The girls basketball postseason gets underway Saturday. Here’s a look at all the regionals involving NewsTribune-area teams.
Class 3A
La Salle-Peru Regional
Schedule
Monday - No. 2 Sterling (21-9) vs. No. 7 La Salle-Peru (13-14), 6 p.m.; No. 3 Ottawa (18-9) vs. No. 6 Plano (18-13), 7:30 p.m.
Thursday - Championship, 6 p.m.
Worth noting: The Cavaliers have a tough opener against the second-seeded Golden Warriors, who beat L-P 58-21 on Dec. 15. However, L-P has shown the ability to win a rematch after losing the first game. The Cavs lost 47-42 to Princeton on Dec. 19 but beat the Tigresses 59-48 on Feb. 7, lost to Rochelle 61-48 on Jan. 8 but beat the Hubs 43-26 on Feb. 6 and lost 65-25 to Kaneland on Jan. 13 but beat the Knights 50-29 in the regular season finale on Tuesday. L-P also enters playing well, having won four of its last five games. The Cavs split with Ottawa (41-36 win on Dec. 17/30-25 loss Jan. 31) and lost to Plano 37-33 on Nov. 19. Sterling won regional and sectional championships last season. Ottawa won a regional title last year. L-P has not won a regional title since 1991.
Next step: The winner advances to play the winner of the Dunlap Regional in the Galesburg Sectional.
Class 2A
St. Bede Regional
Schedule
Saturday - No. 10 Monmouth-Roseville (6-21) at No. 7 Kewanee (17-12), 1 p.m.; No. 11 Rockridge (7-19) at No. 6 St. Bede (17-13), 3:30 p.m.
Monday - No. 2 Alleman (14-17) vs. M-R/Kewanee winner, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday - No. 3 Princeton (21-9) vs. Rockridge/St. Bede winner, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday - Championship, 6:30 p.m.
Worth noting: Alleman has a losing record but faces a schedule full of larger schools. The Pioneers have beaten Princeton, Monmouth-Roseville and Kewanee but have not played St. Bede or Kewanee. Alleman has won back-to-back regional titles and claimed a sectional title in 2024. Princeton started the season with 15 consecutive wins but are 6-8 since. The Tigresses lost 1,000-point scorer Camryn Driscoll to injury. Princeton, looking for its first regional title since 2007, lost 54-42 to Alleman on Jan. 17 and split two games with Kewanee. St. Bede placed fourth in state in Class 1A in 2024 but are now playing in 2A for the first time since 2018-19. The Bruins have only played Kewanee, beating the Boilermakers 50-47. St. Bede and Princeton have not played since the Bruins left the Three Rivers Conference after the 2022-23 season.
Next step: The winner moves on to face the winner of the Somonauk Regional in the Mendota Sectional.
Riverdale Regional
Schedule
Saturday - No. 9 Hall (11-19) at No. 8 Erie-Prophetstown (14-10), 11 a.m.
Monday - No. 1 Riverdale (26-3) vs. Hall/E-P winner, 6 p.m.; No. 4 Mercer County (23-7) vs. No. 5 Sherrard (17-9), 7:30 p.m.
Thursday - Championship, 6 p.m.
Worth noting: The Red Devils have not fared well against the regional field, going 0-4. Hall lost 32-23 and 33-25 to Erie-Prophetstown in Three Rivers Conference East Division play and lost 67-34 to Riverdale and 54-28 to Sherrard in Three Rivers crossover games. The Red Devils, who last won a regional title in 2019, beat Putnam County 47-35 in the regular season finale to snap a five-game losing streak. Riverdale has won back-to-back regional titles.
Next step: The winner advances the Mendota Sectional to play the winner of the Winnebago Regional.
Somonauk Regional
Schedule
Saturday - No. 9 Rock Falls (3-25) at No. 8 Mendota (10-19), noon
Monday - No. 1 Byron (27-2) vs. Rock Falls/Mendota winner, 6 p.m.; No. 4 Rockford Lutheran (19-11) vs. No. 6 Somonauk (14-13), 7:30 p.m.
