IHSA 1A Baseball: Marquette’s Hayden McKenna sees similarities in Cru’s state teams

When asked which team would win if they played each other, the 2019 IHSA Class 1A state championship Marquette team or the current Crusaders playing in this weekend’s state tournament in Peoria, Marquette’s Hayden McKenna broke into a big smile, rolled his eyes and said, “Oh, noooo. ...”

McKenna, three years ago a freshman bullpen catcher for MA’s postseason title run, is today the starter behind the plate and a batting order mainstay on the Cru team that will play Mount Sterling Brown County in the 1A semifinals at 10 a.m. Friday at Dozer Park.

He knows both teams as well as anyone and truly would hate to have to pick one over the other.

“It would be too tough to choose,” McKenna said with a laugh. “Both teams are very talented, and I’ve enjoyed them both. The team when I was a freshman had the pitching, the hitting and the defense, but so does this team, maybe with a little deeper pitching. I know definitely that they both have the guts to be a champion. Maybe, I’d take the 2019 team, but I don’t know. It’s a pretty big maybe.

“I’ve had this debate with Beau and Brady Ewers, and they definitely say it’s this year, but I don’t know. That’s a really tough decision to make. I’m glad I don’t have to make it.”

In his freshman season, McKenna was the JV starter and came up to the varsity late to back up starter Jay Scott and warm pitchers in the bullpen. He played in six games and batted 10 times, getting four hits while scoring three runs and driving in four.

Those 33-1 Crusaders in 2019 cruised in the first round at Dwight but had to fight past Delavan, 2-0, and LeRoy, 1-0, at the Wesleyan Sectional before besting Catlin Salt Fork, 10-4, at the supersectional, again at Wesleyan.

This spring as a senior, McKenna is a proven hitter (.368, 27 RBIs in 87 at-bats) and leader, helping the 31-3 Cru to walk-off wins in three of their first four postseason games before the 12-1 win over Sterling Newman in the Rockford Supersectional on Monday.

This Marquette team is hoping to duplicate 2019′s success in Peoria, where the 10-8 semifinal win over Harvest Christian and the huge 14-5 title game win over Waterloo Gibault were icing on the cake.

“Both teams had a lot of faith, faith in themselves, a lot of straight hard work,” McKenna said. “Then you had guys like Jack Snook, Logan Komater, Hayden Price, both [Nate and Nick] Melvin brothers, Luke Couch, Shane Reynolds, the kind of guys who would do whatever it takes to get to that point. Now, on this team, you have guys the Ewers, Logan [Nelson], Sam [Mitre], Julian [Alexander], guys who are willing to work for what they want. It reminds me of back in the day in 2019.”

McKenna feels both teams have similar fun-but-focused personalities and work ethics, and are solid afield at every position. He adds that this year’s staff is a little deeper with quality arms.

“I’ve talked to Hop about this, and this is the deepest pitching staff we’ve ever had,” McKenna said. “Guys like John [Thompson] and Bryce [Foster] were really good pitchers who were iron-willed, tough and very talented, but we’ve got more of that now with Taylor [Waldron], Aidan [Thompson], Logan and Carson [Zellers]. I look at them and I see them as just as iron-willed.”

The biggest thing McKenna learned from the leaders of his first team that he’s trying to impart to his current teammates is to keep their heads down, and when mistakes happen, put them in the past and stay tough and in the moment.

“The regional and sectional were one thing, the supersectional was a little above that, but state was like 10 times more special,” McKenna said. “Whether it was the park, the fans, the food, the teams, I don’t know, but it was way more special. The freshmen now have high expectations, but I don’t think they expect how big it really is. Everything about it brings out the sunshine that you feel. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s something very different.

“My advice to them is to stay focused on the field and what’s happening there. Just play it like any other game and play good ball. Of course we want to win it all, but we also know in another week, this will all be a memory. If we give all effort, have fun and walk away with no regrets, we’ll have something to cherish the rest of our lives.”