Four St.  Joseph-Ogden athletes earned medals in Saturday’s finals of the boys’ IHSA Class 1A state track and field meet at Charleston.

The four teamed up for a seventh-place finish in the 400-meter sprint relay.

Sophomore Brady Buss was joined by three seniors, Kaleb Harshbarger, Dwight Colvin and Lane Gaskin. Collectively, they were timed in 44.06 seconds.

SJ-O finished in a tie for 67th place at state, with three points. In all, 88 Class 1A schools scored points at state.

In Thursday’s qualification session, the SJ-O relay was timed in 44.25 and was seeded ninth for the finals.

This was the 10^th year in the past 12 that the SJ-O boys’ program produced a state-placing relay. Overall, it’s the 23^rd year out of the last 25 that SJ-O has had a state medalist in boys’ track and field.

SJ-O athletes were near misses for the finals in two other events last week.

Shot putter Hayden Knott ended in 13^th place with an effort of 48 feet, 8 inches. The top 12 from the prelims moved on to the finals. Knott was 2 inches away from reaching the finals.

Knott entered state as the 14^th seed in Class 1A.

The Spartans’ 800-meter relay – featuring the same four runners as the 400 relay – ended in 11^th at state with a time of 1 minute, 31.70 seconds. The top nine schools reached the finals.

Also competing at state were pole vaulter Nolan Peacock, who was tied for 22^nd with a 12-foot vault, Gaskin, who was 30^th in the 200 meters (24.32 seconds) and the 1,600 relay.

The four-lap relay quartet of Keanen Swanson, Buss, Ethan Vanliew and Harshbarger finished in 22^nd place with a time of 3 minutes, 33.52 seconds.

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No girls’ track and field program in the state – regardless of class – has been more successful during the past four years than St. Joseph-Ogden in Class 1A.

Coach Kelly Steffen’s Spartans secured a fourth consecutive top three finish in state meets on Saturday by scoring 38 points and tying for third in Class 1A at Eastern Illinois University.

“What a fun way to end the season, with a cherry on top,” Steffen said.

SJ-O is the only Illinois school with state trophies in girls’ track and field each of the past four years.

If the so-called experts are to be believed, the weekend performance was surprising.

“In Week 8, in the MileSplit state rankings, we were not in the top 10,” Steffen said. “I posted it on the team bulletin board.”

The unspoken motivation supplied her SJ-O team with the impetus that was needed.

“That sparked a fire,” Steffen said.

The Spartans had state champions in two events and placers in four others on Saturday to secure yet another state trophy.

SJ-O won the team title in 2018, was third in 2017 and second at state in 2016, when the current senior class were freshmen.

“The last four years are a credit to the girls and our wonderful coaching staff,” Steffen said. “We try to utilize our expertise and, in the end, build a lineup to go to state and show up better than expected.”

Sophomore Atleigh Hamilton successfully defended her state title in the long jump.

The SJ-O 800-meter relay was victorious for the second consecutive year as well with three returning runners joining newcomer Danie Kelso.

Hamilton, Hailey Birt and Maclayne Taylor were others on the 800 relay that was timed in 1 minute, 44.81 seconds.

The photo finish was too close to call until the results were posted on the electronic scoreboard.

The second-place DuQuoin team was timed in 1:44.82.

“I had no idea (of the outcome),” anchor runner Taylor said. “I was hoping I pulled through.”

SJ-O was the third team to make the final exchange in the two-lap race.

Even before the results were finalized, Steffen was satisfied with the effort.

“All four of those girls worked really hard,” Steffen said. “It was awesome to watch Maclayne run through the line and outlean the girl (from DuQuoin).”

Hamilton’s school-record long jump mark (18 feet, 7 ¾ inches) from Thursday’s preliminaries held up as she regained her spot atop the podium.

For much of the season, Hamilton was at less than full strength.

“She struggled with a foot injury,” Steffen said. “The season was about gaining strength and rebuilding.

“We worked on patience and trust. Her composure and confidence came out when she was on the track.”

Hamilton also ran legs on three of SJ-O’s placing relays and only took two of her attempts in the long jump final.

“I couldn’t do it without my coach,” Hamilton said. “She kept me positive even when sometimes I didn’t see it.”

Taylor, in her final track meet, couldn’t think of a better way to conclude her running career.

