Princeton Tiger football fans wanting to see their favorite team early this fall will have to get their road maps out. Five of the Tigers’ first seven games will be on the road, including the Aug. 21 opener at Port Byron Riverdale.

After an uncharacteristically quiet performance the night before, Marquette baseball's offense came out swinging Saturday with three runs in the home half of the first inning. It proved to be the difference in Marquette’s 4-1 win over Freeburg in 2A's third-place game.

Putnam County fell to Tremont in the IHSA Class 1A State championship on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the University of Illinois in Champaign.

The Putnam County baseball team lost 10-0 in five innings to Tremont in the Class 1A state championship game Saturday in Champaign.

Putnam County fought off North Clay for a 4-3 victory in eight innings during the IHSA Class 1A State semifinals on Friday, June 12, 2026, at the University of Illinois in Champaign.

The Putnam County baseball team beat North Clay 4-3 in 8 innings on Friday in Champaign to advance to the Class 1A state championship game. The Panthers will play Tremont at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Putnam County Panthers got some preparation for Friday's Class 1A state semifinal, making at stop at the Corn Crib in Normal and Yard Goats indoor facility in Champaign. The Panthers (25-11) will face North Clay (35-4) at 1 p.m. Friday at Illinois Field.

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

The Putnam County baseball program has qualified for state in every full decade since the school opened. The 2026 Panthers play North Clay in Friday's semifinals in the school's seventh state appearance.

A look at the four teams competing this weekend in the Class 1A state baseball tournament in Champaign.

A look at the top boys tennis players in the NewsTribune area for the 2026 season.

The Putnam County baseball team beat Galena 7-4 on Tuesday to win the IHSA Class 1A NIU Supersectional and earn its first trip to state since 2013.

Jackson Mason became coach Connie Lind's first player at Princeton in her 30 years as coach to win two matches at state. Then he added icing on his coach’s retirement cake by winning a third match in the state meet. He is the 2026 NewsTribune Boys Tennis Player of the Year.

The Putnam County Baseball team took on Galena in a Class 1A supersectional Tuesday at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. The winner advances to the state semifinal at the University of Illinois in Champaign.

L-P's Taylor Vescogni and Princeton's Avah Oertel were voted Illinois Coaches Association First-Team All State, while nine other NewsTribune-area players were honored.

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.

The Putnam County baseball team scored three runs in the first inning and led throughout in an 11-2 victory over Fulton to win the Class 1A Putnam County Sectional title, the Panthers' first sectional crown since 2013.

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.