herscher (35-3) jumped into a quick lead in the tiebreaking set, 4-1, before SJ-O regrouped.

The Spartans created a tie at 7-7 and stormed ahead 19-16 and 23-19, ultimately ending the two-point victory on a kill by Burnett.

“We started transitioning, moving faster on defense and picking up balls,” McDonald said. “Once we keyed in on defense, our offense got going.

“The second half of the third set, we were in pretty good control.”

Bigger had an assortment of hitters to turn to. In addition to Burnett, Payton Vallee slammed 11 kills, Katelyn Berry had 10 and Lacey Kaiser ended with six.

Rylee Stahl produced a team-high 17 digs. Burnett also put up two blocks.

McDonald has come to expect contributions from a multitude of players.

“Our team, it takes all of us to get the win,” she said.

McDonald was pleased that her veteran squad didn’t repeat tendencies that showed up in their 2018 finale.

“Our biggest mistake last year was playing nervous and tense,” she said. “I reminded them, ‘We’ve been here before. Remember the lessons we’ve learned.’

“They didn’t make that mistake.”

Wednesday’s win over Herscher continues a pattern that has been in play all week.

Play a match (Monday), then practice (Tuesday). Play a match (Wednesday), then practice (Thursday). Play a match (Friday), then … regardless of the outcome, there will be a break for the weekend.

“Our philosophy is to take two days off a week,” McDonald said. “I’ve learned if you go too hard, too long, kids almost hit a burnout level.”

She is fine with the week’s quick turnaround between matches.

“At this point, you’re either ready or you’re not,” McDonald said. “I’m OK with one practice and keep going.”

Though SJ-O and Herscher had not played one another in the regular season, the opponent was not an unfamiliar one for the Spartans.

Not only had they met in a summer league match, and then saw Herscher’s Monday two-set sectional semifinal conquest over Unity, but McDonald also had a scouting report from the regional tournament prepared by a non-volleyball staff member.

“I’m thankful to have other coaches who are willing to make that possible,” McDonald said. “It can be hard when you’re in-season to get to everything.”

The next challenge for SJ-O, which is seeking to add another win to its school-record single-season total, is to travel to Chicago Christian on Friday to play the host school in a 6:30 p.m. super-sectional match that determines which school will reach the state semifinals.

McDonald has no complaints with the draw.

“I’d rather go to their place,” she said. “Our kids play better on the road.”

In Monday’s sectional semifinal match, SJ-O made Seneca its seventh consecutive two-set sweep victim. The Spartans scored a 25-17, 25-11 victory.

The SJ-O win was paced by Bigger with 18 assists and six digs along with Burnett, who totaled 12 kills and four digs. Stahl contributed seven digs.

The Spartans’ nine-member senior class has been a part of more varsity victories in volleyball than any other group in school history. After Wednesday’s win, the school has totaled 119 wins in the past four seasons.

The previous four-year wins record in volleyball at SJ-O was 115, set by the Class of 2007, a group that had three head coaches in four years.

At stake on Friday, will be a chance for the Spartans to make their third appearance all-time at state in volleyball. The 2001 team qualified, but did not place. The 2016 team finished as the Class 2A state runners-up.

The post “Right Here, Right Now” takes Spartans to IHSA Supersectional appeared first on .

St. Joseph-Ogden’s volleyball team capped a perfect October on Thursday with a regional championship match victory.

If the Spartans match that performance in November, they will wind up as the top team in Class 2A.

For the second time in a week, SJ-O topped Monticello (20-15). Thursday’s 25-17, 25-14 triumph was in the Oakwood Class 2A Regional finals.

The Spartans are in familiar territory. The regional crown was the third in a row for the program and the sixth in the past seven years.

“We have nine seniors and they have all been playing volleyball since fourth grade,” veteran SJ-O coach Abby McDonald said. “They were successful last season and they have a lot of court experience. They have been around the program for a long time.

“Their experience and love for the sport is one of our biggest strengths.”

Senior setter Emily Bigger was on the varsity roster in 2016, when the school placed second at state in 2A.

“Emily has great court awareness and does a great job controlling our court,” McDonald said.

Bigger has more than 650 assists this season and is averaging more than 10 assists per set.

In the regional finals, she handed out 23 assists in the two-set sweep.

The Spartans have won 18 consecutive matches, including all 17 played in the month of October. Thursday’s victory extended the school-record single-season win total to 33.

“Our defense has been pretty solid,” McDonald said. “Rylee Stahl has stepped up as our libero this year. She takes every practice very seriously and has made a big difference.”

