The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is gearing up for its baseball playoffs, but one local program will be missing from the bracket.
East Alton‑Wood River Opts Out
East Alton‑Wood River (EA‑WR) announced that it will not compete in the upcoming regional quarterfinals, citing an insufficient roster. Athletic director Mark Beatty explained that the school chose to withdraw rather than risk financial penalties that could have been imposed for fielding an under‑strength team.
This marks the second postseason event the school has withdrawn from this spring, underscoring the ongoing challenge of maintaining a viable baseball program amid dwindling participant numbers.
Playoff Landscape Across Classes
Across the state, teams have been seeded into four divisions. In Class 1A, local contenders include Bunker Hill, Greenfield, Carrollton, Calhoun and North Greene. Class 2A features Roxana, Marquette Catholic, Carlinville, Gillespie, Southwestern, Staunton and Metro‑East Lutheran. Class 3A will see Jersey and Civic Memorial represent the area, while Edwardsville, Granite City and Alton are slated to compete in Class 4A.
The first round of regional quarterfinal games is scheduled to begin on May 25, setting the stage for a series of matchups that will determine which squads advance to the later stages of the tournament.