Three area high school programs brought home state-level accomplishments today.
The Pleasant Plains Lady Cardinals’ soccer season came to a historic close today in Naperville on the campus of North Central College. in the IHSA Class 1A State Championship match, falling to Father McGivney 3-0. The three goals allowed were the most Pleasant Plains surrendered in any game this season. Despite the loss, the Cardinals completed one of the finest campaigns in school history with a 26-1-2 record. Their 26 victories rank as the second-most wins in program history, while the state runner-up finish is the best finish ever for the girls soccer program. Pleasant Plains made its third trip to the IHSA state finals and recorded 22 shutout victories during the season. The team was welcomed home tonight with a fire department escort from Bradfordton into Pleasant Plains.
Meanwhile, the Routt Rockets baseball team captured its fourth consecutive sectional championship Saturday, defeating Monmouth United 8-5 in the IHSA Class 1A Camp Point Sectional title game. The Rockets appeared in complete control, building an 8-1 lead entering the bottom of the sixth inning behind a dominant performance from left-hander Brady Turner. Monmouth United mounted a late rally with a pair of two-run home runs, including a blast from opposing pitcher Ian Leffler, cutting the deficit to three runs. But Turner shut the door in the seventh inning, recording three consecutive strikeouts to end the game. Turner finished with 14 strikeouts and one walk. Routt scored twice in the first inning as Talon Thompson singled and later scored on a wild pitch, while Turner crossed the plate on a groundout. Kale Reich added a two-run home run in the third inning. The Rockets improve to 24-12 and will face Nokomis, 25-12, Monday at 4 p.m. in the Springfield Super-Sectional at Lincoln Land Community College’s Claude Kracik Field with a berth in the Class 1A state finals on the line.
And at Lake Shelbyville, North Greene’s bass fishing team of Owen Schutz and Porter Dossett earned a second-place finish at the IHSA Class 1A State Bass Fishing Tournament. The duo led the field after the opening day with a catch totaling 16 pounds, 7 ounces. Their Day Two haul measured 13 pounds, 8 ounces, giving them a two-day total of 29 pounds, 15 ounces. That was just shy of state champion Teutopolis, which finished with 31 pounds, 9 ounces. The second-place finish caps off an outstanding state tournament run for the North Greene anglers.