Drake Lansman

Oregon girls basketball was proud of its progress after reaching its first regional final since 2014. State boys wrestling and boys basketball was also in action in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup

Sterling used a dominant overall team performance to win its first regional title since 2019 on Thursday night, defeating Plano 70-38. 'We can make it far if we work as a team.'

Rock Falls senior basketball player Ryken Howard, who has been one of the top producers for the 21-win Rockets, is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is his Q&A with sports reporter Drake Lansman.

Nico Battaglia set Sterling's single-season record for 3-pointers, Newman boys basketball won, Dixon fell, Eastland won the NUIC South, Amboy beat Polo 51-50 and the Amboy girls advanced in the postseason in Tuesday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Newman's energy and advantageous defense helped fuel a complete team win over Eastland on Tuesday. The Comets will play River Ridge-Scales Mound in a rematch for the regional title at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Aniyah Sarver and Sarah Eckhardt combined for 20 points as fifth-seeded Oregon beat third-seeded Hall to advance to Thursday's regional championship against Riverdale. Forreston boys also beat Amboy in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Experience made the difference as Plano held off a young and scrappy Sycamore team to advance to Thursday's Class 3A Sterling Regional final against top-seeded host Sterling.

Madison Austin eclipsed 1,000 career points as top-seeded Sterling looked strong to open the postseason in a 68-35 win over Rochelle on Monday night. Sterling will face Plano in Thursday's regional final at home.

The Princeton wrestling team advanced five wrestlers to the Class 1A state tournament out of the Oregon Sectional on Saturday.

Newman's Blair Grennan and Rock Falls' Akira Schick advanced to state wrestling, Sterling's Sarah Doughty won the sectional bowling title to reach state, postseason girls basketball kicked off and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Newman's Briar Ivey handed Riverdale's Blake Smith his first loss of the season to win a sectional title on Saturday in Oregon. Daniel Kelly also avenged a previous loss to take third as he and Landon Near also advanced to state for the Comets.

Many area wrestlers advanced to the sectional semifinals on Friday, Newman boys basketball won, Fulton beat Polo, Morrison beat Milledgeville, Bureau Valley beat Amboy and more in Friday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Rock Falls High School graduate Jakob Junis reportedly signed with the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday pending a physical, agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million contract. He spent last season with the Brewers and Reds as a starting pitcher and reliever.

Newman sophomore wrestler Blair Grennan, who is looking to qualify for state again this season, is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is a Q&A with the sophomore standout.

Camrynn Jones and Carlee Grobe combined for 50 points in Polo's win over Morrison, Oregon girls basketball beat Milledgeville, Forreston boys beat Durand and more in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.