Dixon baseball rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn a 4-3 walkoff win over Byron. Sterling girls track took second at the Big 6 meet, Oregon was second at the BNC meet, Fulton was second at the NUIC meet and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Madisyn Eikenberry had three hits, two stolen bases and a nice diving catch in center field in Rock Falls' 7-4 Big Northern Conference softball win at Dixon. Zoey Silva and Korah Hosler combined for 11 strikeouts in the circle for the Rockets.

Dixon softball fell to Rock Falls 7-4 Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Dixon.

The IHSA has released the postseason softball schedules. Here is a look at where Sauk Valley area teams are competing. Morrison received a No. 1 seed and will compete at the Newman regional. Oregon and Milledgeville are No. 2 seeds.

Sterling's Adrian Monarrez had three RBIs and Danny Martinez closed the game in a 9-8 baseball win over Geneseo. Oregon's Kendall Boyle had three RBIs in a 10-3 softball win over Rock Falls, and more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Milledgeville softball beat Morrison 4-3 to take first in the NUIC South. Layla Wright had two home runs for Sterling, Dixon softball beat Oregon 2-1, track and field results, and more in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Dixon baseball held on to win 9-8 at North Boone in eight innings as Jake Zepezauer scored on an error and Jagger Kemp had the save. Rock Falls baseball fell 4-3 at Byron, Eastland's Tatum Grim had two home runs and more in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Sterling's Rosie Cantu hit two home runs in an 8-5 softball win at Rock Island. Eastland's Keara Kaus had two home runs, Zoey Silva pitched a one-hitter, Brady Anderson won four races, Newman's Garret Matznick pitched a one-hitter and more in Friday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Rock Falls senior Carter Hunter hopes to see more passion from the team after an 8-3 loss to North Boone. Hunter led the Rockets with three hits and scored two runs from the leadoff spot.

Rock Falls fell to North Boone 8-3 in varsity baseball Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Oregon sophomore Izzy Berg struck out the first 12 Rockets and finished with 16 Ks in an 11-0 Big Northern Conference win at Rock Falls on Wednesday. She also had three hits and Kendall Boyle hit a home run for the young Hawks.

Oregon had a dominant performance in an 11-0 win at Rock Falls Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

Rock Falls won seven events with four seconds to beat out host Princeton. The Tigers' Landen Hoffman swept the throws while teammate Casey Etheridge won both hurdles events.

After giving up two early unearned runs, Rock Falls softball bounced back to beat Dixon 12-2 in five innings. Zoey Silva pitched a complete game

Brady Lawrence struck out eight and Dixon's advantageous offense pulled away for a 10-4 Big Northern Conference win at Rock Falls on Thursday.

Dixon travels to Rock Falls to take on the Rockets Thursday, April 9, 2026. Dixon took the win 10-4.

Here is a preview look at each baseball team across the Sauk Valley coverage area as the 2026 season is underway.

A look at all-time boys & girls basketball scoring leaders for 58 area schools, including 14 closed schools. Six area players, including Princeton's Keighley Davis and Fieldcrest's Macy Gochanour, moved to No. 1 this season along with players from Byron, Orion and Polo.

Here is a preview look at each softball team across the Sauk Valley coverage area as the 2026 season gets underway.

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.

Rock Falls falls to Oregon 76-48 in the Class 2A regional semifinal Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Oregon will take on Mendota for the regional crown.

Last-second victories. Avenged losses. Blood-round wins, an undefeated champion and tight decisions. Saturday’s 1A Byron Sectional was an exciting one as area wrestlers advanced to state.

Wrestlers punch their ticket to the state tournament Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 at the Byron Class 1A wrestling sectional.

Dixon built a double-digit lead early in the seconds quarter and never trailed again in a 69-61 BNC win over Rock Falls on Friday night at Tabor Gym.

The Rock Falls Rockets host the Dixon Dukes in a Conference basketball game. The game was held at Forest Tabor gym in Rock Falls on Friday, February 13, 2026

Wrestlers from Dixon, Sterling, Rock Falls, Oregon, Erie-Prophetstown, Fulton, Polo, Rochelle, Byron and Stillman Valley, competed at the Belvidere Regional on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.

