By the time you read this, the post season for springs sports will have begun.
Byron and Stillman Valley girls track & field competed in the 2A sectional at Sterling on May 14, while Oregon and Forreston-Polo traveled to Lena-Winslow May 15 in 1A. The Oregon and Stillman Valley girls soccer team are at regionals May 16.
The upcoming week is kickoff for baseball, softball and boys track & field kick, with Byron and Forreston No. 1 seeds in baseball sub-sectionals.
Did you know the IHSA offers state competitions in several other sports and activities in the spring, such as boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls tennis, boys volleyball, boys and girls water polo and bass fishing. Most of those sports are for larger schools, but bass fishing has taken hold locally with Byron, Oregon, Polo and Stillman Valley competing at the Apple Canyon Lake Regional.
Oregon is looking for its first-ever sectional win in girls T&F. They’ve come close many times in the past, but good Byron and Winnebago teams have stood in the way. Winning both the Landers-Loomis and Big Northern conference meet give promise for a championship.
With Lena-Winslow, Rockford Lutheran and Winnebago present, the task to win a sectional will not be easy. It all depends on how teams cancel each other out in terms of their strongest events.
Ultimately though, a track & field sectional is all about sending individuals and relays downstate. But, it would be nice to finally head home with a sectional championship plaque.
Forreston-Polo’s best hope lies with sophomore Bree Schneiderman, who is ranked in the top 10 in the 100, 200 and 400 meters for 1A. The problem for her is that senior Emma Randecker of West Carroll is also in the sectional. Randecker is state-ranked No. 1 in the 100 and 200 and No. 2 in the 400.
In soccer, defending 1A regional champs Oregon come in as a No. 5 seed at the Mendota regional. Stillman Valley is No. 3 and appears headed for the regional title game Tuesday at Byron against No. 2 Byron.
Genoa-Kingston and Mendota are the No. 1 seeds in that sectional, with traditional power Rock Island Alleman relegated to a No. 2.
The Byron baseball team continues its hot streak, with 20 straight wins and a likely conference title. With coach Dale Hartman stepping down after this season, the storybook ending would be trip downstate.
In looking at the 2A pairings, Byron has the best chance of anyone entered in their sectional. Last year, it was a bitter disappointment losing to Port Byron Riverdale at the regional.
But, that’s the nature of high-school baseball and its one-and-done tournament format. No matter how good a team is, the post seasons can be so precarious.
Byron stands at No. 10 in the MaxPreps ranking for all of 2A. In their sub-sectional, Sterling Newman is No. 20 and Rock Island Alleman No. 24. If the Tigers pull off its fourth sectional title under Hartman, a possible opponent could be a talented Chicago Hope squad, which is ranked 14th.
Trying to handicap 1A sectional is much tougher with it being more of a glorified conference tournament. If Forreston can hold off everyone else in the league, a super-sectional would await them at NIU’s baseball stadium. The state finals will also be at a college venue.
Due to a schedule conflict with the Peoria Chiefs at Dozer Park, the Illinois High School Association announced that its 2025 Class 1A and Class 2A Baseball State Finals on Friday and Saturday, June 6-7, will be played at the home field of the University of Illinois, Illinois Field, located on the Champaign-Urbana campus.
“Major League Baseball (MLB) scheduled games at Dozer Park on June 6-7 and the Chiefs didn’t catch the conflict until it was too late,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. "
Since the first IHSA state tournament in 1940, the IHSA Baseball State Finals have been played at nine different venues around the state. Illinois Field will become the 10th host stadium, while also marking the first time that state baseball will be played in Champaign-Urbana.
On another baseball note, an area baseball official voiced a concern to me about IHSA legislation on club sports vs high-school sports. He said a major difference in baseball is that the IHSA requires a pitch count, whereas many club teams have no limit on pitches.
He felt a great pitcher on a club team could end up with an over-used arm.
Andy Colbert is a longtime Ogle County resident with years of experience covering sports and more for multiple area publications.
