May 5, 2026 | WALLS 102 - Part 10

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The Times Athlete of the Week: Ottawa’s Belle Markey

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The Times Athlete of the Week: Ottawa’s Belle Markey

After your 429 online votes were counted, last week’s Times Athlete of the Week winner with 281 votes was Ottawa girls track and field’s Belle Markey.Markey continued her strong outdoor season by breaking the Ottawa High School record in the 100-meter hurdles during a first-place finish at La Salle.Also on the ballot last week were runner-up Nate Kelley (Serena baseball), MacKenna McMahan (Somonauk/Leland softball) and Graham Meister (Dwight boys track and field).This week’s ballot went online Monday and is accessible via Facebook (The Times Sports) and Twitter (@jtpedelty), with voting going through midday Wednesday.Here is a Q&A with this week’s winner:Do you have any nicknames?Markey: My nickname is Belle. I don’t really ever hear anyone call me by my name anymore.How old were you when you started competing in track and field, and what got you into the sport?Markey: I started track my freshman year of high school, but I didn’t do hurdles until my sophomore year. I got into the sport because I wanted to improve my overall athleticism and try something new in high school. You’ve excelled in the hurdles this season, including breaking the school record in the 100 hurdles a couple weeks ago in La Salle. What do you enjoy about that event?Markey: I enjoy hurdles because it’s always a challenge, and the progress is always changing. But once you get the hang of things it’s so fun, and all the girls you get to run with are always so nice.The season is winding down with conference and sectional meets on the near horizon. What are your goals for this final stretch of the season?Markey: Enjoy all that is left of the season and make my last few meets the best, because I won’t be running again after high school.What are a few of your favorite track facilities you’ve gotten the chance to compete at?Markey: My favorite track facility that I have had the chance to compete at is L-P’s and Morris’ track. What’s your ideal pre-meet meal? What about after a meet?Markey: My ideal pre-meet snack is a Mango Dragonfruit Refresher from Starbucks. After a meet, I want a large fry from McDonald’s.What movie would you say you’ve seen more than any other? About how many times?Markey: “It Ends with Us.” I have seen it probably 10 times. It’s my favorite movie.Which of your teammates cracks you up the most?Markey: The teammate that makes me laugh the most is Charli [Stoudt, Ottawa’s high jumper], but everyone makes me laugh and makes track so much more enjoyable.If you could see any musical artist in any venue, all expenses paid, who would you see and where?Markey: If I could see any artist, it would be Megan Moroney in a big city like New York.You and your teammates are going out for dinner to celebrate a big win. Where are you going, and what are you ordering?Markey: We would go to Olive Garden so we could get unlimited breadsticks and salad. I would also get rigatoni with meat sauce.Seasonal question: At a cookout, what’s your favorite food off the grill?Markey: I would get a hotdog.Do you have any plans for after high school? Do they involve sports?Markey: After high school, I plan to attend Sauk Valley Community College to continue my volleyball career while majoring in nursing.

The Times Athlete of the Week: Ottawa’s Belle Markey

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The Times Athlete of the Week: Ottawa’s Belle Markey

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The Times Athlete of the Week: Ottawa’s Belle Markey

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Congratulations to The Times Athlete of the Week, Ottawa girls track and field’s Belle Markey!

Whiteside County property transfers for April 27 to May 1, 2026

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Here’s a list of Whiteside County property transfers for April 27 to May 1, 2026.

‘Stihl’-ing is a good thing for Princeton baseball

When you have a player named Stihl, it’s a good bet your baseball team is going to steal bases.The Princeton Tigers swiped 31 bases over two nights in back-to-back games last week against Kewanee.The Tigers had 17 steals on April 30 in an 11-1 win at home, tying for the 17th most steals in a single game in the IHSA records.A road to Kewanee on May 1 did little to slow down the Tigers on the base paths where they pilfered 14 more steals in a 14-6 win.Tiger coach Patrick Smith said stealing bases has to be a big part of the Tigers’ game plan.“We’re not really hitting a lot of home runs, or slugging a ton. And we’ve got some fast kids,” he said. “We feel like that’s the way we’ve got to attack the game. Play a litlte more small ball, move guys over and cause a little chaos. “It happened to work out last week for us a couple times. The kids are executing. they get a good read on the pitcher and do what we coach them to to. Get on base and run as hard as they can.”Sophomore Jack Oester and junior Hayden Sayler led the Tigers’ thievery with four steals in the first game at home with Stihl Brokaw pilfering four at Kewanee, including a steal of home.The two-day leaders were Brokaw and Oester with seven each followed by Braden Shaw and Sayler with five each and Abe Longeville at four.“It is crazy. Our team was just getting really good jumps all game. We were all locked in from the first pitch,” Brokaw said. “One thing our coach has been preaching this year is aggression on the base paths, we want to cause havoc.”On the season, Shaw and Oester each have 15 stolen bases with Brokaw right behind at 13.Princeton is the eighth team to steal 17 bases in a single game according to IHSA records. Downstate Cairo, which had games of 23 and 17 steals in 2013, holds the record with 26 steals vs. Carbondale Trinity in 2012.Monday’s Princeton at Hall game was suspended in the bottom of the first on the account of lightning. No makeup date has been set as of 7 p.m. Monday.

‘Stihl’-ing is a good thing for Princeton baseball

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‘Stihl’-ing is a good thing for Princeton baseball

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‘Stihl’-ing is a good thing for Princeton baseball

When you have a player named Stihl, it’s a good bet your baseball team is going to steal bases. The Princeton Tigers swiped 31 bases over two nights in back-to-back games last week against Kewanee. Stihl Brokaw

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