Rock Falls wrestler Jahkei Jones is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week, presented by Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning. 'When the match is over he is the kindest and most respectful kid I’ve ever coached.'

Morrison won its first wrestling regional title in school history as five wrestlers won their weight classes. Newman, E-P, Rock Falls and Fulton also had wrestlers advance to the sectional.

Several local teams hit the mats Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in the Class 1A wrestling regionals held at Riverdale (Port Byron).

The Dixon wrestling team had dominant performances over Oregon and Rock Falls to win a seventh straight Big Northern Conference title.

Here are pictures of Rock Falls, Dixon and Oregon wrestling in meet at Rock Falls. The event took place on January 21, 2026.

Newman used a strong start to gain momentum for a comfortable win over Rock Falls on Tuesday.

According to the Sports Business Journal, numbers for girls basketball are down 19% since 2002, while track and field grew by 10%, volleyball by 15% and soccer by 27%. Despite the “Caitlin Clark Effect,” what was once the most popular girls’ sport now ranks fourth.

While it didn’t have the bright lights of the big stage of the sectional final, Princeton and Rock Falls played as just a competitive game to the last shot with Rock Falls escaping with a 61-58 win at Prouty Gym in Princeton Tuesday night.

The Oregon boys basketball team improved to 14-3 and 2-0 in BNC play after pulling away from Rock Falls in a 51-42 win. Benny Olalde provided a spark, and Cooper Johnson led the Hawks with 15 points.

Oregon beat Rock Falls 51-42 in a Big Northern Conference game on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026 at the Blackhawk Center in Oregon.

Z'Viyon Martin's 3-pointer with two seconds left completed Rock Falls' 15-point comeback against Mendota on Monday.

Rock Falls and Mendota battle it out on the court Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. RF took the win in a nail biter 67-65.

For the better part of three quarters Monday night, Putnam County went toe to toe with the bigger Rock Falls team, but as the fourth quarter came around the Rockets size began to wear the Panthers down, coming away with the 62-43 victory on Day 2 of the Colmone Classic

The Colmone Classic is the only place for Princeton and Bureau Valley basketball fans have to watch their teams play out their rivalry this year and they sure got their money’s Saturday with the Tigers winning 86-83 in 2 OTs. Other winners were Hall, Fieldcrest and Mendota

Myles Newman scored 22, Aaron Ziga scored 24 and the DeKalb boys basketball team knocked off Rock Falls 72-43 on Tuesday.

The Rock Falls boys basketball team traveled to DeKalb Tuesday night to take on the Barbs in a nonconference contest.

EP defeated Rock Falls 57-53 Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in the final game of the Turkey Shoot Out in Prophetstown. Photos by Jessie Otten

A Welcome Home Party for Dylan Wescott was held at Emerson's Pub in Rock Falls on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. Wescott, a member of the Rock Falls High School track team, was seriously injured on March 15 at a local high school track meet.

Five Sauk Valley boys basketball players to watch this season include Forreston's Kendall Erdmann, Newman's Asher Ernst, Eastland's Parker Krogman, Fulton's Landen Leu and Rock Falls' Cole Mulnix.

Here is a look at the Sauk Valley boys basketball teams as the 2025-26 season tips off this week.

Bureau Valley beat E-P 47-39 and will now face Riverdale for the championship at 7 p.m. Friday. Brynley Doty finished with a team-high 12 points with Libby Endress and Brooke Helms adding 11 each.

Rock Falls grad Maya Sands was named the SEC Libero of the Year for the third straight season as a senior at the University of Missouri. She is 30th in the nation in digs this season.

With the 2025-26 girls basketball season getting started this week, here’s a look at the teams in the Sauk Valley area.

Dixon showed no quit until the very end against Coal City. Newman's seniors left their mark, and three area 8-man teams are in the semifinals in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.