Fulton's Braedon Meyers pitched a two-hitter in a 5-0 win over Orion as the Steamers won a fifth straight regional title. Forreston also won a Class 1A regional title after beating South Beloit 22-2.

This year's Fulton softball team raised the bar after the Steamers finished in the Sweet 16 for the first time and won back-to-back regional titles. Fulton fell 8-2 on Friday to a Dakota team that took fourth at state last year.

Belle Curley of Fulton softball is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week, presented by Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning. She led off with four hits in the win over top-seeded Morrison to help the Steamers win back-to-back regional titles for the first time. Here is her Q&A.

Fulton and Dakota softball meet at Eastland Friday, May 29, 2026, for the Class 1A sectional title. Dakota took the title 8-2.

Morrison's 4x200 relay broke its own state record in Thursday's Class 1A preliminaries. Here is a roundup of area competitors from the opening day of the IHSA state boys track and field meet.

Chase Dykstra pitched a perfect game with 15 strikeouts to send Fulton baseball to Saturday's regional final. Forreston baseball won, Eastland beat Milledgeville and Oregon softball fell against North Boone in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The IHSA boys track and field state meet takes place Thursday through Saturday at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Here is the full list of state qualifiers from the Sauk Valley area. Dixon is chasing a state trophy in 2A and Morrison is the defending 1A champion.

Fulton's Zoe Kunau picked quite the moment to launch her first career home run. Kunau hit a two-run walk-off blast to send the Steamers into Friday's Class 1A Eastland Sectional softball final against Dakota.

Fulton softball took the sectional semifinal win 5-4 over Orangeville at the Eastland 1A sectional Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

Here is a look at where area baseball teams are opening play in the IHSA postseason. Newman received a No. 1 seed in its Class 3A debut, Dixon is a No. 2 seed, Forreston is a No. 1 seed in 1A and Fulton is a No. 3 seed.

Oregon sophomore Jillian Hammer won the IHSA state title in the 300 hurdles and took third in the 100 hurdles. Newman, Forreston, Amboy, Bureau Valley, Fulton and Dixon also had strong finishes in Charleston.

Fulton softball won back-to-back regional titles for the first time in school history after beating top-seeded Morrison 9-5 in Friday's Class 1A Newman Regional final. 'Everyone put together something that was so special and really made a difference.'

Fulton defeated Morrison 9-5 Friday, May 22, 2026, to take the Newman Class 1A softball regional.

Newman, Forreston, Bureau Valley, Oregon, Fulton and Amboy had girls advance to Saturday's state track and field finals. Bureau Valley softball advanced in the postseason, Sterling baseball won twice and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Morrison boys track and field took third at the Class 1A Erie Sectional on Thursday, and Erie-Prophetstown was fifth as area athletes qualified for the state meet next week.

Local teams competed for a chance at the at state tournament Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in boys Class 1A track and field held in Erie. Photos by Jessie Ottens

Forreston’s Darin Greenfield had six RBIs in a 25-4 baseball win over Eastland, Spencer Nye had three RBIs for Milledgeville, Dixon softball fell in postseason action and more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The IHSA girls track and field state finals take place Thursday through Saturday at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Here is the full list of state qualifiers from the Sauk Valley area.

Fulton freshman Kerby Germann had the walk-off hit, and Jessa Read pitched a complete game in a 4-3 regional semifinal win at Newman. The Steamers advance to face top-seeded Morrison in Friday's regional title game.

Here is a look at the sectional meets that local boys track and field athletes are competing in on Wednesday and Friday. Dixon is looking for its first sectional title since 2002. Morrison and Forreston-Polo are defending sectional champions.

Fulton beats Newman 4-3 in a walk-off Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the Newman Class 1A softball regional semifinal.

Dixon's Daniela Lovett qualified for state track in the 3,200 after running a personal best. Newman and Erie-Prophetstown boys track had wins at the Three Rivers meet, Fulton softball won the NUIC West and more in Friday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Derek Prieto won the 200 and 400 as Sterling took third at the Western Big 6 Conference track and field meet. Dixon's Brady Lawrence pitched a complete game, Dixon softball won 14-1 and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Newman's sprinters had a big day and the Fulton girls took second at the Class 1A Erie Sectional track and field meet on Wednesday. Amboy, Bureau Valley, Erie-Prophetstown and Morrison also had girls qualify for state.

