Here is a look at the top softball players from the Sauk Valley area for the 2025 season.

West Carroll senior Emma Randecker prefers sprints. Not 5K races. Saturday, the Northern Iowa commit showed off her speed downstate, winning Class 1A titles in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes in the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet. She broke 2 state records.

Here is a look at some of the top athletes and relays to watch from the Sauk Valley area competing in 1A and 2A at this weekend's state track and field meet.

The All-Arrowhead Conference volleyball selections were announced, with West Carroll grad Lacey Eissens of Sauk Valley Community College named MVP. SVCC's Jess Johns, Maggie Richetta and Ava Wight also received honors, along with Forreston grad Brooke Boettner (Highland CC).

Here is a look at all 16 girls basketball teams in the Sauk Valley coverage area for the 2024-25 season.

Dixon is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017, Polo rolls to semifinal matchup with Milledgeville, Karter Livengood overcomes stomach virus in Missiles' win, Amboy overcomes adversity and West Carroll wrapped up a successful 8-man debut in Week 11's SVM notes.

In a dominating all-around performance in Saturday’s Illinois 8-Man Football Association quarterfinal game, Polo controlled all three phases in a 66-0 win over West Carroll.

Dixon hosts a Chicago Ag Science team coming off its first playoff win and Newman heads to Gibson City in the round of 16. In the 8-man quarterfinals, Amboy hosts Martinsville, West Carroll plays at Polo and Milledgeville plays Ridgewood in the Week 11 SVM slate.

Sterling's Drew Nettleton and Kaedon Phillips set multiple records in final game, Carter Kibble's kick return sets up Dixon's strong finish in win, Newman's offense bounces back big, E-P lost a heartbreaker and West Carroll has goal line stop to win in Sauk Valley notes.

West Carroll defensive linemen Aden Wiest and Cole Herrell stopped FCW fullback Elijah Detwiler inches short of the goal line with under a minute to play, sending the Thunder on to a 20-17 I8FA playoff win.

Dixon and Newman are set for home playoff matchups, Eastland-Pearl City plays at Rockridge in a battle of 7-2 teams and four area 8-man teams open the first round in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.

Sterling's Emily Schwingle placed fifth at the Western Big 6 Conference Meet to earn first-team all-conference, Dixon was second at the Big Northern Meet, and Forreston's Aspen McGlynn was runner-up at the NUIC Meet in Wednesday's Sauk Valley Roundup.

Fourth-ranked Dixon heads to Genoa-Kingston, Fulton and Oregon hope to get back to .500, E-PC hosts Forreston, Newman hosts Orion, E-P plays at Rockridge, Sterling heads to Galesburg and West Carroll can get to 4-0 in the Week 4 Sauk Valley football slate.

Dixon looks to keep things rolling at Rock Falls, Newman plays at 2-0 E-P, Sterling hosts United Township to open Western Big 6 Conference play, plus more matchups to watch in Week 3's Sauk Valley football slate.

Here is a capsule look at the girls cross country teams in the Sauk Valley area.

Here is a capsule look at the 2024 boys cross country teams in the Sauk Valley area.

Fulton and Sterling score boys golf victories, plus more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley Roundup.

West Carroll snapped a 24-game losing streak, Dixon's Shaner shined in his debut, and Fulton blanked Forreston during Week 1's highlights in the Sauk Valley area.

Erie-Prophetstown football held off Kewanee and a number of Sauk Valley area 8-player teams earned wins, including West Carroll snapping a 24-game losing streak in its 8-man debut

Sterling has a tough test against Metamora, Newman plays Princeton, Dixon hosts Stillman Valley, and Rock Falls hosts defending state champion Byron. Fulton at Forreston, Le-Win at Morrison, and Ridgewood at Amboy are also intriguing Week 1 matchups in the Sauk Valley area.

Here is a capsule look at the 16 volleyball teams in the Sauk Valley area. There are a number of interesting storylines and milestones among both coaches and players to look out for this volleyball season.

A preseason look at Shaw Local's eight teams playing eight-man football in 2024 – West Carroll, Polo, Milledgeville, Hiawatha, Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland, Ashton-Franklin Center, Alden-Hebron and Amboys/LaMoille.

Abelardo Sustaita’s move to West Carroll seems like a case of perfect timing. Sustaita, previously an assistant at Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio co-op, is the new head coach at West Carroll as the program moves to 8-man football this fall.

Here is a capsule look at the boys golf teams in the Sauk Valley area.

