Sterling Preps

Once United Township built the lead, it wasn’t about to give it back to Sterling. The Golden Warriors fell behind early and never recovered in a 68-59 loss to the Panthers in a Western Big 6 game Tuesday night at Musgrove Fieldhouse.

Sterling hosts United Township in boys basketball Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. UT won 68-59.

Sterling High School graduate Grace Egan recently transferred to the Wisconsin volleyball team. As a redshirt freshman at Ohio State last season, she had a career-high 22 kills against the Badgers.

Sterling hosts Lasalle-Peru Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 in boys basketball. Sterling won 70-58.

Sterling hosts Galesburg in girls bowling Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.

Oregon's Gavvin Surmo had the top series at Dixon's Toughman Tournament as the Hawks took second behind state power Harlem. The Dukes were third and Sterling took 12th in a strong field on Thursday.

Dixon, Sterling, Oregon and others face off at the alleys at Plum Hollow for Dixon's Toughman bowling tournament.

As expected, Saturday’s third-place game at the Dixon Holiday Classic between rivals Sterling and Dixon was dominated by hard-nosed defense and all-out hustle.cBut the difference was the Golden Warriors’ ability to get out and score in transition in a 44-18 victory.

Dixon and Sterling girls teams faced off in the Dixon Girls KSB Holiday Basketball Classic Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. The Golden Warriors’ bested the Duchesses’ 44-18 at Lancaster Gym.

After a nip-and-tuck first three quarters, Sterling just couldn’t keep up with Stillman Valley over the final four minutes in a 47-37 loss in their Dixon Holiday Classic semifinal Friday evening at Lancaster Gym.

Sterling meets Stillman Valley in the semi-final of the Dixon Girls KSB Basketball Classic Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. Stillman won 47-37 and will face the winner of the Dixon and Byron game for Saturday's championship.

Sterling and Eastland start the action Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, during the 46th annual Dixon Girls KSB Holiday Basketball Tournament. Sterling won 61-21.

Two big runs helped Sterling build a big lead, then it held off a late Hononegah charge in a 49-42 victory at the Sterling Shootout on Saturday afternoon at Musgrove Fieldhouse.

Sterling faces Hononegah Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 in the Sterling Shootout. Sterling won 49-42.

Sterling faces off against Alleman Friday, Dec. 20, 2024 at home in boys basketball. Sterling won 68-51.

Sherrard rallied from an 11-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter to run its winning streak to six straight with a 46-42 victory over the Sterling Golden Warriors on Monday night at Musgrove Fieldhouse.

Sterling hosts Sherrard in boys basketball Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. Sherrard won 46-42.

Sterling hopes it will help in the end after playing the top three teams in the Western Big 6 Conference after a loss to No. 3 Quincy at home Friday night. Quincy's Keshaun Thomas had a team-record 25 rebounds, breaking the late Tom Lepper's mark.

The Sterling Warriors take on the Quincy Blue Devils in boys basketball on Friday, December 13, 2024 at Homer Musgrove Fieldhouse in Sterling.

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

Three local alums are key pieces for their teams at the NCAA volleyball championships in Sterling's Lexi Rodriguez (Nebraska) and Bree Borum (Loyola Chicago), and Rock Falls' Maya Sands (Missouri). Brooklyn Borum also plays in the NIVC with Virginia.

The speed, quickness and athleticism of the Sterling lineup was on full display Tuesday at Musgrove Fieldhouse, as the Golden Warriors cranked up the pressure on La Salle-Peru, nabbing 25 steals and forcing 39 turnovers to defeat their former longtime NCIC rivals 59-21.

Sterling hosts Lasalle-Peru in girls basketball Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. Sterling won 59-21.

Sterling defeated Princeton 56-51 in the third-place game of the Dean Riley Shootin' the Rock Thanksgiving Tournament on Saturday.

The Streator and Ottawa boys basketball teams picked up wins over Oak Forest and Sterling respectively in Friday night action at the Dean Riley Shootin’ the Rock Thanksgiving Tournament. The Bulldogs and Pirates will meet for the title at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

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.

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

Sterling hosts Knoxville to start their home season of girls basketball Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. Sterling took the win 57-36.

Sterling senior Madison Austin is competing in the 50-yard freestyle at state on Friday, also joining Kate Austin, Hazel Pham and Sammie Knox in the 400 free relay. It is Sterling's first girls relay at state since 2011.

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.

St. Francis took care of business in its opening-round Class 5A playoff matchup against Sterling, as standout speedster Zach Washington ran wild in a 42-18 victory Friday in Wheaton.

St. Francis hosted Sterling in a Class 5A first-round football game on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Wheaton.

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.

Morris bounced back from an early deficit in the first set, then slowly built the lead in the second to defeat Sterling 25-21, 25-19 in their Class 3A Dixon Regional semifinal on Tuesday night at Lancaster Gym.

Sterling and Morris meet in the 3A regional semifinal Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024 in Dixon. Morris won in two sets and will take on Dixon for the regional title on Thursday.

Sterling's Ryan Gebhardt set the career field goal record, Dixon was sharp in shutout, Fulton finishes on a bright note with Wooden Shoe's return, and Newman is motivated after a loss heading into the playoffs in Week 9's Sauk Valley notes.

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 5A playoffs.

Sterling faces Moline in Week 9 of the 2024 IHSA football season. Friday Night Drive editor Drake Lansman will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Senior Night at Musgrove Fieldhouse kicked off with Delali Amankwa being honored for breaking the all-time career assists record at Sterling. It ended with Amankwa setting her final assist to fellow senior Carley Sullivan for a thunderous kill in a 25-10, 25-10 win over Mendota.

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.

Sterling ends the home volleyball season with a game against Mendota Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. Sterling won in straight sets.

Sterling and Dunlap meet in Geneseo on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in the Class 2A regional soccer tournament. Dunlap bested the Warriors 7-0.

Sterling's defense helped lead to offense as Carley Sullivan had 13 kills and Marley Sechrest added six in a sweep of Alleman to finish 7-7 in Western Big 6 Conference play.

Sterling hosts Alleman at the net Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. Sterling won in straight sets.

La Salle-Peru beat Sterling in two sets in nonconference action Monday. The teams could meet again next week in the Dixon Regional final.

Dixon is confident and motivated after loss to Byron, Fulton's Braedon Meyers threw a school record six TDs, Jungerman steps up for Newman and Sterling bounced back in fifth win in Week 8's Sauk Valley football notes.

The Sterling football team was locked in during practice after a one-sided loss to Quincy last week. The result? A home blowout of Rock Island to get its fifth win of the season