April 7, 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.

Banner
Related Posts

Kaiser’s positivity a plus on court

October 4, 2019

October 4, 2019

Lacey Kaiser is a positive presence on the volleyball court. So much so, that her coach Abby McDonald nominated her...

Wesley showcases love of baseball with Spartans, travel teams

April 26, 2019

April 26, 2019

Sam Wesley has been playing his favorite sport since he was very young. Wesley, a junior at St. Joseph-Ogden High...

Harper sparks SJO soccer to another win

September 25, 2024

September 25, 2024

The St. Joseph-Ogden boys’ soccer team has proven this season it can find the back of theopponent’s net. Frequently. The...

SJO girls’ track and field aiming for another banner year

April 2, 2019

April 2, 2019

Hoisting a state championship trophy is how the St. Joseph girls’ track and field team ended its season last May....

SJO graduate Crowe thriving at Parkland as Cobras vie for national championship

April 23, 2021

April 23, 2021

Peyton Crowe knows a thing or two about championships. Crowe was a part of the 2018-19 St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ basketball...

Going the Distance: Smetzer excels at Western

October 17, 2019

October 17, 2019

Ross Smetzer has goals. The 2016 St. Joseph-Ogden High School graduate runs cross country and track for Western Illinois University...

SJO volleyball cruises to three straight road wins

September 3, 2019

September 3, 2019

So far, the road has not produced any bad results for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School volleyball team. The Spartans...

SJO baseball reaches Sweet 16, faces Tuscola in sectional title game

May 25, 2019

May 25, 2019

Strong offensive games have happened here and there this season for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team. The Spartans...

How sweet it is: SJO volleyball wins sectional title!

November 7, 2019

November 7, 2019

What a moment. What a feeling. And what an opportunity the St. Joseph-Ogden High School volleyball team still has in...

5 Question Friday with senior Goalie Hunter Ketchum

September 30, 2022

September 30, 2022

What is the best part about playing soccer for SJO? The environment. Everyone is here to compete and we are...

Thanks for the memories

November 9, 2019

November 9, 2019

We asked the St. Joseph-Ogden Cross Country team to share their favorite memories from the 2019 season. Here are their...

Spartans win Toyota of Danville Classic as Jacobs earns MVP honors

December 5, 2023

December 5, 2023

How well the St. Joseph-Ogden boys’ basketball team would fare this season without current Illinois State guard Ty Pence in...

Showdown with Unity awaits for SJO baseball; Spartans earn top seed in postseason

May 12, 2022

May 12, 2022

The postseason is almost here for the St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team. And that doesn’t the Spartans are coasting into the...

Cafarelli, Kern help SJO golf start strong

August 31, 2022

August 31, 2022

The sport to begin during the fall season, the St. Joseph-Ogden High School golf team is off to a rousing...

Smith, Spartans on roll entering playoffs

October 29, 2022

October 29, 2022

Hosting home football playoff games became common for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School football team in the past. In fact,...

Comments
Leave a Reply