Drake Lansman

Here is a look at each Sauk Valley area baseball team for the 2025 season, including top returners, key newcomers and more.

Sterling's Drew Nettleton pitched a complete game, Newman baseball beat Fulton 11-9, Rock Falls softball won, Sterling boys and girls track and field both won, four Warriors competed at the Iowa-Illinois senior all-star basketball game and more in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Sterling baseball and softball both shut out Erie-Prophetstown, Oregon softball also improved to 3-0 and the Golden Warriors boys and girls track & field teams took second at the Warrior Invite in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Sterling's Braden Birdsley had a walk-off hit, Dixon baseball fell 15-1, Rockridge beat Newman, Fulton beat Morrison, Forreston won 14-12, Dixon, E-P, Bureau Valley and Oregon softball won and Rock Falls boys track & field won in Friday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Morrison pitcher Bella Duncan had 17 strikeouts but Sterling got the home win 5-4 as Lilly Martinez had a home run and got the pitching win in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Dixon's Darius Harrington, Rock Falls' Kuitim Heald and Eastland's Adam Awender, Parker Krogman and Peyton Spears were named to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state team in their respective classes.

Amboy's Addison Pertell and Tyrah Vaessen, and Polo's Camrynn Jones were all-state special mention picks in Class 1A by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.

Sterling's Western Big 6 Conference MVP Madison Austin was named to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association first team in 3A, Joslynn James was named to the third team and coach Taylor Jackson was named coach of the year. Dixon's Hallie Williamson earned special mention.

Oregon's Emma Schlichtmann had a walk-off hit against Amboy, Bureau Valley beat Rock Falls, Eastland, A-FC and Forreston won, Rock Falls baseball won and more in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Sterling junior Lily Cantu had a three-run home run and was part of a seventh-inning rally as the Golden Warriors opened the season with a 9-8 walk-off win over Newman.

Five returning Sauk Valley area baseball players to watch in 2025 include Rock Falls' Austin Castaneda, Newman's Evan Bushman, Forreston's Carson Akins, A-FC's Brock Lehman and Eastland's Hunter Miller.

Spring sports kicked off as Newman baseball tied East Dubuque in eight innings, Fulton fell 2-1 in extras, Forreston beat A-FC 16-3, Aubrey Sanders had seven RBIs in a Forreston softball win, Rock Falls boys, Oregon girls track won and more in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Five returning Sauk Valley softball players to watch include Dixon's Bailey Tegeler, Polo's Cheyenna Wilkins, Fulton's Reese Germann, Morrison's Bella Duncan and Milledgeville's Kendra Kingsby.

Eastland still had the best state finish in program history despite falling to Chicago Hope Academy and coach Ronnie Fields in Saturday's Class 1A state championship. 'It’s been an amazing journey with these guys.'

Eastland faces Chicago Hope Academy at 1 p.m. today at State Farm Center in Champaign for the Class 1A state championship. Here is a preview of the big matchup.