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The 5 Peoria-area Class 1A and 2A baseball teams in 2024 IHSA sectional title games

adam duvall, peoria journal star
·3 min read

It's time for the Sweet Sixteen in the Illinois High School Association small-school baseball postseason.

After sectional semifinals on Wednesday, there are 16 teams remaining in both Class 1A and Class 2A. Among Peoria-area schools, Delavan takes on Jacksonville Routt and St. Bede plays Annawan/Wethersfield in Class 1A, while Peoria Notre Dame faces Illini West in Class 2A.

Here's what to expect in the sectional finals on Saturday and how the Peoria-area teams won in the semis.

2024 IHSA baseball brackets: Peoria-area postseason schedules, scores and pairings

CLASS 2A

Peoria Notre Dame (21-10) vs. Illini West (28-4)

  • What's next: PND will take on Illini West at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Chillicothe Sectional title game hosted at Illinois Valley Central. The Irish have just one sectional championship in school history, winning a 2011 Class 3A sectional crown. Illini West also has a single sectional crown in its program, capturing a 2015 Class 2A one.

  • How they won: Peoria Notre Dame knocked off Hall, 4-1, in Wednesday's sectional semi. The Irish put up a three-run fifth inning highlighted by Dominic Kouri's two-run scoring single. Bryce Seaton picked up the pitching victory with five strikeouts and four hits. IW had 13 hits in beating Taylor Ridge Rockridge, 11-2, in the other sectional semi on Wednesday. Carter Chapin (2-for-5, double) drove in four, while Ethan Carlisle had three RBIs as part of a 2-for-5 outing. Clean-up hitter Shawn Watkins Jr. added three hits of his own.

PND's regional win: Dramatic home run lifts Peoria Notre Dame baseball to first regional in 10 years

CLASS 1A

Delavan (18-7-1) vs. Jacksonville Routt (30-7)

  • What's next: Delavan heads to Mendon Unity to face Jacksonville Routt at 12 p.m. Saturday. The Panthers are looking for their first sectional championship in program history. Routt is a perennial state contender, making the Elite Eight appearance last season and won the 2008 Class 1A state title.

  • How they won: Delavan held off a late rally from Winchester/Bluffs to hold on for a 6-4 victory on Wednesday. Cole Noreuil pitched another gem, striking out 15, walking four and giving up just one hit. His run support came from RBIs by Kelton Nafziger, Bryson Horning and Colton Miller.

St. Bede (21-14) vs. Annawan/Wethersfield (19-6-1)

  • What's next: St. Bede takes on Annawan/Wethersfield at 11 a.m. in the Bloomington Sectional final at Illinois Wesleyan. The Bruins haven't won a sectional since a 2015 Class 2A fourth-place finish. A/W has one sectional crown in program history, advancing to the 2021 Class 1A Elite Eight.

  • How they won: St. Bede took down Heyworth, 7-0, in Wednesday's sectional semifinal. Gus Burr drove in four runs, while Nathan Husser went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double in an eight-hit effort for the Bruins. In the nightcap, A/W got a complete game from Koeyn DeClercq, who struck out five, walked two and scattered four hits. Brody Childs went 3-for-3 with two triples and three RBIs for the seven-hit outing.

Regional roundup: Here are 7 Peoria-area baseball teams heading to the 2024 IHSA Class 1A and 2A sectionals

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA baseball: Peoria-area sectional semifinal roundup, preview of sectional finals