Dixon Preps

In its second game since moving into a tie atop the latest AP Class 3A rankings, Dixon set the tone from the start Thursday in a 54-17 win over North Boone at Lancaster Gym.

Dixon hosts North Boone in girls basketball Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. The Duchesses won 54-17.

In the Big Northern Conference opener between a veteran Dixon team and a young Winnebago squad, experience won out. Led by senior Hallie Williamson’s double-double, the Duchesses controlled the game from start to finish in a 47-22 victory over the Indians.

Dixon used a huge first-half run to build a big halftime lead, then used another big surge to pull away in the third quarter for a 70-32 victory over Rochelle on Monday night at Lancaster Gym.

Dixon hosts Rochelle Monday, Dec. 9, 2024 in boys basketball. Dixon won 70-32.

Some finals from the 46th Carson DeJarnatt wrestling invitational Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 in Sterling.

Dixon senior basketball player Darius Harrington, who scored a career-high 40 points in a win over Rochelle, is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is his Q&A with Drake Lansman.

After an early lead disappeared Wednesday night, Dixon made enough plays down the stretch to eke out a 38-35 victory over former longtime NCIC rival Ottawa at Lancaster Gym.

The Dixon girls basketball team defeated Ottawa 38-35 on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 at Lancaster Gym in Dixon.

MAPLE PARK – Dixon is having fun. That the Duchesses are winning certainly has something to do with it as they won their seventh straight to open the season with a 47-38 non-conference win at Kaneland on Monday night.

Kaneland girls basketball hosted Dixon on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024 in Maple Park.

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.

Fulton picked up its second straight win and Rock Falls edged Kewanee, plus more scores from around the area.

Despite 24 wins, last season didn’t end the way Dixon wanted. That will fuel the fire for the Dukes this winter, even with quite a bit of turnover on the roster.

Dixon hosts Geneseo to kick off the '24-25 season Monday, Nov. 25, 2024 in boys basketball. Dixon took the win 47-32.

Dixon beat Pecatonica 47-24 to win the Oregon Girls Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 at the Blackhawk Center in Oregon.

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

Dixon, Amboy, Richmond Burton, and Oregon competed on the opening night of the Oregon Girls Basketball Tip-Off Tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 at the Blackhawk Center in Oregon.

Coming off its first sectional title in more than 30 years, Dixon lost just three players off of that Elite Eight team and hope that postseason experience translates into success this season.

Donnie Ladas' late fumble recovery was followed by a fourth-and-inches conversion by Landin Benson to give Coal City a 20-13 win and send the Coalers to the 4A state semifinals.

Coal City faces Dixon in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Class 4A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive editor Hart Pisani will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Join hosts J.T. Pedelty and Eddie Carifio as they break down Round 2 and look ahead to the quarterfinals of the IHSA football playoffs for the western and southern portions of northern Illinois

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.

A look at second-round scores and quarterfinals pairings

The old adage in sports says that defense travels. Dixon is ready to take its act on the road in the Class 4A quarterfinals this weekend. The Dukes (10-1) will play at Coal City (9-2) at 1 p.m. Saturday in the third trip to the quarterfinals in DHS program history.

Dixon is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017, Polo rolls to semifinal matchup with Milledgeville, Karter Livengood overcomes stomach virus in Missiles' win, Amboy overcomes adversity and West Carroll wrapped up a successful 8-man debut in Week 11's SVM notes.

A look at second-round scores and quarterfinals pairings

Dixon rolled to touchdowns the first five times it touched the ball Friday night on the way to a 51-6 victory over Chicago Agricultural Science in a Class 4A second-round playoff game at A.C. Bowers Field.

Dixon hosts a Chicago Ag Science team coming off its first playoff win and Newman heads to Gibson City in the round of 16. In the 8-man quarterfinals, Amboy hosts Martinsville, West Carroll plays at Polo and Milledgeville plays Ridgewood in the Week 11 SVM slate.

Dixon's impressive postseason run as the only No. 7 seed in the Class 3A sectional semifinals ended in a loss to Limestone on Tuesday night.

Sterling's Drew Nettleton and Kaedon Phillips set multiple records in final game, Carter Kibble's kick return sets up Dixon's strong finish in win, Newman's offense bounces back big, E-P lost a heartbreaker and West Carroll has goal line stop to win in Sauk Valley notes.

Area first-round scores and second-round pairings

Carson Kaiser is wise beyond his years. The Kaneland freshman has fit in wonderfully at the Maple Park school and was a key reason why the Knights were able to hold off runner-up Dixon and the rest of the field during Saturday’s Class 2A Kaneland boys cross country sectional.

When Marengo tied the score early in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s Class 4A fist-round playoff game, Dixon had the answer, scoring 21 unanswered points in a 35-14 victory at A.C. Bowers Feld.

Here’s a look at area first-round scores from Saturday

Marengo faces Dixon in Round 1 of the 2024 Class 4A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive correspondent Ty Reynolds will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Dixon and Marengo clash of the gridiron to start the 2024 football playoffs Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Dixon. Dixon took the win 35-14.

Dixon got off to a fast start, then rallied to finish strong in a 25-20, 25-22 win over Morris in the Class 3A Dixon Regional final on Thursday at Lancaster Gym. It's the Duchesses second regional title in the last 3 years on their home court.

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.

Dixon faces off against Morris for the 3A regional volleyball championship Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. Dixon took the win in two sets to land the regional championship.

The No. 7-seeded Dixon volleyball team advanced to the Class 3A Dixon Regional final with an upset of No. 1 La Salle-Peru on Tuesday.

Dixon faced La Salle-Peru on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in the class 3A volleyball regional semifinal held at Dixon High School. Dixon upset the top-seeded team in straight sets to advance to the finals on Thursday against Morris.

Rochelle pushed the host Duchesses to the limit in the Class 3A Dixon Regional opener Monday night, but Dixon managed to pull out a 25-20, 21-25, 25-23 win over the Hubs at Lancaster Gym.

The 2024 playoffs kick off this weekend. Here’s a look at pairings for area teams:

Dixon takes on Rochelle Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in the 3A volleyball regional in Dixon. The Duchesses took the win in 3 sets.

Dixon's Grace Ferguson wrapped up an impressive run at state tennis, Dixon boys won a regional cross country title and numerous locals advanced, Sterling's Madison Austin was WB6 swim champ in two events, Fulton volleyball was 2nd and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Here are the opening round pairings for the Class 4A playoffs.

The last two locals competing at state tennis, Dixon's Grace Ferguson and Sterling's Ellie Aitken ended up meeting in consolation play on Thursday. Ferguson came out on top and advanced to Day 2 for the first time in singles.

Newman hosts Mon-Rose in a battle of TRAC champs, Sterling hits the road to Moline seeking a sixth win, the Wooden Shoe game between Morrison and Fulton returns with playoff hopes alive, Dixon hits the road to North Boone and more in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.

Dixon lost to Geneseo in a soccer match delayed three times due to the field lights going out and Sterling fell to top-seeded Dunlap in Wednesday's regional semifinals in Geneseo.