Sauk Valley

Augustana College announced more than 1,200 students were named to the dean’s list for the 2024-2025 fall semester.

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.

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.

Sterling used a dominant overall team performance to win its first regional title since 2019 on Thursday night, defeating Plano 70-38. 'We can make it far if we work as a team.'

Newman built an early lead but fell short to River Ridge/Scales Mound in the regional championship on Thursday night. 'My girls did a great job out there, and I’m proud of them.'

Rock Falls senior basketball player Ryken Howard, who has been one of the top producers for the 21-win Rockets, is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is his Q&A with sports reporter Drake Lansman.

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's energy and advantageous defense helped fuel a complete team win over Eastland on Tuesday. The Comets will play River Ridge-Scales Mound in a rematch for the regional title at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Mason Coulthard, an eighth-grade student from the Lena-Winslow School District, emerged as the 2025 Carroll, Jo Daviess, Stephenson Regional Spelling Bee Champion.

Beethoven’s famous “Fifth Symphony” and Young Artist Rileigh Wren will highlight Clinton Symphony Orchestra’s annual Family Concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, in the Morrison High School Auditorium, 643 Genesee Ave., Morrison.

K.C. Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest awards were presented Feb. 3.

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.

Experience made the difference as Plano held off a young and scrappy Sycamore team to advance to Thursday's Class 3A Sterling Regional final against top-seeded host Sterling.

Madison Austin eclipsed 1,000 career points as top-seeded Sterling looked strong to open the postseason in a 68-35 win over Rochelle on Monday night. Sterling will face Plano in Thursday's regional final at home.

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.

The 40th annual Polo Farm Toy Show will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at Polo Centennial Grade School, 308 S. Pleasant Ave., Polo.

Get caught up on news and sports in the Sauk Valley for the week of Feb. 8-15, 2025.

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.

In another classic chapter in the Dixon-Rock Falls rivalry, the Dukes rallied in the final minute, but Brody Nicklaus’ last-second deep 3-pointer rimmed out and the Rockets held on for a 48-46 win Friday at Lancaster Gym.

Many area wrestlers advanced to the sectional semifinals on Friday, Newman boys basketball won, Fulton beat Polo, Morrison beat Milledgeville, Bureau Valley beat Amboy and more in Friday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Rock Falls High School graduate Jakob Junis reportedly signed with the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday pending a physical, agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million contract. He spent last season with the Brewers and Reds as a starting pitcher and reliever.

Newman sophomore wrestler Blair Grennan, who is looking to qualify for state again this season, is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is a Q&A with the sophomore standout.

Sterling celebrated at home Thursday night after clinching the outright Western Big 6 title over the weekend, finishing off its league slate in style by using a stifling defense and big spurts to top Rock Island 60-42 at Musgrove Fieldhouse.

Camrynn Jones and Carlee Grobe combined for 50 points in Polo's win over Morrison, Oregon girls basketball beat Milledgeville, Forreston boys beat Durand and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Dixon looked sharp to finish the regular season as Hallie Williamson made eight straight shots and scored 27 points in a 57-31 win over Cuba City on Thursday night.

Joan Padilla discusses the series of regular support group and special needs care plus special activities on the February through March calendar at Hope Cancer Wellness Center

Several Sauk Valley-area students were named to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville dean’s list for the fall 2024 semester.

How will Sterling fare after winning its first Western Big 6 title? Can Dixon make another run? Will the Golden Warriors and Duchesses meet for a sectional title? Can a young Newman team make some noise? Look for that and more from Sauk Valley area teams this postseason.

Several inches of light, fluffy snow fell across Sterling and Dixon on Wednesday afternoon.

Joann plans to close 500 of its 850 craft and fabric stores – including several across northern Illinois – the company announced on Tuesday.

Kuitim Heald led a big Rock Falls fourth-quarter comeback over Lutheran, Dixon won in OT, Newman and Oregon won, Amboy girls basketball beat Morrison, Eastland beat Polo to finish as NUIC South co-champs and more in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Sterling senior Kaedon Phillips set the single season record for made free throws as the Golden Warriors beat Galesburg 66-46 in the regular season home finale on Tuesday night. 'If you can knock them down, it’s free points.'

Braden Birdsley hopes to become a high school history teacher at Sterling High School and to coach football.

The 40th annual Polo Farm Toy Show will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 1.

Newman girls basketball closed its regular season with a win over Hall, Amboy edged Fulton, Oregon won, Gus Mumford scored 25 in a Polo win and Eastland won in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Brinley Francis' post-graduation plans include a career in nursing, more specifically becoming a neonatal nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing.

Local United Ways and Culver’s are joining forces to celebrate 2-1-1 Day on Feb. 11. Visit Culver’s in Rock Falls or Dixon and mention “2-1-1 Day” to receive special $2.11 concrete mixers or cheese curds, and remember to call 2-1-1 when social service help is needed.

Here are the Sauk Valley senior bowling results for January at Plum Hollow.

The Dixon girls finished with a share of the Big Northern Conference title after falling short at Stillman Valley on Saturday. The Duchesses, Cardinals and Byron all finished with one loss in BNC play.

Oregon wrestling won the Byron Regional title, Forreston's Kendall Erdmann eclipsed 1,000 career points, Gus Mumford scored 29 in a Polo win, Camrynn Jones scored 37 in a Polo win, Sterling boys swimming took second at the Big 6 meet and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Sterling won its first Western Big 6 Conference title outright in its sixth year in the league after a win over Moline paired with a Galesburg loss on Saturday afternoon. 'It’s very exciting to move up in the Western Big 6.'

A dozen local wrestlers kept their seasons alive Saturday at the Class 2A Dixon Regional at Lancaster Gym, with three taking titles and three more earning runner-up finishes.

Sterling resident named to Mississippi State University's fall president’s list.

Here is a snapshot of how a federal funding freeze could affect schools in the Sauk Valley area.

To boost interest in the career, in addition to meeting the demand, the Chief Judges of Illinois have approved a tuition-free training program in exchange for a two-year employment contract with Court Reporting Services of Illinois.

Sterling bowling was second at the regional as Sarah Doughty took third, Dixon boys basketball fell in OT, Connor Keegan scored 27 in E-P's win over Newman, Sterling and Oregon won and Eastland coach Nicole Brinker won her 400th game in Friday's Sauk Valley roundup.

The Sterling and Dixon girls basketball teams are both still in the hunt for conference titles after wins, Polo beat Fulton, Morrison boys beat Amboy, Eastland beat Milledgeville and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Newman's Three Rivers East contest was called in the third quarter as a Kewanee player was taken off the court on a stretcher Thursday night. The Comets won 54-29.