May 19, 2025
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Softball regional preview

Local storylines to watch out for in the 2025 softball postseason

By Adam Tumino
Beecher's Taylor Norkus throws a pitch during a game at Reed-Custer Friday, March 28, 2025.

Beecher's Taylor Norkus throws a pitch during a game at Reed-Custer Friday, March 28, 2025. (Mason Schweizer)

Beecher looking for third straight regional, sectional titles

Several of the best teams in the area, and indeed the whole state, will have to fight through a loaded Class 2A Seneca Sectional this postseason.

Beecher (29-2) enters the playoffs looking to win both a regional and sectional title for the third season in a row. As the top seed in the Beecher Regional, their path is not exactly smooth.

Should they make it there, waiting the Bobcats in the regional finals would likely be either a (4) Wilmington team that has proven to be one of the top 2A teams in the state throughout the season or (7) Peotone, assuming the Blue Devils win their quarterfinal game.

The Prairie Central Regional will likely see (2) Herscher play either (3) Prairie Central or (5) Central for the regional title, giving the winner of the Beecher Regional another potentially tough matchup in the sectional semis.

But it is from the Bismark-Henning Regional where Beecher’s biggest obstacle may emerge in the form of (1) Senecca. Should the Bobcats advance to the sectional finals, they very well could face the still-unbeaten Fighting Irish in a clash between perhaps the best two 2A teams in Illinois.

Seneca will have to beat the winner of the Coal City Regional to reach that hypothetical clash with Beecher, which is a sectional loaded with yet more talented teams. (6) Bishop McNamara and (8) Reed-Custer will face off in the quarterfinals with the winner facing a (2) Manteno team in the semis that ranked 12th in the 2A ICA Poll released May 11. The other semifinal in Coal City sees the host (5) Coalers playing (3) Joliet Catholic.

Other local teams in the Seneca Sectional are (7) Iroquois West in the Prairie Central Regional, (10) Watseka in the Bismark-Henning Regional and (10) Momence in the Beecher Regional.

New-look Boilermakers look for regional four-peat

Bradley-Bourbonnais' Lydia Hammond throws to first base for an out in the second inning of Thursday's game against Lockport.

Bradley-Bourbonnais' Lydia Hammond throws to first base for an out in the second inning of Thursday's game against Lockport. (Nicholas Holstein)

Gone are four-year stars Libby Spaulding and Ellie Haggard, who wrapped up their Bradley-Bourbonnais softball careers by helping lead the team to three straight regional titles.

Now led by a new standout senior class featuring centerfielder Bella Pusateri and catcher Suttyn Hop, as well as a new ace to fill Spaulding’s place in junior Lydia Hammond, this year’s group will look to keep that streak alive.

After battling through a stacked SouthWest Suburban Conference this season, the Boilermakers will enter the Class 4A Normal Community West Sectional as the No. 3 seed in their sub-sectional and regional hosts.

They face (6) Normal Community in the regional semis and then either (2) Rock Island or (9) Normal Community West with a regional four-peat on the line. Should the Boilermakers win another regional crown, they could very well meet a (1) Minooka team that ended their season last year in a 10-0 loss in the sectional semifinals.

Kays to face tough tests in 3A postseason

Kankakee's Kylee Cunningham high fives head coach LaDesha Nelson as she rounds third base after hitting a 2-run homer during the Kays' 16-0 victory over Thornridge on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

Kankakee's Kylee Cunningham high fives head coach LaDesha Nelson as she rounds third base after hitting a 2-run homer during the Kays' 16-0 victory over Thornridge on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Kankakee posted its third straight 15-win season in 2025, thanks in large part to another dominant run through Southland Athletic Conference play. But the (5)Kays will face one of their toughest tests of the season when they begin play in the Class 3A Pontiac Sectional against the host (3)Indians, a team that was ranked ninth in the 3A ICA Poll released May 11.

Should the Kays pull off the upset in the regional semifinals, they would likely meet a (2)La Salle-Peru team ranked third in 3A to play for the program’s second regional title and earn a spot in the East Peoria Sectional semifinals.

Gardner-South Wilmington leads pack of local 1A teams

Gardner-South Wilmington's Jo Male releases a pitch during the Panthers' 9-2 loss to Central on Tuesday, April 22.

Gardner-South Wilmington's Jo Male releases a pitch during the Panthers' 9-2 loss to Central on Tuesday, April 22. (Tiffany Blanchette)

All area schools in the Class 1A postseason will populate the Serena Sectional. In the Serena Regional, (3) Gardner-South Wilmington will open play with a semifinal matchup against an (6) Illinois Lutheran team they beat twice in the regular season. The Panthers would likely meet (2) Serena for the regional title should they advance.

Four local teams will play in the Grant Park Regional, with (8) Donovan and (10) St. Anne facing off the the quarterfinals for a chance to play (1) Ottawa Marquette in the semis. The other semifinal will see (4) Milford-Cissna Park and (5) Grant Park play for a spot in the regional title game.