Ingram shines, but SJO football still seeking first win

Six wins are needed to automatically qualify a high school football team into the playoffs in Illinois.

For St. Joseph-Ogden High School, the Spartans will need to win out in order to make sure they’re in the playoffs this season.

SJO has started with an 0-3 record against fellow Illini Prairie Conference foes following a 34-28 home loss to Prairie Central last Friday night at Dick Duval Field, a 33-8 loss at Unity on Sept. 3 and a 43-8 home loss to Monticello on Aug. 27 at Dick Duval Field.

The Spartans will try to end their three-game skid when they host Chillicothe IVC (0-3) at 7 p.m. in an Illini Prairie game.

Evan Ingram thrived for SJO in its close loss to Prairie Central (2-1) that saw the Spartans trail 6-0 at the end of the first quarter, 20-14 at halftime and 27-22 to start the fourth quarter.

Ingram completed 15 of 23 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Keaton Nolan hauled in seven receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns, while Griffin Roesch had three catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. Coby Miller and Ingram each rushed for 26 yards.

SJO’s first two losses of the season happened against teams that are currently ranked in the top five of the latest Class 3A Associated Press statewide poll. And the Spartans kept it close early before Unity and Monticello both pulled away.

SJO led Unity 8-6 at the end of the first quarter before the Rockets went ahead 13-8 at halftime. The score remained that way until Unity scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to prevail 33-8.

Miller rushed for a team-high 60 yards on 18 carries and scored SJO’s lone touchdown, with Nolan adding 45 rushing yards on 12 carries. Ingram completed 5 of 14 passes for 32 yards, with Nolan (two catches for 14 yards), Roesch (two catches for 11 yards) and Ethan Vanilew (one catch for seven yards) hauling in passes. Alex Funk and Miller each finished with eight tackles to lead SJO’s defense.

In the season-opening loss to Monticello, SJO led the Sages 8-0 at the end of the first quarter following a touchdown run by Isaiah Moore. Monticello, however, rallied to take a 15-8 lead into halftime and increased it to 36-8 by the start of the fourth quarter.

Six wins are needed to automatically qualify a high school football team into the playoffs in Illinois.

For St. Joseph-Ogden High School, the Spartans will need to win out in order to make sure they’re in the playoffs this season.

SJO has started with an 0-3 record against fellow Illini Prairie Conference foes following a 34-28 home loss to Prairie Central last Friday night at Dick Duval Field, a 33-8 loss at Unity on Sept. 3 and a 43-8 home loss to Monticello on Aug. 27 at Dick Duval Field.

The Spartans will try to end their three-game skid when they host Chillicothe IVC (0-3) at 7 p.m. in an Illini Prairie game.

Evan Ingram thrived for SJO in its close loss to Prairie Central (2-1) that saw the Spartans trail 6-0 at the end of the first quarter, 20-14 at halftime and 27-22 to start the fourth quarter.

Ingram completed 15 of 23 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Keaton Nolan hauled in seven receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns, while Griffin Roesch had three catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. Coby Miller and Ingram each rushed for 26 yards.

SJO’s first two losses of the season happened against teams that are currently ranked in the top five of the latest Class 3A Associated Press statewide poll. And the Spartans kept it close early before Unity and Monticello both pulled away.

SJO led Unity 8-6 at the end of the first quarter before the Rockets went ahead 13-8 at halftime. The score remained that way until Unity scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to prevail 33-8.

Miller rushed for a team-high 60 yards on 18 carries and scored SJO’s lone touchdown, with Nolan adding 45 rushing yards on 12 carries. Ingram completed 5 of 14 passes for 32 yards, with Nolan (two catches for 14 yards), Roesch (two catches for 11 yards) and Ethan Vanilew (one catch for seven yards) hauling in passes. Alex Funk and Miller each finished with eight tackles to lead SJO’s defense.

In the season-opening loss to Monticello, SJO led the Sages 8-0 at the end of the first quarter following a touchdown run by Isaiah Moore. Monticello, however, rallied to take a 15-8 lead into halftime and increased it to 36-8 by the start of the fourth quarter.

Nolan rushed for 79 yards on 17 carries, with Ingram picking up 78 rushing yards on just three carries and Justice Wertz adding 37 rushing yards on 12 carries. Ingram was 10 of 19 passing for 82 yards, but also threw two interceptions. Miller (five catches for 27 yards), Nolan (three catches for 16 yards) and Roesch (one catch for 28 yards) were the recipients of Ingram’s passes.