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Top-10 Stories of 2023: No. 10 Gibault Catholic Wins 1A State Title

December 18, 2023
By: Gavin Smith
Area Scout

Gibault Catholic capped off a 22-14 regular season with another State Title, playing a majority of 2A, 3A and 4A schools throughout the spring, including three of the state’s top teams in Mascoutah, Columbia, and Father McGivney. They knocked off Goreville in a close, 7-6 semi-final game before taking down Henry-Senachwine (22-6), who made their first ever state title appearance, by the score of 8-0 in the state title game.

The Hawks were led by seniors OF/LHP Daniel Darin (Lindenwood) and C/SS Kameron Hanvey during the regular season. On the year, Darin hit for a .382 batting average while totaling five home runs, 28 RBIs, two triples and eight runs scored. Hanvey posted a .398 batting average (team high) while also recording six extra base hits, 19 RBIs and 21 stolen bases, which also led the team. Hanvey was also the ace on the mound boasting a 9-3 record. He tallied 35 strikeouts, walked 10 and allowed 24 runs in 59 innings pitched. OF Hudson Blank (2024) was another one of the team’s top offensive threats, capping off the season in style with a two-run home run in the state title game as well as in the semi-final game. On the season, he hit two home runs with 35 RBIs, 11 extra base hits, all while posting a .396 batting average.

We’d be remissed to not mention Coach Andy Skaer, who’s been at the helm since 2005. Coach Skaer has won two state titles, taken the Hawks to three final fours, one state runner-up, three sectional titles, and five regional titles, all while amassing 244 wins since he began.

Below you’ll find our game story from the Hawks’ victory in June.

Biffar, Offense Propels Gibault Catholic To 1A State Championship

By: Diego Solares
Area Scout, Illinois & Missouri 

The 1A state championship game featured a matchup between the Gibault Catholic Hawks and Henry-Senachwine Mallards, with first pitch from Dozer Park at around noon. 

It was the Hawks who scored first, doing so on a throwing error in the bottom half of the first inning. Hudson Blank (2024) extended the inning, legging out a ground ball on a would-be double play, and he promptly stole second base a few pitches later. Blank broke for third in the same at-bat, coming around to throw on an errant throw from the Mallards’ catcher. 

Neither team scored in the second or third, but Gibault Catholic threatened twice, putting runners in scoring position in each frame and failing to capitalize. 

The Hawks added on to their lead in the fourth with a pair of runs. With two outs, Jack Keevan (2024) jumped on the first pitch he saw and sprayed it up the middle, plating a pair. Through four, Gibault Catholic led 3-0. 

Henry-Senachwine didn’t score in their half of the fifth, and the inning’s bottom frame is when Gibault Catholic really blew things open. The aforementioned Blank backspun a baseball directly over the left field fence for a two-run shot, his second such hit of the tournament. 

Brady Biffar (2024) tripled down the right field line moments after, coming around to score on a single up the middle from Ty Frierdich (2024). Peyton Schaefer (2025) flared a single to left and moving Frierdich into scoring position, and bringing Keevan back to the plate.

After spoiling a few pitches, the left-handed hitting junior split the left-center gap with a double to bring a run home. Keevan eventually scored on an infield single from Kamren Hanvey (2023), and Gibault Catholic led 8-0 with six outs to go. 

Henry-Senachwine failed to score a run in each of their next two innings, going down in order to end it in the seventh. Biffar was masterful for Gibault Catholic, navigating through the Mallards’ lineup effortlessly. He hurled a complete game shutout on just 72 pitches, striking out five, and allowing only four hits total. 

Hanvey, Frierdich, Keevan, and Tyler Frierdich (2025) all had two hits for the Hawks in their win. Keevan led the offense with three RBIs, while Blank plated a pair, and both Hanvey and Frierdich added a run each. 

This is Gibault Catholic’s second state championship, as the Hawks won the state title back in 2013, too. They’ll cap their memorable 2023 campaign with an overall record of 24-14. 

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