Several local athletes made their college choices recently, to continue their athletic and academic careers at the next level.

The Newman baseball team opened the season with a 6-2 win over Sterling on Tuesday night, in a game played on the turf at TBK Bank Sports Complex in Bettendorf, Iowa, due to unplayable field conditions in Sterling.

The Rock Falls boys and Fulton girls won team titles at a six-team indoor meet at Westwood Sports Complex in Sterling on Monday night.

As the calendar turns to March every year, athletes, fans and sports reporters alike start turning their attention to the outdoors. After almost four months being cooped up in gymnasiums, it’s nice to start thinking about getting back outside to cover games and events.

Both local girls who wrestled at the first-ever IHSA State Meet in Bloomington lost their first two bouts Friday, while Rock Falls' Ellisa Russell did not compete. Also, all of the area boys swimmers saw their seasons end in the state preliminaries in Westmont.

For the first time ever, in 2022 the IHSA will be hosting a state girls wrestling meet – and three locals will compete in Bloomington. Rock Falls' Ellisa Russell, Oregon's Elizabeth Ruter, and Erie-Prophetstown's Jayda Rosenow will represent the Sauk Valley area.

The Newman wrestling team fell behind early and couldn't erase the deficit in a 43-28 loss to Harvard at the Class 1A Rock Falls Dual Team Sectional on Tuesday evening at Tabor Gym.

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Newman and Harvard go head to head Feb. 22, 2022 in team wrestling sectionals in Rock Falls.

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Local wrestlers go for the title Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022 in Champaign.