Rob Oesterle

Here are five storylines to watch during the 2026 softball season across The Herald-News area.

Brady Pettigrew scored a game-high 25 points and Bolingbrook beat Neuqua Valley 68-53 in the Class 4A Bolingbrook Sectional

Providence Catholic lost for the first time this season to a Class 3A team, losing a supersectional contest to Washington on Monday, 73-47.

For the second year in a row, the IC Catholic Prep boys wrestling team won the Class 2A state championship Saturday after beating Providence 39-25 in the championship match at Bloomington’s Grossinger Motors Arena.

Led by TJ Williams' 22 points, Bolingbrook placed four players in double digits and another with nine to beat Plainnfield East 83-60 and win the Class 4A Oswego Regional title

Landrie Callahan had 38 points and 13 rebounds to lead Providence to a 72-44 win over Hillcrest in the Class 3A Hillcrest Sectional title game

Minooka's boys basketball team saw its season end with an 81-46 loss to Peoria Richwoods at the Class 4A Minooka Regional semifinals Wednesday night.

Gardner-South Wilmington, Romeoville and Coal City were among boys basketball regional winners in Monday's Herald-News Roundup

Morris' RJ Kennedy scored a career-high 28 points to lead his team to a 52-41 win over Sterling in the Class 3A Geneseo Regional.

Metamora's girls basketball team outscored Morris 22-3 in the second quarter and cruised to a 62-28 win in the Class 3A Metamora Regional title game on Friday night.

Moline's girls basketball team shot 13 of 25 in the second half and topped Minooka 57-49 in the Class 4A Minooka Regional title game

Lockport's Justin Wardlow, JCA's Jason Hampton and Coal City's Brody Widlowski are all searching for their fourth state medal this weekend in Champaign

For the third consecutive time Wilmington's Keeley Walsh stepped to the free throw line with a chance to win her team the game in the waning seconds and for the third straight time she delivered as the Wildcats captured a 47-46 win over Seneca at the Seneca Class 2A Regional.

Morris Community High School honored its Illinois State Scholars during its board meeting on Monday.

Isaiah Robinson had nine points and nine rebounds to help lead Plainfield South to a 49-42 win over Joliet Central on Friday.