Local teams Amboy, Erie-Prophetstown, Fulton, Bureau Valley, Morrison, St. Bede and Newman compete with others in the Erie Girls Class 1A Sectional track and field meet Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

Here is a look at where the Sauk Valley girls track and field teams will be competing on Wednesday and Friday with a shot at qualifying for state. Fulton, Oregon and Sterling all won sectional titles last season.

Sterling's Lily Martinez hit two home runs in a 16-1 softball win over Rock Falls. Newman softball won 11-1, Forreston baseball beat Milledgeville 6-0, Dixon boys track took second in Geneseo and more in Friday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Dixon baseball rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn a 4-3 walkoff win over Byron. Sterling girls track took second at the Big 6 meet, Oregon was second at the BNC meet, Fulton was second at the NUIC meet and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The IHSA has released the postseason softball schedules. Here is a look at where Sauk Valley area teams are competing. Morrison received a No. 1 seed and will compete at the Newman regional. Oregon and Milledgeville are No. 2 seeds.

Milledgeville softball beat Morrison 4-3 to take first in the NUIC South. Layla Wright had two home runs for Sterling, Dixon softball beat Oregon 2-1, track and field results, and more in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Madisyn Eikenberry led Rock Falls with five RBIs in an 18-3 win. Morrison softball beat Eastland 15-5, Newman softball won, Fulton's Braedon Meyers pitched a one-hitter, Dixon baseball won and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Dixon's Brady Lawrence earned a save as Dixon beat Oregon 10-8. Connor Politsch pitched a complete game in a 4-3 win over Dakota, Sterling boys tennis beat Galesburg 8-1 and more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Fulton's Zoe Kunau is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week, presented by Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning. She helped the Steamers win the Pearl City tournament and set the school's career stolen bases record this season. Here is a Q&A with her.

Here is a preview look at each baseball team across the Sauk Valley coverage area as the 2026 season is underway.

Here is a preview look at each softball team across the Sauk Valley coverage area as the 2026 season gets underway.

Here are five of the top returning baseball players to watch in the Sauk Valley area as the 2026 season gets underway. Newman, Sterling, Fulton and Forreston are among the teams with key seniors back.

Here are five of the top Sauk Valley area softball players to watch this season as the 2026 campaign gets underway.

Fulton wrestler Tessa Fosdick is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week, presented by Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning. She was one of the Steamers' first girls wrestling regional champions and won 28 matches this season. Here is a Q&A with the freshman.

Fulton fell short against Wethersfield in Monday's regional semifinal, but the Steamers still have plenty to be proud of after earning 20 wins for the first time since 1994. Fulton has been on the rise since its season was canceled just four years ago.

Newman's Blair Grennan, Fulton's Kerby Germann and E-P's Michelle Naftzger won sectional wrestling titles as six area girls advanced to state. Fulton, Polo and E-P girls basketball won, and Sterling's Sarah Doughty qualified for state bowling on Saturday.

Wrestlers from Dixon, Sterling, Rock Falls, Oregon, Erie-Prophetstown, Fulton, Polo, Rochelle, Byron and Stillman Valley, competed at the Belvidere Regional on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.

Morrison won its first wrestling regional title in school history as five wrestlers won their weight classes. Newman, E-P, Rock Falls and Fulton also had wrestlers advance to the sectional.

Several local teams hit the mats Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in the Class 1A wrestling regionals held at Riverdale (Port Byron).

Fulton's Breleigh Hayton is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week. The sophomore scored 19 points in a comeback win over Stark County and helped the Steamers go 3-1 at the Cliff Warkins Memorial Classic. Here is a Q&A with her.

EP took the win 34-32 Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2026, in Erie. -Photos by Jessie Ottens

Oregon wrestlers hosted Polo and Fulton in a triangular in the Blackhawk Center in Oregon on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.

Newman used a huge first-half run to pull away from Fulton in a 64-27 nonconference win over its former Three Rivers Conference foe Tuesday in Sterling.

Newman and Fulton girls face off on the court at Newman Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. Newman won 64-27.

Five Sauk Valley boys basketball players to watch this season include Forreston's Kendall Erdmann, Newman's Asher Ernst, Eastland's Parker Krogman, Fulton's Landen Leu and Rock Falls' Cole Mulnix.

With the 2025-26 girls basketball season getting started this week, here’s a look at the teams in the Sauk Valley area.