The junior high school baseball and softball seasons came to an end last week with a few local squads battling in Southern Illinois Jr. High School Athletic Association state tournaments.

The most notable local finish was that of legendary longtime baseball coach Mark Vogel’s Waterloo Jr. High School squad.

The Bulldogs (16-6) faced Belleville’s Whiteside Middle School in the championship game of the SIJHSAA Class L state tournament Thursday in Marion. The Bulldogs fell 7-3, taking home second place. 

WJHS advanced to the final with an 8-3 victory last Tuesday over West Frankfort Central.

Thursday marked the end of Vogel’s Hall of Fame coaching career. He retired from coaching the high school Bulldogs this past spring, but stayed on one more season at the helm of the junior high squad.

Vogel ended his WJHS coaching days with 574 victories and three state titles. This year’s team gave him his sixth state runner-up trophy.

In all, WJHS has won five state baseball titles – the first two under legendary head coach Lon Fulte.

In other SIJHSAA tourney action from Thursday, Smithton lost 9-3 to Pinckneyville in the Class M state baseball final, and Dupo Jr. High School lost 11-1 to Smithton in the Class M state softball third place game.   

Smithton’s baseball squad won 5-4 over St. Teresa last Tuesday to make the final. 

The Dupo and Smithton softball squads lost their respective state games last Tuesday.