August 2, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Wells, defense shine as balanced SJO girls’ basketball team wins regional title

The high school girls’ basketball season has taken St. Joseph-Ogden High School all across the state of Illinois.

With plenty of wins to follow for the Spartans during the past three months.

The latest road trip — and most important one of the season — SJO will take will see the program travel north on Interstate 57 on Tuesday. With a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line.

SJO (23-7) will face Prairie Central (24-8) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in a Class 2A Peotone Sectional semifinal game. If the Spartans can beat the Hawks — they already own a 69-48 win against Prairie Central back on Jan. 10 in St. Joseph — then SJO will advance to play either Fieldcrest (31-2) or Paxton-Buckley-Loda (12-17) at 7 p.m. on Thursday in a sectional championship game in Peotone.

The latest game to transpire for SJO is taking place after another superb performance by the Spartans allowed them to celebrate a 2A regional championship this past Friday night. SJO easily defeated Kankakee Bishop McNamara 51-17 on Bishop McNamara’s home court, sealing the 18th regional title in program history and fourth in the last five seasons.

Defense propelled the Spartans past the Fighting Irish, with SJO holding Bishop McNamara scoreless in the first quarter to take an 11-0 lead. The Spartans’ offense picked up production in the second quarter, taking a convincing 33-7 lead into halftime and then holding a 49-15 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Balanced offense once again paced the Spartans in their regional title win.
Taylor Wells scored a game-high 10 points for SJO, with Payton Jacob not far behind with nine points. Ella Armstrong and Peyton Jones each supplied eight points, while Addison Frick tallied seven points and Ashlyn Lannert chipped in five points.
Alyssa Hamilton and Alison Kearney also got in on the offensive fun, each scoring two points apiece.

Banner
Related Posts

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...

SJO girls’ track and field ready for sectional meet on Friday evening

May 10, 2019

May 10, 2019

The first few weeks of a track and field season are sometimes about finding out what runners to slot into...

Full day of basketball on tap at SJO as Christie Clinic Shootout returns Saturday

January 7, 2022

January 7, 2022

The Christie Clinic Shootout is back at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. The 14-team, seven-game boys’ basketball event starts at 11...

St. Joseph Pony League wins tournament championship

July 13, 2021

July 13, 2021

By Jim Cotter —-URBANA—- In baseball, as is usually the case with most other sports, finishing a season better than...

Landrus, Waller help SJO baseball get off to strong start

April 1, 2024

April 1, 2024

Playing a competitive schedule is nothing new for the St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team.Neither is racking up win after win after...

SJO football schedule for 2019 set

July 1, 2019

July 1, 2019

Making the playoffs is always a goal for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School football team. Having qualified in 27 of...

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...

Gilliland coaching legacy strong at PVO

June 1, 2020

June 1, 2020

Coaching legacies can last decades for families. For the Gilliland family of rural Ogden, that notion has resonated for a...

SJO Board to discuss basketball at November meeting

November 4, 2020

November 4, 2020

Basketball isn’t a sure thing at St. Joseph-Ogden High School this winter. The district will have to decide whether to...

Haley’s lofty vision with SJO baseball has become reality

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2019

Josh Haley didn’t do anything elaborate after he achieved a coaching milestone earlier this month. For the St. Joseph-Ogden High...

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,...

SJO volleyball shines in first week

August 28, 2023

August 28, 2023

High expectations surround the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball program every fall. That’s what happens when regular-season success and postseason success seem...

SJO announces winter sport letter and award winners

March 27, 2019

March 27, 2019

Basketball CheerleadingBrooke Butorac, Sr.Keely McCorkle, Sr.Megan Mitchell, Sr.Alyssa Whitlock, Sr.Kaylee Blackburn, Jr.Faith Dahman, Jr.Eliza Lewis, Jr.Lexi Ribbe, Jr.Makenzie Barron, So.Raegan...

Spartans learn postseason foe, lose close game at Charleston

May 2, 2019

May 2, 2019

Playing for the first time in a week after inclement weather caused multiple postponements, the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball...

Burnett, Rose help SJO baseball post three wins

April 22, 2019

April 22, 2019

The past week featured a bit of everything for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team. Solid pitching. Timely hitting....

Comments
Leave a Reply