"The amount of people who told you can’t win at Northern Illinois, it’s too tough of a place, I just never believed that." Ryan Copeland proved himself right, as the NIU baseball team found out it's heading to Tallahassee for its first NCAA CWS regional since 1972.

Sycamore's 4x800 relay raced together for only the fourth time Saturday and earned the Class 2A fourth-place state medal in Charleston. The Spartans' Krista Cobb (discus) and Sydney Fabrizius (pole vault) also won medals.

The NIU baseball team won the MAC tournament for the first time in its last year in the conference.

Lilliyana Crawford powered Kaneland's softball regional victory and more in the roundup.

Alex Casanas won three events as Hinckley-Big Rock won a boys sectional track championship for the first time. Indian Creek was third behind throwers Wyatt Gletty and Isaac Willis.

Sycamore pole vaulter Sydney Fabrizius and Kaneland pole vaulter Delainey Baran reached the state finals along with the Spartans' 4x800-relay team, Genoa-Kingston soccer won a regional title, Sycamore tennis qualified three for state and more in the roundup.

Taylor Vescogni struck out 12 in a one-hit shutout, Addie Piecha drove in three runs and the La Salle-Peru softball team beat Sycamore 3-0 to win the Class 3A Sterling Regional for the Cavaliers' first regional title since 2013.

Charlotte Yates's first goal of the season opened up the Sycamore scoring, Cortni Kruizenga's two goals in 80 seconds sealed it, and Izzie Segreti had a wild Hail Mary go in as the Spartans beat Rock Island 5-0 to claim a regional title Friday.

The Sycamore girls soccer team defeated Rock Island Friday afternoon to win the Class 2A regional final at Sycamore High School.