Eastland Preps

The Eastland basketball team's season came to an end Saturday as they lost to Chicago Hope Academy in the Class 1A state championship game at the University of Illinois in Champaign.

Eastland defeats Peoria Christian in the Class 1A state boys basketball semifinal Thursday, March 13, 2025, to advance to the finals on Saturday. The Cougars will face Chicago Hope for the title.

Eastland has shown it does not mind how low the score may be or what pace the game is played at. Winning is all that matters. Defense looks to be a key factor again in Thursday's Class 1A state semifinal matchup with Peoria Christian.

Eastland never trailed Aurora Christian during Monday’s Class 1A DeKalb Supersectional at the Convocation Center on the campus of Northern Illinois University.

The sold out gym at Pecatonica was loud from start to finish in the 36-31 win by Eastland

Eastland meets Aurora Christian Monday, March 10, 2025, in the Class 1A basketball Supersectional held at the NIU Convocation Center. Eastland took the win and will play for the state title this weekend in Champaign.

Eastland slowed the game down against No. 1 Pecatonica and held on for a big 36-31 road win to earn its first sectional title since 2013. 'Our game plan was necessary to win.'

Eastland went on the road and defeated top seeded Pecatonica on their home floor to take the Sectional Friday, March 7, 2025. Photos. by Erin Henze - Shaw Local News Network

Eastland and Dakota face off in the boys basketball Class 1A Sectional semifinal Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at Pecatonica High School. Eastland won 55-39.

Eastland beats Newman 55-44 to take the West Carroll 1A Regional title Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Photos by Erin Henze - Shaw Local News Network

A hot start and some smothering defense led to a regional title for Eastland on Friday night. The Cougars hit their first four shots, and Newman never recovered after several early turnovers in a 55-44 loss in the Class 1A West Carroll Regional final.

Rock Falls, Dixon and Sterling are all top four seeds as postseason boys basketball kicks off this week. As the boys basketball postseason tips off this week, here are storylines to watch.

Newman and Eastland face off in the 1A regional semifinal at Forreston Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. Newman took the win and will play for the title on Thursday against River Ridge.

Newman Central Catholic fended off a rally attempt in the second half by Eastland and eventually ran away for a 56-30 victory.

Newman hosts Eastland at girls basketball Tuesday Jan. 7, 2025. Newman won 56-30.

Eastland downed Forreston 60-45, hitting nine three-pointers in a Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 game Forreston High School.

Sterling and Eastland start the action Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, during the 46th annual Dixon Girls KSB Holiday Basketball Tournament. Sterling won 61-21.

In a battle of the two teams ranked atop the early season Class 1A Associated Press rankings, No. 2 Pecatonica dominated early and often to beat No. 1 Eastland 67-36 for the Eastland Holiday Tournament title Thursday night.

Eastland faces off against Pecatonica for the title in the Eastland Shootout basketball tournament Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. Pecatonica won 67-36. Photos by Erin Henze - Shaw Local News Network

Eastland outscored Fulton late in the fourth quarter to notch a 42-34 win over the Steamers on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 at the Cougars' home gym in Lanark.

Newman and Eastland clash Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 on the court at Eastland High School. Eastland took the game 55-42.

Here are five of the top Sauk Valley area players to watch this season, including Dixon's Darius Harrington, Rock Falls' Kuitim Heald, Eastland's Parker Krogman, Sterling's Kaedon Phillips and Oregon's Kade Girton.

Here is a look at all 16 girls basketball teams in the Sauk Valley coverage area for the 2024-25 season.

Dixon senior QB Cullen Shaner and Newman senior linebacker/running back Daniel Kelly were both named All-State by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association on Wednesday. A number of Sauk Valley 8-man players and honorable mentions were also recognized.

Eastland-Pearl City held Rockridge scoreless in the second half, but a 22-point deficit was too much to overcome in the Class 2A playoffs on Saturday.

The Rockridge Rockets ended Eastland-Pearl City's football season 22-8 on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024.

