Ingram, balanced run game and opportunistic defense lead SJO football to first win

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School football team needed a win.

In a big way.

The Spartans delivered one. In a big way, too.

SJO never trailed en route to a 48-7 home win against Chillicothe IVC at Dick Duval Field last Friday night in Illini Prairie Conference play.

The victory allows SJO (1-3, 1-3 Illini Prairie) to keep its slim playoff hopes alive. Another win is needed this Friday night, with SJO set to travel to Stanford to take on Olympia (1-3, 1-3).
The Spartans scored two defensive touchdowns, one on a fumble return by Coby Miller and another on an interception return by Isaiah Moore, to complement a steady offensive showing.
SJO led 14-0 after the first quarter thanks to a 24-yard touchdown pass from Evan Ingram to Griffin Roesch and a 36-yard touchdown pass from Ingram to Keaton Nolan.

Moore made it 21-0 early in the second quarter on a 32-yard interception return for a score before Nolan scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and Miller returned a fumble 33 yards for a touchdown to give SJO a 35-0 halftime lead.

Moore gave SJO a running clock by scoring on a 1-yard run early in the third quarter that made it 42-0, and Justice Wertz capped off the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to make it 48-7.

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School football team needed a win.

In a big way.

The Spartans delivered one. In a big way, too.

SJO never trailed en route to a 48-7 home win against Chillicothe IVC at Dick Duval Field last Friday night in Illini Prairie Conference play.

The victory allows SJO (1-3, 1-3 Illini Prairie) to keep its slim playoff hopes alive. Another win is needed this Friday night, with SJO set to travel to Stanford to take on Olympia (1-3, 1-3).
The Spartans scored two defensive touchdowns, one on a fumble return by Coby Miller and another on an interception return by Isaiah Moore, to complement a steady offensive showing.
SJO led 14-0 after the first quarter thanks to a 24-yard touchdown pass from Evan Ingram to Griffin Roesch and a 36-yard touchdown pass from Ingram to Keaton Nolan.

Moore made it 21-0 early in the second quarter on a 32-yard interception return for a score before Nolan scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and Miller returned a fumble 33 yards for a touchdown to give SJO a 35-0 halftime lead.

Moore gave SJO a running clock by scoring on a 1-yard run early in the third quarter that made it 42-0, and Justice Wertz capped off the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to make it 48-7.

Ingram finished an efficient 5 of 7 for 105 passing yards, connecting with Nolan (three catches for 72 yards) and Roesch (two catches for 33 yards) on all of his completions.
Miller rushed for a game-high 66 yards on 12 carries, with Wertz (48 rushing yards on eight carries), Moore (36 rushing yards on five carries) and Alex Funk (36 rushing yards on just one carry) also providing a spark in the run game.