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

Sparty party: A daily roundup of SJO varsity sports (Sept. 9, 2026)

The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team won its second match in as many days and the SJO girls’ tennis team earned a win against Schlarman. Here is a quick rundown of what happened on Wednesday with the Spartans:

In volleyball
Spartans top Oakwood on road

A balanced offense and just enough defense helped carry the Spartans to a 25-20, 25-23 nonconference road win on Wednesday night against Oakwood.
SJO (8-4) won its second consecutive match as senior Emerson Williams put down a team-high five kills. Senior Addi Stevens and junior Vivian Smith each contributed four kills, while senior Hadley McDonald, junior Megan Kearney and junior Lyla Patton had three kills apiece.
Senior Alivia Learned handed out 12 assists and Kearney also dished out eight assists to set up the Spartans’ offense. McDonald paced the SJO defense with 15 digs and junior Ava Alexander joined her in double digits with 12 digs. Smith (nine digs) and Kearney (seven digs) also helped out defensively.
SJO is off until next Monday when it travels to play Hoopeston Area in a nonconference match that is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

In girls’ tennis
Spartans cruise past Hilltoppers

St. Joseph-Ogden delivered a 9-0 victory against Schlarman on Wednesday at Danville Tennis Center. The Spartans won all six singles matches and all three doubles matches.
Senior Madison Farber won 8-3 at No. 1 singles for SJO, while junior Avarie Dietiker prevailed 8-2 at No. 2 singles. Senior Audrie Helfrich did not allow a point in her No. 3 singles match with an 8-0 victory, while sophomore Alissa Knight won 8-3 at No. 4 singles. Senior Sophie Schmitz cruised to an 8-0 win at No. 5 singles and freshman Laney Wied won 8-4 at No. 6 singles.
The Spartans’ No. 1 doubles team of sophomore Nora Buckley and junior Kenley Ray won 8-1, while Schmitz and Farber earned an 8-3 win at No. 2 doubles. Junior Ava Bronowski and sophomore Korrine Travis delivered an 8-0 win at No. 3 doubles to help SJO complete the sweep against the Hilltoppers.

In golf
Loschen, Miller pace Spartans

St. Joseph-Ogden finished second at a triangular meet on Wednesday involving St. Thomas More and Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin at Turtle Run Golf Course in Danville.
The Spartans carded a team score of 171, with STM posting the top score of 164 and BHRA shooting a 175.
Senior Garrett Loschen led SJO with a round of 40, while fellow senior Finn Miller wasn’t far behind with a 41. Senior Tripp Palmer (44) and junior Conlan Gill (46) rounded out the team score for the Spartans.
SJO is set to return to action next Monday in the Champaign County/Piatt County tournament that is scheduled to tee off at 2 p.m. at the University of Illinois Golf Course in Savoy.

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