March 29, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

SJO heading to state in boys track and field


By Jim Cotter

After not having any kind of a season in 2020, the St. Joseph-Ogden boys track and field team is once again poised to make a statement at the IHSA State Finals in Charleston later this week.

The Spartans will be well represented at the state meet, sending athletes in twelve out of the eighteen contested events.

The format for the state meet will look different this year, as all the preliminary heats and finals are run on the same day, as opposed to in past years where the prelims were run on Thursday with finals contested on Friday.

“All told, between the alternates on the relays, we will have between 16 and 18 people representing SJO at state. The unique thing about the relays is that we change the lineups almost every week and everyone listed in a particular relay is more than capable of being in that group. We want to make sure that we get the best four out there, so if someone has an event close to the one that they are normally in, we may substitute someone else into the lineup to get the fastest lineup that we can,” SJO track and field coach Jason Retz said earlier this week on the science of getting the best possible combination out there.

Besides the relays, several SJO athletes will be competing in more than one event. Brady Buss, who transitioned from football right into track, will run the 100 and 200 meters, plus running a leg on the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 relay teams. Buss admits that it was hard to compete with both sports at the same time but cherishes the opportunity to do both.

“I was just happy that we were able to have both seasons and going back and forth from each practice was a little difficult because of the demands that each one presented. Luckily, the coaches from both sports were very understanding about the time needed with each team. With everything shut down last year, we all stayed positive even though there was no track season, and it makes this year so fulfilling that we can have a season,” Buss said about juggling two sports seasons at once and his reaction to them having a season this year for track.

Hayden Knott, who has been a frequent state qualifier during his high school years at SJO, will be going to state in both the shot and discus. Knott, who went to state as a freshman in the discus competition and the shot put as a sophomore, will be doing both events this time around.

“This year will be a little different because both the prelims and finals are on the same day. In the past, they were on separate days, and you had a chance if the wind was different on both days. Now, you will have to just take what is given to you and roll with it,” Knott remarked about the singular day of competition this year.

Brandon Mattsey, who has been biding his time learning and watching those that have came before him, will be making his first trip to state in both the open 800-meter run, in addition to the 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 relay teams. Mattsey credits being able to train on his own as a huge contributor to the success he has had this season.

“Basically, all we need as runners to get out the front door is a pair of shoes and the motivation, and since my parents wanted me to not be around many other kids during the height of the pandemic, I trained a lot on my own and was able to get to where I’m at now,” Mattsey said about how he trained during the time when everything was shut down and since things have resumed.

Retz noted that the events that his team has competed in this year have been smaller than what they are normally used to, but they have adjusted to the changes that have been made.

“We’re used to having many more teams compete with us, but our guys don’t pay attention to that because they are committed to winning their events and meets, it’s just we may not have seen all the competition in those events until we get to sectionals and the state meet,” Retz added about what having smaller meets has done for the preparation of his team for the state tournament.

Retz thinks that his boys team has a good chance to take home some hardware this year, and even though the girls’ team, who finished fifth in Class 1A last week in Charleston, if things fall the right way, they could be on the medal stand at the end of competition.

“It’s really hard to win a trophy at the state meet and we’ve been really lucky the past few times when we have been able to bring one home, but I do believe if we get the right people in events, we have a good shot of bringing some hardware back to St. Joseph and continuing the tradition of the past.

That scenario would be a fitting end for all that these athletes have been through for the past year and a half as they have had a lot taken away from them.

Banner
Related Posts

What could district format look like for SJO football?

July 26, 2019

July 26, 2019

This decade has seen plenty of different conference opponents for St. Joseph-Ogden High School’s football team. Playing in three conferences...

Landrus, Waller help SJO baseball get off to strong start

April 1, 2024

April 1, 2024

Playing a competitive schedule is nothing new for the St. Joseph-Ogden baseball team.Neither is racking up win after win after...

SJO football bows out in first round of playoffs

November 4, 2019

November 4, 2019

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School football team saw its season end this past Saturday with a 54-26 loss at Williamsville...

SJO to name football field in Duval’s honor

May 26, 2020

May 26, 2020

Like most people who have ever known Dick Duval, Brian Brooks can remember their first-ever meeting. It happened 17 years...

Get to know… SJO Tennis Player Lily Rice

October 14, 2022

October 14, 2022

We asked SJO Tennis Player Lily Rice three questions. Here are her answers. Who is your favorite tennis player of...

Spartans learn postseason foe, lose close game at Charleston

May 2, 2019

May 2, 2019

Playing for the first time in a week after inclement weather caused multiple postponements, the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball...

5 questions with TREVOR AMES

March 1, 2024

March 1, 2024

How would you describe this team? This team is special. What is a lesson you have learned this season? Having...

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...

Dowling, Dukeman power SJO softball to home win

April 10, 2019

April 10, 2019

So far, so good this season for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School softball team. The Spartans (10-0) kept their undefeated...

Izard, SJO boys’ basketball rolls in postseason opener

February 26, 2020

February 26, 2020

It wasn’t even close. The St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ basketball team picked the perfect time for its most lopsided...

5 questions with SJO football team captain Owen Birt

November 5, 2022

November 5, 2022

Why is being a team captain important to you?Being a team captain is important to me because it is important...

Duval, SJO boys’ basketball ‘embrace high expectations’ ahead of upcoming season

December 2, 2019

December 2, 2019

More than nine months have elapsed since the last time the St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ basketball team played a...

Bagby picks Indiana State

March 21, 2019

March 21, 2019

Next year, Cassidy Bagby will be a Sycamore. Earlier this month, St. Joseph-Ogden senior Cassidy Bagby signed her letter of...

10 things you don’t know about me… Shawn Skinner

October 1, 2021

October 1, 2021

1. What is your favorite food? Italian food  2. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas 3. What is your favorite...

Wendling doesn’t give up, ready for state meet

February 14, 2019

February 14, 2019

When Jake Wendling first suffered a knee injury earlier this season, wrestling at the state meet didn’t seem likely. But...

Comments
Leave a Reply