“It’s amazing,” Taylor said. “I’ve had a great four years and am glad to be able to end with another trophy.”

Entering the season, she wasn’t sure if that expectation was realistic.

“We lost some really good sprinters (from the 2018 team) and I wasn’t sure heading into the year,” Taylor said.

Besides the championship events, the Spartans scored points in the other three relays as well as from Taylor, the eighth-place finisher individually in the 100 meters (12.60 seconds).

Each Spartan relay ran quicker than they did during Thursday’s qualification session.

The meet-ending 1,600-meter relay dropped nearly two seconds, capturing second place with a time of 4:05.64.

The runners were Hamilton, Rylee Sjuts, Ashlyn Lannert and Taylor.

“All of them had run at least one other race,” Steffen said, “but they were able to conserve energy during the day in the heat and they all ran well.

“Atleigh did a phenomenal job, starting us off in a minute, and the middle two thrive off the competition and kept us where we needed to be. Maclayne is super strong and is aware or what she’s capable. She planned it out perfectly.”

The eight team points earned by the final relay allowed SJ-O to match the third-place point total of Decatur St. Teresa.

First-place DuQuoin totaled 58 points and runner-up Chicago Latin ended with 46 points.

“The 1,600 was a great finish to our long day,” Taylor said. “We ended faster than our prelim time.”

Taylor was the anchor runner on two state relays, a position she didn’t always embrace.

“I’m not a huge fan of it,” she said, “but I didn’t mind after the fact.”

The 400-relay foursome featured the same runners as the 800 unit. They captured fifth, dropping their time to 50.18 with Hamilton as the anchor, after qualifying at 50.33.

“I love being part of this team,” Hamilton said. “We all have the same motivation. Our splits were very good.”

The 3,200-meter relay cut more than four seconds from the time it achieved 48 hours earlier, closing in 10:12.47 and gaining the seventh-place medal. The relay was seeded 11^th entering the finals. The top nine placers in each event score team points.

The long-distance relay included Kailyn Ingram, Hannah Rajlich, Lannert and Sjuts. Rajlich and Sjuts were also members of the state-placing 2018 relay.

Taylor was at state for all four of the SJ-O team trophies, though she was only an alternate as a freshman.

Participating at state for three consecutive years made it tougher for her to confirm her future plans.

“It was tough to figure out which sport (to do in college),” she said.

In the end, she went with basketball and has committed to Lincoln Land Community College.

Besides the squad members who scored team points at state, three others competed at state.

Jenna Albrecht finished in the top half of all triple-jumpers. She placed 20^th in a field of 42 competitors with a leap of 34-10 ¼.

Rajlich was 28^th in the 1,600 meters (5:52.29) and Cassidy Bagby was 33^rd in the 3,200 meters (13:14.28).

In addition to Steffen, the remainder of the SJ-O coaching staff consisted of Gerry Hewerdine, Jason Retz and Matt Umbarger.

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Three individuals and three relays will represent St. Joseph-Ogden in the Class 1A state meet.

The Spartans scored 55 points in the sectional meet they hosted on Friday and finished fourth in the 15-team field. The meet champion, Salt Fork, amassed 111 points.

The SJ-O individual qualifiers are Nolan Peacock (pole vault), Lane Gaskin (200 meters) and Hayden Knott (shot put).

Peacock was the runner-up, clearing 11 feet, 9 inches.

Gaskin placed fourth and was timed in 23.00 seconds. Knott was also fourth, with a best mark of 49 feet, 3 ¼ inches.

Two of the SJ-O qualifying relays featured the same runners and emerged as sectional champions.

Sharing the baton in the 400- and 800-meter relays were Brady Buss, Aiden Meyer, Dwight Colvin and Gaskin. Their collective 400 time was 43.49 seconds. In the 800, the posted a 1:31.00 mark.

The Spartans finished sixth at sectional in the 1,600-meter relay, but still bettered the pre-set state standard.

The relay runners were Gaskin, Kaleb Harshbarger, Meyer and Ethan Vanliew. They stopped the clock in 3:31.58.

SJ-O had 13 other individuals and one other relay that achieved top 10 finishes at sectional, but didn’t advance to state.

The 3,200-meter relay took third with Keanen Swanson, Eric Poe, Isiah McCune and Brandon Mattsey combining for a time of 8:35.97.

