Alton Post 126 Targets Illinois State Titles in Both Junior and Senior Divisions

Colin Feeney, Contributing Sports Writer

Jul 16, 2025 2:19 PM Jul 16, 2025 2:49 PM

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ALTON - The Alton Post 126 American Legion baseball teams are ready to go for the postseason, as the under-17 navy junior team prepares for the Fifth Division tournament at Northside Park in Breese, while the senior team will start the District 22 playoffs on Friday.

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Post 126 manager Doug Booten is optimistic about success for both teams as the Legion postseason gets into full swing.

"The navy team obviously dominated the regular season in league play," Booten said about the under-17 team, which saw a stretch of games in the middle where the team scored a total of over 100 runs, while conceding very little. "but now we are at the Fifth Division, so a few of the teams we have not seen this season. I believe they have the ability to win the Fifth, but that's why you play the games. It's time to put it all together."

The navy team meets the winner of the opening game between the District 23 winner and the District 25 champion in the Fifth Division tournament, which consists of the five districts in southern Illinois, Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. in Breese. A win advances the navies to the semifinal game against the District 24 winners and host Breese Saturday afternoon at 12:30 p.m, while a loss relegates Alton to the losers bracket, where they will face either District 25, District 24, or the host Breese team in an elimination game at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

The 10 a.m. winner meets the loser of the 12:30 p.m. game Saturday at 3 p.m. in the losers bracket final, into the championship series against the 12:30 p.m. winner. The finals of the double elimination tournament are set for Sunday at 4:30 p.m., with a second game, if needed to be played at 7 p.m. for the Division title.

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The winner advances to the Illinois state tournament, which will be held at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Gordon Moore Park July 24-27, which the navy team will play in regardless, as host team. The first game will be played at 10:30 a.m., with the winner meeting Alton at 1 p.m., while the second game of the opening round takes place at 3:30 p.m. On Friday, the second winners bracket quarterfinal takes place at 9 a.m., with the first two elimination games in the losers bracket between the 10:30 a.m. loser from the day before taking on the 9 a.m. loser at 11:30 a.m., and the loser from Alton's opener meeting the 3:30 p.m. loser from the day before at 2 p.m.

On Saturday, the winners bracket final takes place at 11 a.m., with the winners from the 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. games meeting at 1:30 p.m. with the winner taking on the 11 a.m. loser in an elimination game at 4 p.m. The winner goes on to the championship series on Sunday, with the final set for 11 a.m., and a second game at 1:30 p.m. if needed.

The senior team has also enjoyed success, and enter the postseason at 20-9. Booten sang the praises of the senior team's efforts, and also knows his players will be ready to go.

"The seniors are the most talented team we've had in years, and they're very coachable," Booten said. "They're very good teammates, and just a great group of players. It's their time. Time to win a state championship."

The seniors open up the District 22 tournament at home as the number one seed, clinched in Monday's 7-0 win over Highland. The Legionnaires meet the Marissa- Smithton winner at Lloyd Hopkins Field on Friday at 5:30 p.m., with the losers of the opening two games taking on each other in an elimination game Saturday at 3 p.m., and the winner playing in game one of the championship series Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m. If a second game is needed, it'll be played on Sunday at a time to be announced.

The Senior District winner goes to the Fifth Division tournament at Trenton Community Park July 24-27, with the division champion advancing to the Illinois state tournament in Rantoul July 30-Aug. 3.

The state winner goes to the Great Lakes regional Aug. 6-10 at Lee Pfund Stadium in Carol Stream, in suburban Chicagoland, and the regional winner goes to the 100th Anniversary Legion World Series, to be played Aug. 13-18 at its now-traditional hometown of Shelby, N.C.

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