Normal Community, Dunlap, and Normal U-High Baseball Stay Atop Conferences

Washington lacrosse also dominates rival Dunlap in key matchup

Apr. 16, 2026 at 3:51am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic action of a high school baseball or lacrosse game, with overlapping planes of bright blue, red, and yellow shapes representing the players, field, and equipment.High school sports in Central Illinois continue to thrive, with top baseball and lacrosse teams showcasing their skills and competitive spirit.Peoria Today

Normal Community, Dunlap, and Normal U-High baseball teams all picked up key conference wins to stay atop their respective standings. Normal Community shut out Danville 10-0, Dunlap defeated Limestone 5-3, and Normal U-High beat Springfield 6-2. In other action, Washington lacrosse dominated rival Dunlap 7-2.

Why it matters

These wins keep the top baseball teams in their conferences in strong position to contend for titles, while the Washington-Dunlap lacrosse rivalry showcases the growing popularity of the sport in the region.

The details

Normal Community's baseball team continued its dominant season with a 10-0 shutout of Danville, led by strong offensive performances from Beckett Weber, Lucas Beaty, and Owen Weaver who each had 3 RBIs. Dunlap also stayed hot with its 12th straight win, a 5-3 victory over Limestone, behind a two-run homer and three innings of six-strikeout pitching from Brett Alkire. Normal U-High won its 8th straight game, a 6-2 triumph over Springfield, to move atop the Central State Eight standings. In lacrosse, Washington swept its season series against Pekin thanks to 5 RBIs, including a grand slam, from Sam Peters.

  • The wins keep the top baseball teams in their respective conferences in strong position heading into the final stretch of the season.
  • Washington and Dunlap's lacrosse rivalry matchup took place on April 15, 2026.

The players

Beckett Weber

A player for the Normal Community baseball team who had 3 RBIs in their 10-0 win over Danville.

Lucas Beaty

A player for the Normal Community baseball team who had 3 RBIs in their 10-0 win over Danville.

Owen Weaver

A player for the Normal Community baseball team who had 3 RBIs in their 10-0 win over Danville.

Brett Alkire

A player for the Dunlap baseball team who hit a two-run homer and pitched three innings with six strikeouts in their 5-3 win over Limestone.

Sam Peters

A player for the Washington lacrosse team who had 5 RBIs, including a grand slam, in their 7-2 win over rival Dunlap.

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What they’re saying

“We must keep our focus and continue playing at a high level to maintain our position atop the conference.”

— Beckett Weber, Normal Community Baseball Player

“This was a big rivalry win for us, and we're excited to keep our momentum going into the final stretch of the season.”

— Sam Peters, Washington Lacrosse Player

What’s next

The top baseball teams will look to continue their strong conference play in the coming weeks as they push for division titles. The Washington and Dunlap lacrosse teams will meet again later in the season for another chapter in their growing rivalry.

The takeaway

The dominant performances by the top baseball and lacrosse teams in the region showcase the strength of high school sports programs in Central Illinois, with several squads positioning themselves well for postseason runs.