Swanson had top top 10 placements individually.

He was sixth in the triple jump (37-9) and eighth in the long jump (17-4).

Knott was fourth in the discus (132-1), Colvin was ninth in the 200 meters (24.05) and Vanliew was ninth in the high jump (5-5).

In both the 1,600 and 3,200 races, SJ-O teammates came in back-to-back.

McCune was eighth in the 1,600 meters (4:51.22) and Mattsey was ninth (5:06.48).

In the 3,200, Elijah Mock was fifth (11:29.33) and Luke Stegall was sixth (11:33.35).

Other top Spartans were Nathan Emmert (fourth in the long jump, 18-10); Conrad Miller (seventh in the pole vault, 8-3); Braden Clampitt (ninth in the 300 hurdles, 47.94) and Brayden Grimsey (10^th in the 100 meters, 11.93).

The Spartans’ state-qualifiers return to action on Thursday in the state preliminaries at EIU.

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The Spartans qualified individuals for state in seven events, along with all four relays. The state meet, for Class 1A, starts on Thursday at Eastern Illinois University, in Charleston.

SJ-O amassed 129 ½ points. Runner-up Urbana University High had 79 ½ points.

In all, 13 different SJ-O squad members secured berths at state, including Maclayne Taylor, who has qualified in the maximum four events.

“We had a great meet,” SJ-O coach Kelly Steffen said. “The girls were focused on the goal: qualify for state. The great news is, there is still room for ‘fine tuning’ in a lot of the events we qualified.

“We took care of business at the sectional and are now ready to freshen up our bodies and minds for some fast times and big distances.”

Taylor advanced as the runner-up in both the 100-meter (12.94 seconds) and 200-meter (26.49 seconds) dashes.

She also ran legs on the sectional championship 400- and 800-meter relays.

In both relays, Taylor teamed up with Danie Kelso, Hailey Birt and Atleigh Hamilton to reach state. The 400 foursome was timed in 50.52 seconds. The 800 relay stopped the clock in 1:46.91.

The Spartans’ other sectional title came from its 1,600-meter relay unit of Ashlyn Lannert, Rylee Sjuts, Jillian Plotner and Kelso in 4:15.17.

SJ-O’s other individual running qualifiers were Cassidy Bagby (second in the 3200 meters in 12:17.24) and Hannah Rajlich (second in the 1,600 in 5:42.37).

The runner-up 3,200-meter relay took second in 11:43.00 to advance. Rajlich and Sjuts were joined by Kailyn Ingram and Addie Allen.

The Spartans’ field events state qualifiers were Grace Schmitz (second in the pole vault, 9 feet); Hamilton (second in the long jump, 17-4) and Jenna Albrecht (third in the triple jump, 34-1).

In addition to the state-qualifiers, SJ-O had individuals 12 other events who registered top 10 performances at sectional.

Payton Vallee was third in the discus (108-5) and ninth in the shot put (30-0 ½). Angie Chahine was seventh in the 100-meter hurdles (19.08 seconds) and 10^th in the high jump (4-4).

Plotner and Lannert ran third and fourth, respectively, in the 800 meters. Plotner was timed in 2:29.46. Lannert finished in 2:30.63.

Ally Monk ran fourth in the 1,600 meters (5:55.40), Ava Knap ended fourth in the 3,200 meters (12:47.67), Abby Behrens tied for fourth in the high jump (4-10), Sjuts was sixth in the 300 hurdles (52.59), Lindsey Aden was eighth in the shot put (30-4 ½) and Hope Rajlich was ninth in the long jump (14-5).

Softball

From this day forward, every home run that Bailey Dowling hits for St. Joseph-Ogden during the next year will break a state record.

Dowling belted the 17^th home run of her junior season on Thursday, in a 16-1 win at home over Champaign Central, raising her career total to 60.

The 60 home runs tie the all-time IHSA state record set in 2015 by Lisle Benet’s Stephanie Abello.

Dowling’s historic homer came in her second at-bat of the game. It took some time for the magnitude of her accomplishment to hit her.

“During the game, I go out and play. After the game, I let it sink in,” the Alabama recruit said.

After back-to-back 20-home run seasons to start her high school career, Dowling is accustomed to not getting great pitches to hit.

