Rock Falls volleyball player Kaltrina Lecaj is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week. She leads the Rockets in kills, and is second in digs and aces. Here is a Q&A with the junior standout.

Dixon dominated the Big Northern Conference meet as Averick Wiseman and Dean Geiger finished first and second. Dixon girls tennis won a sectional title, Milledgeville volleyball won the Eastland invite and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Newman had its highest scoring game in at least 29 years after beating a scrappy Kewanee team 79-32. ‘It was just a weird game overall.’

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.

Erie-Prophetstown's Keegan Winckler and Gaven Adams made big plays on senior night, and Derek Naftzger blocked a punt for a touchdown in a 27-14 win over Mendota

In the second meeting between the two rivals since the Wooden Shoe came up for grabs after a brief hiatus, Morrison snapped a three-game rivalry losing streak Friday against Fulton to repossess the traveling trophy.

Led by a number of local standouts, the Sauk Valley Community College women's tennis team qualified for nationals this past weekend.

Although a shorthanded Sterling lost to Galesburg on Thursday night, the Golden Warriors still gained valuable experience as freshman Kylie Shank led the team in kills.

Miley Bickett had 17 assists in a home win for Rock Falls. Eastland volleyball beat Polo, Dixon boys soccer beat Pecatonica 2-0 and more in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Erie-Prophetstown showed its depth can get the job done, holding on to beat Newman 25-22, 25-23 in Three Rivers East Conference girls volleyball action.

Rock Falls seeks more leadership from key players after a promising start against IVC led to another loss. Dixon's Landon Knigge had a five-TD first quarter, and Sterling is looking for another bounceback in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.

Amboy's Henry Nichols took seventh and Rock Falls' Kat Scott helped lead the team to fourth at Amboy's Columbus Day invite.

Erie-Prophetstown senior volleyball player Lauren Abbott leads the 29-3 Panthers in kills, hitting percentage, aces and blocks this season. She is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week after an online vote.

Oregon's Sarah Eckardt shot a 79 on Saturday to finish in 29th at state. Sterling volleyball beat Dixon, E-P went 3-1 at the Sherrard tournament, Charles Johnson took third at the Sterling invite and more in Saturday's SVM sports roundup.

The Fulton boys golf team repeated as state runner-up in Class 1A as Owen Van Zuiden tied for fourth and Jacob Voss tied for sixth. Bureau Valley's Wyatt Novotny was individual champion.

Dixon and Newman each got their sixth wins after earning road victories. Oregon fell to Stillman Valley, Morrison and Fulton won and more in Friday's Sauk Valley football roundup.

A Brady Hartz kick return and Ryan Gebhardt field goal were Sterling's only points in a 31-10 loss at Geneseo. The Maple Leafs beat Sterling for the first time since 2014

Sterling volleyball swept Rock Island, Fulton beat Polo in three sets, Dixon girls tennis beat Newman 6-1 and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

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.

The battle for the NUIC South got even tighter after Fulton beat Eastland 25-19, 25-22 on Tuesday night. It was also Volley for the Cure night for the Steamers, who helped raise money for Rene Sanquist.

Dixon volleyball picked up a big win at Rockford Christian, Rock Falls won and Sterling took Quincy to a third set. Plus more scores in Tuesday's Sauk Valley Media Sports Roundup

Dixon's defense continues to have eye-popping numbers after a fourth straight shutout in the Big Northern Conference. Sterling is on a roll heading into a big matchup, and Matthew Blackert helped get Newman back on track in this week's Sauk Valley notes.

Dixon's Rachel Drew and Oregon's Sarah Eckardt each advanced to this weekend's state golf meet. Jacob Voss' sectional title helped lead Fulton back to state, Dixon and Sterling fell just short and more in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Dixon boys cross country topped 36 other teams at the Peoria Invite. E-P volleyball won the Sterling Invite, Sterling girls swimming took second and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Not often does a team score touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams in one game, but Matthew Blackert did that in one half for Newman on Saturday in a 46-7 home win over Mercer County.

