Sycamore trailed 23-19 after a lopsided loss in the first set on Thursday in the Class 3A Rochelle Regional championship. But they stormed back to win the second set, then won a third-set that featured 15 ties to claim the regional crown, 13-25, 26-24, 25-23.

After rushing for a single-game school record 447 yards with five touchdowns to finish the regular season, Dixon senior Landon Knigge was named Friday Night Drive Team of the Week MVP. He has over 1,800 yards and 32 TDs this season. Here is his Q&A.

The Dixon and Ottawa volleyball teams got together for a match Tuesday in the Class 3A Rochelle Regional.

Enrollment changes lead to the 4A draw looking a bit different than it has in the past few years. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 4A Playoffs.

Dixon's defense continues to help set the tone heading into the playoffs. Newman was challenged by Mon-Rose to end the regular season, and Polo's 70 points were the most the Marcos scored since at least 1935 in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Week 9 of the 2025 high school football season

Here is a look at the seven IHSA first-round playoff football matchups in the Sauk Valley area and what to watch for. Dixon and Sterling would face each other in Class 4A if they both win.

Sterling hosted their Cross Country final at Hoover Park on Saturday, October 25, 2025.

Sterling got a fifth win after beating Rock Island 42-14. EPC got its fifth win, Rock Falls fell just short to Rockford Lutheran and more in Friday's Sauk Valley football roundup.

Senior Landon Knigge rushed for a single-game school-record 447 yards and scored five touchdowns to lead Dixon to a 58-20 win over Genoa-Kingston in the regular-season finale Friday night at A.C. Bowers Field.

Genoa-Kingston travels to Dixon to take on the Dukes. The game took place on Dixon's Senior Night, October 24th, 2025

Shaw Local Radio is proud to bring you five high school football broadcasts on Friday night, Oct. 24, including Oregon, Dixon, Amboy, Streator, Genoa-Kingston, Mendota and Manteno

Dixon cross country standout Dean Geiger is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week. He broke 15 minutes this season and hopes to help lead the Dukes to a state title in Class 2A. Here is a Q&A with the junior.

Dixon hosts Genoa-Kingston, Newman faces Mon-Rose in a battle of 7-1 teams, Sterling heads to Rock Island, Rock Falls (0-8) faces Rockford Lutheran (0-8), Polo (7-1) hosts South Beloit (7-1) and more in this week's Sauk Valley slate.

Dixon junior Brooklyn Arjes is set to compete in singles while junior Rachel Lance and sophomore Jenna Mustapha will compete in doubles at state tennis starting Thursday.

Dixon rallied to win the opening set, then slowly pulled away in the second to win at Winnebago 25-22, 25-18 and claim the outright Big Northern Conference title on Tuesday night.

Host and top-seeded Marmion had six different goal scorers to get an 8-0 win over No. 8 Plano, while fourth-seeded Aurora Central Catholic used two early goals to secure a 3-0 victory over sixth-seeded Dixon in a pair of Class 2A regional semifinal games.

Newman scored a school record 79 points on Saturday against Kewanee. Jake Whelan scored Dixon's first defensive TD this season, Sterling scored 31 unanswered against Quincy and Morrison reclaimed the Wooden Shoe in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.

Dixon dominated old conference foe Streator 65-0 Friday at Doug Dieken Stadium to move to 7-1.

Dixon shut out Streator 65-0 on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 at Doug Dieken Stadium in Streator. Check out photos from the game by MaKade Rios.

Shaw Local Radio is proud to bring you five high school football broadcasts on Friday night, Oct. 17, including Oregon, Dixon, Amboy, Streator, Princeton, Mendota and Wilmington

Sterling has a big home game against Quincy, No. 5 Newman hosts Kewanee on Saturday, No. 10 Dixon heads to Streator, Fulton and Morrison face off for the Wooden Shoe trophy and more in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.

After pulling away in the first set and scuffling in the second, Dixon rolled in the third set on its way to a 25-18, 22-25, 25-8 win over Byron to remain undefeated in Big Northern Conference play.

Rock Falls seeks more leadership from key players after a promising start against IVC led to another loss. Dixon's Landon Knigge had a five-TD first quarter, and Sterling is looking for another bounceback in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.

