The Roundup, June 3, 2025: PND soccer secures repeat state berth, Metamora shuts out Dunlap, Washington ousted

Metamora's Nora Johnson throws a pitch. Jonathan Michel/Clutch Sports Media

Just three games comprised the Central Illinois high school sports slate on Tuesday but all three had major stakes involved, including Peoria Notre Dame girls soccer clinching a state berth behind another big performance from Ava LaFollette. 

Metamora softball earned a sectional semifinal shutout victory over Dunlap in a finish that was delayed over an hour to weather while the Redbirds’ rivals Washington fell just short against reigning Class 3A state champion Pontiac.

Check out all of the scores, recaps and top performers from the day in The Roundup!

In softball

Metamora 2, Dunlap 0: Metamora (28-7, 10-4 Mid-Illini) ousted conference foe Dunlap in the Class 3A East Peoria Sectional semifinals. Nora Johnson pitched a complete game shutout with five strikeouts and two walks, allowing three hits and coming back to record the final out after the game entered a weather delay with two strikes and two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Metamora struck first in the top of the second as Allie Lueddecke singled on a pop fly and Bailee Bender came home to score on an error. Kaidance Till hit her 17th home run of the season in the top of the fifth to set the final score. Dunlap’s Sutton Centoni struck out seven and walked five in the loss, giving up only two hits in a strong outing. The Eagles’ season ends at 28-6 while Metamora will take on Pontiac for the sectional title on Friday. 

Pontiac 4, Washington 3: A dream season came to an end for Washington as a seventh-inning rally came up just short. Washington took a 2-0 lead in the first after Jenna Flessner hit a two-run homer after a double from Peyton Swanson. Pontiac seized the lead in the top of the third, scoring on an error, fielder’s choice and sacrifice fly and adding a home run in the fourth from Elena Krause, who struck out 12 Panthers and allowed seven hits. Washington’s Baylee Parrott singled in Addy MacGregor to draw the their team within one in the bottom of the seventh with no outs, but two strikeouts from Krause ended the game. Devon Mlekush had two triples and Flessner struck out six in a complete game for the Panthers, whose season ends at 31-3.

In girls soccer

Peoria Notre Dame 3, New Lenox Providence Catholic 0: PND (25-1-1, 9-0-1 Big 12) punched its ticket to the Class 2A State Finals after Ava LaFollette scored a hat trick in the final 24 minutes, giving her 57 goals on the season. After LaFollette was stopped on a penalty kick with 28:53 left in the game, she curled a shot in with 23:25 left, then dealt two daggers in the final six minutes to set the final score. The Irish will play Springfield in the Class 2A State Semifinals at North Central College in Naperville on Friday at 2:30 p.m.