Illiana Christian rolls to school’s first state championship

by | Jun 20, 2022 | Baseball, Featured | 0 comments

Illiana Christian rolls to school’s first state championship
Unranked Illiana Christian, in only its second year of IHSAA tournament eligibility, scored early and often in rolling to a 10-1 over Centerville in the Class 2A state championship game.

Coach Jeff VanderWoude’s Vikings plated four runs in their half of the first and put the game away with four more in the fourth inning, taking advantage of four Centerville errors. Seven of the 10 IC runs were unearned.

The victory leaves the Vikings with a 22-7 record and made a victor of left-hander Kevin Corcoran, who tossed the complete game, allowing just two hits and walking three, while striking out 10.

Cody DeJong led Illiana Christian with three runs scored, while third baseman Gabe VanRoekel scored twice and drove in two.

Centerville (21-6) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after pinch runner Colton Rinehart scored on a triple by Jamari Pamplin with the only extra-base hit of the game.

Pinch runner Josh Vis scored two runs for IC, while designated hitter Gavin Meyer also drove in two runs.

The Bulldogs of coach Tracey Crull were making their first-ever state finals appearance.

Centerville’s Keegen Schlotterbeck named Mental Attitude recipient
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee announced Keegen Schlotterbeck of Centerville Senior High School as the recipient of this year’s L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A Baseball.

Keegen graduated with a 3.5 GPA, earned an Academic and Technical Honors diploma and was selected Academic All-State in football last fall. A three-sport athlete for the Bulldogs, he was a four year starter in baseball and football and three years in basketball.

“There was never a second thought about whom we should nominate for this award,” says his coach Tracey Crull. “Keegen is our silent leader. He leads by example and our team gravitates to him for leadership, advice and friendship. He is that person for our school and team.”

Keegen is the son of Stacie and Butch Schlotterbeck of Richmond, Indiana. Keegen plans to attend Vincennes University in the fall to study Electrical Engineering and play baseball for the Trailblazers.

He is the first student-athlete from Centerville High School to receive an IHSAA mental attitude award in any sport.

The L.V. Phillips Award is annually presented to an outstanding senior participant in each state championship game who has best demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in baseball. The award is named in honor of the late L.V. Phillips, who served as the second commissioner of the IHSAA from 1945-62.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, presented $1,000 to the general scholarship fund at Centerville Senior High School in the name of Keegen Schlotterbeck.

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