Thursday - Championship, 6 p.m.
Worth noting: Mendota has won double-digit games for the first time since 2019-20 and now the Trojans look for their first postseason victory since 2020. Mendota last won a regional title in 2015. If the Trojans win, they’d have a tough semifinal matchup against former Big Northern Conference foe Byron. The Tigers have won seven regional titles, four sectional titles and two state championships in 13 seasons under coach Eric Yerly.
Next step: The winner moves on to the Mendota Sectional to face the winner of the St. Bede Regional.
Class 1A
Amboy Regional
Schedule
Saturday - No. 10 Gardner-South Wilmington (8-22) at No. 7 Marquette (9-19), TBA; No. 11 Putnam County (2-28) at No. 5 Dwight (20-11), 10 a.m.
Monday - No. 2 Parkview Christian (27-3) vs. GSW/Marquette winner, 6 p.m.; No. 3 Amboy (21-8) vs. PC/Dwight winner, 10 a.m.
Thursday - Championship, 6 p.m.
Worth noting: Putnam County is 0-3 against the field, including a 58-19 loss to Dwight on Dec. 8. The Panthers enter the postseason on a seven-game losing streak.
Next step: The winner will face the winner of the Hinckley-Big Rock Regional at the Indian Creek Sectional.
Galva Regional
Schedule
Saturday - No. 9 Stark County (14-15) at No. 8 AlWood (10-13), 11:30 a.m.; No. 13 Morrison (1-29) at No. 4 Bureau Valley (21-9), 3 p.m.; No. 12 Galva (6-19) at No. 6 Polo (19-9), 2 p.m.
Monday - No. 1 Newman (23-6) vs. Stark County/AlWood winner, 6 p.m.; Morrison/BV winner vs. Galva/Polo winner, 7:30 p.m.
Friday - Championship, 7 p.m.
Worth noting: Bureau Valley has dropped down to Class 1A. The Storm last won a regional in 2014-15 in Class 2A. BV has won 20 games for just the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2009-10. The Storm placed third in the Lincoln Trail Conference regular season and second in the LTC tournament. Bureau Valley opens with one-win Morrison, which the Storm beat 50-22 on Dec. 27. The Storm beat Galva 81-34 on Jan. 12 but have not played Newman or Polo.
Next step: The winner advances to the Eastland Sectional to play the winner of the River Ridge Regional.
Fieldcrest Regional
Schedule
Saturday - No. 9 Grant Park (11-12) at No. 8 Hoopeston Area (13-18), noon; No. 12 Donovan (4-23) at No. 5 Fieldcrest (13-17), 3 p.m.
Monday - No. 1 Cissna Park (24-2) vs. Grant Park/Hoopeston winner, 6 p.m.; No. 4 Iroquois West (18-10) vs. Donovan/Fieldcrest winner, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday - Championship, 6 p.m.
Worth noting: Fieldcrest, which dropped down to 1A, enters the postseason without all-time leading scorer Macy Gochanour, who was injured in a win over Lexington on Jan. 26. The Knights are 1-5 since losing Gochanour. Fieldcrest, which last won a regional in 2022-23, has not played any team in the regional field.
Next step: The winner moves on to play the winner of the Tremont Regional at the Iroquois West Sectional.
Serena Regional
Schedule
Saturday - No. 9 Earlville (10-17) at No. 8 Henry-Senachwine (8-16), 1 p.m.; No. 12 Newark (2-25) at No. 6 Serena (15-14), noon
Monday - No. 1 Midland (23-7) vs. Earlville/Henry winner, 6 p.m.; No. 4 Yorkville Christian (17-11) vs. Newark/Serena winner, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday - Championship, 6 p.m.
Worth noting: Earlville and Henry-Senachwine open the postseason with a rematch. The Mallards defeated the Red Raiders 39-32 in a nonconference game on Nov. 25. The winner will face Midland, which has won 10 games in a row. Midland beat Henry twice and beat Earlville.
Next step: Winner advances to the Indian Creek Sectional to face the winner of the South Beloit Regional.