April 2, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Armstrong sparks SJO girls’ basketball, Spartans stay unbeaten with win against rival Rockets

A good outside shooter can open up a basketball team’s offense.
In more ways than one. Add a second presence from beyond the
three-point line, and the options abound.


The St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ basketball team used this strategy to its
advantage on Thursday night, picking up a 44-29 home win against rival
Unity in Illini Prairie Conference action.


The win keeps SJO (4-0, 3-0 Illini Prairie) unbeaten on the
abbreviated season after the Spartans also earned a 64-32 Illini
Prairie home win against Rantoul on Feb. 11. The Spartans were
scheduled to play at Bloomington Central Catholic on Tuesday night,
but the game was postponed because of inclement weather.


Ella Armstrong and Ashlyn Lannert supplied superb outside shooting
against Unity, with Taylor Wells providing steady scoring inside.
Armstrong scored 14 of her game-high 16 points in the second half
against Unity, draining four three-pointers after halftime. Lannert
finished with 10 points, including one three-pointer in the first
quarter and another in the third quarter.


Wells had eight of her 10 points in the first half, helping keep SJO
in the game despite Unity holding a 19-15 halftime lead.


The Spartans’ defense clamped down in the third quarter and Armstrong
stepped up her game to give SJO a 30-22 lead entering the fourth
quarter. Aside from strong scoring efforts by Armstrong, Lannert and
Wells, Payton Jacob (four points), Atleigh Hamilton (two points) and
Nora Walden (two points) also hit the scoring column.


SJO didn’t need a second-half comeback to register its win against
Rantoul last week. The Spartans led 15-7 at the end of the first
quarter, increased their advantage to 30-10 at halftime and enjoyed a
48-23 lead to start the fourth quarter.


Armstrong scored a game-high 16 points in the win against Rantoul,
sinking two three-pointers and all six of her free throws. Jacob also
hit double figures with 12 points, but Armstrong and Jacob also had
plenty of offensive help.


Wells chipped in seven points, while Peyton Jones and Payton Vallee
each added six points. Alyssa Hamilton (five points), Lannert (four
points), Taylor Campbell (four points), Taylor Hug (two points) and
Abby Behrens (two points) also joined in on the fun.


Now, SJO will turn its attention to another home game when the
Spartans are scheduled to host Tuscola at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in
nonconference play. SJO gets back to Illini Prairie play with a 7 p.m.
tip scheduled for next Monday at Pontiac.

Banner
Related Posts

Bigger, Burnett play crucial roles as SJO volleyball pushes win streak to five

September 10, 2019

September 10, 2019

Balanced offense and strong serving. Both are critical aspects for successful volleyball teams. The St. Joseph-Ogden High School team followed...

Coursey, Rose help carry SJO baseball into regional title game

May 18, 2019

May 18, 2019

All hands are on deck come Saturday morning for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team. With postseason hardware at...

Poe named male student-athlete of the month for August

September 20, 2019

September 20, 2019

Photo by Betty Lake Photography Eric Poe is a leader. St. Joseph-Ogden cross country head coach Jason Retz said Poe...

McDonald on cusp of 400th win as SJO volleyball continues success

September 11, 2023

September 11, 2023

A historic night is potentially on tap Monday at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.SJO volleyball coach Abby McDonald, in her 16th...

Michael looking to the future with coaching job

August 23, 2019

August 23, 2019

Nate Michael spent his youth playing basketball in every form.  After graduating this spring from McKendree University, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound...

Orcutt named Student Athlete of the Month

January 30, 2019

January 30, 2019

St. Joseph-Ogden senior Joel Orcutt isn’t just a standout basketball player. He is also an artist. “I enjoy doing art...

Postseason play begins for St. Joseph Middle School baseball, softball teams

September 22, 2020

September 22, 2020

Whether the St. Joseph Middle School would have baseball and softball teams this school year was uncertain. All because of...

SJO baseball adapting to strange times this spring: ‘The most difficult part is not seeing the players’

April 17, 2020

April 17, 2020

Ever since Josh Haley took control of the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team, success has followed. So have solid...

Harper sparks SJO soccer to another win

September 25, 2024

September 25, 2024

The St. Joseph-Ogden boys’ soccer team has proven this season it can find the back of theopponent’s net. Frequently. The...

SJO dances through adversity and earns date at state

January 22, 2019

January 22, 2019

On Friday afternoon, the St. Joseph-Ogden dance team thought its season was finished. Not because of how they performed. But...

Mattsey, Poe highlight SJO boys’ cross-country’s recent success, while Plotner, Rajlich do the same for SJO girls’ cross-country

October 22, 2019

October 22, 2019

All the miles, all the training and all the preparation will come to a head this Saturday for the St....

SJO Softball letter and award winners

June 7, 2022

June 7, 2022

Kennedy Hudson, Sr.Jacey Lewis, Sr.Jessica Palmer, Sr.Taylor Wells, Sr.Alyssa Acton, Jr.Shayne Immke, Jr.Peyton Jones, Jr.Ava Northen, Jr.Kat Short, Jr.Halle Brazelton,...

GCMS awaits as SJO girls’ basketball continues postseason run

February 11, 2019

February 11, 2019

Four high school girls’ basketball teams, including St. Joseph-Ogden, will descend upon the Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley gymnasium on Monday night. By...

Spartans advance in sectional

June 10, 2021

June 10, 2021

—-ST. JOSEPH—-
There is an adage in baseball that a good offense wins games, but good defense wins championships. It does...

Primmer trying to keep hope as SJO baseball waits on possible start to season

April 7, 2020

April 7, 2020

Blake Primmer’s senior season wasn’t supposed to play out like this. As the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team was...

Comments
Leave a Reply