West Carroll senior Emma Randecker prefers sprints. Not 5K races. Saturday, the Northern Iowa commit showed off her speed downstate, winning Class 1A titles in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes in the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet. She broke 2 state records.

West Carroll's Emma Randecker posted the top times in the 100- and 200-meter dash in Thursday's preliminaries at state track. Forreston, Newman, Oregon and Fulton also had girls advance to Saturday's finals.

Here is a look at some of the top athletes and relays to watch from the Sauk Valley area competing in 1A and 2A at this weekend's state track and field meet.

Fulton repeated as sectional champion in dominant fashion and Newman qualified eight girls for state. Bureau Valley, Amboy and Erie-Prophetstown also had state qualifiers.

Contributions throughout the team led Sterling to back-to-back sectional titles for the first time since winning five straight from 1991-95.

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Area teams compete Wednesday, May 14, 2025, for a chance to go to state at the girls Class 2A track Sectionals at Sterling High School

A fearless attitude and background in tumbling have helped Rock Falls junior Ryleigh Eriks break the school pole vault record in her first season of track & field. She is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week.

The Oregon girls won their first Big Northern Conference track & field title since 2019 on Thursday as a strong start in the field events carried over to the track.

Sterling had nine top 3 finishes to place third as a team at the Western Big 6 Conference meet on Thursday in Galesburg.