“It was a low, outside pitch,” Dowling said. “I took all my power to the ball.”

It was a no-doubt home run. The ball sailed far over the left-center field fence and bounced on the street before coming to rest.

Dowling speculated that if he hadn’t swung, the pitch might not have been called a strike.

“It was pretty low,” she said. “If it’s close to the zone, I hit with the same amount of power.”

Dowling wasn’t charting her progress as the season continued. She was unaware of the impending milestone until a day before the game when an area sportswriter contacted her.

“It’s amazing to know I made it into the record book,” she said. “It’s pretty awesome.”

Her power surge is not a new phenomenon since entering high school. Dowling can trace her long-ball prowess back to playing for her 10-and-under team.

“Just natural strength,” she said.

Dowling’s offensive exploits, plus two hits and three runs batted in by Kaylee Ward helped support the four-hit pitching of Ashtyn Cromwell, who worked all five innings against Central.

On Saturday, SJ-O won two of three games at the Alexis Fieldhouse and reached the 20-win mark for the 32nd consecutive season.

SJ-O handled Monmouth United 10-1 as Zoey Witruk fired a complete-game one-hitter and struck out 12. Witruk and Lauren Trankina each had two hits. Trankina knocked in four runs and Witruk, who swatted two triples, drove in two runs.

In their second tournament game, the Spartans were beaten by Moline, 9-5, despite a 3-for-4 performance by Dowling. Savannah Smith had two RBI for the Spartans.

The final game was win No. 20 for SJ-O for the spring, an 8-5 decision over Biggsville West Central.

Witruk relieved Hannah Lewis and earned the victory.

Hannah Dukeman bashed three hits and Dowling landed two hits against Biggsville. Dukeman drove in three runs.

SJ-O (20-8) returns to action tonight at home against Charleston.

Baseball

Crayton Burnett won his fifth consecutive decision – and fourth by shutout – on Saturday as the Spartans swept a non-conference doubleheader from visiting Salt Fork’s 20-win team.

Burnett allowed one hit in five innings of the opening game 2-0 triumph. He walked one and struck out five.

Zach Martinie yielded one more single during the final two innings and registered a save.  He also walked one and fanned five.

Nicholas Boggs and Martinie drove in the SJ-O runs. Burnett and Kaden Jacobs scored the runs.

SJ-O completed the sweep with a 5-1 verdict in the nightcap.

Martinie opened with three hitless innings and gave way to Joseph Acton who allowed one hit during the final four innings.

Acton registered the win after walking no one and striking out two.

Adam Rose had three of the Spartans’ 10 hits and knocked in three runs. Teammates with RBI were Drew Coursey and Blake Primmer.

Sam Wesley had two hits in the second game.

Rose and Jacobs were the only Spartans with hits in both games.

SJ-O (23-8-2) returns to action today at home against Tri-Valley. SJ-O’s Illini Prairie Conference champions carry a six-game winning streak into the non-conference contest.

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Villa Grove/Heritage’s Meike Herbrandt qualified for state in the Class 1A long jump on Friday after placing third in the St. Joseph-Ogden Girls’ Track and Field Sectional.

She had a leap of 16 feet, 11 inches.

Herbrandt also placed seventh in the 400 meters (1:05.06), but did not advance to state in that event.

Villa Grove/Heritage totaled 11 points and placed 16^th in the 17-school sectional.

The Blue Devils’ 3,200-meter relay placed seventh with a time of 13:16.79. Relay runners were Sophia Wegeng, Lily Lawrence, Kathryn Eisenmenger and Isabella Caceres.

Other top 10 placers for the team were Liberty Floyd (eighth in the high jump at 4-6) and Kirsten Foreman (10^th in the long jump at 13-11).

The Class 1A portion of the state meet will start on Thursday at Eastern Illinois University, in Charleston.

Baseball

Keagan Patterson had two hits and knocked in two runs on Thursday, but visiting Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond scored the tiebreaking run in the top of the fifth inning and held on for a 6-5 triumph over the Hawks.

Austin Grimm, who stole three bases, scored two runs.

Patterson (a double) and Carson Howard (a triple) both knocked extra-base hits for VG/Heritage, which had a seven-game conference winning streak snapped.

Nathan Chewning gave up one unearned run in three innings of relief, but took the pitching loss.

He walked one and struck out one.

