July 6, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

5 questions with SJO football team captain Owen Birt

Why is being a team captain important to you?
Being a team captain is important to me because it is important to lead this team by example and know that guys will see you and want to work hard to make this program as great as it can be. It is important to be able to look back and see that we left the team as good as we can make it and see it prosper in the future.

How was this team able to win its final three games and clinch a playoff berth?
The last three games we played were great and I think that it comes down to the amount of energy that we came on to the field with which was unmatched to any other week during the season which was a result from the pre-game speech’s our coach had given us and really got us fired up right before the game and we came out and started with momentum.

When did you start playing football and why did you stick with it?
I started playing football my 5th-grade year in middle school because I had seen my classmates playing and I wanted to join them. When I started, I never played much but I loved it partly because it was really fun hitting people and not worrying about how rough we were being and also because I loved the game and it was fun to be a part of the team.

When you look back on this season 25 years from now, what are you going to remember most and why?
When I look back at the SJO football program in 25 years I will see a team with its formal glory that it has not seen for years. The thing I will remember is that we were the group that changed the trends and left these young guys who have lots of potential with a fighting chance to bring Football in St. Joe to a point where it once was.

How would you describe what it’s like running on to Dick Duval Field before a game?
Running onto the field on a Friday night right before a big game is like nothing else. There is no feeling as great as looking up into the stands and seeing the whole town cheering for our team. I do not think there is a better feeling in the world.

Banner
Related Posts

SJO cross-country teams eager to start season off and running

August 31, 2019

August 31, 2019

The end goal for every high school cross-country runner in Illinois is to end the season racing at Detweiller Park...

All conference basketball teams announced

April 16, 2021

April 16, 2021

The 2021 Illini Prairie Conference Girls Basketball All Conference Team has been announced. Junior Taylor Wells from St. Joseph-Ogden was...

Izard leads SJO boys’ basketball to Classic title

December 13, 2019

December 13, 2019

Defending its home court and winning its own tournament each season is always a main goal for the St. Joseph-Ogden...

Donation could change the face of sports and activities at SJO

February 16, 2021

February 16, 2021

An anonymous donor has made St. Joseph-Ogden High School an offer they couldn’t refuse. And because of it, SJO athletic...

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...

5 Questions with LOGAN SMITH

March 1, 2024

March 1, 2024

How would you describe this team? I would describe this team as together and competitive, we always are playing together...

Mattsey, Maroon and Mabry help Spartans shine in Monticello

October 24, 2020

October 24, 2020

The final regular season meet saw the St. Joseph-Ogden boys’ cross-country team thrive. So that’s a good sign for the...

SJO softball remains unbeaten

March 28, 2019

March 28, 2019

A strong offensive showing by the St. Joseph-Ogden High School softball team and baseball teams led to wins earlier this...

SJO softball wins Mattoon Tournament, but fall twice in conference play

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2019

Coaches always are eager to see how their teams respond after losses. For St. Joseph-Ogden High School softball coach Larry...

‘Genuine excitement’ for SJO football heading into 2019 season

August 29, 2019

August 29, 2019

Lofty expectations are attached to the St. Joseph-Ogden High School football team every year. This season is no different for...

Road tough: Jones, Armstrong key unbeaten Illini Prairie start for SJO girls’ basketball

January 20, 2022

January 20, 2022

The Illini Prairie Conference title is there for the taking. And the St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ basketball team has...

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

September 27, 2019

September 27, 2019

It’s the only chance for St. Joseph residents to see the St. Joseph-Ogden High School cross-country teams in action in...

SJO baseball defeats Westville

March 29, 2019

March 29, 2019

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team avoided its first losing streak of the season with a win on Thursday...

Cook surpasses 1,000 career points

February 18, 2019

February 18, 2019

Before the St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ basketball teams plays Monday night for a shot to reach the state tournament, facing Chicago...

McKinney, Wedig help SJO football pull away from Prairie Central

September 5, 2025

September 5, 2025

Big offensive plays are bound to happen with the St. Joseph-Ogden football team. The Spartans, simply put, have too many...

Comments
Leave a Reply