The Tri-County, Three Rivers East and Little Ten announced all-conference teams, plus more in the NewsTribune sports briefs.

Here is a look at BCR Softball Players of the Year from out of the past dating back to 1996. Avah Oertel is the ninth different Princeton player chosen, the fourth to repeat.

Four St. Bede players have been added to the ICA 2A All-State Softball team, having been inadvertently omitted in its first release Monday - Ava Balestri, Lily Bosnich, Emma Slingsby and Macy Strauch .

Bill Booker still loves baseball, there’s no denying that. But baseball has made it difficult for Booker to spend time with his four children - who are spread around the country - and grandchild, so he decided to retire after nearly 40 years in area dugouts.

Here are the leading ladies on the BCR diamonds representing Bureau Valley, Hall, Princeton and St. Bede.

After more than three decades and nearly 600 wins as a head baseball coach, Bill Booker has retired, St. Bede announced in a press release Friday.

Here’s a look at the area Bureau County softball leaders for the 2026 season from Bureau Valley, Hall, Princeton and St. Bede

Seventeen awards were handed out to teams and individuals during the 2026 Shaw Media Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday, June 4, 2026 at the Auditorium Ballroom in La Salle.

Here's an update of area regionals including Bureau Valley, Hall, L-P, Mendota, Ottawa, Princeton, Putnam County and St. Bede and a look ahead to sectionals.

Princeton's Jackson Mason advanced to the second day of the state tennis tournament, multiple NewsTribune-area athletes qualified for state finals in boys track and field, plus regional baseball in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

Here's an update of the Bureau County area IHSA softball postseason on May 28

Princeton's Casey Etheridge, Putnam County's Alex Rodriguez and Fieldcrest's Micheal Beckett are seeded to medal at the IHSA state track and field meet this week, while athletes from L-P, St. Bede, Mendota, Bureau Valley, Henry-Midland and Amboy also are competing.

There will be xxx Bureau County athletes competing in the 1A boys state track & field prelims on Thursday and four in the 2A prelims on Friday in Charleston.

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 27, 2026

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 27, 2026

Hayden Pfeifer pitched a one-hit shutout, Aurora Weber got the scoring started, and Emma Mino drove home three runs as Seneca softball bested St. Bede 10-0 in the Tuesday semifinal of the Class 2A Pontiac Sectional.

Just who are these namesakes on the walls? This is the second in a two-part series telling the story and history behind the namesakes of area gymnasiums, tracks and track meets.

Mendota junior Mariyah Elam won the 2A high jump title, St. Bede's Lily Bosnich and Henry-Midland's Daniella Bumber each won multiple medals and more results in Saturday's NewsTribune roundup.

Ava Balestri hit a bases-clearing in the sixth inning to help the St. Bede softball team rally to beat Prairie Central 5-3 to claim its fifth straight regional title.

A look at all the baseball regionals involving NewsTribune-area teams.

The baseball postseason starts up Monday in Illinois. Here's a look at IHSA regionals for Bureau Valley, Hall, Princeton, Putnam County and St. Bede

Henry-Midland's Daniella Bumber ran the top 400 time in the Class 1A state preliminaries, L-P and Princeton are sending athletes to boys state track and more in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

St. Bede senior Lily Bosnich and Bureau Valley sophomore Elise House will both enter Saturday’s finals of the IHSA Class 1A Girls Track and Field State Meet in Charleston ranked second in their events. Ohio's Jillian Anderson is one of 10 jumpers tied for first in high jump.

Mendota's Sebastian Carlos qualified for state track, the St. Bede and Mendota softball teams advanced to regional finals and more in Wednesday's NewsTribune roundup.

Today will officially be known as “Virginia Day” when St. Bede hosts Mendota at the Academy ball diamond. It is a tribute to a “Mom, Grandma, friend and all-time super fan.”

The Putnam County softball team rallied for a regional win, the Princeton and Earlville softball teams each scored 20 runs in regional wins and more in Tuesday's NewsTribune roundup.

