Catch up on the week’s top Illinois Valley news and sports in minutes for August 24-30. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

Mendota defeated Streator 8-1 during the Streator Invitational boys soccer tournament on Saturday Aug. 30, 2025 at the James Street Recreational Area in Streator. Mendota went 3-0 during Streator Boys Soccer Invitational tournament.

The Serena boys soccer team finished 1-1-1 at its own tournament on Saturday, while the Streator volleyball team placed third at the Ottawa Invitational.

The Mendota boys soccer team went 3-0 at the 30th Streator Boys Soccer Invitational on Saturday while the host Bulldogs finished 0-3 but gained valuable experience.

The Sandwich boys golf team topped both Somonauk and Serena in Friday's triangular at Edgebrook.

Streator ran 62 offensive plays to Decatur Eisenhower’s 33, outgained the Panthers by over 300 yards and did it all without completing a single pass in Friday night’s 36-14 victory at Doug Dieken Stadium

Streator defeated Eisenhower 36-14 on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at Doug Dieken Stadium in Streator. Check out photos from the game from Katy Arnold.

Shaw Local Radio is proud to bring you five high school football broadcasts on Friday night, Aug. 29, including Oregon, Genoa-Kingston, Dixon, Amboy, Streator and Mendota

The Ottawa boys golf team shot an impressive 299 to capture the title of the 11-team La Sall-Peru Invite on Thursday, while Serena and Somonauk earned wins on the volleyball court.

The Streator volleyball team - behind 11 kills from senior Aubrey Jacobs - sweep rival Ottawa 25-18, 25-22 in Thursday's match at Pops Dale Gymnasium.

Here's a game-by-game look at Week 1 across The Times area, with games including Streator, Ottawa, Marquette, Seneca, Fieldcrest, Dwight, Sandwich and Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland.

Join hosts JT Pedelty, Eddie Carifio and Sam Ramirez as they preview Week 1 in Illinois high school football in DeKalb and La Salle counties, as well as the Sauk Valley, for the Friday Night Drive podcast

Sandwich cross country ace Sunny Weber, golf teams from Ottawa, Serena and Streator, plus multiple area girls volleyball teams were victorious in The Times Wednesday Roundup.

Serena and Ottawa boys soccer, Somonauk girls volleyball and Streator boys golf were among the winners featured in The Times Tuesday Roundup.

The Streator volleyball team defeated Woodland to open the season on Monday, while Seneca, Serena, Newark and Earlville also picked up victories. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Streator's Brennen Stillwell won the individual title of Monday's Streator Bulldogs Boy Golf Invitational in a playoff, Ottawa claimed the team title of the event for the fifth straight time, and La Salle-Peru's Adan Chiu carded a hole-in-one.

Teams from La Salle-Peru, Ottawa, Streator and St. Bede all competed during the Streator Bulldog Invitational on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025 at Eastwood Golf Course in Streator.

With the Illinois high school girls volleyball season about to get underway, here are just five of the players we're expecting big things from this fall.

The 2025 high school girls volleyball season gets underway Monday, and here's our look at what to expect from teams across The Times coverage area.

When Streator takes the field to open the season against Decatur Eisenhower, Bulldogs fans will see a new Streator football team in just about every sense of the word.

Bishop McNamara opened its brand new Rich Zinanni Athletic Complex just in time to host Streator for Week 0 action Friday, Aug. 22, 2025.

The Woodland boys golf team fell to Roanoke-Benson at Wolf Creek on Friday.

Bishop McNamara saw a trio of transfers make big plays during the Fightin' Irish's Week 0 scrimmage with Streator, one that welcomed Bulldogs head coach and former Irish standout Jay Slone home.

The Ottawa boys golf team opened the season with a conference win, Streator improved to 2-0, and more results in The Times Thursday Roundup.

Here are five Times-area boys soccer players to keep an eye on during this fall season.

Here's a look at The Times-area's boys soccer teams heading into the 2025 season.

The Seneca boys golf team, led by Cody Malak's 41, won a quadrangular on Wednesday to move to 3-0 on the season.

Madelyn Martin will be continuing her education at Knox College iand her track and field career with the Prairie Fire.

Here are five Times area boys and girls golfers to keep an eye on during this fall season.

Streator, Woodland and Sandwich's boys golf teams as well as Ottawa's girls team were in action. Find out how they did in The Times Tuesday Roundup.

Streator graduate Joyce Walkling has signed on to continue her education at Illinois Valley Community College and her softball career with the Eagles.

Indyana Hernandez is continuing her education at Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby and her tennis career at the NJCAA level with the Eagles.

The 2025 girls tennis season gets underway this week. With that in mind, here is a look at the season ahead for the players in The Times area.

At The Creek in Morris, host Seneca powered past a full team from Plano and three Somonauk golfers.

Streator's Emma Rambo has decided to continue her education at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, and her volleyball career with the Fighting Bees.

The high school boys and girls golf seasons began last week across Illinois. Here are five storylines we’ll be watching in The Times coverage area in 2025.

The Illinois Central Eight Conference will actually be the ICE seven for the 2025 season. Can anyone challenge defending champion Wilmington and runner-up Coal City atop the conference standings this fall?

Brooklyn Stillwell has signed on to continue her education and dance career at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

The 2025-26 high school sports season opened on a couple area golf courses Thursday, with Seneca's girls and Somonauk's Alex Wold both victorious.

High school boys soccer practices opened up across Illinois this week. Here are five storylines we’ll be watching in 2025 across The Times coverage area.

High school girls volleyball practices opened up across Illinois this week. Here are five storylines we’ll be watching in 2025 across The Times coverage area.

Streator's Mya Zavada has signed on to continue her education and volleyball career at Illinois Valley Community College.

Local high school football coaches — Ottawa’s Chad Gross, Streator’s Jay Slone, and Seneca’s Terry Maxwell — while not quite the same as when they played, still get 'That feeling' when Friday's game day rolls around.

Streator's Emma Devera has committed to continue her education at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and her dance career at the National Dance Alliance Division I level with the SIUE Dance Team.

The Illinois high school football season kicks off later this month, and official practices begin Monday. Here are five storylines we here at The Times have our eyes on this coming fall.

Joey Puetz has signed on to continue her education at Benedictine University and her soccer career at the NCAA Division III level with the Eagles.

Streator graduate, three-sport standout and Times All-Area Football first-teamer Isaiah Weibel signed on to continue his education at Benedictine University and his football career at the NCAA Division III level with the Eagles.

Recent Streator graduate and Times All-Area Football first-teamer Tristan Finley has committed to continue his education and football career at Benedictine University.

The Illinois Valley High School Summer Golf League wrapped up its 2025 season. It consisted of eight rounds at eight different area courses. A total of 40 high school golfers from 11 different schools participated in the league this year.

Streator's Makenna Ondrey has chosen to continue her education at Lake Land College and her softball career at the NJCAA Division I level with the Lakers.