Polo boys basketball won the LaMoille tournament title as JT Stephenson and Mercer Mumford combined for 39 points. Dixon boys hoops won, Sterling loss and more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

A selection of the top sports photos in the Northwest Herald in 2025, by Shaw Local photographers.

Marquette's Alex Schaefer became the first Crusaders wrestler to reach 100 career wins, and the team claimed the title of the Silver Bracket at the ABE's Rumble in Springfield. Plus more results from around the Times area.

Newman boys basketball is 15-0 after winning Erie-Prophetstown's Cliff Warkins Memorial Tournament title. E-P wrestlers Rozlyn Mosher and Michelle Naftzger won titles at Ottawa, and more in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

La Salle-Peru's Kiely Domyancich and Marquette's Lily Deibel were among the individual girls wrestling champions crowned Tuesday at the 2025 Ottawa Holiday Hootenanny.

City spokeswoman says vote expected "early in the new year." JCA has been told possibly Jan. 20. But no date has been set.

Erie-Prophetstown senior wrestler Michelle Naftzger is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week. She became E-P's first girls wrestler to reach 100 career wins and hopes to become a four-time state qualifier.

The Duchesses bounced back with a 52-43 win over Stillman Valley to take third at the Dixon Christmas Classic on Monday night.

Ottawa and Leland's boys basketball teams along with Marquette's girls were among those scoring tournament victories Monday, while Streator and Newark both fell and will meet each other; plus more in The Times Monday Roundup.

Newman boys basketball advanced to the E-P tournament title after a 49-46 overtime win over Galena. Xavian Prather scored 25 points in a Sterling win, Rock Falls and Dixon fell and more in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Newman's Garret Matznick scored 25 points in a win over Forreston. Rock Falls boys basketball fell, Eastland won in 3OT, Dixon's Maddie Kirby won the Geneseo bowling title and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Flanagan-Cornell's Logan Ruddy set a tournament scoring record at the Shipyard Showdown on Saturday in a win over Somonauk. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Newman nailed its first three 3-pointers to take an early lead, but Lincoln used a huge run to take control in a 61-27 victory in their Silver Bracket semifinal Saturday at the Dixon Christmas Classic.

Rock Falls boys basketball handed second-seeded Aurora Christian its first loss of the season with a first-round upset at the State Farm Classic on Friday. The Rockets will face Fieldcrest, which upset Eastland, at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

The Woodland boys basketball bounced back after a slow start to defeat host Seneca at the Shipyard Showdown on Friday, while Sandwich pulled off a huge upset in the opening round of the Plano Classic. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Dixon started off hot from the perimeter and never looked back Friday to advance to the semifinals of the Dixon Christmas Classic, building a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter in a 67-27 win over Aurora Central Catholic in their final pool-play game on Day 1.

Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155 is planning to break ground on the multi-million football stadium renovations for Prairie Ridge High School early next year.

The Bears and Cubs made returns to the playoffs. NIU football announced it was leaving the MAC. The football playoffs were expanded for the first time in a quarter century. And flag football's popularity soared. Here are sports moments that had everyone talking in 2025.

The Marquette boys basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the Shipyard Showdown Tournament with a pair of wins on Tuesday, while host Seneca, Woodland and Serena all finished the opening day 1-1. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The L-P girls basketball team won its final game at the Ottawa Holiday Tournament, plus more results in Tuesday's NewsTribune roundup.

Newman girls basketball won, Dixon boys fell at Harlem, Sterling girls bowling is 6-0 and more in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The La Salle-Peru and Fieldcrest girls basketball teams won at the Ottawa tournament, plus more results in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.

Princeton had runs of 18-0 and 14-0 as the Tigresses beat Ottawa in an Ottawa Holiday Tournament semifinal Monday.

The Seneca and Fieldcrest girls basketball teams won games on Monday at the Ottawa Holiday Tournament, while the host Pirates fell to Princeton. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

A look at where NewsTribune area basketball teams are playing for holiday tournaments.

St. Bede senior Lili McClain was voted NewsTribune Athlete of the Week after averaging 18.3 points per game over three games.

Sterling's Denver Sandrock was named swimmer of the meet after two wins. Newman's Blair Grennan won her weight class at Hampshire, Sterling girls basketball split two games and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

A shootout between Dixon and Sycamore essentially came down to one quarter Saturday night, and it was the Duchesses’ big run in the second period that sunk the Spartans in a 55-47 victory at Lancaster Gym.

The Mendota boys basketball team outscored Hall 26-7 in the second quarter en route to a 67-48 victory in the Colmone Classic championship game Saturday.

Seneca's Raiden Terry claimed the championship at 120 pounds and was also named the Most Valuable Wrestler for the lower weights at the Erie Holiday Tournament on Saturday. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The L-P girls bowling team won its own invitational, the Putnam County boys basketball team won a nonconference game and more in Saturday's NewsTribune roundup.

Fulton's Landen Leu scored 22 points in a win over Bureau Valley, Sterling boys fell at Rock Island, Oregon boys bowling is 6-2 and more in Friday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The Streator boys basketball team topped Coal City to improve to 5-0 in Illinois Central Eight Conference play while also earning a sixth straight victory on Friday, while Newark and Serena both picked up Little Ten Confer triumphs. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Sycamore scored 11 points in the final 59 seconds of the first half to turn a first-half deficit into a 71-59 victory over Dixon in a nonconference game Friday night at Lancaster Gym.

L-P adjusted to Rantoul's 1-3-1 zone and played better defense in the second half to pull away for a 59-38 nonconference victory Friday.

The Dixon Dukes host the Sycamore Spartans in a non-conference game. The game was played at Lancaster Gym in Dixon on Friday, December 19th, 2025.

Here are 45 of the best girls volleyball players across The Times coverage area, The 2025 Times All-Area Girls Volleyball Team.

Streator senior Aubrey Jacobs did a lot of everything for the Bulldogs this past season and is the 2025 Times Volleyball Player of the Year.

Ottawa received the No. 5 seed and Streator the No. 6 seed for the 62nd Plano Christmas Classic at the seeding meeting held Thursday evening. The tournament tips off Dec. 26 and runs through Dec. 30.

Newman boys basketball advanced to Friday's Forreston tournament championship against Byron. Eastland boys and girls also won tournament titles, Morrison boys wrestling beat Newman and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The Ottawa boys wrestling team defeated Streator and host Mendota on Thursday, while the Leland boys basketball team earned a victory over Amboy. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Glenbard South beat West Chicago on Thursday for its ninth victory in a row.

The St. Bede girls basketball team won big, plus more results in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

Dixon beat Rockford Christian in BNC action as Brody Nicklaus scored 18 points. Milledgeville, Oregon and Forreston boys picked up wins, Sterling girls bowling is 5-0 and more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The La Salle-Peru girl basketball team held Ottawa to seven points in the second half as the Cavaliers overcame a 10-point deficit to win 41-36.

Behind a double-double from Braden Behringer and solid defense, the Sandwich boys basketball team topped host Harvard on Wednesday, while Emma Palaschak sank eight 3-pointers and finished with 31 points to help the Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland girls to a win over Midland.

Bureau Valley freshman Carson Gruber is the NewsTribune Athlete of the Week after scoring 37 points against Princeton.

Ottawa, Somonauk and Fieldcrest boys basketball all scored Tuesday triumphs, plus more in The Times Tuesday Roundup.

Sterling boys wrestling beat Fulton 40-39, Newman boys basketball won, Dixon boys bowling is 3-0 and more in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The L-P boys bowling team topped Kaneland, the Fieldcrest boys basketball team earned a conference win and more in Tuesday's NewsTribune roundup.