By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

The Class 1A and Class 2A semifinal weekend has arrived. On Friday at Dozer Park in Peoria at 10:00 am, the Class 1A semifinals will begin. Goreville, Peoria Heights, Somonauk and Valmeyer round out the final four in Class 1A. Goreville faces off with Peoria Heights while Somonauk battles Valmeyer.

CLASS 1A SEMIFINAL ONE - FRIDAY 10:00 AM

Goreville (26-7) vs Peoria Heights (22-5)

Goreville - The Blackcats are back at the state finals looking to take home the Class 1A state title for the second straight season. Goreville knocked off Effingham (St. Anthony) 5-4 in the Super-Sectional.  Junior, two-way talent Brodie Lenon leads the Blackcats into Peoria. Lenon is hitting .444 on the year with nine doubles, four homeruns, 32 RBI and 23 runs scored. On the mound, Lenon is 6-1 with a 0.61 ERA. He has struck out 94 batters in 45.2 innings. In those 45 plus innings he has only given up four earned runs, four walks and 24 hits.

Another key two-way contributor for the Blackcats is senior Brant Glidewell. Glidewell is 7-1 on the season and sports a 1.26 ERA. He has thrown 44.1 innings, allowed 36 hits, struck out 64 and walked 20. At the plate, he is currently hitting .371 with six doubles, two homeruns, 42 RBI and 36 runs scored.

Peyton Geyman, Logan Hankins and Zane Schuetz have all thrown over 25 innings on the mound this spring. Geyman is 3-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. Hankins is 2-1 with a 2.72 ERA. Schuetz is 3-2 with 25 strikeouts in 25.2 innings.

Goreville has won 11 of their last 13 games heading into Peoria.

Goreville is coached by Shawn Tripp.

Peoria Heights - The Patriots are making their first state final appearance. The Patriots pitching staff has led the way through the postseason. They did not allow more than three runs and have two shutouts in their five postseason wins.

LHP Blake Begner, an Illinois Central JC commit, has been lights out on the mound all season long. Incredibly Begner has not allowed an earned run in 45.1 innings on the mound so far this spring. The southpaw is 5-0, has struck out 91, allowed 11 hits and walked nine in his 45 plus innings of work. Begner has also led the way at the plate. In 88 at-bats he is hitting .420 with 10 doubles, a triple, 30 RBI and 30 runs scored.

Season Rylee Miller has provided some offensive punch as well for the Patriots. In 86 at-bats Miller is hitting .302 with 13 doubles, a triple, a homerun , 28 RBi and 21 runs scored. Trent Sherlock, Ty Webb and Anthony Whittenburg all have seven or more doubles are all hitting over .290.

Alongside Begner on the mound, Tyler Gregory and Trevor Heath have been key contributors on the mound. Gregory has thrown is 8-0 in 53.1 innings and sports a 1.05 ERA. Gregory has struck out 63 and allowed 30 hits. Heath is 5-1 with a 1.93 ERA. Heath has struck out 38 in 25.1 innings pitched. Rylee Miller, Noah Nelson and Ty Webb add quality depth on the mound.

Peoria Heights is coached by Matt King.

CLASS 1A SEMIFINAL 2- FRIDAY NOON

Somonauk (24-1) vs. Valmeyer (27-9)

Somonauk - The Bobcats find themselves back at state for the second consecutive year. Last year Somonauk finished runner-up in class 1A and ended the season with a 24-7 record. This year they enter Peoria with a 24-1 record with their only loss coming on April 1st. Somonauk breezed their way through the postseason outscoring opponents 29-7 in their five games.

John Johnson has done it all for the Bobcats in 2017. The senior is 9-0 on the mound with a 0.82 ERA. In 51.1 innings he has struck out 85, walked eight and only 30 hits. At the plate he is hitting .421 in 76 at-bats. He has 10 doubles, a triple, three homeruns, 37 RBI and 29 runs.

Ryan Lumsden and Andy Jackson have been key two-way contributors as well. Lumsden is hitting .408 with seven doubles, a triple and a home run. On the mound Lumsden is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA. Jackson is hitting .338 with five doubles, a home run, 26 RBI and 22 runs. On the mound, he is 2-1 and has struck out 21 in 13 innings pitched.

Besides Johnson, Nate Wegener and Nolan Wegener have thrown the most innings and are both 4-0 for the Bobcats. Nate has a 1.12 ERA in 37.2 innings and has struck out 54. Nolan has a 1.77 ERA and has struck out 44 in 31.2 innings.

Somonauk is coached by Troy Felton.

Valmeyer - The Pirates knocked out Abingdon/Avon by the score of 16-9 to punch their first ever ticket to Peoria. The Pirates have scored double digit runs in four of their last five games.

The Pirates have had a potent offensive attack all season long. Cole Juelfs, Jake Krekel and Easton Wallace are all hitting over .439 on the year. Wallace, is hitting .459 with an astounding 27 doubles, two triples, four homeruns, 46 RBI and 45 runs. Krekel is hitting .446 with seven doubles, five triples with 32 RBI and 42 runs. Juelfs is hitting .439 with 13 doubles, a triple and 38 runs.

Phillip Reinhardt has led the way on the mound. Reinhardt is 8-1 with a 0.94 ERA. In his 59.1 innings he has struck out 51 and allowed 42 hits. Juelfs and Andrew Whipple add depth on the mound. Juelfs is 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA in 48 innings. Whipple is 7-1 with a 2.47 ERA in 51 innings pitched.

Valmeyer is coached by Greg Reinhardt.

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