Latest chapter in SJ-O and Unity football rivalry kicks off Saturday

Nov. 7—ST. JOSEPH — A few minutes after the St. Joseph-Ogden football team established a Class 3A single-game playoff record for most points after its 80-31 home win against Althoff last Saturday, the group of Spartans gathered around coach Shawn Skinner already knew who they’d face in the second round.

Unity.

The two Illini Prairie Conference rivals will meet in the 3A playoffs for the third straight season on Saturday, with the Rockets (9-2) making the short trip from Tolono to Dick Duval Field in St. Joseph to take on the host Spartans (10-0). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

“Here we go again,” Skinner said.

Unity has won the last two playoff matchups, prevailing 51-44 in a thrilling 2025 state semifinal game at Dick Duval Field and easily defeating SJ-O 35-7 in a 2024 second-round game at Hicks Field in Tolono. But SJ-O has dominated nearly every team it has played this season, including a 38-23 road win against Unity at Hicks Field on Sept. 11. The Spartans led 24-0 at the end of the first quarter and enjoyed a 32-3 halftime lead in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated.

“With these guys, we look back at that Week 4 game, and we were just in such infancy as a team,” Unity coach Tony Reetz said. “We’ve grown up so much since then.”

Unity has had to do so with a backup quarterback in sophomore Hayden Smith, who replaced starter Carter Schmid after Schmid sustained a season-ending elbow injury against Prairie Central on Sept. 25.

Smith has completed 34 of 65 passes for 826 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions, but the Rockets’ offense relies heavily on senior running back Michael Hardin. In his first season as the Rockets’ No. 1 option in the backfield, the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Hardin has rushed for 1,712 yards on 263 carries and 24 touchdowns. He keeps a simple philosophy, too, when he receives a handoff.

“Running through people’s faces,” Hardin said with a grin. “That mentality has always been there for me.”

It was on display last Saturday during the Rockets’ 21-7 first-round playoff win at Bloomington Central Catholic when Hardin rushed for 238 yards on 39 carries. The development of Hardin throughout the season is a main reason why Unity has not lost since playing SJ-O in the regular season, with the Rockets carrying a seven-game win streak into Saturday.

“He’s always ran hard and at people as opposed to around people, but his vision has gotten so much better,” Reetz said. “I thought it was really good in the summer, but vision in the summer when you’re in a helmet, shoulder pads and shorts versus guys tackling you to the ground is a whole different thing. That’s where he has evolved. Early in the season, I don’t think his vision was as good as what it has become in the second half of the season.”

Hardin contributed in 2025 with the Rockets on both sides of the ball, but on a senior-dominated team that finished second in 3A, had to wait his turn for a more featured role.

“I was coming into this season to prove a point,” Hardin said. “My point has been proven so far.”

Unity senior defensive back Adam Reedy, who had two interceptions in the win at BCC, knows what to expect when Hardin enters the game.

“Mike’s my guy, man,” Reedy said. “I love watching him run people over. Everybody is cheering when I’m on the bench looking at the iPad after I come off the field on defense, and when I look up, it’s always Mike standing over somebody. He’s going to have to play a pretty big role on Saturday, especially setting the tone. Our run game is a pretty big part of our offense.”

The same sentiment applies to the top playmaker, senior linebacker Keegan Germano, on the Unity defense. Germano realizes teams have had a hard time slowing down SJ-O since the Spartans are averaging 55.1 points and have scored at least 52 points in a game seven different times this season already. Entering this weekend’s second-round playoff games across the state, the 551 points SJ-O has this season is the most of any team in the state.

“They’ve got a great offense and a great team this year,” Germano said. “They’ve got athletes everywhere.”

Notably at quarterback. SJ-O junior Lane McKinney has completed 95 of 124 passes for 1,965 yards, 27 touchdowns and just four interceptions while he has rushed for 1,156 yards on 153 carries and 21 touchdowns. Other key contributors are junior running back Logan Umbarger (801 rushing yards on 127 carries, 17 TDs), sophomore wide receiver Logan Wedig (36 catches for 620 yards, seven TDs), senior wide receiver Kaden Wedig (26 catches for 771 yards, 11 TDs) and junior running back Ryder Van Meenen (300 rushing yards on 53 carries, five TDs and 19 catches for 323 yards, four TDs).

SJ-O has an experienced offensive line, too, led by Oregon commit Cameron Wagner, and the elder Wedig has not played since sustaining an ankle injury on Sept. 25 at Monticello.

“McKinney is a great quarterback, and they’ve obviously got Wagner you have to deal with,” Germano said. “I like our game plan this week, though. We have to try to get them out of rhythm and not let them get going early.”

SJ-O has struck early and often against opponents this season, outscoring its foes 198-40 in the first quarter. Getting so far behind the Spartans in their regular-season matchup has stayed with the Rockets.

“We got hit in the mouth, that’s for sure,” Germano said. “We didn’t respond quick enough, and they definitely embarrassed us, but that game helped us grow a lot by playing through adversity.”

Germano, who led the 2025 Unity team with 143 tackles last season, has made a team-high 101 tackles so far this season. That includes five tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one defensive touchdown for the Butler commit.

“He’s been unbelievable this season with his film study, his approach to his technique and his desire to pull the other guys with him has been very impressive to watch,” Reetz said. “He sees plays happen so fast that he’ll be across the field, and he’ll run across the field and be in on the tackle. That is who he is on almost every play.”

Whether SJ-O or Unity wins on Saturday, a state quarterfinal game against either Benton (9-1) or Mt. Carmel (10-0) awaits next weekend. But first, the latest installment in the rivalry will play out Saturday afternoon.

Leave it to the players and coaches who will have a direct say on Saturday’s outcome to have the final word.

First, from the Unity side.

“I love playing St. Joe,” Germano said. “They’ve got great coaches and great players every year. There’s always something spiritual about playing in a rivalry game. I can’t wait.”

“I love St. Joe week because it’s always chaotic at practice,” Reedy added. “You’ve got to use your brain a lot. I love all the trickery stuff St. Joe does because you’ve got to give respect where respect is due. If you can catch defenses off guard like they have, you’ve got to be doing something right.”

“You have to go into a game against a team like St. Joe just assuming they’re going to score points every time they touch the ball,” Reetz added. “They’re just that good offensively.”

And now, from the SJ-O perspective. McKinney started in last season’s state semifinal game at wide receiver for the Spartans.

“It’s going to take a lot of preparation, but we’re ready,” McKinney said. “I think all of us wanted to play them instead of BCC just because of the rivalry. It was a great game last year, but I would have loved to have that one back. Here comes redemption. We’ll try to get it.”

Same for Skinner. In his 11th season coaching SJ-O, he has never beaten Unity in a playoff game. All-time, Unity is 7-4 against SJ-O in playoff games.

“Great conference. Great rivalry. Two great programs,” Skinner said. “It probably shouldn’t be a second-round game, but here we are. It’s going to be a great environment and great atmosphere.”