September 11, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

SJO football back in playoffs, travels to Mt. Carmel for first-round game

For years, playoff football games became an expectation for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School football team.

Making 26 straight playoff appearances from 1991 through 2016 made that a reality.
The playoff history for the Spartans will continue on Saturday. SJO became playoff eligible with its 29-6 home win against Rantoul at Dick Duval Field on Oct. 15.

The Spartans didn’t automatically clinch a playoff berth as a result of their 28-0 loss last Friday night at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, but the midseason push coach Shawn Skinner’s program put together by rattling off five straight wins in Illini Prairie Conference play has SJO back in the playoffs for the 32nd time in school history.

But the Spartans (5-4) will face a daunting task if they want to keep their season going beyond this weekend. SJO is a 15th seed in the IHSA’s Class 3A postseason bracket, with the Spartans traveling on Saturday to take on No. 2 Mt. Carmel (9-0).
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.

The Golden Aces, who are in the playoffs for the 39th time, carry a 15-game win streak into Saturday’s game. They haven’t lost a game since falling 23-20 to Vandalia in a 2019 Class 3A second-round playoff game and outscored their foes 333-36 in the regular season en route to a Little Illini Conference title. Mt. Carmel did pick up two forfeit wins this season, but the Golden Aces have not allowed an opponent to score more than two touchdowns in a game all season.

SJO will need a much better offensive performance against Mt. Carmel than what it produced against PBL. The Spartans were shut out for the first time all season, with Evan Ingram completing 10 of 27 passes for 68 yards. Griffin Roesch had four receptions for 26 yards and Ethan Vaniloew had two catches for 20 yards, but the SJO run game struggled to get going as Keaton Nolan had a team-high 18 rushing yards on five carries. Vanilew (nine tackles) and Alex Funk (eight tackles) led the defense.

Ingram leads the Spartans in passing this season, completing 68 of 126 for 814 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. Nolan (779 rushing yards on 109 carries and seven touchdowns) is SJO’s go-to option in the backfield, especially with senior Coby Miller (389 rushing yards, four TDs) out with a broken leg. When Ingram drops back to pass, Nolan (19 catches for 269 yards, four TDs), Roesch (17 receptions for 253 yards, four TDs) and Vanliew (11 receptions for 99 yards) are his go-to targets.

In the seven games Mt. Carmel played this season, the Golden Aces averaged 47.3 points. So, Funk (team-high 63 tackles), Vanilew (34 tackles, three interceptions), Owen Birt (33 tackles, including four for loss) and Tyler Burch (26 tackles, three interceptions) will be looked to step up for the SJO defense.

For years, playoff football games became an expectation for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School football team.

Making 26 straight playoff appearances from 1991 through 2016 made that a reality.
The playoff history for the Spartans will continue on Saturday. SJO became playoff eligible with its 29-6 home win against Rantoul at Dick Duval Field on Oct. 15.

The Spartans didn’t automatically clinch a playoff berth as a result of their 28-0 loss last Friday night at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, but the midseason push coach Shawn Skinner’s program put together by rattling off five straight wins in Illini Prairie Conference play has SJO back in the playoffs for the 32nd time in school history.

But the Spartans (5-4) will face a daunting task if they want to keep their season going beyond this weekend. SJO is a 15th seed in the IHSA’s Class 3A postseason bracket, with the Spartans traveling on Saturday to take on No. 2 Mt. Carmel (9-0).
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.

The Golden Aces, who are in the playoffs for the 39th time, carry a 15-game win streak into Saturday’s game. They haven’t lost a game since falling 23-20 to Vandalia in a 2019 Class 3A second-round playoff game and outscored their foes 333-36 in the regular season en route to a Little Illini Conference title. Mt. Carmel did pick up two forfeit wins this season, but the Golden Aces have not allowed an opponent to score more than two touchdowns in a game all season.

