Polo Preps

Big plays and a stout defense led Milledgeville to a 28-14 win over rival Polo in the Illinois 8-Man Football Association semifinals on Saturday afternoon at Floyd Daub Field, send the Missiles to the state championship game for the first time in program history.

The Milledgeville Missles punched their ticket to the 8-man state championship game on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 with a 28-14 win over the Polo Marcos.

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.

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.

The Marcos continued their winning season on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 with a win over West Carroll's Thunder. Polo will now face Milledgeville in the next round.

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.

The Polo Marcos continued their unbeaten season on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 when they hosted Alden-Hebron in 8-man football action downing the Giants 58-20.

Fulton beat Polo to win a regional volleyball title in Class 1A and Eastland fell short against top-seeded Galena in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

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.

Teams move on to race at sectionals on Nov. 2

The Polo Marcos ended the regular season with a 52-8 win over Orangeville in 8-man football action on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

Byron'a Tim Starwalt finished third individually among 161 competitors

Oregon swept Dixon and six other area volleyball teams earned wins in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup. Girls tennis and boys soccer also competed.

Dixon's school-record 71 points were a team effort, Sterling matched last year's win total after a fourth straight victory and unveiled a statue, and more in Week 6's Sauk Valley football notes.

In a bruising Battle for the Blacktop, Polo picked up the momentum early in the second half and rode it to a 30-14 victory over Milledgeville in a battle of Illinois 8-Man Football Association unbeatens.

Polo senior volleyball player Bridget Call, who posted 32 kills in four wins on Sept. 28 to help Polo win its home tournament, is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Drake Lansman.

Polo football travels to Milledgeville to take on local rivals Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. Polo took the win 30-14.

Dixon boys won the Rock River Run, Rock Falls' Ariel Hernandez took second, Sterling volleyball won the Reed-Custer invite, Dixon's Oros edged Sterling's Hubbard in a playoff, Polo volleyball won its home tournament and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup

Sterling's Emily Schwingle placed fifth at the Western Big 6 Conference Meet to earn first-team all-conference, Dixon was second at the Big Northern Meet, and Forreston's Aspen McGlynn was runner-up at the NUIC Meet in Wednesday's Sauk Valley Roundup.

Fourth-ranked Dixon heads to Genoa-Kingston, Fulton and Oregon hope to get back to .500, E-PC hosts Forreston, Newman hosts Orion, E-P plays at Rockridge, Sterling heads to Galesburg and West Carroll can get to 4-0 in the Week 4 Sauk Valley football slate.

Genoa-Kingston fell at Oregon while Hiawatha dropped its game at Polo

The Polo Marcos and Oregon Hawks posted wins in high school football action Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. The Hawks edged Genoa-Kingston 3-0 in Big Northern Conference action at Landers-Loomis Field in Oregon while the Marcos shut out Hiawatha 54-O in 8-man action in Polo.

Here is a capsule look at the 2024 boys cross country teams in the Sauk Valley area.

Fulton and Sterling score boys golf victories, plus more in Wednesday's Sauk Valley Roundup.

Sterling has a tough test against Metamora, Newman plays Princeton, Dixon hosts Stillman Valley, and Rock Falls hosts defending state champion Byron. Fulton at Forreston, Le-Win at Morrison, and Ridgewood at Amboy are also intriguing Week 1 matchups in the Sauk Valley area.

Polo downed Forreston in two games, 25-13 and 26-24, during a NUIC matchup at Polo High School on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.

Here is a capsule look at the 16 volleyball teams in the Sauk Valley area. There are a number of interesting storylines and milestones among both coaches and players to look out for this volleyball season.

A preseason look at Shaw Local's eight teams playing eight-man football in 2024 – West Carroll, Polo, Milledgeville, Hiawatha, Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland, Ashton-Franklin Center, Alden-Hebron and Amboys/LaMoille.

Here is a capsule look at the boys golf teams in the Sauk Valley area.

The last few football seasons have been special in Polo. State championships in 2019 and 2021 were followed by trips to the Illinois 8-Man Football Association semifinals the last two years. To get back there this fall, it’s going to take some new faces leading the way.