Eastland-Pearl City beat Forreston, Fulton got in the win column, Oregon won big, E-P held on against Riverdale, Polo won and more in Friday's Sauk Valley football action.

Starters and reserves alike were making plays for Sterling in a 55-13 Homecoming win over Alleman on Friday night at Prescott Memorial Field.

Sterling High School students celebrate Homecoming with a parade prior to the Homecoming football game against Alleman. The parade took place Friday afternoon, Oct. 3, 2025.

Sterling girls tennis had some competitive wins in a 4-1 victory over Dixon. Sterling volleyball beat Moline, Polo topped Oregon and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

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.

Dixon's Brody Nicklaus was the top local finisher in Geneseo as the Dukes and Sterling each had players advance to the sectional round. Fulton advanced as a team along with multiple other local individuals in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Dixon girls golf won a regional title as Reese Dambman and Rachel Drew took first and third. Oregon girls golf also advanced to the sectional, Sterling girls swimming won, Newman volleyball beat Princeton and more in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Despite the loss, Sterling showed what it can be capable of as a team after taking Geneseo to the wire in a 25-11, 17-25, 27-25 setback Tuesday night.

Newman girls tennis topped Princeton 4-3, Sterling girls golf won on senior night, Fulton volleyball beat Milledgeville and more in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Kaltrina Lecaj helped Rock Falls deny Rochelle's comeback in the first set and finished with five aces in a 28-26, 25-17 win on Monday night.

The Lee County Historical and Genealogical Society sponsored a cemetery walk at Oakwood Cemetery in Dixon on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025.

Erie-Prophetstown senior golfer Izzy Johnston shot a personal best 85 to take first and help the Panthers win the Three Rivers Conference title. Her goal is to get to state. She is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week after an online vote.

Dixon's Daniela Lovett took fourth at the Rock River Run. Oregon's Daniel Gonzalez won the Winnebago invite, Sterling girls swimming had wins at Freeport, Milledgeville volleyball won at Polo and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Forreston held on to beat Galena 22-20 after stopping a two-point conversion on the final play. Erie-Prophetstown bounced back with a win over Mercer County, Milledgeville won 60-28, Amboy and Polo both rolled and more in Friday's Sauk Valley football roundup.

Rockridge won in the trenches in a 26-6 win over Newman in a state-ranked battle in the Three Rivers Rock. Cullen Schwigen had a rushing score just before halftime and threw two long TDs to help the Rockets pull away in the second half

Sterling posted its second shutout of the season after a 48-0 Western Big 6 Conference home win over Galesburg as the Golden Warriors rushed for five touchdowns and threw for two more

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.

Oregon boys golf shot a season low 335 to take fourth at the Big Northern Conference meet. Jackson Messenger took third, and Nole Campos tied Dixon's Brody Nicklaus for fifth. Fulton and Forreston fared well at the NUIC meet and more in Thursday's SVM roundup.

Dixon girls golf took third at the Big Northern Conference Meet after being led by Reese Dambman and Rachel Drew. E-P and Sterling girls golf won, Newman's Grace King took eighth and more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

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.

Sterling girls golf took second at the Western Big 6 Conference meet. Sterling boys golf took sixth, Dixon soccer won and more in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Rock Falls senior volleyball player Addison Miller is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week. She leads the team in blocks this season, and posted 18 solo blocks in five matches at the Byron invite.

Dixon cross country won the Kanelane invite as Averick Wiseman took second and Dean Geiger was fourth. Forreston boys golf edged Fulton at the Salley Wessels Invitational, Rock Falls' Lucas Porter won in Princeton and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Matthew Blackert, 'the Harmon Bullet,' ran for over 170 yards and three touchdowns in No. 3 Newman's 40-14 win at Orion on Friday night.