With football teams around the state opening official practices for the 2025 season Monday, here are five storylines to watch in the NewsTribune/BCR area this fall.

The St. Bede football team got to face former coach Jim Eustice and his new Mendota team in a joint practice Thursday that also included Sandwich.

Mendota, St. Bede and Sandwich football teams held a joint practice on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at Mendota High School.

Chance Blumhorst is going home. The LaMoille head boys basketball coach has resigned after three seasons to take over as athletic director at Mendota High School, his alma mater.

A look at the top games to watch in the NewsTribune/BCR area for the 2025 football season.

Princeton has made five straight Class 3A quarterfinal appearances, six in the past seven years along with six Three Rivers Mississippi championships. Here’s an early look at their 2025 season, which will find the Tigers playing at home five times with four road trips.

A look at the best girls track and field athletes in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

A look at the best baseball players in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

A look at the NewsTribune area's baseball stat leaders for the 2025 season.

A look at the top softball players in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

A look at the top softball players in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

Shaw Media’s Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame banquet always comes with a lot of laughs and smiles and fun remembrances each year. This year’s sixth annual event also came with sorrow and sadness Thursday at the Auditorium Ballroom in downtown LaSalle.

A look at the best girls soccer players in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

Mendota senior Crystal Garcia had career highs in goals (31) and assists (15) to lead the Trojans to a school record for wins and their first regional title since 2012. Garcia is the 2025 NewsTribune Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

Henry's Lauren Harbison was named Class 1A First-Team All State in softball, other players from St. Bede, Princeton, Earlville, Henry and Fieldcreset also earned all-state honors and the Three Rivers announced its all-conference baseball team.

L-P junior Taylor Vescogni was named the Interstate 8 Conference Player of the Year and the Three Rivers East, Lincoln Trail and Little Ten also released all-conference teams.

Mendota senior Crystal Garcia was voted NewsTribune Athlete of the Week after scoring the only goal in the Trojans' 1-0 win in the regional championship and also scoring in the sectional semifinal.

Sandwich junior Sunny Weber completed the distance triple crown on Saturday, adding to her state cross country title won last fall by repeating as Class 2A 3,200-meter run champion and winning the 1,600 in a record-setting time. She led the area medalists in Charleston.

Sandwich junior Sunny Weber completed the distance triple crown on Saturday, adding to her state cross country title won last fall by repeating as Class 2A 3,200-meter run champion and winning the 1,600 in a record-setting time. She led the area medalists in Charleston.

Sandwich junior Sunny Weber completed the distance triple crown on Saturday, adding to her state cross country title won last fall by repeating as Class 2A 3,200-meter run champion and winning the 1,600 in a record-setting time. She led the area medalists in Charleston.

L-P senior Nick Olivero placed second in the L-P tennis sectional, the Mendota girls soccer team lost in a sectional semifinal and more results in Saturday's NewsTribune roundup.

Mendota's Mariyah Elam advanced to the 2A state finals in two events and L-P's Elli Sines qualified in one along with baseball and softball regional action in Friday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Henry-Senachwine and Earlville softball teams advanced in regional play, area boys track and field athletes qualified for state out of the El Paso-Gridley Sectional and more in Wednesday's NewsTribune roundup.

Mendota's Mariyah Elam looks to defend her 2A state high jump title, while L-P's Elli Sines and Princeton's Camryn Driscoll hope to return to the medal stand.

Crystal Garcia scored the game's lone goal as Mendota beat Princeton 1-0 in the Class 1A Mendota Regional final Tuesday, giving the Trojans their first regional championship since 2012.

Mendota defeated Princeton 1-0 to win the the Class 1A Regional final on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at Mendota High School. The Trojans will play in the Class 1A Sectional semifinal game on Saturday in Rock Island.

The Hall and Bureau Valley softball teams and Mendota baseball team won their regional openers and more baseball, softball and tennis results in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Somonauk/Leland softball team scored nine runs in the second inning to back winning pitcher Kaydence Eade in a 12-2 win in five innings over Mendota in Monday's Class 2A Princeton Regional quarterfinal in Somonauk.

Somonauk defeated Mendota 12-2 on Monday, May 19, 2025 during the Class 1A softball Regional quarterfinal game at Somonauk High School. Somonauk will play top-seed Morrison on Tuesday, at 4:30p.m. in Princeton.

The St. Bede baseball team won its 25th game, Henry-Senachiwne softball won a nonconference game and more baseball, softball and track and field results in Friday's NewsTribune roundup.

Fieldcrest's Pru Mangan and Macy Gochanour qualified for state track along with baseball and softball results in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

Girls regional soccer starts up Friday at Mendota. In Game 1, Mendota (14-6-1) meets No. 8 DePue-Hall (0-11-1) at 4:30 p.m. followed by No. 4 Princeton (12-11) vs. No. 5 Oregon (12-6-1). Here's a regional preview.

Girls track and field athletes from L-P, Mendota, Princeton and Henry-Midland qualified for state along with baseball, softball and soccer results in Wednesday's NewsTribune roundup.

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

The Henry-Senachwine softball team improved to 20-3, the Hall baseball team scored late to win and more baseball, softball, tennis and soccer results in Tuesday's NewsTribune roundup.

The L-P softball team clinched the outright Interstate 8 Conference title and more softball, baseball, soccer, tennis and track and field results in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.

Here’s a look at the all-time Illinois Valley Track & Field records, including schools in the BCR, NewsTribune and Times coverage area as of May 12, 2025

A look at the top times, distances and heights in the NewsTribune area for girls track and field.

The L-P girls track and field team is celebrating PRs with its "Strive for Gold" program, several area athletes are ranked among the state's best and more in the NewsTribune girls track and field notebook.

Henry senior Lauren Harbison broke the school record for career strikeouts in a nonconference win and more softball and baseball results in Saturday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Mendota and St. Bede baseball teams won in their last at-bat and more baseball, softball and track and field results in Friday's NewsTribune roundup.

Mendota's Mariyah Elam won three conference titles in track, St. Bede softball won and more baseball, softball, track and field and soccer results in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Fieldcrest baseball team rallied for a win and more baseball, softball and girls soccer results in Wednesday's NewsTribune roundup.

St. Bede's Lily Bosnich broke the 20-year-old Illinois Valley area record in the 100-meter hurdles in the Tri-County Conference Meet and more track and field, baseball and softball results in Tuesday's NewsTribune roundup.

Lauren Harbison hit a grand slam and threw a shutout to lead the Henry-Senachwine softball team to a win, the La Salle-Peru boys and girls track and field teams won at home and more baseball, softball, track and field, tennis and soccer results in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Mendota girls soccer team is 14-5-1 and earned the No. 1 seed in its sub-sectional. The Trojans will host a Class 1A regional that also includes Princeton, Oregon and DePue-Hall.

The L-P softball team routed Alleman, the L-P boys and girls track teams won in Mendota and more baseball, softball and track and field results in Friday's NewsTribune roundup.

The St. Bede girls track and field team won its home meet, Princeton boys tennis won and more results in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Mendota girls soccer team beat Winnebago along with baseball and softball results in Wednesday's NewsTribune roundup.

Audrey Scherer hit a grand slam and a two-run home run to lead Earlville to a win and more softball, baseball, track and field, tennis and golf results in Tuesday's NewsTribune roundup.