Spartan Classic up next after Mattsey, Plotner run well in Peoria

It’s the only chance for St. Joseph residents to see the St. Joseph-Ogden High School cross-country teams in action in their hometown.
And it’ll be here soon.

SJO will host the 48th annual Spartan Classic this Saturday, with the race starting at 9 a.m. on the boys’ side and the girls’ race beginning at 9:05 a.m. The race will go throughout St. Joseph, starting at the corner of Main Street and Lincoln Street.

The event features some of the top cross-country teams in the state — like SJO — and will see runners racing through town on a flat course, with the finish line at SJO’s track.

This is the first competition for SJO since last Saturday’s Richard Spring Invitational at Detweiller Park in Peoria and final tuneup before the Illini Prairie Conference Meet arrives on Oct. 8.

The Richard Spring Invitational included teams from across the state and was not divided by class, with the SJO boys finishing 54th out of 63 teams in the varsity race. The SJO girls did not field a team score with only three runners in the varsity race.

Junior Brandon Mattsey toured the Detweiller Park course in 16 minutes, 42.7 seconds to place 188th at the Richard Spring Invitational. Senior Eric Poe placed 198th with a time of 16:46.1. Junior Logan Wolfersberger (17:56, 340th), junior Lukas Hutcherson (18:05.9, 358th), senior Taddy Pettit (19:26.9, 409th) and senior Joshua Sexton (22:23.1, 439th) also ran for SJO.

Senior Jillian Plotner posted a time of 19:15 to place 101st and deliver the SJO girls’ team the best time in Peoria. Junior Hanna Eastin (20:23.8, 212th place) and senior Ally Monk (20:50.9, 252nd) also ran for the Spartans.

Once the Spartan Classic concludes on Saturday, SJO will turn its attention to the Illini Prairie Meet, slated for 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 in Fairbury.


Thank you to Carrie Mattsey Photography for the photo!