It’s “showtime” for track & field and soccer this week.

Girls track & field got it cranked up last week with Bree Schneiderman of Forreston and Oregon highlighting the local scene. The Hawks had 12 events advancing out of the sectional and Schneiderman is primed for medals in the 100, 200 and 400 meters.

Seedings from the sectionals show the Cardinal junior with the No. 3 time in the state in 100 (12.21), No. 5 in 200 (25.61) and No. 5 in the 400 (59.14). Her state medal count thus far is two relay medals and two individual. This could bump her up to seven, with a chance to hit double digits next year.

Jillian Hammer of Oregon has the No. 1 seed in the 100 hurdles (15.01) and No. 4 in the 300 hurdles (46.33). Seedings can be a bit misleading, as she has a better chance to win the 300, as she let up at the end at the sectional in that race.

The other big story for Oregon is a No. 2 state seed in the 800-meter relay (1:45.73) and No. 3 in the 1,600 relay (4:09.04). If they can repeat those times, the likelihood of making it into Saturday’s finals is extremely high.

There’s been a state-medal relay drought since 2012 and Taylor Weems, Lorelai Dannhorn, Skylar Bishop and Hammer plan to end it.

Don’t forget that Bishop is also a returning state-placer in the high jump.

For the boys, the relays of Forreston-Polo will be a big attraction at the Oregon sectional this Friday. Looking at the best times put down this season is all of 1A, the group of Christian, Ryia, Brody Schwartz, Jonathan Milnes, Mercer Mumford, Eli Ferris and Hayden Vinnedge have the 400 (43.02), 800 (1:29.93) and 1,600-meter relays (3:26.31) in the top 5 statewide, with the 1,600 relay as high as No. 2.

There is a tradition of standout performances downstate too, with F-P picking up eight podium finishes the last three years in those events. That tradition should carry on, with all runners but Ryia returning in 2027.

With Ferris and Milnes, F-P has a pair of good high jumpers with 6-2 clearances. Of any event at the sectional, that will be the toughest with 6-8, 6-6, 6-5 and 6-4 jumpers.

Field events at Oregon’s Landers-Loomis Field will start at 4 p.m. and running events at 5:45 p.m.

The Byron boys will be at the Rochelle 2A sectional with much tougher competition to navigate. Defending state champ Sycamore, long-time power Kaneland, BNC champ Dixon and Sterling are there.

The Tigers had a great meet at the conference last week with a second to Dixon. Stepping into the 2A environment is a whole different matter.

Senior pole vaulter Andrew Nuyen is competing in his final home meet at Rochelle and will be the featured attraction. If he is able to clear it, a 17-6 vault would move him up from 20th nationally at 17-0 to No. 4.

Whatever happens, there has never been another pole vaulter like him in Ogle County since world-ranked Sherman Landers of Oregon over 100 years ago.

In soccer, Byron and Oregon are seeded No. 1 and 2 in the sub-sectional, with Byron (16-3-2) needing to get by Dixon (12-6-1) and Oregon (12-4-1) past Rockford Christian (11-8) to make the sectional.

The sectional is wide open, with Genoa-Kingston (15-3-2) the No. 1 seed from the other sub-sectional. In conference play, Byron put a 5-0 beatdown on the Cogs and ended the season as BNC champs.

Baseball post-season action kicks off next week.

Forreston will be hosting a 1A sectional and appears to have an easy route to get there. The Cardinals (15-12) are the No. 1 seed in the sub-sectional and have a very weak slate of teams in their regional to get past.

Things will get considerably tougher in the sectional where Lena-Winslow (21-2) will be favored. The Panthers are ranked No. 4 statewide by MaxPreps for 1A baseball.

However, one of those two losses was 7-2 to Forreston on April 22. One thing is certain. Veteran Cardinal coach Mike McClelland will have his team positioned for the best chance to get through the post season.

It also should be noted that Forreston lost seven games by one run or in extra innings, including a second game to Le-Win. I sense Le-Win will have serious concerns if the two teams meet in a sectional final.

Like Forreston, Byron (24-5) is the No. 1 seed in its sub-sectional and will also host a sectional. The Tigers had their two-year unbeaten streak in the BNC stopped by Dixon in abrupt fashion, as the Dukes scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 4-3.

Andy Colbert is a longtime Ogle County resident with years of experience covering sports and more for multiple area publications.