July 18, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Team effort sparks SJO cross-country to third-place finishes at Spartan Classic

While the St. Joseph-Ogden High School cross-country teams spend this week preparing for the upcoming Illini Prairie Conference Meet, both boys’ and girls’ programs can find comfort after a strong effort at the 48th annual Spartan Classic held last Saturday.

Racing through the streets of St. Joseph and finishing up at the track at SJO, the Spartans boys’ and girls’ teams both finished third in the team standings.

In the 26-team boys’ race, Uni High won with 81 points, while Monticello (90), SJO (132), El Paso-Gridley (138) and Deer Creek-Mackinaw (153) rounded out the top five schools.

Junior Brandon Mattsey paced the SJO boys’ team with an eighth-place finish in 15 minutes, 41.28 seconds to lead the pack of Spartans. SJO’s balance played a role in its third-place finish, with the other four runners all finishing in the top 50 among the field of 187 runners. Senior Eric Poe (16:21.31) came in 23rd, while sophomore Charlie Mabry (16:38.50) placed 28th and sophomore Elijah Mock (16:41.49) was right behind Mabry with a 29th-place finish.

Sophomore Luke Stegall rounded out the top five runners for SJO with a time of 17:02.19, good enough for 47th place.

On the girls’ side, SJO put its top five runners in the first 33 places, helping the Spartans compile 106 points in their third-place finish. Unity won the title in the 20-tea field with 48 points, while Monticello (63), SJO (106), Uni High (134) and Seeger (Ind.) (149) were the top five schools.

Senior Jillian Plotner garnered the Spartans’ best finish by clocking in at 18:29.34, good enough for seventh place. Fellow senior Hannah Rajlich was the next SJO runner to cross the finish line, checking in at 19:03.56 in 17th place. Three sophomores in Ava Knapp, Ashlyn Lannert and Kailyn Ingram were next to finish for SJO, with Knapp placing 26th (19:34.22), Lannert finishing 29th (19:38.85) and Ingram winding up 33rd (19:45.34) in a field of 147 runners.

SJO will now turn its attention to the Illini Prairie Meet, set for 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 in Fairbury. It’s one of three meets left in the regular season for the Spartans, who will also race at the Prairie Central Invitational (10 a.m., Oct. 12) and the Patriot Invitational at Peoria Heights (1 p.m., Oct. 19) before the postseason arrives.

Both SJO programs are slated to run in the Tuscola Regional on Oct. 26 at Wimple Park in Tuscola, with the girls’ race at 10 a.m. and the boys’ race at 10:45 a.m.

Banner
Related Posts

Trimble, relays lead way as SJO boys’ track and field heads to Charleston

May 26, 2022

May 26, 2022

Relying on teammates is key to a successful track and field relay. The St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ track and...

Get to know our Little Princess Candidates: Annah Fiedler

August 9, 2024

August 9, 2024

What is your favorite part of summer?Favorite part of summer: riding bikes, going to the pool, and going boating at...

Fruhling-Voges to retire from public office, endorses Page for Mayor

September 2, 2024

September 2, 2024

Tami Fruhling-Voges has announced she will not be running for re-election as Mayor of St. Joseph. “I am ready to...

Get to know our little princess candidates: Keeley Mackenzie

August 9, 2024

August 9, 2024

1. What is your favorite part of summer? Swimming! 2. What do you want to be when you grow up?...

Get to know our little princess candidates: Chloe Teare 

August 9, 2024

August 9, 2024

What is your favorite part of summer? Going to the pool and the fair! What do you want to be...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Oct. 12, 2021

October 12, 2021

October 12, 2021

Thanks to MX electric for sponsoring our live blogs. Talking Splash PAD. I was late because I was shooting Oakwood...

Live at St. Joseph-Ogden School Board, April 28, 2025

April 28, 2025

April 28, 2025

Mitch, Jim and Alicia just took the oath of office. Jim Rein was nominated for president again. (He won.)Vice president...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, April 22 2025

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Consent agenda approved as presented.Approving the recommendation to go to bid for streets and sidewalk repairs. These are sidewalks and...

Vendor profile: Frosty Fresh Freeze Dried Foods

August 9, 2024

August 9, 2024

Tell me about your business. Frosty Fresh Freeze Dried Foods. I sell mostly Freeze Dried candy so far. This winter...

Weekend Family Fun Guide

July 26, 2019

July 26, 2019

This post is sponsored by Island Travel Group and Events On Saturday, St. Joseph plays host to hundreds of runners...

Get to know our Little Prince and Princess Candidates : Remington Casad

August 10, 2024

August 10, 2024

What is your favorite part of summer?Going swimming and having fun outside on the playground What do you want to be...

10 things you don’t know about me… Dan Davis

May 22, 2019

May 22, 2019

We asked the newest St. Joseph Village Trustee, Dan Davis, to tell us 10 things we didn’t know about him....

Village of St. Joseph, TIF meeting, April 29, 2025

April 29, 2025

April 29, 2025

I am here. With only a few of my closest friends. They are voting tonight. They passed all three TIF...

Spartans end losing streak

December 5, 2022

December 5, 2022

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ basketball team needed a win on Thursday night.Not in the worst possible way. But...

Live at SJO School Board, Feb. 24, 2025

February 24, 2025

February 24, 2025

Principal Gary Page saying some kids really like the online Spanish class. Some do not.  Page saying it obviously doesn’t...

Comments
Leave a Reply