Eastland-Pearl City faces Rockridge in Round 1 of the 2024 Class 2A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive editor Drake Lansman will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Fulton beat Polo to win a regional volleyball title in Class 1A and Eastland fell short against top-seeded Galena in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Dixon and Newman are set for home playoff matchups, Eastland-Pearl City plays at Rockridge in a battle of 7-2 teams and four area 8-man teams open the first round in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.

Sterling's Emily Schwingle placed fifth at the Western Big 6 Conference Meet to earn first-team all-conference, Dixon was second at the Big Northern Meet, and Forreston's Aspen McGlynn was runner-up at the NUIC Meet in Wednesday's Sauk Valley Roundup.

Dixon can stay undefeated with a win over Rockford Lutheran, Sterling hits the road to Wisconsin, E-PC can continue their best start since 2018, Newman hosts Rockridge and 4-0 West Carroll hosts 4-0 Milledgeville in this week's Sauk Valley slate.

Sterling's Drew Nettleton set the single-game passing touchdowns record and Kaedon Phillips was recognized by the Bears, Eastland-Pearl City moves into the NUIC picture and Newman's offense is on a roll in this week's Sauk Valley notes.

Eastland-Pearl City senior quarterback Adam Awender had four touchdowns and 186 rushing on just seven carries in a 36-16 win over Forreston on Friday night

Eastland-Pearl City improved its record to 3-1 with a 36-16 win over Forreston on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024 in NUIC Conference action at Pearl City. With the loss, Forreston fell to 1-3 on the season.

Forreston faces Eastland-Pearl City in Week 4 of the 2024 IHSA football season. Friday Night Drive editor Drake Lansman will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Fourth-ranked Dixon heads to Genoa-Kingston, Fulton and Oregon hope to get back to .500, E-PC hosts Forreston, Newman hosts Orion, E-P plays at Rockridge, Sterling heads to Galesburg and West Carroll can get to 4-0 in the Week 4 Sauk Valley football slate.

Trixie Carroll had 17 kills and three aces in an Eastland sweep of Fulto, plus boys and girls golf, girls swimming and girls tennis in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Sterling coach Jon Schlemmer got the game ball after becoming the school's all-time wins leader, Oregon won first 3-0 game, EPC gets big win over Fulton and more in this week's Sauk valley notes.

Eastland volleyball won the Byron Invite, Rock Falls' Ariel Hernandez placed an area-best 24th at the First to the Finish Invitational, Fulton boys golf won in Kewanee and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Eastland volleyball improved to 7-2, Dixon's golf teams both won, Sterling's Emily Schwingle earned medalist, and more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup

Dixon looks to keep things rolling at Rock Falls, Newman plays at 2-0 E-P, Sterling hosts United Township to open Western Big 6 Conference play, plus more matchups to watch in Week 3's Sauk Valley football slate.

Here is a capsule look at the girls cross country teams in the Sauk Valley area.

Here is a capsule look at the 2024 boys cross country teams in the Sauk Valley area.

Fulton and Sterling score boys golf victories, plus more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley Roundup.

Sterling has a tough test against Metamora, Newman plays Princeton, Dixon hosts Stillman Valley, and Rock Falls hosts defending state champion Byron. Fulton at Forreston, Le-Win at Morrison, and Ridgewood at Amboy are also intriguing Week 1 matchups in the Sauk Valley area.

Fulton's Miraya Pessman (three aces) had 15 kills and Chloe Wilkin chipped in with 12 as the Steamers beat Iowa's Northeast 3-1. Eastland, E-P, Newman and West Carroll also picked up volleyball wins in Tuesday's roundup.

Here is a capsule look at the 16 volleyball teams in the Sauk Valley area. There are a number of interesting storylines and milestones among both coaches and players to look out for this volleyball season.

Here is a capsule look at the boys golf teams in the Sauk Valley area.

Can anyone unseat Lena-Winslow? Can Du-Pec, Forreston or Fulton go even farther this year? How will Morrison fare in its first season in the NUIC? Team breakdowns, players to watch and more in the NUIC preview.

Newman Central Catholic senior Kennedy Rowzee is in fifth place in the shot put, leading Sauk Valley area state finalists from Thursday's Class 1A preliminaries in Charleston. That, plus Newman softball rolls behind Jessalin Johns' 17 strikeouts in regional in Thursday's roundup.