When the OH Panther football team needed points the most, senior kicker Kaleb Stumpenhorst was the player they could count on.
“He always knew that he had to step up and deliver in very clutch moments, as we saw in Lockport," said OH senior football player Devin Mata. "And really it’s props to the entire process. We all did our job, then Stump landed the final blow time and time again, proving the big time player he was."
Moments after Stumpenhorst's kick sends Oswego to the state final, the team begins to celebrate with him. Credits: Justin Holden
"Stump," as he is affectionately called by several of his teammates like Mata, pulled off the unthinkable on Nov. 22 in the fourth quarter of the semifinal game, which was tied 7-7 and special teams was lined up at the 40-yard line.
On Sat., Jan. 24, the OH Pantherettes performed their last competition, and as they scored 11th place, they did not qualify for State this year. Although they had a rough start this season by scoring very low in their first competitions, they quickly rose in the charts, scoring higher and even securing trophies.
“Our scores increase[[d]] each competition,” said OH junior Pantherette Lila Lieser.
OH Pantherette Coach and special education teacher Hannah Hill also exuded her excitement about the team's growth.
“I have never been more proud of this team,” she said in an interview via email. “We’ve earned some of the highest scores we’ve received in the past five years.”
Last season was a turning point for the boys' track program, and at the center were two sprinters who did not go unnoticed.
OH track junior athlete Dontrell Young and OH track junior athlete Jezhian (Jay) Sprinkle their breakout performances showed consistency, confidence, and ability to perform under pressure. Both had a great season last year, with new achievements and new goals for the upcoming season.
Young is an efficient and explosive sprinter, competing in the 100m dash, 200m dash, and 400m dash. He is known for his times, records, and placing at the state where he got 4th in the 100m and 2nd in the 200m.
“Placing at the state last year is probably one of my most valuable [[achievements]],” said Young.
On Dec. 16, 2025, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) introduced Policy 17 which limits large co-op high school teams from dominating at state.
Policy 17, which will be implemented for the 2026-2027 school year, is aimed at leveling the playing field for schools competing in the same division. When this policy goes into effect next fall, it will impact several of the current athletic teams in-district, meaning that these co-op teams will no longer be able to compete at the sectional or state level.
OH Athletic Director Dan Artnzen said, “The bylaw states that schools can no longer have a cooperative team, commonly referred to as a co-op, if their combined enrollment is over 3,500 kids.” For OH specifically, the teams impacted include the gymnastics team and swimming team as both are co-op teams and combined with OE.
Junior Greyson Covay is the newest commit here at OH to Division I collegiate athletics. He has committed to play at the University of Southern California (USC). His journey to this point has been shaped by determination and hard work.
The recruiting process is an important and drastic part of becoming committed, Covay began his recruiting process early on.
“When I was 15 I started researching and emailing colleges, I emailed them almost every month,” he said. “When they were finally able to reach out to me June 15, it was very easy to get in contact with them,” said Covay.