Prep Baseball Report

Top-10 Stories of 2024: No. 10 Ottawa Marquette Wins 1A State Title


By: Gavin Smith
Content Manager, Scout

Ottawa Marquette capped off a 31-2 season (13-2 Conference) with a 1A State Title, their second with Coach Todd Hopkins at the helm. The Crusaders have continually been one of the state’s best small-school programs during Coach Hopkins’ 26-year career at Marquette. During his time, he's amassed a 650-183 (78%) record, which includes five trips to the state finals, four Super-Sectionals, 15 Regional Titles, which includes winning their regional each year since the 2015-2016 season.

The 2024 Crusaders were led by RHP/SS Alec Novotney (2026) as he posted a 9-0 record on the mound with a 0.66 ERA and 93 strikeouts. At the plate, Novotney led the team in runs scored (40), came in second in hits (41), and batted .366. Now senior, 1B Sam Mitre was arguably the most dangerous hitter in their lineup, hitting .449 with four home runs, 15 doubles and 36 RBIs.

Anthony Couch (2026) and Keaton Davis (2025) both were impressive offensively too, as they finished the year hitting .365 and .344, respectively.

To read more on the 2024 Ottawa Marquette team, click HERE.

Below you’ll find our game story from the Crusaders’ victory in June:

MARQUETTE VS. ALTAMONT

It was a pitcher’s duel for the first four innings of the 1A State Championship as both RHP Carson Zellers (Marquette, 2024) and RHP Kade Milleville (Altamont, 2026) held the opposition scoreless.

Marquette threatened with a runner on third base in the top of the fourth, but Milleville was able to get the third out of the inning on a swing-and-miss slider, keeping the game scoreless.

The Crusaders crossed their first run in the top of the fifth inning when 3B Griffin Dobberstein (2027) reached base on a single, and RF Charlie Mullen (2024) followed with an RBI single to give the Cru the 1-0 lead.

At Dozer Park:

OF Charlie Mullen (2024) breaks the tie in the top of the fifth, slapping a single to CF to plate a run for Ottawa Marquette.

To the ⬇️5️⃣, the Crusaders lead Altamont 1-0. pic.twitter.com/MBtGjMLfkj

— Prep Baseball Illinois (@PrepBaseballIL) June 1, 2024

Marquette began the top of the sixth inning with back-to-back-back singles from Zellers, 1B Sam Mitre (2025) and LF Keaton Davis (2025), with all three later scoring on an error from the Indians’ shortstop. They added one more run in the inning on a well-hit ball to the right-center gap from Mullen, who tallied an RBI triple.

At Dozer Park:

Ottawa Marquette scores four runs in the ⬆️6️⃣.

The Crusaders scored three runs on an error and another on this triple from ‘24 OF Charlie Mullen.👇

Ottawa Marquette extends their lead to
5-0 and is three outs away from their second state title. pic.twitter.com/LzoAwgMskG

— Prep Baseball Illinois (@PrepBaseballIL) June 1, 2024

They added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning as OF Grant Dose (2026) reached base on a walk, SS Alec Novotney (2026) followed by ripping an RBI single to the left side, and they both advanced bases on a sacrifice bunt from Zellers. Mitre stepped to the plate and drove the first pitch he saw to center field for a sacrifice fly, giving the Crusaders the 6-0 lead heading to the bottom half of the seventh.

Altamont scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on a two-RBI single from LF Eli Miller (2024). Zellers produced an infield pop-up with the Indians’ next hitter, giving the Crusaders their second state title, winning the game 6-2.

Zellers tossed a complete game for Marquette, striking out five, walking three, allowing two runs on four hits.

THIRD PLACE GAME

Routt Catholic defeated Gibson City Melvin-Sibley 3-0 to finish third place in the 1A state finals. LHP Conrad Charpentier (2024; Lincoln Land CC) threw a complete game shutout for the Rockets, striking out 10 in the process. They crossed all of their runs in the top of the fifth inning, highlighted by an RBI single from SS Nolan Turner (2024; Lincoln Land CC).


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