AVISTON — Even though the Post 210 Speakers will not repeat as Illinois American Legion Champions, the future is bright.
The Speakers lost twice on Friday and were eliminated in the double-elimination tournament. After losing to Gales 6-5 on Friday afternoon, Danville fell to Rock Island 12-6 in a rematch of the 2025 state championship game.
Post 210 started the night game against Rock Island building a 3-0 lead in the third inning. But in the bottom half of the frame, the bats for Rock Island Post 200 got going.
Danville starter Jaxon Spicer got the first two outs, but Rock Island would score its first run on a RBI double and than Rock Island’s Cael Kuster delivered a 3-run homer off of Danville reliever Cam Harris giving Post 200 a 4-3 lead.
Rock Island added another run in the fifth, but the Speakers would battle back thanks to an error, a hit by a pitch and a bases-loaded walk to take a 6-5 lead.
Rock Island would then put the game away with seven runs, highlighted by a 3-run home run by Gavin Wilburn that would give it the lead for good.
“Hats off to Post 200, those guys put together some good at-bats. Anytime you get a bomb from your nine-hole (Wilburn), good things will happen,” Speakers coach Brent Hart said. “Batters 1-9 can swing it for them. We gave them a game for six innings and we were neck-and-neck but we fell apart at the end.”
Hart said there were chances to build the early lead and make a move in the sixth when they loaded the bases but could only get a couple of runs to only go up 6-5.
“We had bases loaded and there was a strikeout and there was a pop out with a man on third,” Hart said. “We didn’t do a good job tacking on runs and we didn’t attack the ball with runners in scoring positing very well.”
Cole Miller had three RBIs for the Speakers, while Bryson Houchens and Matt Darling each had one RBI.
Spicer pitched 2⅔ innings, while Harris pitched 3⅓ innings and each combined for a strikeout and six walks.
“Spicer cruised for about two innings and lost it and in this tournament, it brings a quick hook because you can’t be walking people,” Hart said. “He is young and he will be back. He had a phenomenal year. He got the experience and he is maturing.”
The good news for the Speakers is that a lot of them could come back to mature, except for Barney and Darling, who will start at Danville Area Community College.
“Matt Darling and Easton Barney had grown up in the program and has been around since they were 10 or 11,” Hart said. “You hate to see those guys move on and they did a ton for the program. We won a lot of games and they played the right way. The good thing is that they will continue their college career at Danville Area Community College, so it is not the end of their stories. It sucks to lose them, but it is fun to see them grow up.”
The rest of the team will have the option of coming back including younger players, like Spicer, who is just 16.
“Houchens, Dubois, Miller and Edwards returning would be a great start. We will see who comes back from college and who doesn’t,” Hart said. “We were starting a mostly young group with (Riglee) Hart, (Pedro) Rangel, (Marvin) Davis, and Spicer are all 16 years old and have two years for us. (Ben) Johnson will be back next year. Harris will be back next year and Liam Parish will be back.
“I told them after the year, we are proud of them. When you roll out three 16 year old players at the senior level to face college pitchers most days, it is a uphill battle, but they held their own and I couldn’t be happier for them.”
Host team Aviston ended up winning the tournament, defeating Rock Island 12-8 on Sunday and will move on to the Great Lakes Regional tournament.
“Aviston does a great job here hosting. Jason Rakers, Dennis Rakers and Jeremy Chawgo were the staff and anything you needed it was done,” Hart said. “There was a phenomenal banquet with Gary Gaetti and Frank Colston speaking and you couldn’t ask for better names. The guys appreciated it and liked it. They did a phenomenal job, the people are nice and you couldn’t ask for a better setting for a tournament.”