Dixon's Landon Knigge was named all-state by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association after a record-breaking senior season. Newman, EPC, Forreston, Amboy, Milledgeville, Polo and West Carroll also had all-state selections from the area.

No. 1 Milledgeville (11-0) takes on 10-1 Amboy in a rematch of Week 1 and last year's 8-man state championship. Polo hits the road to South Fork looking its first state championship appearance since winning it all in 2019 and 2021.

It’s finally here. The game that area high school football fans had earmarked since the season began. Byron versus Immaculate Conception Catholic Prep of Elmhurst at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Dixon showed no quit until the very end against Coal City. Newman's seniors left their mark, and three area 8-man teams are in the semifinals in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.

The Polo Marcos downed St. Anne in I8FA playoff action on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025 at Polo High School.

Polo fell behind after an early turnover, but bounced back and got the ground game going in soggy conditions for a 46-14 win over St. Anne in their I8FA quarterfinal in Polo.

Dixon hosts Coal City on Friday in a rematch of last year's state quarterfinal. Newman is at 10-0 El Paso-Gridley on Saturday, Milledgeville and Polo host, while Amboy and West Carroll hit the road in Round 2 of the playoffs for Sauk Valley teams.

This was one of the weeks when is was hard to get motivation to do a column. Could it be from a bad head cold, writer’s block or burnout from 627 trick-or-treaters on Halloween? Sadly it is from emotional distress after seeing my beloved Rochelle Hubs lose a playoff game.

Polo grabbed momentum early, then Hiawatha fought back. But the Marcos had the answers in the second half and went on to defeat the Hawks 36-14 in their Illinois 8-Man Football Association first-round playoff game Saturday in Polo.

Polo beat Hiawatha 36-14 in the I8FA playoffs Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025.

Dixon's defense continues to help set the tone heading into the playoffs. Newman was challenged by Mon-Rose to end the regular season, and Polo's 70 points were the most the Marcos scored since at least 1935 in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.

Runners from area high schools compete at the 1A Winnebago Regional on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at the Levi and Ester Fuller Memorial Forest Preserve.

Here is some insight on who Milledgeville, Amboy, Polo and West Carroll will face in this year's Illinois 8-Man Football Association playoffs. The 9-0 Missiles are the No. 1 seed.

In an 8-man game pitting 7-1 teams, Polo's offense was potent against South Beloit in the regular-season finale for both teams

Oregon got its fifth win as Jakobi Donegan ran for 140 yards and two TDs. EPC fell to Lena-Winslow, West Carroll handed South Beloit its first loss and more in Friday's Sauk Valley football roundup.

Teams from 38 area high schools converged on the Shady Oaks Golf Club east of Amboy for the 52nd Annual Columbus Day Invitational on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. Johnsburg's Grady Smith finished first in the boys race and Winnebago's Molly Webb was the winner of the girls race.

Sterling has a big game at Geneseo, Dixon heads to Winnebago riding four straight shutouts, Newman plays at upstart Riverdale and Rock Falls faces winless IVC in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.

Polo celebrated their Homecoming with a 54-8 win over Orangeville on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.

Dixon hosts Stillman Valley, Sterling hosts Alleman, Rock Falls heads to Winnebago and Newman faces Mercer County on Saturday in this week's Sauk Valley football slate. Here are previews for all 14 games.

Milledgeville, Amboy, Morrison and Polo were among the eight teams who competed at the Polo Invite on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025 at Polo High School. Milledgeville went 8-0 to take first.

No. 3 Newman heads to Rockridge in a matchup of two undefeated teams on Friday. Dixon heads to Oregon, Sterling hosts Galesburg and more, including picks and what to watch for in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.

The Milledgeville and Polo volleyball teams each helped raise money during Tuesday's game for the family of Jacob Promenschenkel, a 2024 Milledgeville graduate who passed away from cancer in August.