Here's a preview of the Bureau County area's boys track sectionals. Amboy co-op and Bureau Valley will run at Erie and DePue, Hall, Putnam County and St. Bede wat El Paso-Gridley in 1A with Princeton and L-P at Galesburg and Mendota at Rochelle in 2A

St. Bede senior Lily Bosnich and Henry-Midland senior Daniella Bumber will be in contention for state titles this weekend at the IHSA Class 1A state track and field meet.

The Mendota girls soccer team advanced to a regional final, the Princeton and Bureau Valley baseball teams won and more in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.

A look at the softball regionals involving NewsTribune-area teams.

The La Salle-Peru softball team split a pair of games, the St. Bede and Fieldcrest boys track teams competed in the El Paso-Gridley Invite and more in Saturday's NewsTribune roundup.

Marquette's Griffin Dobberstein and Grant Dose each clubbed two-run homers, driving in seven runs between them to power the Crusaders to a 13-3 win over St. Bede to claim the honor as "King of the Valley" on Saturday at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.

The Illinois Valley Baseball ‘King of the Valley’ Tournament Update is underway. Here’s a look at Friday’s scores

The postseason starts up Monday for the Bureau Valley, Hall, Princeton and St. Bede softball teams. Here's a look at their regionals and other area sites

The St. Bede baseball team won its pool in the Illinois Valley tournament, Hall softball topped Putnam County, Princeton boys track took second in the Three Rivers Meet and more in Friday's NewsTribune roundup.

Ava Balestri hit a three-run homer to get the offense going and Macy Strauch struck out 14 batters in a two-hit shutout as the St. Bede softball team beat Dwight 12-0 in five innings in the regular season finale Friday.

St. Bede defeated Dwight on Friday, May 15, 2026 at St. Bede Academy.

William Sramek became the latest in a long line of St. Bede Academy seniors to sign their letters of content to compete athletically at the collegiate level. He signed to attend Eureka College and wrestle for the Red Devils.

Fieldcrest's Pru Mangan qualified for state in two events, St. Bede baseball and softball earned conference wins and more un Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

Fourteen Bureau County area girls punched their ticket to state from the 1A Erie Sectional Track & Field Meet on Wednesday, including athletes from the Amboy co-op, Bureau Valley and St. Bede.

The IHSA has released its 2026 baseball postseason schedules. Here are the paths awaiting teams from across the Illinois Valley, including Seneca, Princeton, Ottawa, La Salle-Peru, Streator, St. Bede, Marquette and more.

Have you ever wondered about the history of the names behind area gymnasiums, fields and tracks. Here's where you can find out.

Henry softball scored 22 runs on 15 hits in a runaway 22-6 win in Streator. In other area games, Princeton beat Orion, St. Bede topped PC in softball while PC beat St. Bede and Bureau Valley bounced Galva in baseball.

Princeton scored early and often, making quick work of the Chargers in four innings in a Three Rivers Conference softball crossover Tuesday in Orion. In other action, PC beat St. Bede in baseball 5-0 while the Bruins turned the tables in softball for an 18-5 win

Four programs who have won four state championships and made 10 state tournament appearances between them since 2015 headline the the inaugural Illinois Valley Baseball Tournament to be held Friday and Saturday at Schweickert Stadium and JA Happ Field in Peru.

Here's a preview of the Bureau County area's girls track sectionals. Amboy co-op, Bureau Valley, DePue, Putnam County and St. Bede will run at Erie in 1A with Princeton, L-P, Mendota, Ottawa, Streator at Mendota in 2A.

A look at the top performances for track and field athletes in the NewsTribune area for the 2026 season.

The St. Bede baseball and softball teams beat Putnam County, the La Salle-Peru girls track and field team won the Illinois Valley Meet and more in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.

Here are the leading Bureau County girls track & field athletes, representing ALO, Bureau Valley, DePue, Hall, Princeton and St. Bede on May 12

NewsTribune area athletes rank among the state's best this season and more in the NewsTribune track and field notebook.