Dixon and Newman each got their sixth wins after earning road victories. Oregon fell to Stillman Valley, Morrison and Fulton won and more in Friday's Sauk Valley football roundup.

Shaw Local Radio is proud to bring you five high school football broadcasts on Friday night, Oct. 10, including Oregon, Dixon, Amboy, Streator, Princeton, Mendota and Wilmington

Dixon jumped out to big leads in both sets, then pulled away down the stretch after Oregon runs to win their Big Northern Conference match 25-18, 25-13 on Thursday night at Lancaster Gym.

Sterling has a big game at Geneseo, Dixon heads to Winnebago riding four straight shutouts, Newman plays at upstart Riverdale and Rock Falls faces winless IVC in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.

Dixon and Oregon square off at the net Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.

Lumen Setchell won the girls race and Berat Imeri took second in the boys race in the last home meet for Mendota cross country. Plus more scores from the area in Wednesday's News Tribune Sports Roundup.

Dixon's defense continues to have eye-popping numbers after a fourth straight shutout in the Big Northern Conference. Sterling is on a roll heading into a big matchup, and Matthew Blackert helped get Newman back on track in this week's Sauk Valley notes.

Dixon dominated both sides of the ball in a 55-0 Homecoming victory over Big Northern Conference foe Stillman Valley on Friday night at A.C. Bowers Field. Dixon's defense has not given up a point in four straight games

Shaw Local Radio is proud to bring you five high school football broadcasts on Friday night, Oct. 3, including Oregon, Dixon, Amboy, Streator, and Mendota

Dixon football takes on Stillman Valley for their homecoming game Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. Dixon womped Stillman 55-0.

In an atmosphere reminiscent of the postseason, Dixon scratched out a 25-22, 23-25, 25-17 win over a scrappy Newman squad in their nonconference rivalry match Thursday.

Dixon hosts Stillman Valley, Sterling hosts Alleman, Rock Falls heads to Winnebago and Newman faces Mercer County on Saturday in this week's Sauk Valley football slate. Here are previews for all 14 games.

In a battle for the cure, Newman and Dixon's volleyball squads face off at the net Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. The teams wore pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Dixon built on its halftime lead Monday against Oregon, as senior Jack Redell netted a hat trick in a 4-1 victory at A.C. Bowers Field.

Oregon travels to Dixon for a soccer match Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. Dixon took the win 4-1.

Local High School teams gather at Hoover Park in Sterling for the Rock River Run, held on Saturday, September 27, 2025.

Dixon had a punt return touchdown for its first score, then opened the second half with a kickoff return touchdown on the way to a 56-0 win over Oregon in their Big Northern Conference game Friday night at Landers-Loomis Field

Dixon scored early and often in a 56-0 rout over the Oregon Hawks at Landers-Loomis Field in Oregon on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.

Shaw Local Radio is proud to bring you five high school football broadcasts on Friday night, Sept. 26, including Oregon, Dixon, Amboy, Streator, and Mendota

No. 3 Newman heads to Rockridge in a matchup of two undefeated teams on Friday. Dixon heads to Oregon, Sterling hosts Galesburg and more, including picks and what to watch for in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.

Dixon jumped out to quick leads in both sets and never trailed in a 25-18, 25-13 win over Stillman Valley on Thursday evening at Lancaster Gym to stay unbeaten in Big Northern Conference play.

Maurice De La Cruz had Sterling's best rushing game in almost three years, Dixon was dominant again, Newman's Matthew Blackert led the Comets to 4-0 and more in this week's Sauk Valley football notes for Week 4.

Shaw Local Radio is proud to bring you five high school football broadcasts on Friday night, Sept. 19, including Oregon, Dixon, Rock Falls, Amboy, Streator, Coal City, and Mendota

Dixon rallied from three-point deficits five different times in the decisive third set to steal the momentum that Rock Falls had seized late in the first set and pull out a girls volleyball win at Lancaster Gym.

Dixon and Rock Falls went the full three sets Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in volleyball. Dixon took the win 2-1.

Milledgeville and Polo face off in the Battle for the Blacktop game this Friday as each team is 3-0. No. 3 Newman heads to Orion, Dixon heads to North Boone, Oregon hosts Rock Falls and Sterling is at 3-0 UT. Here is a rundown of this week's Sauk Valley football slate.