Stahl had 13 digs and Kennedi Burnett had 10 kills in the regional finals.

Their play put Bigger in position to share the sets. Katelyn Berry hammered nine kills and Stephanie Trame had five kills. Burnett and Payton Vallee each ended with four kills.

Lacey Kaiser was the team-leader with three service aces.

McDonald sees some positive comparisons between her current team and the state runner-up unit, including an unquestioned leader at the setter position. Bigger’s counterpart four years ago was also a senior, Andrea Coursey.

“By the end of the 2016 season, we played with a calmness and a sense of persistence,” McDonald said. “This team has developed very similarly. They are playing very poised.”

In the second set on Thursday, the Spartans weren’t flustered when the Sages opened up a 5-1 lead.

“They believe they can get back, and never quit playing,” McDonald said. “Our kids stayed confident in themselves.”

The coach knew it would be a challenge to beat a 20-win team for the second time in a week.

“As a coach, I tried to be relaxed, but I knew they would have a good game plan,” McDonald said. “Our kids did a nice job of not overlooking them.”

The Spartans will start the November portion of their schedule on Monday in the Watseka Sectional.

SJ-O will face Seneca in the 6 p.m. semifinal. In the opposite bracket, the 7 p.m. semifinal will be between Tolono Unity and Herscher.

The winners will return to Watseka on Wednesday for the sectional finals.

SJ-O’s 33-4 season record includes just one loss to a Class 2A opponent.

There are 32 remaining schools in the Class 2A state bracket, a number that will be cut in half by the end of the day on Monday.

“It’s fun seeing the kids being successful,” McDonald said.

Bigger handed out 18 assists and served nine aces on Tuesday as SJ-O broke its school record for wins in a season by overpowering Oakwood 25-5, 25-8 in the semifinals of a Class 2A regional at Oakwood. The win was No. 32 for the year.

Stahl had seven digs and four aces.

The offensive leaders were Burnett (nine kills), Vallee (six kills) and Berry (two kills).

The post Seniors’ love for volleyball carries Spartans to Regional Title appeared first on .

St. Joseph-Ogden Volleyball

SJ-O is heading into the postseason with a 16-match winning streak and a school-record-tying 31 victories this season.

The Spartans won all five matches on Saturday to emerge triumphant in the Mount Pulaski Tournament.

SJ-O lost its opening game to Mount Zion, then reeled off wins in 10 consecutive games to claim first place.

For the day, Emily Bigger delivered 97 assists and added 31 digs.

Kennedi Burnett pounded 31 kills, Payton Vallee had 28 kills, Katelyn Berry had 24 kills, Lacey Kaiser had 22 kills and Stephanie Trame added 11 kills.

Rylee Stahl led with five service aces. Burnett, Kaiser and Kenly Taylor chipped in with four aces apiece. Lindsey Aden had three aces.

Other defensive leaders were Stahl with 46 digs, Burnett with 27 digs, Aden with 21 digs and Taylor with 19 digs.

The Spartans’ pool play wins were 20-25, 25-23, 15-12 over Mount Zion, 25-5, 25-17 over Illini Central and 25-18, 25-12 over Olympia.

In the semifinals, SJ-O handled Shelbyville 25-9, 25-14. The championship match brought back a rematch with Mount Zion and SJ-O prevailed, 25-19, 25-15.

On Thursday, Bigger dealt out 29 assists as the Spartans posted a sweep,  25-17, 25-19 at Monticello.

SJ-O finishes in second place in the Illini Prairie Conference season with a 9-1 record. St. Thomas More was 10-0 in league play.

Burnett powered her way for 11 kills and contributed nine digs at Monticello. Stahl added seven digs.

The Spartans are 31-4 overall and return to action on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Oakwood Class 2A regional against an opponent to be determined.

The 30-win season is the school’s third in the past four years. The 31 wins ties a school record set by the 2016 team.

St. Joseph-Ogden Girls’ cross-country

Five St. Joseph-Ogden girls entered the finish chute within 45 seconds of one another on Saturday, helping the Spartans place third at the Tuscola Class 1A regional, securing them a team bid to the sectional.

SJ-O qualified for the Effingham St. Anthony Sectional on Saturday, Nov 2. The girls’ race will start at 10 a.m.

Senior Jillian Plotner was the team leader, clocking a 3-mile time of 19 minutes, 10.71 seconds. She placed ninth.

Four other teammates ended among the top 21 in a field of 74 participants.