West Carroll junior Emma Randecker, who won the Class 1A 100-meter dash, took second in the 200 and was fourth in the 400 at the IHSA state track and field meet, is the Sauk Valley Newspapers Athlete of the Week in an online vote.

Eric-Prophetstown's Kennedy Buck threw her personal-best to take second in the Class 1A shot put, while West Carroll's Emma Randecker won a state title and had three top-four finishes in sprints at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet.

Oregon, Morrison baseball fell in their postseason openers Monday, plus more from around the Sauk valley area in our Monday Roundup.

Deb Schmid scored four goals to lead Oregon soccer to a win over Rosary in a Class 1A regional semifinal, Bella Duncan tossed a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts and homered twice in Morrison softball's two wins, and more in Saturday's SVM sports roundup.

Bureau Valley won the Three Rivers Conference boys track and field meet, Sterling was fourth in the Western Big Six meet and Newman baseball and softball both won in Friday's roundup.

At South Beloit, the biggest offensive output of the season lifted the Marcos to the win over the Sobos, plus more from around the Sauk Valley area Monday.

Freshman Ashton Miner hit his first high school home run in Newman's 13-0 win over Putnam County, while the Eastland and Morrison softball teams picked up wins. Plus more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley Media roundup.

The Newman baseball team swept Kewanee in a doubleheader, Polo baseball topped Hiawatha and Sterling softball routed Quincy. Plus more in Thursday's roundup.

The Dixon softball and Newman baseball teams won road games, while the Oregon girls soccer team stayed undefeated. Plus more in Thursday's roundup.

Here's a look at the 2023-24 SVM Boys Basketball All-Area Team.

Here's a look at the 2023-24 SVM Girls Basketball All-Area Team.

The Dixon baseball team and Sterling and Rock Falls softball teams all won nonconference games. Plus more in Wednesday's roundup.

Polo, Morrison, Eastland and Milledgeville all secured regional quarterfinal wins Monday, plus more from around the Sauk Valley area.

Polo and Newman girls basketball each picked up quarterfinal wins Saturday as part of the Class 1A West Carroll Regional. Plus more local results in Saturday's roundup.

Sterling senior forward Lucas Austin scored 20 points in a win over Galesburg to become the school's all-time leading scorer for boys basketball, while the Amboy girls and Oregon boys basketball teams each won on Tuesday. Plus more in our local sports roundup.

Morrison junior post Camryn Veltrop surpassed older sister Shelby to become the school's all-time leading scorer in girls basketball, while the Newman boys and girls basketball teams picked up wins on Monday. Plus more in our local sports roundup.

Sterling freshman Sarah Doughty won the Sterling girls bowling regional, while wrestlers from Oregon, Amboy, Polo and West Carroll advanced from various regionals on Saturday. Plus more in our local sports roundup.

Newman topped Morrison, Polo beat Forreston, and Ashton-Franklin Center routed Milledgeville in girls basketball games on Wednesday. Plus more in our local sports roundup.

Polo senior Brock Soltow and Eastland junior Adam Awender both reached 1,000 career points in the Cougars' 66-63 double-overtime win over the Marcos on Tuesday. Plus more in our local sports roundup.

Sterling freshman Sarah Doughty took the Western Big 6 girls bowling title with a 1,271 six-game series, while the Newman girls basketball team rolled to a nonconference win over Oregon on Monday. Plus more in our local sports roundup.

The Dixon boys bowling team is in 5th place out of 24 teams after Day 1 of the IHSA State Meet. Plus more in Friday's roundup.

Rock Falls beat Rochelle 100-78, Newman downed Alleman, and Amboy took care of Polo in boys basketball games on Wednesday. Plus more in our local sports roundup.

The Dixon boys bowling team placed 4th at the Freeport Regional to advance to the Rockford (Jefferson) Sectional, the Amboy girls basketball team topped Polo, and the Sterling and Rock Falls wrestling teams earned dual-meet wins. Plus more in Wednesday's roundup.

Dixon came back to beat Rockford Lutheran 40-36 behind senior Katie Drew's 17 second-half points, while Eastland topped Polo and Forreston downed Amboy in NUIC girls basketball games. Plus more in Thursday's sports roundup.

Newman senior Carter Rude and teammate Brady Grennen each earned titles Saturday at the Lyle King Princeton Invitational Tournament. Plus more local results in Saturday's roundup.

Newman senior forward Lucas Simpson scored 40-plus points for the third straight game as he matched his school record of 45 in a 57-56 win over Hall. In girls basketball, Dixon rolled past North Boone for a BNC win. Plus more in our local sports roundup.