Winnebago
SPORTS
Winnebago football leans on veteran leadership this season
WINNEBAGO, Ill. (WIFR) - Last season was a down year for Winnebago football. The Indians won just one game in the 2023 campaign, but now... It’s a new year. With the new season comes new challenges and strengths. Winnebago has fewer players on the roster this year, but the experience is up. More than half of this year’s starters are in their senior season.
Rockford Christian cancels football season
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Rockford Christian High School confirmed Thursday evening its 2024 varsity football season is canceled. The Royal Lions couldn’t put together a roster for the season due to low numbers. Schools meant to play the Royal Lions now have a gap in their schedule to fill.
Winnebago hitting the reset button looking to shake off last year and make some strides
WINNEBAGO, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — When you’re coming off a 1-8 season the best thing to do is to turn the page and start fresh. “I think you’ve just got to forget about it. It was last year and last year was last year, and you just hit the reset button,” said Winnebago head coach Mark […]
Meet Rockford's new football coaches for the 2024 season
Leroy McFadden was a rare Big Ten recruit out of the NIC-10 ... sort of. He played more for Michigan State (391 yards rushing, 224 receiving in 1997 and 1998) than he ever did at Auburn, leaving Rockford to move in with his uncle in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, after his sophomore year. “I...
Jefferson J-Hawks tired of losing, approach season with winning attitude
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — Rockford Jefferson’s football program has been spinning its wheels at or near the bottom of the NIC-10 for years. Just maybe the J-Hawks will gain some serious traction this season and pull out of their rut.Here’s a look at the J-Hawks in our two-a-day preview. You might think coming off an […]
Coach Kunz Reacts to Williamsville Scheduling Byron
The Williamsville Bullets picked up a week three opponent on Thursday morning, adding Byron to replace Riverton. Williamsville and Byron have met twice in the playoffs. They split those matchups, with the Bullets winning the 2019 3A State Championship 46-42. Head Coach Aaron Kunz shared his thoughts on the game.
Boylan Titans have the same high standards despite declining numbers
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — The Boylan Titans have always been up for any challenge in football. The one they’ve been dealing with in recent years has been declining enrollment at the school and declining numbers on their roster, but they’re determined to keep up their high standards. The Titans were right there in the hunt […]
Rockford to host first IPWBL women’s semi-pro national basketball title game
ROCKFORD — The RKFD Lightning will host the first ever Independent Professional Women’s Basketball League national title game on Sunday at the UW Health Sports Factory. The local women’s semiprofessional team announced on Wednesday that it will host the league’s inaugural national championship here. The event is sponsored by the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Northern Illinois Hockey League gears up for youth season
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - As the youth hockey season approaches, kids across the stateline and beyond are eager to take the ice and sharpen their skills for the game. The Northern Illinois Hockey League (NIHL) is primed for a big season with plenty of events to provide local youth players and families with a fun experience.
Rockford Park District celebrates Rockford Fire and Rockford Bears Flag Football athletes
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - The Rockford Park District celebrated a big summer for its athletes on Tuesday. The Rockford F.I.R.E and Rockford Bears 15U Flag Football teams traveled across the country to play in their respective sports. The Rockford Bears 15U team went to Canton, Ohio in July to compete...
Belvidere North football reloads in 2024
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Belvidere North’s football program isn’t looking to take any steps back from last years 9-3 finish. As a matter of fact, they’re ready to reload. The Blue Thunder finished in third place in the NIC-10, added by a solid run in the playoffs. Belvidere North may have lost a few seniors from last year’s team, but the graduates ensured to leave a lasting blueprint for the program.
Rivets season ends in best-of-three loss to Kalamazoo
LOVES PARK, Ill. (WIFR) - The Rockford Rivets’ historic season came to an end on Tuesday, dropping the final game of the best-of-three series 8 to 2. Tommy Townsend gave the Rivets some early runs, hitting two runners in in the first inning to tie things at two a piece.
New coaching additions at Rockford Lutheran could help elevate the Crusaders
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — Rockford Lutheran’s football program is coming off back-to-back playoff seasons. Those have left the Crusaders hungry for more, and they just might have the personnel to do more this season. It took two tremendous football programs to knock the Crusaders out of the 1A playoffs the last two seasons, Fulton and […]
Big senior class ready for a big finish at Oregon this football season
OREGON, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — If there’s one football program in the Big Northern Conference that’s been on the rise in recent seasons, it’s the Oregon Hawks. Last year they made a major jump going from two wins to five wins. The Hawks look like they’ll have a chance to make another jump this year. The […]
Tiffany Hammack & Verdi O’Merveilles Triumph in the $35,000 SummitMax Grand Prix at Hits Chicago
Wayne, Illinois – August 10, 2024 – In a thrilling conclusion to the Hits Chicago Equifest III Series, Tiffany Hammack (USA) of Rockton, Illinois, and her seasoned partner, Verdi O’Merveilles, claimed victory in the $35,000 SummitMax Grand Prix on Saturday, August 10, 2024. Twenty-three elite horse-and-rider combinations contested the technical first-round track. In the middle of the starting order, Hammack guided Verdi O’Merveilles to a fault-free effort , joining 11 other riders in the jump-off.
TinCaps comeback attempt falls short against Dragons
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – The TinCaps finally pushed two runs across in the bottom of the ninth to avoid the shutout, but it wasn’t enough as Fort Wayne fell to the Dayton Dragons by a score of 5-2 on Wednesday night at Parkview Field. The TinCaps managed just five hits in the game, with […]
IceHogs Community Fund Awards Grants to Support Two Rockford Park District Programs
The Rockford IceHogs Community Fund has awarded two grants to support Rockford Park District programs, and both are renewal grants for programs supported by the IceHogs Community Fund during the 2023-24 grant term. The first is a $13,000 grant to the RPD’s Junior StreetHogs, an outreach program designed to eliminate...
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