Sophomore Ashlyn Lannert was 16th in 19:43.12, sophomore Ava Knap was 19th in 19:48.98, sophomore Malorie Sarnecki was 20th in 19:54.86 and senior Ally Monk was 21st in 19:55.22.

The rest of the Spartans’ regional lineup consisted of sophomore Addie Allen (27th in 20:16.84) and sophomore Kailyn Ingram (30th in 20:43.43).

In the regional team chase, Monticello was first with 37 points, followed by Unity (47 points), SJ-O (85 points) and St. Thomas More (87 points).

At sectional, SJ-O will be seeking its 25th team state berth in the past 31 years. For each of the past 12 years, SJ-O has sent its entire girls’ team to state.

St. Joseph-Ogden Boys’ cross-country

SJ-O’s top five runners registered times within 55 seconds of each other on Saturday in the Tuscola Class 1A Regional, helping the entire team continue its season.

The Spartans took fifth in the regional and will move on to the Effingham St. Anthony Sectional. The boys’ race will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2.

The team’s veterans set the pace at the regional for a youthful group of sophomores who followed.

Junior Brandon Mattsey covered the 3-mile course in 16 minutes, 44.04 seconds and ended in 10th place in a field of 92 runners. Senior Eric Poe was 14th in 17:03.31.

They were followed in succession by four sophomores: Charlie Mabry was 20th in 17:15.06, Elijah Mock was 24th in 17:26.59, Luke Stegall was 29th in 17:39.24 and Braden Clampitt was 35th in 18:02.21.

The team’s other regional competitor was freshman Ethan Blackburn, who was 44th in 18:39.79.

At sectional, SJ-O will be chasing its 22nd team state berth and the sixth in the past seven seasons.

Monticello was the regional champion, totaling 28 points. They Sages were followed in the team race by Urbana Uni High (83), Paxton-Buckley-Loda (95), Unity (95) and SJ-O (97).

St. Joseph-Ogden Football

The Spartans were held scoreless for three quarters on Friday at Monticello and dropped a 35-6 decision to the Sages. Monticello carried a 28-0 lead into the final period.

Despite the loss, the 5-4 Spartans were chosen for the playoffs and a 1 p.m. Saturday first-round Class 3A game at 9-0 Williamsville.

In last week’s Associated Press state poll, Williamsville was ranked as the No. 1 team in Class 3A.

SJ-O coach Shawn Skinner anticipated a matchup like the team drew.

“When you’re 5-4, you understand you’ll get one of the top dogs in the state,” Skinner said. “That’s the bed we made and we’ll lay in it.”

The team’s regular-season finale marked the first entire game without versatile senior standout Brayden Weaver. The 190-pound running back/linebacker suffered a torn ACL, a torn MCL and a torn meniscus in the second quarter of the Week 8 game against Stanford Olympia.

“It’s unfortunate,” Skinner said. “He’s a leader in three sports and he’s a leader in school. He’s a good kid.”

Through eight games, Weaver was the team’s top tackler. His 76 stops were 19 more than any other Spartan. In that same span, he ranked second on the team in rushing, second in scoring and was one of five squad members with at least five pass receptions. Weaver also had one of the team’s four interceptions.

Sophomore Coby Miller filled in at middle linebacker against the Sages and, Skinner said, “had a great second half.”

Miller’s play complemented that of outside linebacker Drew Coursey, whom Skinner said “continues to shine.”

Jarrett Stevenson scored the lone SJ-O touchdown in Week 9, on a 14-yard burst in the game’s last 3 minutes. Stevenson led the team with 67 rushing yards. Miller rushed for 25 yards and Keaton Nolan gained 12 on the ground.

Quarterback Crayton Burnett completed 8 of 21 passes for 51 yards and has thrown for 860 yards during the regular season.  Brady Buss hauled in three pass receptions. Miller caught two passes. Finishing with one catch apiece were Payton Cain, Jaden Miller and Ty Pence.

A freshman, Pence has a team-high 15 receptions for the year.

“There were moments that we did good things, but not moments that were sustainable,” Skinner said. “We were not able to convert on third down.”

Skinner hopes his squad members appreciate what they have achieved.

“This is our 30th time in the playoffs in the last 33 years,” he said. “That means we have a high level of standards.

“In football, you have to earn your way into the postseason and this speaks volumes to what the kids have done. I hope the kids understand this is not something to take lightly.”

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Seniors played a key role on Tuesday as the Spartans completed their home schedule with a win, 25-17, 25-14 over Stanford Olympia.

Seniors led – or shared the team-lead – in five categories.

