February 9, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Meyer, Knott shine in Rantoul for Spartans

Two trips to Rantoul in a three-day span produced some quality performances from the St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ track and field team.


On Tuesday, the Spartans placed third in a four-team meet that Rantoul hosted, with SJO compiling 64 points to finish behind Champaign Central (84.5) and Rantoul (75) and ahead of Clinton (39.5).


Three days earlier, SJO competed in the 15-team Rantoul Invitational, finishing seventh with 55 points. Bloom Twp. won the meet with 11 points, followed by the host Eagles (98), Monticello (97), Pleasant Plains (95), Urbana (58), Mahomet-Seymour (57) and SJO in the top seven schools.


Hayden Knott won two events on Tuesday, while Aiden Meyer won an individual event and ran the opening leg on two first-place relay teams to pace the Spartans.


Knott came through with wins in the shot put with a toss of 42 feet, 1.25 inches and in the discus with a throw of 143-9. Meyer was the fastest competitor in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.49 seconds and he was part of the 800 relay (1:34.42) and the 1,600 relay (3:40.51 that also placed first. Brayden Grimsey, Aaron Wagner-Dillman and Lane Gaskin joined him on the 800 relay, while Gaskin, Keanen Swanson and Ethan Vanilew were on the 1,600 relay with Meyer.


Vanilew also contributed with a first-place showing in the high jump by clearing 5-8 and Nolan Peacock won the pole vault for SJO by clearing 11-6.
Isiah McCune in the 1,600 (4:47.68) and Swanson in the triple jump (36-8.5) both placed second in their respective events, while the 400 relay of Wagner-Dillman, Jonathan Poulter, Swanson and Grimsey (46.44) and the 800 relay of Eric Poe, Brandon Matsey, Luke Stegall and Elijah Mock (1:53.35) finished third on Tuesday.


McCune had the best finish for SJO during the Rantoul Invitational this past Saturday, finishing second in the 3,200 in 10:09.96.


Gaskin added a third-place finish in the 200 (22.87) and Peacock placed fourth in the pole vault (12-6).


SJO is slated to get back in action for another big outdoor meet this Friday at the Monticello Invitational, with events starting at 4:30 p.m.

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