Senior League Central Region returns to Peru after 2-year absence

Illinois District 20 Little League and the Illinois Valley in general have enjoyed showing off their love and dedication to the game of baseball for over three decades as hosts of Little League Baseball’s Senior League Central Region.

After two years of not being able to welcome some of the top 16-and-under baseball teams from across the upper Midwest because of the COVID-19 pandemic, District 20 and the City of Peru are eager to put on another show of hospitality and high-level baseball.

“Most defnitely,” District 20 administrator Tim Trevier said. “It’s good to have it back. ... This is our 35th year of hosting this tournament, and we are the longest host of any Little League tournament. So we’re pretty proud of that.”

The Senior League Central Region returns to the Illinois Valley this weekend, with opening ceremonies and the annual Challenger Division games for players with physical and intellectual challenges kicking things off at 5 p.m. Friday at Washington Park.

From there, the celebration of baseball continues with three days of pool-play games running Saturday, Sunday and Monday, quarterfinals on Tuesday and semifinals and the Central Region championship game – with the winner advancing to the upcoming Senior League World Series in Easley, S.C. – played Wednesday.

Unlike when the tournament was last held here in 2019 with the schedule split between Peru and Oglesby, all games will be played in Peru at either Washington Park or Veteran’s Park – the latter now spruced up since becoming the home of the collegiate summer league team the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp.

“I hate to keep referencing [COVID-19], but after that we’re down on volunteers,” Trevier said. “Logistically, it just made sense to move everything back to Peru. We’ve got that one-mile trek between fields, and Peru and the city council have been very good to us in the past and have opened their arms.”

Seven of the eight teams converging on the Illinois Valley got here by winning their state championships. Those include Iowa champion Grandview Little League out of Des Moines; Kentucky champion South Laurel Little League out of London, Ky.; Ohio champion Jefferson Little League out of Jefferson; Illinois champion Burbank American Little League out of suburban Burbank; Missouri champion Northwest Little League out of the northwest Missouri region; Michigan champion Southern Little League out of Grand Rapids; and Indiana champion New Haven Little League out of New Haven.

Rounding out the field with an automatic bid is the host District 20 representative, a roster made up of 16 ballplayers from La Salle and Peru little leagues, which also co-op at the Senior League level and have representatives from Oglesby and Bi-County. District 20 did not hold a district tournament as in years past because of the La Salle-Peru team being the lone All-Star team at the 14-16 age group in the district.

“The boys really don’t know what they’re getting themselves into,” said Jay Urbanski, the manager of District 20′s Senior League All-Star Team. “They’re excited, but they’ve never experienced it before.

“I’ve watched [this tournament] for years, and it’s an honor to be in it and play in it, to play different states.”

The District 20 team plays one game Saturday [noon at Washington Park vs. Ohio], two games Sunday [9:30 a.m. at Veteran’s Park vs. Indiana and 2 p.m. at Washington Park against Kentucky] and one contest Monday [11:30 a.m. at Veteran’s Park vs. Michigan] before entering the elimination tournament Tuesday with a seed determined by its pool-play results.

After Friday’s opening ceremonies, tournament play begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at Veteran’s Park and at 9:30 a.m. at Washington Park.

“It’s a pretty big deal to these teams, obviously,” Trevier said. “The winner goes right to Easley, South Carolina, and represents the Central Region of Little League down there in the World Series.”

—

2022 Senior League Central Region Tournament

All games in Peru

(W = Washington Park; V = Veteran’s Park)

Friday, July 22

5 p.m. - Opening ceremonies (W)

Saturday, July 23

Missouri vs. Iowa (V), 9 a.m.

Illinois vs. Indiana (W), 9:30 a.m.

Kentucky vs. Michigan (V), 11:30 a.m.

District 20 vs. Ohio (W), noon

Illinois vs. Iowa (V), 2 p.m.

Indiana vs. Missouri (W), 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 24

Illinois vs. Ohio (W), 9 a.m.

Indiana vs. District 20 (V), 9:30 a.m.

Kentucky vs. Iowa (W), 11:30 a.m.

Michigan vs. Missouri (V), noon

District 20 vs. Kentucky (W), 2 p.m.

Michigan vs. Ohio (V), 2:30 p.m.

Monday, July 25

Illinois vs. Missouri (V), 9 a.m.

Ohio vs. Iowa (W), 9:30 a.m.

District 20 vs. Michigan (V), 11:30 a.m.

Indiana vs. Kentucky (W), noon

Tuesday, July 26

Quarterfinals (V), 9 & 11:30 a.m., Quarterfinals (W) 9:30 a.m. & noon

Wednesday, July 27

Semifinals (W&V), 10 a.m.

Championship (V), 3 p.m.

— Winner advances to Senior League world Series, Easley, S.C.