Monmouth-Roseville coach Mike Huston gathered his team after Saturday’s regional championship game at Princeton and said, “What did I tell you what we want to do this year at the beginning of the season?”

In a collective response, the Titans yelled, “A regional championship.”

The Titans got their mission accomplished, knocking off favorite Rock Island Alleman 4-2 for the 2A regional title, riding the complete-game effort of Clay Casteel, who allowed six hits with five strikeouts.

It is Mon-Rose’s first regional title since 2007 and just the second in school history.

“I told the kids first day of practice, all I want to do, I don’t care what our record is, all I want to do is win a regional championship. And guess what, they did it for us. They did it. Special day. Special for us,” Huston said.

“This group of seniors have had some special times going back to that playoff football game at Bloomington Central Catholic. I’m guessing this has to rank up there pretty darn high.”

Huston said he considered taking Castel, who pitched his fourth complete game of the season, out in the fourth inning, and he said, “Nope, let me roll, let me roll” and he pitched a heckuva game."

Andrew Way, Nick Huston, Landyn Angelo and Tyler Carlson (two RBIs) each had three hits for Mon-Rose.

The Titans (16-15) will face Eureka Regional winner at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the second semifinal of the day at the IVC Sectional. Rockridge (29-7) and Brimfield meet at 4 p.m.

“Someone told me we were 3-11 awhile back and here we are 16-15 and we just believed in one another and found our spots. To beat a program like Spring Valley Hall and Alleman back to back, I’m speechless, I guess,” Mike Huston said. “It’s just an awesome year for these Monmouth-Roseville Titans.”

AT ANNAWAN (1A)

Putnam County 8, Annawan-Wethersfield 2: The Panthers broke the game open with six runs in the third inning to go up 8-2 and punched their ticket to their own sectional by defeating the host Titans in Annawan for a 1A regional title.

Wyatt Zellars was 3 for 3 with three RBIs while Leadoff man Traxton Mattingly went 2 for 4 with a homer and three RBIs.

Starting pitcher Johnathon Stunkel went five innings for the win, striking out seven, with Kade Zimmerlein finishing out with two scoreless innings in relief.

PC (22-11) will face the Newark on 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in the second semifinal of the day. The Norsemen beat Yorkville Christian Academy 4-0 at Somonauk.

AT KANKAKEE (2A)

Marquette 4, Bishop McNamara 3: Anthony Couch hit a two-out, two-run walk-off homer to lift the Crusaders to the 2 regional championship in Kankakee.

Alec Novotney pitched six-hitter for a complete-game victory.

The Crusaders (34-3) advance to the Herscher Sectional to face IC Catholic at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

AT BELVIDERE NORTH (3A)

Rockford Boylan 9, Newman 7: The Comets fell in the championship in their first appearance in Class 3A after five straight sectional championships in 2A (two) and 1A (three).