A team-by-team 2026 season preview for baseball teams across The Times coverage area, including Newark, Serena, Earlville/Leland, Seneca, Dwight, Fieldcrest and Sandwich.

Mendota sophomore Cole Tillman was voted Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Class 2A All State.

If the Streator baseball team's top returning hitter and pitchers are as good as expected, what the rest of the Bulldogs can do around them could be the deciding factor if this spring’s Streator ballclub can reach its lofty goals.

With the high school baseball season starting this week, here are five storylines to watch this spring in the NewsTribune area.

The La Salle-Peru baseball team has high hopes for the 2026 season as the Cavaliers return their top two pitchers from last season and have plenty of depth on the pitching staff.

Both Newark and Streator's girls and boys track and field teams were in competition in The Times Saturday Roundup.

The La Salle-Peru, Mendota and Amboy track and field teams competed Saturday. Results in the NewsTribune roundup.

The Marquette Academy seventh-grade girls volleyball team over the weekend scored a runner-up finish at the IESA Class 7-1A State Tournament.

After inexperience hurt the Hall baseball team at times last season, the Red Devils return a veteran group this season.

The St. Bede baseball team only graduated two players last spring, so the Bruins bring back a veteran roster after going 27-5.

The Princeton softball team scored six times in the second inning, then held off a late rally from host Ottawa to earn a 9-7 victory in both team's season opener on Friday afternoon at a cold and windy King Field in Ottawa.

The St. Bede softball team beat IVC in five innings, plus more results in Friday's NewsTribune roundup.

The 2026 Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell baseball team enters to season with just nine players on its roster, but on the positive side eight of them bring in varsity experience.

The St. Bede softball team won its season opener, plus more results in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

Seneca No. 9 hitter Aurora Weber's soft-hit single tied it, a two-run Geneseo error gave the Irish the lead, and pitchers Tessa Krull and Hayden Pfeifer made it stand up as Seneca softball came back to top Geneseo 4-1 Thursday.

Pitching and defense are expected to be the strengths this spring of an Ottawa baseball team that has a good mix of experience and talent.

A look at the Mendota, Princeton, Bureau Valley, Earlville, Henry-Senachwine and Fieldcrest softball teams for the 2026 season.

The Putnam County softball team has a small, young roster but the Panthers "have the potential to do some really good things" with most of their starting lineup back.

The 2026 Streator High softball team doesn't have any seniors, but they do show a lot of encouraging signs for both the now and the future of the program as the spring season gets underway.

A team-by-team 2026 season preview for softball teams across The Times coverage area, including Newark, Serena, Earlville, Somonauk/Leland, WFC, Dwight, Fieldcrest and Sandwich.

The Hall softball team returns a strong core of players and adds a solid freshman class as the Red Devils look to improve this spring.

In an area loaded with softball talent and as the season gets underway, here are our picks for five players to watch across The Times coverage area.

Behind a strong group of veteran players, the St. Bede softball team hopes to make another postseason run after reaching a sectional final last season.

The Marquette softball team will be young but returns a number of players with experience that will be looking to build off a 26-win, Class 1A regional championship season a year ago.

The Ottawa softball team has a solid mix of talent and experience coming off a 20-10 season in which it captured a third consecutive Class 3A regional championship.

Princeton's Keighley Davis and Bureau Valley's Libby Endress were special mention IBCA All State, plus more in the NewsTribune sports briefs.

The L-P softball team hopes to make a postseason run behind strong pitching and a high-powered offense.

The L-P and Earlville softball teams lost their season openers, plus more results in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Earlville softball team fell in its season opener at Orangeville on Monday afternoon.

The Seneca softball team returns eight starters from last spring's 34-2 ballclub including the 2025 Times Softball Player of the Year, pitcher Tessa Krull, hinting at another stellar season for the Fighting Irish.

With softball season kicking off this week in Illinois, here are five storylines to watch in the NewsTribune-area this spring.

Henry-Midland senior won the 60-meter dash, 200 and 400 at the BV Season Starter Meet, plus more results in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

The La Salle-Peru boys basketball team lost 69-48 to Morton in a Class 3A Ottawa Sectional semifinal Tuesday.

Due to low numbers in its junior and senior classes, the Fieldcrest football program will only field a JV team this coming fall.

Girls basketball players from La Salle-Peru, Hall, Mendota, Princeton, Bureau Valley and Earlville earned all-conference honors.

La Salle-Peru co-op swimming coach Rob McNally has retired from coaching due to "personal issues." He coached the co-op since 2015 after helping resurrect the boys team and start the girls program.

Sycamore junior Ema Durst won the first girls wrestling title in school history and just the third overall wrestling title for the Spartans. Kaneland's Angelina Gochis also won a championship. DeKalb's Larisza Gomez-Guevara and Alex Gregorio-Perez also won medals.

La Salle-Peru senior Kiely Domyancich came up one win short of a state medal, plus more results in Saturday's NewsTribune roundup.

L-P senior Kiely Domyancich advanced to the blood round at state wrestling, plus more in Friday's NewsTribune roundup.

Oregon never trailed in a 65-52 win over Mendota in the Class 2A Rock Falls Regional final Friday at Tabor Gym to win its first regional title since 2006.

La Salle-Peru's boys basketball team won its third regional title in a row with a 57-53 victory over Ottawa on Friday.

Dixon advanced to the Dual Team State semifinals to guarantee the Dukes a state trophy. Blair Grennan, Kendra Ege and Michelle Naftzger are still alive at state wrestling, and Eastland basketball held on to beat Orion 46-45 in Friday's Sauk Valley Roundup.

Ottawa senior Juliana Thrush won her opening two matches on Friday to advance to the semifinals at the IHSA state girls wrestling tournament in Bloomington. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Sycamore and DeKalb are sending record numbers to Bloomington. Ema Durst looks to bounce back, Alex Gregorio‑Perez chases history, and Kaneland's Angelina Gochis hunts title No. 3 as the IHSA girls state tournament begins Friday.

Eastland beat West Carroll 46-33 as Wyatt Carroll scored 17 points. The Cougars will face Orion in Friday's 7 p.m. Class 1A Bureau Valley Regional final after the Chargers beat Fulton 72-62. Erie-Prophetstown also fell short to Aurora Christian in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Woodland, Newark, Seneca and Fieldcrest all earned regional semifinal wins on Wednesday to advance to Friday's championship games. Somonauk, Sandwich and Flanagan-Cornell had their seasons come to a close.

Oregon hit five of its first six 3-point attempts, then used a huge second-quarter run to take control early in a 76-48 win over Rock Falls in their Class 2A Rock Falls Regional semifinal Wednesday night at Tabor Gym.

The Mendota and Fieldcrest boys basketball teams won in regional play, plus more in Wednesday's NewsTribune roundup.

The La Salle-Peru boys basketball team beat Dixon 62-53 on Wednesday to advance to the Class 3A L-P Regional final where the Cavaliers will face rival Ottawa.

The Henry and Fieldcrest boys basketball teams won their postseason openers, plus more regional results in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.