The ICA All-Star Baseball game is returning to Schweickert Stadium this summer and there will be familiar faces in the dugout.

Veteran Hall coach Tom Keegan, who guided his Red Devils to the 2A State Championship in 2018 and won more than 400 career games, has been selected as one of the two head coaches for the 49th annual ICA Senior All-Star Game on Monday, June 22 at Schweickert Stadium in Peru. St. Bede coach Bill Booker, the ICA Executive Director, sought Keegan for the assignment.

Keegan will be joined for the game by his entire Hall staff, including Matt McDonald, Mike DeAngelo, Kevin Sangston, Denny Galetti, Jr. and Gunnar McCormick.

“It was nice of Coach Booker to ask if we’d be interested in coaching the event. I’ve watched it a few times from the other side of the fence and am looking forward to being around some great players for the pair of games that evening,” Keegan said. “The nice thing is that the whole staff gets to go, which is only fitting because they contribute so much around here. We are fortunate to have Matt, Mike, Chief (Sangston), Denny and Gunnar to help our program on a daily basis and it’ll mean a lot to share an event like this in June with them.”

Keegan has been the Red Devils head coach since 2001, compiling a 420-275 (.604) career record over 25 years on the diamond. He has a sizzling .789 winning percentage in the last decade from 2015-2025, going 262-70 with nine seasons of 20 or more wins.

As ICA Executive Director, Booker is in charge of the selection committee and serves as host for the game. He said it’s only fitting Keegan will coach this year’s game in Peru.

“Tom has always been a class guy and his teams the last decade or so have been outstanding,” Booker said. “He and his staff are very deserving of this honor and it’s really cool for the game to be in his backyard so their Hall fans can support him while coaching in a great game.”

Josh Haley of St Joe-Ogden will be coaching in the opposing dugout.

Booker is excited for the game to be played at Schweickert Stadium again.

“The IV has always had great baseball and our area fans deserve being able to see some of the state’s best senior players,” he said.

Booker said high school coaches across the state have been mailed nomination forms and have until May 22 to nominate up to two seniors per team. He said the selection committee chooses approximately 50 players each year.

The game is being held for the second straight year at Schweickert Stadium.

Coaching milestones

Two area baseball coaches have achieved milestone victories recently.

Veteran Marquette coach Todd Hopkins won his 700th career victory with the Crusaders’ 11-2 win at IVC on April 18. The Crusaders are undefeated in 19 games this season with Hopkins now standing at 704-186 (.791).

The Crusaders are two-time defending 1A state champions with another first-place finish in 2022 while placing third in 201 and fourth in 2019.

Putnam County coach Chris Newsome notched his 200th career win at PC with the Panthers’ 10-0 win over Woodland on April 21. He has been head coach at PC since 2014-15, serving as an assistant coach under Joey Ohnesorge for one year. He went 25-36 in two years as head coach at Amboy prior to to coming to PC.

Softball milestones

Four Princeton softball players have reached career milestones.

Junior Avah Oertel set PHS career records for homers (27) and RBIs (117) and single-season record for doubles (16).

Senior Makayla Hecht set the school career stolen bases record at 60.

Senior pitcher Reese Reviglio recorded her 200th career strikeout.

Caroline Keutzer, a senior slap-hitter, Oertel and Hecht have all joined the 100-hit club. Seniors Izzy Gibson (90) and Keely Lawson (87) are also approaching the century mark.