Maurice De La Cruz had Sterling's best rushing game in almost three years, Dixon was dominant again, Newman's Matthew Blackert led the Comets to 4-0 and more in this week's Sauk Valley football notes for Week 4.

After a defensive slugfest in the first half, Milledgeville answered Polo's third-quarter score with three straight touchdowns in a 28-6 victory in the Battle for the Blacktop on Friday night in Polo.

Milledgeville heads just down the road to Polo for an 8-man Week 4 football powerhouse showdown Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. After a close first half, Millegeville hangs on to win 28-6.

Polo downed West Carroll in 30-20 in 8-man football action in Mt. Carroll on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.

Sterling opens Western Big 6 Conference play against Moline, Dixon hosts Rock Falls, Newman hosts E-P on Saturday and more, including picks and what to watch for in this week's Sauk Valley football previews.

One hundred and 68 runners took part in the boys varsity race at the Oregon Cross Country Open on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025 at Oregon Park West.

On a Friday when Polo and FCW fought hard for supremacy of the line of scrimmage, special teams provided the early gut punch for the Marcos on their way to a 40-20, eight-man win.

Dixon's massive game at No. 1 Byron highlights the 15 matchups in the Sauk Valley area in Week 2. Newman heads to Mendota, Sterling has a nonconference home game, Rock Falls hosts North Boone and more this Friday.

Polo scored early and often in a 50-0 win over Bushnell-Prairie City 8-man football action

Here is a look at the Week 1 football matchups in the Sauk Valley area.

A perennial state contender in the Illinois 8-Man Football Association, the Polo Marcos look to continue their winning ways behind new senior leaders.

The 2025 girls volleyball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Sauk Valley coverage area.

The 2025 season begins Friday, Aug. 29, in the Sauk Valley. Here are the game schedules for Oregon, Polo, and Forreston.

Forreston opens the 2025 football season Friday, Aug. 29, with a home game against NUIC rival Lena-Winslow. It is also Senior Night for the Cardinals. Oregon will officially open the season at Genoa-Kingston on Aug. 29. In 8-man action, Polo hosts Bushnell-Prairie City on Aug. 29.

While the Land of Lincoln has its share of Bulldogs, Eagles, Tigers and other standard nicknames, we also have some more unusual prep mascots. Here are the stories behind some of the most interesting ones

Here is a look at the top softball players from the Sauk Valley area for the 2025 season.

Here is a look at the top baseball players from the Sauk Valley area for the 2025 season.

The William and Beverly Burkardt Family Foundation has awarded 116 scholarships since 2012.

Here is a look back at the top boys basketball players in the Sauk Valley area for the 2024-25 season.

4x400 relay team of Brody Schwartz, Hayden Vinnedge, Eli Ferris and Noah Dewey blazed to a 3:27.90 to secure the win.

Freshman Jillian Hammer who placed third in the 100-meters hurdles and fifth in the 300 hurdles

The Forreston-Polo boys track team won the 1A Oregon Sectional on Friday, May 29, 2025 edging Winnebago 120 to 117.5. The Cardinals qualified individuals and relay teams to the state finals at Eastern Illinois University. Preliminaries at the state meet begin Thursday, May 29 in Mattoon.

Oregon qualified seven individuals and three relays for this week's state meet at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

Forreston-Polo took second at a competitive field at the Oregon Hall of Fame Hawk Classic on Friday.

Oregon, Erie-Prophetstown, and Forreston were three of 10 teams that competed at the girls Gebhardt-Worley Invitational track meet at Oregon High School on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

Morrison downed the Marcos in baseball and softball action on Thursday, April 10, 2025. The Mustangs beat the Marcos 16-3 and the Fillies shut out the Lady Marcos 16-0.

Dixon won a quad meet at Oregon High School on Thursday, April 3, 2024 beating Forreston, Oregon, and Dakota.

Travis Herrmann allowed three earned runs and one walk in six innings on Thursday as Hinckley-Big Rock knocked off Polo 13-8.