Oregon qualifies three in field events; one in 800 meters

Forreston finished second in the team totals at the 1A Winnebago Sectional in Winnebago on Friday, May 17, 2024. The Cardinals, who co-op with Polo, qualified individuals and relay teams to next week's state finals at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Winnebago won the 14-team event and Oregon finished fourth.

Oregon, Morrison baseball fell in their postseason openers Monday, plus more from around the Sauk valley area in our Monday Roundup.

Deb Schmid scored four goals to lead Oregon soccer to a win over Rosary in a Class 1A regional semifinal, Bella Duncan tossed a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts and homered twice in Morrison softball's two wins, and more in Saturday's SVM sports roundup.

Forreston-Polo won the 1A Oregon Sectional at Landers-Loomis Field on Friday, May 10, 2024. Athletes from 16 teams competed to try to qualify for the state meet at Eastern Illinois University. Forreston-Polo won the meet with 101.5 points followed by Winnebago with 97.75 and Oregon with 74.5,

Bureau Valley won the Three Rivers Conference boys track and field meet, Sterling was fourth in the Western Big Six meet and Newman baseball and softball both won in Friday's roundup.

Polo High School artist Zoie Wyatt was awarded the 2024 Polo High School Art Award for her talent and years of creative expression.

Polo traveled to Forreston on Thursday, May 2, 2024 for softball and baseball games. The Cardinals downed the Marcos 20-0 on the baseball field while the Lady Marcos bested the Lady Cardinals 17-5.

The Rock Falls softball team downed Dixon, and the Newman and Amboy baseball teams were victorious. Plus more in Tuesday's SVM area roundup.

Oregon scored five runs in the fourth inning en route to a 7-1 win over Polo on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Jackson Messenger had one hit for the Hawks with three RBIs followed by Logan Weems with one hit and one RBI. Jack Washburn had one hit, a double. Bryce Becker was the winning pitcher. Nolan Hahn and Carter Merdian had one hit each for the Marcos.

Amboy and Oregon baseball won, Sterling boys tennis went 3-0 at the Harlem Invite, and Newman boys tennis finished second at the five-team Rochelle Hub Invite. Plus more in Saturday's SVM area roundup.

The Sterling, Newman and Dixon softball teams, and the Dixon and Newman baseball teams won conference games. Those results and many more in Thursday's SVM area roundup.

The Eastland baseball and softball teams beat Polo, while Sterling softball and Dixon baseball won conference games. Those results and much more in Tuesday's SVM area roundup.

Polo hosted Eastland on the softball and baseball diamonds at Westside Park on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Thirteen miles to the east, Oregon soccer hosted North Boone. The Lady Hawks won their game 3-1.

The Sterling, Dixon and Newman softball teams picked up conference wins, while the Newman and Oregon baseball teams also won conference games. Plus more in Monday's roundup.

Rock Falls senior Olivia Osborne went 4 for 4 with two RBIs, a home run and a double in a 10-8 win over Winnebago. The Sterling softball team and Newman and Oregon baseball teams also picked up conference wins. Those results and more in Saturday's roundup.

The Dixon, Newman, Rock Falls, Amboy, Forreston-Polo, Fulton and Bureau Valley boys and girls track and field teams all competed Friday at the Rock Falls Rocket Invite at Hinders Field. Dixon took home the boys title and Rock Falls girls were runner-up.

Sienna Stingley struck out 16 in a 2-hitter in Sterling softball's 9-0 win over Geneseo, while the Dixon baseball and softball teams picked up wins. Plus more in Wednesday's roundup.

Forreston-Polo freshman Bree Schneiderman is off to a strong start in high school track & field. At the Gebhardt-Worley Invitational April 6, she placed top three in four events. Schneiderman has been voted the Sauk Valley Media Athlete of the Week for April 1-7.

Rock Falls baseball went 2-0 with wins over Forreston and Dakota, Newman's Elaina Allen won the 100 and 200 meters at the Paul Parker Invite, and Sterling's Brecken Peterson went 3-0 at trhe Metamora tennis quadrangular. That and more in Saturday's roundup.