Can influx of talent replace slew of graduated stars?

Of the 13 players on the Daily Chronicle 2025 All-Area First-Team, including two-time Player of the Year Martin Ledbetter, only Skyler Janeski, Kanon Baxley, Aiden Whildin and Cole Latimer return.

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That opens up the door for some intriguing talent like Sycamore junior outfielder Ben Anderson. Anderson already had a breakout year on the football field, becoming a top wide receiver for the Spartans. He hit .421 last year and had a 1.048 OPS in just 47 plate appearances.

There are also Hinckley-Big Rock sophomores Travis Herrmann and Colten Sargent. Ledbetter put up video game numbers last year, hitting over .600 with a 1.368 slugging average and a 2.122 OPS. And he was dominant on the hill as well. No one will replicate those numbers, but Janeski is capable at both the plate and on the mound. And Herrmann was 1-1 with a 3.81 ERA in 14⅔ innings while hitting .339. Sargent hit .290 and reached base at a .457 clip.

Will 20-win seasons finally translate to regional titles for DeKalb and Kaneland?

DeKalb has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons but is still seeking a regional title for the first time since 2017. Kaneland has won 20 games each of the last seven full seasons but hasn’t won a regional since 2022.

This year, each team will see if they can get into the sectional round. The Barbs have been on an upward trajectory in each of Josh Latimer’s first four years as head coach. But they’re also dealing with the most graduation losses in those four years. Having two-sport NIU commit Cole Latimer back is a big help, as is the return of Kriese, who was 5-2 with a 2.03 ERA.

Kaneland lost some players to graduation but returns several key offensive contributors. Whildin, Baxley and Brady Alstott all hit .340 or above. Carter Grabowski struggled a little more at the plate, hitting .240, but he also had a .444 on-base percentage and stole 19 bases. He also had two outfield assists and only one error.

Last year, Kaneland lost 5-4 to Benet in a home regional final. The Red Wings went on to take second in Class 3A. The team also lost to private schools in 2023 and 2024 in regional games.

What will potential Sycamore bounce-back year look like?

The Spartans lost 3-1 to Dixon in a Class 3A regional semifinal last year, wrapping up an 18-16 campaign.

For the first time since 2018, they failed to win 20 games in a full season and snapped a streak of three straight trips to at least the supersectional round, including a third-place finish in Class 3A in 2023. Sycamore had won regionals in four straight postseasons.

The Spartans had a double whammy last year of big-time graduation losses, plus missing two key pitchers with injuries. This year, the team is young with just two seniors, nine juniors and as many as five sophomores. Sawyer Valdez will be one of the sophomores after a breakout freshman campaign.

Valdez appeared in 15⅓ innings as a freshman, mostly in relief, giving him the most experience among the dozen or so pitchers on the staff. Senior Henry Hamingson pitched 13⅔ innings and could figure into the rotations as well.

Can Genoa-Kingston and Indian Creek finally turn the corner?

The Timberwolves won one game last year following a four-win season in 2024. They last had a winning season in 2018, last won 20 games in 2015 and last claimed a regional in 2014.

The Cogs’ 10-19 record marked their most wins since 2019. Their last winning season was 2018 and last regional title was 2000.

Genoa-Kingston came on at the end of last year, winning seven of its last 12 games. They Cogs will have a mostly new pitching staff but an experienced catcher, Blake Ides, handling them. A combination of better pitching, better baserunning and more contact has the team optimistic.

The Timberwolves are in that rare position of being both young and having a lot of returning talent. Addux Pearson and Dylan Carey both logged innings last year, and freshmen Cooper Bernabei and Rhett Crutcher should add to the pitching depth this year.

Can Dedric Wright rebuild Hiawatha with a proven hand

When the Barbs won that regional title in 2017, Dedric Wright was the coach. This year he is back at the high school level, now with the Hawks, after coaching at the club level with a lot of returning multisport athletes.

Aidan Cooper had standout senior seasons on the basketball court and football field. He hit .328 last year, tied for the team lead with Colby Wylde. Wylde, Cooper, Tim Pruitt and Bentley Payne - like Cooper, all multisport athletes - will headline a pitching-by-committee approach as the team tries to figure things out early.