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

Red-hot SJO volleyball faces St. Teresa for regional championship

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School volleyball team concluded August with an impressive three-set win at St. Teresa.

If the Spartans want to keep their season going, they’ll need another impressive win against the Bulldogs to conclude October. And SJO has accumulated plenty of big wins this month.

The two small-school powerhouse programs meet at 6 p.m. on Thursday in a Class 2A regional championship match at SJO. The third-seeded Spartans (26-4) carry a 13-match win streak going into the match against the second-seeded Bulldogs (25-9).

The winner on Thursday night advances to play either Pleasant Plains or Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin at 5:30 p.m. next Monday in a Monticello Sectional semifinal match.

SJO advanced to the regional final with a 25-14, 25-16 win against Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin on Tuesday night in a regional semifinal match. Kennedi Burnett contributed 11 kills, six digs and five aces to lead the Spartans, while Shayne Immke added five kills, six digs and three aces. Becca Steinbach guided the offense by handing out 21 assists to go along with four digs.

Prior to the start of the postseason, SJO ended the regular season by winning four matches to claim the championship at the Topper Tournament in Mt. Pulaski this past Saturday.

The tournament victory in Mt. Pulaski ended a busy final two-week stretch of the regular season for the Spartans.

The final Illini Prairie Conference match for SJO saw the Spartans win 25-18, 25-10 at Bloomington Central Catholic last Thursday night. Addie Roesch supplied seven kills, Burnett delivered six kills, nine digs and five aces, Steinbach handed out 20 assists and Rachel Divan added four kills and three blocks.

SJO also won 23-25, 25-21, 25-17 in a closely contested home Illini Prairie match against Paxton-Buckley-Loda on Oct. 19 with Immke and Burnett each finishing with eight kills. Burnett added five aces and 13 digs, with Immke contributing 11 digs. Steinbach compiled a double-double with 29 assists and 10 digs, while Hannah Fox chipped in 13 digs.

SJO made the long trip to Chillicothe IVC on Oct. 16 pay off with a 25-20, 28-26 sweep against the Grey Ghosts in Illini Prairie play. Burnett wound up with a double-double by producing 10 kills and 10 digs as Roesch (eight kills, six digs), Ashley Eldridge (six kills, three blocks) and Immke (four kills, seven digs) also contributing at the net. Steinbach distributed 26 assists to go along with six digs, while Divan managed three blocks.

The road also treated SJO kindly on Oct. 14 with a quick 25-8, 25-15 sweep at Illini Prairie foe Olympia. Burnett was steady once again with 10 kills, 10 digs and two aces. Immke (four kills, seven digs), Divan (three kills, three blocks), Steinbach (19 assists) and Fox (10 digs) also played significant roles in the win.

SJO stepped out of Illini Prairie play on Oct. 13 and responded with a 25-13, 25-9 home nonconference win against Fisher. Burnett (six kills, 10 digs), Steinbach (22 assists, five digs) and Fox (11 digs) led the way in the decisive two-set win against the Bunnies.

Before the win against Fisher, SJO cruised to another win, beating Prairie Central 25-15, 25-4 at home in Illini Prairie action on Oct. 12. Immke powered down seven kills, Burnett added four kills and 16 digs and Steinbach compiled 23 assists to go along with six digs.

Banner
Related Posts

Three relays, three individuals move on to state for SJO boys’ track and field

May 21, 2019

May 21, 2019

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ track and field team will have a solid contingent representing the Spartans at the...

Mattsey, Plotner key strong starts for SJO cross-country

September 10, 2019

September 10, 2019

The Chrisman Cow Chip Classic features seven different waves of runners. Run over a pasture near Chrisman High School, hence...

Rydell looks to the future

April 23, 2021

April 23, 2021

Jackson Rydell’s first football season is his last football season. The senior is playing playing football for the first time...

‘This team loves to compete’ SJO girls’ track and field continuing to train from home during pandemic as they wait for season to start

March 30, 2020

March 30, 2020

Fresh off tying for third place in Class 1A a season ago, needless to say the St. Joseph-Ogden High School...

Kaiser’s positivity a plus on court

October 4, 2019

October 4, 2019

Lacey Kaiser is a positive presence on the volleyball court. So much so, that her coach Abby McDonald nominated her...

McCarty throws no-hitter, SJO baseball picks up two wins

May 6, 2019

May 6, 2019

Each time Keegan McCarty takes the mound, the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team has to likes its chances of...

Athlete of the Month-Hannah Dukeman

August 29, 2019

August 29, 2019

Every month a committee of coaches selects a student-athlete of the month from nominees in–season coaches supply. We then ask...

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...

Mabry, Stegall pace SJO boys’ cross-country to regional title; sectional meet up Saturday

October 30, 2021

October 30, 2021

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ cross-country team has shown the capability it could win a state title all season....

Smith, Spartans on roll entering playoffs

October 29, 2022

October 29, 2022

Hosting home football playoff games became common for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School football team in the past. In fact,...

Spartan Classic up next after Mattsey, Plotner run well in Peoria

September 27, 2019

September 27, 2019

It’s the only chance for St. Joseph residents to see the St. Joseph-Ogden High School cross-country teams in action in...

Get to know SJO Volleyball player Helene Jones

October 31, 2022

October 31, 2022

What do you think makes the team so successful? Everyone on the team is so close outside of volleyball, so...

Showdown at BHRA on tap for SJO boys’ basketball

December 16, 2024

December 16, 2024

The St. Joseph-Ogden and Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin boys’ basketball teams are familiar with each other. That’s because the two tradition-rich programs typically...

Get to know SJO Volleyball Player Taylor Hug

October 31, 2022

October 31, 2022

What do you think makes the team so successful? We have a lot of team chemistry and get along with...

Burnett, Bigger spark SJO volleyball on recent win streak

October 8, 2019

October 8, 2019

A big hitter. And a superb setter. Every quality volleyball team needs that combination, and the St. Joseph-Ogden High School...

Comments
Leave a Reply