On Friday, VG/Heritage lost a 7-3 decision to Cumberland in Toledo.

Evan Wilson pitched all six innings for the Hawks. He walked two and struck out six.

Ryan Cheatham drove in two runs and Nick Coffin had one RBI for the Hawks.

Patterson, Grimm and Mason Wyant scored the VG/Heritage runs.

On Saturday at home, the Hawks dropped a 3-2 decision to Unity.

VG/Heritage scored its runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Coffin and a single by Kane Davison.

Davison was the game’s only player with more than one hit. He was 2-for-3.

VG/Heritage pitchers Patterson and Chewning combined to limit the Rockets to two hits.

Patterson permitted one hit and no earned runs in four innings. He walked five and struck out three.

Chewning yielded one hit and one walk in three innings.

The Hawks (17-10) return to action at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday in a Class 2A regional semifinal game against St. Joseph-Ogden at Unity High School.

Softball

The Hawks scored in double figures on Thursday for the fifth time this season, handing visiting Schlarman Academy a 12-7 loss in Broadlands.

Kenzie Davison belted an inside-the-park home run.

Teammate Melanie Smithenry swatted two doubles and a triple. She drove in four runs.

Another Hawk, Gracyn Allen, finished with a double and a single.

On Friday, the Hawks lost a 10-0 decision to visiting Oblong. Jada Davis had a single.

Heritage (9-15) returns to action on Tuesday in a Class 1A regional semifinal game with a rematch against Schlarman in the Schlarman Regional, in Danville.

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Adam Rose and Nicholas Boggs drove in runs on Tuesday to support the two-hit pitching of Crayton Burnett, who shut out Urbana, 2-0, for the second time this baseball season.

Rose also stole two bases.

SJ-O was limited to four hits.

Burnett struck out 10 and walked no one. He faced one batter over the minimum (22) in the seven-inning game.

On Wednesday, the Spartans went on the road and edged Pontiac, 13-12, to stay unbeaten after four Illini Prairie Conference games.

Rose was 4-for-4 to lead the 10-hit SJ-O attack.

Brayden Weaver had two hits and Drew Coursey drove in three runs.

Keegan McCarty pitched the first 4 2/3 innings and earned the win. Zach Martinie worked the final 2 1/3 innings and registered a save.

McCarty struck out eight and walked three.

SJ-O (14-4-2) returns to action on Saturday at Chillicothe against IVC.

Girls’ track and field

The Spartans took first in eight events on Tuesday in a four-school meet at Tolono.

SJ-O was competing against Unity, Salt Fork and Georgetown-Ridge Farm.

Sprinter Maclayne Taylor was a double winner, capturing the 100 meters (12.55 seconds) and the 200 meters (26.54 seconds).

Hannah Rajlich led a 1-2 SJ-O finish in the 800 meters. Her time was 2:28.22. The runner-up was teammate Cassidy Bagby (2:29.82).

The Spartans had three field event winners.

Atleigh Hamilton led all long jumpers (17 feet, 7 inches), Abby Behrens won the high jump (4-10) and Grace Schmitz captured the pole vault (9-0).

SJ-O had the winning 400-meter (58.68) and 1,600-meter (4:41.68) relays.

The school’s 800-meter relay was second (2:00.46).

Hamilton ran second in the 300 hurdles (49.02) and Spartan Ashlynn Lannert was third (53.34).

Angela Chahine was third in the 100 hurdles (19.05).

SJ-O also received points from triple jumper Jenna Albrecht. She was second at 32-11 1/2.

Softball

Unity won the home run derby as well as the ball game on Monday, outscoring St. Joseph-Ogden 15-10 on the Spartans’ field.

SJ-O received two home runs from Bailey Dowling and one apiece from Hannah Dukeman and Lauren Trankina.

Unity sent five balls out of the park.

On Tuesday, also at home, the Spartans were edged by Mattoon, 18-17, in a slugfest.

Dowling and Trankina each homered twice. Trankina had five hits and six RBI and Dowling totaled four.

Adding a home run apiece were Kaylee Ward and Savannah Smith.

On Wednesday, the Spartans lost their third game at home in three days this week, 14-3 to Mount Zion.

Dukeman had three hits for the Spartans, including a home run.

SJ-O (13-4) returns to action on Saturday in the Clinton Tournament.

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