Local Team Enjoys a Great Season

The St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans have enjoyed a great season on the football field this year. They had an 11-3 win/loss season and had a great run in the playoffs. The team even went to the Class 3A Illinois State Championships, but lost in a thrilling overtime game 43-41 against Stillman Valley.

The game was exciting, even if one were to watch it without the background knowledge of it being a championship game. It was back-and-forth, Stillman Valley would score and then St. Joseph-Ogden would score, and it was like that until the closing seconds of the game. Stillman Valley won in overtime, but it was one of the more exciting games in recent history in the high school playoffs.

St. Joseph-Ogden junior and varsity football player Gunnar Meeker said, “This season was great, and I really think we have a great chance to take it all next year.”

So, the players are keeping their heads up and are in good spirits, despite the loss. They’re also excited for the upcoming season.

Many people throughout Illinois viewed the game, including the students at Urbana High School.

UHS Junior Cedrick Fry said, “I watched the game on TV, it was really exciting to see, and it was very cool that a team this close to our home made it so far.”