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.

The seventh Shaw Media Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame class was inducted Thursday with 14 individuals and three teams honored.

La Salle-Peru baseball, softball and soccer players earned All-Interstate 8 Conference honors, plus more in the NewsTribune sports briefs.

Putnam County's Johnathon Stunkel struck out the side in the top of the first inning and the Panthers scored two runs in the bottom half to set the tone early in an 11-1, five-inning victory over Newark in a Class 1A Putnam County Sectional semifinal Wednesday.