Lindsey Aden had the most service aces (three). Emily Bigger led in assists (24) and Rylee Stahl had the most digs (eight).

Katelyn Berry had a team-high 10 kills and shared the team-lead in blocks (one) with senior Lacey Kaiser and junior Payton Vallee.

Other senior contributors were Kenly Taylor (five digs), Jenna Albrecht (four kills), Kaiser (three digs and three kills) and Stephanie Trame (two kills). The ninth SJ-O senior is outside hitter Anna Wentzloff.

Junior Kennedi Burnett contributed seven digs, five kills and two aces.

The Spartans are 25-4 overall and 8-1 in Illini Prairie Conference matches heading into tonight’s league-finale at Monticello.

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What are your goals and where can they take you?

Although they may not realize it yet, runners on the St. Joseph Middle School cross-country team are realizing the answer to this question as they prepare to compete at the IESA State level on Saturday.

For the first time in school history, St. Joseph Middle School captured the IESA Class 2A Sectional title.

Eighth-grader Helene Jones said, “after all seven of our runners finished, Coach P (Corey Plotner) pulled us to the side saying we just made St. Joe history! There has never been a St. Joe 2A cross-country team win a sectional before.”

After the St. Joseph Middle School boys’ cross-country team finished with five runners in the top 10 spots at the sectional, the Panthers were on their way to sending both teams to the 2A IESA state meet at Maxwell Park in Normal.

The catalyst for the teams’ accomplishments has been goal-setting.

Many of the participants began running in fifth grade, looking to beat an older sibling, to have something in common with a parent or to hang out with friends, but it didn’t take long for each runner to find some intrinsic value to their time spent on the course.

“I’ve kept with it because I enjoyed the coaches, people, and I realized I did enjoy running,” Jones said. “After the first season, I knew I had to do next year.”

Coming into her third year on the Panther team, Jones decided that if she puts her mind to it, she might be able to finish the 2-mile course in under 13 minutes. With that time, Jones believed that she would be included on the Sectional roster, and it would be another step to her whole team making it to the State finals.

“All of the goals I had set were crushed,” she said.

With the same mindset, Jones wanted to finish a race to get onto the Panthers’ “board.”

“The board contains the top 20 boy and girl runners of St. Joe Middle School history,” she said.

Currently, Jones sits at No. 12.

But that wasn’t enough for the athlete who knows that time in junior high is short.

Coming into the IESA Sectional on Oct. 12, Jones wanted to finish in the top five of the 86 competitors.

Coming in at 13 minutes, 13.74 seconds, she finished in second place.

Finishing right in front of her at 13:06.69 was teammate Savanna Franzen.

In her seventh-grade year, Franzen had her teammates on her mind as she crossed the finish line.

“I felt a rush of joy because I knew my teammates were not far behind,” Franzen said.

The Panther runners are encouraged to give 100-percent throughout the season.

“My coaches have supported me by telling me when I need to push it, giving me advice for my legs, and being with me every step of the way,” she said.

Keeping her individual goals in sight, Franzen has also encouraged her teammates throughout the year to do the same as the Panthers had their eyes set on a team state-bid from the very beginning.

Jones and Franzen will work to place in the Top 25 runners at State while the entire team looks to place among the top 10.

The St. Joseph Middle School boys’ team also believes it has what it takes to finish in the top 10 on Saturday.

In fact, they’ve set the goal of finishing in the top four teams at State.

Leading the seven-member Panther pack consistently throughout the season has been Carson Maroon.

Maroon finished the two-mile IESA Sectional course in 11:38.23.

“I felt great!” he said. “I knew then that I couldn’t have accomplished anything more.”

Finishing in first place, at sectional ticked of a goal box for Maroon — now he hopes to accomplish his other two goals, finishing in the top 25 at State and finishing a race under 11 minutes.

Being part of a fun team that challenges each other day-after-day is not only what keeps Maroon coming back year-after-year, but he also believes it’s the recipe to finding success.

“The better we do individually the better we are as a team,” eighth-grader Spencer Wilson said.

Wilson finished third at the IESA Sectional meet with a time of 11:57.10.

Finding out he is “pretty decent at running” came on the back of working with great coaches.

“Coach P and Coach G (Michele Guido) are great coaches! I’m glad I got to run with them the last four years “

For Wilson, though, the reason he started cross-country in fifth grade is the same reason he still loves to come to cross-country every day.

“The best part about being on the team are game days and being with my friends,” he said.

