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Top-10 Stories Of 2025: No. 5 Ottawa Marquette Wins Back-To-Back 1A State Titles

December 25, 2025
By: Gavin Smith
Manager, Content & Operations, Area Scout

The Ottawa Marquette Crusaders capped off their 2025 season with back-to-back 1A State Championships, marking their third first-place finish under head coach Todd Hopkins. Last season, the Crusaders went 35-3 with a 15-1 conference record. With Coach Hopkins at the helm, Marquette has continually established itself as a top 1A program in the state, especially as of late, having reached the state finals in five of the last seven seasons.

The team was led by RHP/SS Alec Novotney (2026; Valparaiso commit), who tallied a .405 batting average with 12 extra-base hits and 44 runs scored. On the mound, he totaled 114 strikeouts over 58 innings pitched, compiling a 9-0 record while allowing just one earned run, 21 hits, and six walks. Senior 1B Sam Mitre (Parkland JC) led the team offensively, hitting .465 with 41 RBIs, 17 doubles, and three home runs, and he capped off his season with a walk-off hit to win the State Championship. Another senior who impacted the lineup in a major way was C Keaton Davis (Spoon River JC), who drove in 32 runs, tallied 17 extra-base hits, and posted a .434 batting average.

It’s hard not to mention the impact that MIF Griffin Dobbertstein (2027) and MIF Anthony Couch (2026; Spoon River JC) had at the plate as well. Dobberstein scored 45 runs while hitting .340, and Couch posted a .370 average with 37 RBIs, 10 doubles, and three home runs.

The Crusaders pitching staff was dominant combining for 353 strikeouts over 224 innings while allowing 43 runs. Novotney, Couch, Dobberstein, RHP Easton DeBernardi (2027), RHP Grant Dose (2026), and RHP Jaxsen Higgins (2026) all helped lead the staff last season.

While losing only four seniors from last year’s group, it’s easy to imagine yet another big season for the Ottawa Marquette Crusaders in 2026.

Read the 1A State Championship game recap, below.

1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

The 1A State Finals took place Saturday afternoon between Ottawa Marquette and Father McGivney. 

Father McGivney got on the board early as they scored three runs in the first inning, capped off by a 1B Mason Holmes (2025; Hendrix) RBI single, and CF Ben Sink (2026) also drove in a run with a sac fly.

Marquette would respond in the bottom half thanks to a solo home run from P Griffin Dobberstein (2027). Marquette would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth as CF Grant Dose (2025) would connect on a sac fly, followed by an RBI single from RF Jaxsen Higgins (2026).

Father McGivney would regain those runs in the top of the fifth as 3B Justin Terhaar (2025; Missouri-St. Louis) would connect on a two-run single.

The Crusaders would respond in the bottom of the fifth as 1B Sam Mitre (2025; Parkland) connected on a hard grounder down the first-base line to drive in a run.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Crusaders would bring in the tying run on a wild pitch. Mitre would come up with two runners on and deliver the winning hit as Ottawa Marquette becomes back-to-back 1A State champions.

THIRD PLACE GAME

The 1A Third Place game took place Saturday morning between Pawnee and Lexington. Lexington jumped on the board early as SS Drake Powell (2026) and 3B Miles Lainhart (2026) each connected on RBI singles to give the Minutemen a 2-0 lead. Lexington would tack on two more runs as Lainhart and 1B Jaxson Goodrich (2025) each connected on RBI singles to give Lexington a 4-1 lead. Pawnee would score eight runs between the fourth and sixth innings. 2B Carson Morell (2026) would cap off a two-run inning for the Indians in the fourth. 1B Coy Clarke (2025; Spoon River) would drive a ball into right field for a two-run single to Pawnee, the lead in the fifth. C Carson Wort (2025; Rend Lake) launched a two-run home run to highlight a four-run sixth inning for the Indians to give them a 9-4 lead. RHP Gavin Greer (2028) would pick up the win on the mound as he struck out five batters through four and a third. Pawnee would claim the 1A Third Place trophy.

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