SJO will need a much better offensive performance against Mt. Carmel than what it produced against PBL. The Spartans were shut out for the first time all season, with Evan Ingram completing 10 of 27 passes for 68 yards. Griffin Roesch had four receptions for 26 yards and Ethan Vaniloew had two catches for 20 yards, but the SJO run game struggled to get going as Keaton Nolan had a team-high 18 rushing yards on five carries. Vanilew (nine tackles) and Alex Funk (eight tackles) led the defense.

Ingram leads the Spartans in passing this season, completing 68 of 126 for 814 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. Nolan (779 rushing yards on 109 carries and seven touchdowns) is SJO’s go-to option in the backfield, especially with senior Coby Miller (389 rushing yards, four TDs) out with a broken leg. When Ingram drops back to pass, Nolan (19 catches for 269 yards, four TDs), Roesch (17 receptions for 253 yards, four TDs) and Vanliew (11 receptions for 99 yards) are his go-to targets.

In the seven games Mt. Carmel played this season, the Golden Aces averaged 47.3 points. So, Funk (team-high 63 tackles), Vanilew (34 tackles, three interceptions), Owen Birt (33 tackles, including four for loss) and Tyler Burch (26 tackles, three interceptions) will be looked to step up for the SJO defense.

If the Spartans can secure their first playoff win since 2015, a second-round game against either No. 7 Carlinville (7-2) or No. 10 DuQuoin (5-4) awaits. The Spartans would host Carlinville, but would travel to DuQoin if a second-round game were to materialize.

Banner
Related Posts

SJO girls’ basketball to host inaugural Country Financial Shootout on Saturday

December 14, 2023

December 14, 2023

The Christie Clinic Shootout has become an annual staple on the high school basketball calendar in St. Joseph. Same for...

Bagby picks Indiana State

March 21, 2019

March 21, 2019

Next year, Cassidy Bagby will be a Sycamore. Earlier this month, St. Joseph-Ogden senior Cassidy Bagby signed her letter of...

Walsh giving back: Former SJO quarterback now an assistant with the Spartans

November 2, 2019

November 2, 2019

Dalton Walsh has grown up around St. Joseph-Ogden High School football. Quite literally. “I remember being a kid and always...

Hamilton, relay team win state titles as Spartans place third

May 21, 2019

May 21, 2019

Bringing state trophies home isn’t an easy task. But the St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ track and field team sure...

Bree Trimble Working Out With Siblings and Father

July 7, 2020

July 7, 2020

Like all athletes, Bree Trimble plans on coming back to the Parkland College Cobra women’s basketball team as a bigger,...

After winning Illini Prairie Conference championship, SJO girls’ basketball to play for regional title

February 18, 2022

February 18, 2022

Postseason accomplishments are significant ways to remember a season.But so are conference championships.And when this chapter is written on the...

Altenbaumer, Brazelton spark 19-game win streak for SJO baseball

May 12, 2022

May 12, 2022

Successful seasons have become the norm for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team. This spring is no exception. The...

Expectations remain high for SJO baseball in 2019 season

March 28, 2019

March 28, 2019

For a program that has accomplished everything in the last decade except win a state championship, the goals veteran St....

SJO cross-country is heading to state!

November 4, 2019

November 4, 2019

Detweiller Park, here they come. After two stellar postseason races, the St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ cross-country team and girls’...

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...

Hug, Martinie help SJO girls’ basketball win regional title

February 21, 2023

February 21, 2023

Winning regional championships is nothing new for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’basketball program. But earning one during the 2022-23...

They’re going to state! SJO volleyball continues dream season

November 9, 2019

November 9, 2019

All season long, the St. Joseph-Ogden High School volleyball team has risen to the occasion. The Spartans did so again...

Get to know SJO volleyball player Grace Goldenstein

October 31, 2022

October 31, 2022

What do you think makes the team so successful? our communication What is your favorite thing about volleyball and the...

Burnett, Jacobs carry SJO baseball past GCMS

April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

Road wins aren’t to be taken for granted. Especially dominating road victories like the one the St. Joseph-Ogden High School...

SJO soccer knocks off Comets via penalty kicks

September 17, 2019

September 17, 2019

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School soccer team picked up its second win of the season last Friday. The Spartans played...

Comments
Leave a Reply