IHSA

Cole Mulnix, 6-8 junior center, came off the bench and scored 10 points, all in the second half, with several blocked shots, to give the Rock Falls the spark it needed to lift it to a 49-43 win over Princeton in the Class 2A Marengo Sectional championship.

Rock Falls defeated Princeton 49-43 to win the Class 2A Sectional final on Friday, March 7, 2025 at Marengo High School. Rock Falls wins their first Sectional since 2006. Princeton ends their season with a record of 21-12.

Cissna Park defeated St. Edward 50-44 to win the Class 1A third place game on Friday, Mary 7, 2025 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. The Lady Timberwolves finish the season 30-5 and St. Edwards wraps up their season winning fourth place with a record of 26-10.

Rock Falls meets Princeton Friday, March 7, 2025, in the boys basketball Class 2A Sectional final in Marengo. Rock Falls took the win 49-43 for their first Sectional since 2006.

Eastland went on the road and defeated top seeded Pecatonica on their home floor to take the Sectional Friday, March 7, 2025. Photos. by Erin Henze - Shaw Local News Network

Montini Catholic played Quincy Notre Dame on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. Montini will play St. Ignatius College Prep for the Class 3A State championship on Saturday at 6p.m.

The Joliet West speech team concluded their strongest season in team history with two students placing at the state tournament Feb. 23, following a first place team victory at sectionals.

Peoria beat L-P 51-36 during the Class 3A Sectional semifinal game Wednesday, March 5, 2025 at Washington High School.

Eastland and Dakota face off in the boys basketball Class 1A Sectional semifinal Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at Pecatonica High School. Eastland won 55-39.

Bishop McNamara defeated Joliet Catholic Academy 79-67 in the IHSA Class 2A Peotone Sectional semifinal on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, to advance to Friday's sectional championship.

Rock Falls and Winnebago battle it out in Marengo in the boys Class 2A Sectional semifinal Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Rock Falls took the win 42-40 on a last second bucket. The Rockets will play for the Sectional title on Friday.

The Cissna Park Timberwolves earned a 47-35 victory over St. Teresa in the IHSA Class 1A Blue Ridge Super-Sectional on March 3, 2025, to advance to the girls basketball IHSA Class 1A State tournament next weekend.

Sterling and Washington met on the court in Rochelle for the girls basketball Class 3A Supersectional Monday, March 3, 2025. The game went into OT with Washington winning 58-54.

Images from the 2025 IHSA Boys Wrestling Dual Team State Championships in Bloomington on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

Images from the 2025 IHSA girls wrestling state championships in Bloomington on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

Rock Falls freshman Akira Schick was sixth at the state wrestling tournament, Erie-Prophetstown junior Michelle Naftzger took fifth and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Eastland beats Newman 55-44 to take the West Carroll 1A Regional title Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Photos by Erin Henze - Shaw Local News Network

A hot start and some smothering defense led to a regional title for Eastland on Friday night. The Cougars hit their first four shots, and Newman never recovered after several early turnovers in a 55-44 loss in the Class 1A West Carroll Regional final.

L-P beat Streator 49-46 to win the Class 3A Regional title on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 in Sellett Gymnasium at L-P High School. L-P will play in the Class 3A Sectional on Wednesday, March 5, at Washington High School.

Rock Falls and Riverdale face off for the Class 2A Regional title at Bureau Valley Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Rock Falls won a thriller 61-58 in overtime on a Kuitim Heald 3-pointer with one second left.

Evan Bushman's clutch 3-pointer lifted fifth-seeded Newman over fourth-seeded Galva, Eastland beat Fulton, Forreston won and Amboy fell to Annawan to Thursday's Sauk Valley area regional semifinal matchups.

Local rivals Dixon and Sterling play for the Class 3A Rockford Boylan Sectional title Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Sterling won the defensive battle 39-30.

L-P beat Dixon 53-50 in overtime during the Class 3A Regional semifinals on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 in Sellett gymnasium at L-P High School. The Cavaliers will play the Streator Bulldogs for the Regional title on Friday at 6p.m.

Streator hangs on to beat Ottawa 41-39 during the Class 3A Regional semifinal game on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 in Sellett Gymnasium at L-P High School. The Bulldogs will play in the Regional finals on Friday at 6p.m.

Rock Falls takes on Oregon in the semifinal of the Class 2A boys basketball Regional at Bureau Valley. Rock Falls won 58-38.

Riverdale and Bureau Valley clash on the court in the Class 2A boys basketball Regional semifinal at Bureau Valley. Riverdale won 68-59 and will take on Rock Falls on Friday.

