Sterling high school football

On Wednesday afternoon at the Sterling Schools Foundation building in front of a crowd of friends, family, teammates and coaches, Sterling senior offensive lineman Lucas Austin made it official: he’ll play Division I football at West Virginia University next fall.

With the season in the record books, it's time to meet the 2023 Sauk Valley Media All-Area Football Team.

The 11-man football season was one to remember for several Sauk Valley area teams. Here’s a look at how the 12 teams fared in 2023.