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Inaugural ‘King of the Valley’ field loaded with former state champions, state finalists · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: Inaugural King of the vala field loaded with former state
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  champion state finalists. Written by Kevin Hieronymus, This article is
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  being read by an automated voice brought to you by Everlett.
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  Four programs that have won four state championships and made
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  ten state tournament appearances between them since twenty fifteen headlined
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  the inaugural King of the Valley Illinois Valley Baseball Tournament,
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  to be held Friday and Saturday in Peru Ottawa. Marquette,
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  a two time defending state champion with three state titles
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  since twenty nineteen, along with a third place finish, will
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  be joined in the six team field by Hall, the
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  twenty eighteen to two A state champion Sterling Newman, which
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  has made three straight state tournament appearances, two in one
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  A and the last in two A, and Saint Bede,
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  a fourth place state finisher in one A in twenty fifteen,
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  throw in Putnam County, which won three S eight trophies
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  in fifteen years from nineteen ninety eight twenty thirteen, and
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  an improving young Princeton squad which had won four of
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  six games, and the inaugural Illinois Valley Tournament promises to
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  be a showcase of the area's top talent on the diamond.
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  This can be challenging this time of year when schools
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  are looking to make up conference games, but the idea
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  behind a King of the Area is a good one.
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  Saint Bede coach Bill Booker said this area is so
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  rich in baseball talent. Getting some of the other area
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  schools involved will only make it better too. I believe
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  that will happen as years go by. I don't know
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  where we will be with pitchers available, but I think
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  it's a good idea for the area. Marquette coach Todd
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  Hopkins said. Hall coach Tom Keagan, who led his Red
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  Devils to the twenty eighteen to two A State crown,
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  said the tournament will be a nice postseason tune up.
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  The nice thing is it just kind of gives you
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  that postseason feel before you actually head into your postseason.
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  Keegan said there's some familiarity in the field for sure.
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  Depending on how the pairings shake up, you could play
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  someone for the third time. It will be to everybody's
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  advantage to play before the postseason. Marquette, which won its
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  first twenty one games before falling to Saint Bede six
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  to one on April thirtieth stands twenty seven to one.
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  The Crusaders beat the Bruins by that same six to
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  one score on April twenty eighth. The Panthers sixteen ten
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  avenged a four to eleven loss to Saint Bede on
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  Monday by shutting out the Bruins eighteen nine five zero
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  on Tuesday in Granville. The Red Devils August first, nineteen
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  have won nine straight and twelve of their last fourteen
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  since April fourteenth, including a sweep of Princeton sevent ten.
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  Hall's only losses in that stretch came back to back
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  to Newman. The Comets twenty two to one have won
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  sixteen straight after Monday's ten zero win over Amboy, including
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  three Rivers East sweeps Overhaul and Princeton. Booker said it
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  all might come down to who has the deepest pitching staff.
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  After a full week of games. Marquette, Princeton, and Newman
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  have been placed in the National Pool at Washington Park's
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  Jay Hapfield, with Hall, Putnam County and Saint Bede in
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  the American Pool at Schweikert Stadium in Peru. Game times
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  will be at three pm five thirty pm and eight
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  pm on Friday, with the pool winners to play for
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  the championship at noon Saturday at Schweikert Stadium.