The St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ basketball team has shown flashes of its potential this
season.
Just not enough on a consistent basis.
But coach Drew Arteaga is hopeful that the Spartans’ first game of 2023 lends itself to more
results like what transpired this past Thursday night.
SJO shook off its holiday rust with a 57-47 home win against Pontiac in the Spartans’ Illini
Prairie Conference opener.
The win ended a four-game losing streak for SJO, which carries a 7-11 record into Monday’s 7
p.m. game at Prairie Central, the Spartans second Illini Prairie game of the season.
Here’s a roundup of what has transpired on the court recently for the Spartans, along with a look
at what’s ahead:
Balanced scoring leads to win against Pontiac
SJO relied on the scoring production from junior guard Addison Frick, senior guard Taylor Hug
and junior forward Addy Martinie to top Pontiac.
Both teams played to a 9-9 tie through the first quarter before the Spartans led 26-18 at halftime
and 38-30 to start the fourth quarter.
Frick scored a team-high 17 points, with Hug adding 12 points on the strength of four three-
pointers and Martinie joining them in double figures with 11 points.
Junior guard Addie Seggebruch chipped in six points and freshman guard Timera Blackburn
had five points. Senior guard Kaytlyn Baker (three points), freshman guard Katie Ericksen (two
points) and junior forward Ellie Ward (one point) rounded out the scoring.
Spartans struggle at State Farm Holiday Classic
SJO went 0-4 at the 16-team small-school State Farm Holiday Classic, finishing 16th at the four-
day event that was from Dec. 27-30 at various sites in Bloomington and Normal.
The Spartans opened their tournament stay with a 53-30 loss to Sherrard in a first-round game
on Dec. 27 at Normal Community High School.
The Spartans trailed Sherrard 12-4 at the end of the first quarter, 28-19 at halftime and 43-24
after three quarters. Hug sank a trio of three-pointers en route to a team-high 11 points. Martinie
added eight points and Seggebruch finished with six points. Ericksen (three points) and Frick
(two points) also chipped in.
The Spartans returned to action on Dec. 28, but lost 60-25 to Winnebago in a consolation
quarterfinal game at Bloomington High School and then fell 62-41 to Olympia in a 13th-place
semifinal game later that day at Normal Community.
SJO fell behind Winnebago 22-7 at the end of the first quarter before trailing 38-15 at halftime
and 50-25 to start the fourth quarter. Frick had a team-high 10 points, with Hug (six points),
Martinie (two points), Blackburn (two points), Ericksen (two points), Seggebruch (two points)
and senior guard Olivia Baltzell (one point) also denting the scoring column.
SJO kept it close in the first half against Olympia, trailing 16-10 at the end of the first quarter
and 30-24 at halftime before Olympia went into the fourth quarter ahead 52-33.
Martinie scored a game-high 21 points, making five three-pointers. Seggebruch also reached
double figures with 13 points, while Frick (five points) and Ericksen (two points) also scored.
SJO’s final game at the State Farm Holiday Classic saw the Spartans sustain a close 36-35 loss
to Riverdale in the 15th-place game at Normal Community on Dec. 29.
SJO trailed 11-8 at the end of the first quarter but led 25-19 at halftime. An offensive struggle,
though, saw Riverdale go into the fourth quarter with a 28-27 lead.
Martinie and Seggebruch each scored 10 points to lead SJO, with Baker producing nine points
and Frick winding up with six points.
Spartans run by Oakwood
SJO’s final game before Christmas brought some early holiday cheer to the Spartans. SJO
cruised past Oakwood 56-23 in a nonconference game on Dec. 21 in Oakwood.
The visiting Spartans led 15-8 at the end of the first quarter, extended their lead to 25-12 by
halftime and increased it even more to 36-16 by the start of the fourth quarter.
Frick scored a game-high 20 points and sank four three-pointers. Seggebruch also hit double
figures with 10 points.
Hug (six points), Baker (five points), Martinie (five points), freshman Addie Brooks (three points),
senior guard Sammy Uden (three points), Blackburn (two points) and Ward (two points) also
joined in on the offensive fun.
SJO defeats Cissna Park at home
The Spartans used a strong second half to secure a solid nonconference home win, beating
Cissna Park 50-41 on Dec. 19.
The Spartans led 11-5 at the end of the first quarter, 21-19 at halftime and 39-27 to start the
fourth quarter.
Hug poured in a game-high 21 points and made five three-pointers. Frick (14 points) and
Martinie (10 points) complemented Hug’s big game, with Seggebruch (four points) and Ward
(one point) rounding out the scoring.
Tough loss at Pleasant Plains
SJO fell behind early and couldn’t catch up, losing 55-26 at nonconference foe Pleasant Plains
on Dec. 17.
Pleasant Plains enjoyed a 13-5 lead at the end of the first quarter, 28-10 at halftime and 40-20
to start the fourth quarter.
Martinie scored a team-high 10 points, followed by six points from Brooks, five points from Hug,
four points from Frick and one point from Seggebruch.
Double-digit win in Bismarck
The Spartans’ offense clicked into gear after the first quarter in a 50-31 nonconference road win
against Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin on Dec. 15.
The Spartans only led 6-3 at the end of the first quarter against the Blue Devils, but took a 24-11
lead into the locker room at halftime and led 38-18 after three quarters.
Hug produced a game-high 19 points on the strength of five three-pointers, while Frick drained a
trio of three-pointers and compiled 12 points. Martinie made it three Spartans in double figures
with 10 points and Seggebruch was also steady with nine points.
Mixed nonconference results
The Spartans beat Maroa-Forsyth 46-35 on Dec. 5 in a nonconference home win, but dropped
their next two games, falling 52-28 at Teutopolis on Dec. 8 and losing 58-51 to Peoria
Richwoods at home on Dec. 12.
Frick accounted for half of SJO’s offense in its win against Maroa-Forsyth with a game-high 23
points. She sank six three-pointers in the 11-point win, which saw the Spartans lead 13-2 at the
end of the first quarter, 19-13 at halftime and 36-21 to start the fourth quarter.
Martinie (10 points), Hug (seven points), Seggebruch (three points), Ward (two points) and
Baker (one point) also chipped in offensively.
The Spartans went into the fourth quarter with Peoria Richwoods tied at 36 before the Knights
ultimately prevailed.
Hug dropped in a game-high 21 points, making five three-pointers along the way. Frick joined
her in double figures with 13 points, while Seggebruch (eight points), Martinie (seven points)
and Baltzell (two points) also contributed.
The Spartans only trailed Teutopolis 12-7 at the end of the first quarter before the Wooden
Shoes steadily pulled away.
Frick scored a team-high 12 points against Teutopolis, with Martinie adding six points. Baltzell
(three points), Baker (three points), Seggebruch (two points) and Hug (two points) also helped
out offensively.
What’s next
After Monday night’s trip to Fairbury to play Prairie Central, the Spartans resume Illini Prairie
play at 6 p.m. Thursday against Chillicothe IVC in St. Joseph. SJO will make it two straight Illini
Prairie home games when St. Thomas More visits for a 7 p.m. tip on Jan. 16.
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