The girls’ Class 2A state race is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, followed by the boys’ race at 11:45 a.m.

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St. Joseph-Ogden Volleyball

Emily Bigger delivered 19 assists on Tuesday as the Spartans topped Prairie Central 25-12, 25-11 in Fairbury.

Bigger also had eight digs and three service aces.

Kennedi Burnett swatted six kills and contributed eight digs.

Rylee Stahl led the defensive effort with 11 kills.

On Wednesday, SJ-O blitzed Fisher at home, 25-7, 25-3.

Nearly one-quarter of the Spartans’ points were courtesy of service aces.

Stahl landed seven aces and Lacey Kaiser contributed five aces.

Katelyn Berry led with seven kills. Burnett added four kills and Bigger handed out 19 assists. Berry also had four kills and two blocks.

The Spartans (24-4) return to action on Tuesday at home against Olympia. SJ-O has a nine-match winning streak and is 7-1 in Illini Prairie Conference contests.

St. Joseph-Ogden Soccer

The Spartans’ soccer season ended on Tuesday with a shutout loss to St. Thomas More in the semifinals of a Class 1A regional hosted by the Sabers.

SJ-O ends with a 7-14-4 record. The Spartans were held scoreless in 11 matches this season.

St. Joseph-Ogden Boys’ golf

Senior teammates Payton Grimsley and Joe Acton concluded their prep careers on Monday at the El Paso Class 1A Sectional Tournament.

Grimsley carded a 91, with rounds of 47 and 44. Acton came in at 107, with rounds of 48 and 59.

The cut to qualify for state was an 82.

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Both the St. Joseph boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams recorded dominant performances on Saturday to capture IESA Class 2A regional individual and team championships at Paxton.

The girls’ program had the top two runners in a field of 86 competitors and also outdistanced the field in the team race.

St.  Joseph’s girls totaled 22 points.  Runner-up Beecher had 76 points and Paxton-Buckley-Loda was third with 97 points. All three teams advanced to state.

There were 10 schools at the regional.

The St.  Joseph boys’ program ended with three of the top four finishers and also cruised to a team title.

St. Joseph had 24 points, followed by Pontiac with 72 and Herscher with 84. Thirteen schools had entries in the boys’ division. The top three schools qualified for state.

St. Joseph boys’ cross-country

Eighth-grader Carson Maroon, who is one of seven squad members who competed at state a year ago when the school placed 11th, was the individual regional titlist.

He ran the 2-mile course in 11 minutes, 38.23 seconds.

Teammates Spencer Wilson and Kendrick Johnson – also state-meet veterans – were third and fourth, respectively. Wilson, an eighth-grader, crossed the finish line in 11:57.10 and Johnson, a seventh-grader, was timed in 11:57.71.

In a field of 89 competitors, the Panthers’ other scoring runners were seventh-grader Holden Brazelton (sixth in 12:09.47) and eighth-grader Rowan Musselman (10th in 12:34.25).

The school’s other regional participants were seventh-grader Jack Fisher (16th in 12:52.73) and sixth-grader Zach Harper (21st in 12:59.56).

Other runners on the Panthers’ state roster are eighth-graders Brock Kellenberger and Drew Thurman and sixth-grader Lance Retz.

The boys’ Class 2A state race will be on Saturday at Maxwell Park, in Normal, starting at 11:45 a.m.

There is no charge for spectator admission, but there is a $5 parking fee.

St. Joseph girls’ cross-country

Seventh-grader Savanna Franzen and eighth-grader Helene Jones set the regional pace, ending first and second, respectively, in their 2-mile races.

Franzen was clocked in 13 minutes, 6.69 seconds. Jones came in at 13:13.74.

The Panthers had four other runners place among the top 12.

Eighth-grader Chloe Burkhalter was fourth in 13:26.42, seventh-grader Madison Clampitt was sixth in 13:43.63, fifth-grader Jaci Kellenberger was ninth in 14:11.53 and eighth-grader Chloe Allen was 12th in 14:23.31.

Rounding out the school’s regional lineup was eighth-grader Maya Chahine. She was 18th in 14:29.94.

Other Panthers on the state roster are eighth-grader Macy Reed and sixth-graders Sophie Kasper and Hannah Mock.

In all, St. Joseph’s girls’ team has six squad members who participated at state a year ago – including their top four regional placers – when the school took 15th place in the IESA finals.

The girls’ Class 2A state race will be on Saturday at Maxwell Park, in Normal, starting at 11 a.m.

There is no charge for spectator admission, but there is a $5 fee for parking.

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