After jumping out to a big lead with several early pins, Oregon held off Newman's comeback attempt to win the Class 1A Oregon Dual Team Sectional 39-30 on Tuesday night at the Blackhawk Center.

Cissna Park/Christ Lutheran beat Flanagan-Cornell Woodland 42-30 during the Class 1A Sectional semifinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 at Midland High School.

Amboy takes on Morgan Park Academy in Class 1A Sectional girls basketball Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at Hinckley-Big Rock High School. Amboy took the win 54-26 and will face St. Edwards Elgin for the Sectional title.

Yorkville Christian faces off against St. Edward's Elgin in Class 1A Sectional girls basketball Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at Hinckley-Big Rock High School. St. Edwards took the win and will play for the Sectional title on Thursday.

A career game by Garret Matznick and a fourth-quarter defensive change helped spur a late surge that lifted Newman to a 68-57 win over Milledgeville in their Class 1A West Carroll Regional quarterfinal.

Eddie Jones and Ezra Parker combined for 44 points as Amboy won its first postseason game since 2017, Forreston and Eastland won, and Fulton beat Polo in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Marquette beat Dwight 66-33 during the Class 1A Regional quarterfinal game on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025 in Bader Gym at Marquette High School. The Cru will play Hinckley-Big Rock at 6p.m. on Wednesday in the Regional semifinals.

St. Bede beat Ashton-Franklin Center 64-47 during the Class 1A Regional quarterfinals on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025 at St. Bede Academy. The Bruins will play Forreston in the Regional semifinals on Wednesday, at 7:30p.m. in Amboy.

Amboy grad and Illinois Wesleyan senior guard Mallory Powers was named to the All-CCIW First Team on Monday for the second straight season. The Titans host the CCIW Tournament this Friday to Saturday.

Sterling sophomore Sarah Doughty finished 19th at the state bowling meet, the Golden Warriors swimmers took third and Conner Porter qualified for state in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The boys individual wrestling season comes to a close with titles bouts Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at State Farm Center in Champaign.

Newman's Briar Ivey will wrestle for the 157-pound state title on Saturday as the Comets, Erie-Prophetstown, Oregon and Sterling each have wrestlers remaining. Eastland's Peyton Spears eclipsed 1,000 points and Sterling's Sarah Doughty is in 20th at State bowling.

Dixon and Rockford Boylan face off for the Regional final Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025 in Freeport. Dixon won the game 50-20. Photos by Erin Henze/Shaw Local News Network

Newman takes on River Ridge/Scales Mound in the Class 1A girls Regional basketball final at Forreston Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. Newman took the loss 48-43.

Oregon girls basketball was proud of its progress after reaching its first regional final since 2014. State boys wrestling and boys basketball was also in action in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup

Dixon was efficient on offense and smothering on defense Thursday night, defeating Boylan 50-20 in the Class 3A Freeport Regional final to take home its second title in as many years.

Nico Battaglia set Sterling's single-season record for 3-pointers, Newman boys basketball won, Dixon fell, Eastland won the NUIC South, Amboy beat Polo 51-50 and the Amboy girls advanced in the postseason in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Newman and Eastland face off in the 1A regional semifinal at Forreston Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. Newman took the win and will play for the title on Thursday against River Ridge.

Aniyah Sarver and Sarah Eckhardt combined for 20 points as fifth-seeded Oregon beat third-seeded Hall to advance to Thursday's regional championship against Riverdale. Forreston boys also beat Amboy in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Hot starts to both halves sent Dixon past Belvidere 58-28 in their Class 3A Freeport Regional semifinal on Monday night. The Duchesses went on 19-0 runs in both the first and third quarters to take control.

Sycamore faces off against Plano in the girls basketball 3A regional semifinal Monday, Feb. 17, 2025 hosted by Sterling High School. Plano won 61-51 and will play Sterling for the regional title on Thursday.

Sterling meets Rochelle in the girls basketball 3A regional semifinal Monday, Feb. 17, 2025 hosted by Sterling High School. Sterling won 68-35 and will play Plano on Thursday.

Newman's Blair Grennan and Rock Falls' Akira Schick advanced to state wrestling, Sterling's Sarah Doughty won the sectional bowling title to reach state, postseason girls basketball kicked off and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Newman's Briar Ivey handed Riverdale's Blake Smith his first loss of the season to win a sectional title on Saturday in Oregon. Daniel Kelly also avenged a previous loss to take third as he and Landon Near also advanced to state for the Comets.