It was a calendar year of outstanding achievements for many Kane County athletic programs and individuals. Teams recorded historic seasons. Record-setting accomplishments. Individual glory on the greatest of stages.

Here are the Top 5 Sports Stories of 2025 in Kane County.

Marmion wins first dual team state wrestling title

Marmion wrestling, a state runner-up three times – the most recent, in 2023, to St. Charles East – took home the big prize in March in Bloomington.

The Cadets beat Hononegah 42-31 to win the Class 3A dual team state title for the tradition-rich program’s first state championship as a team.

Demetrios Carrera, one of six juniors among Marmion’s 14 wrestlers in the state finals, clinched the title with his 6-3 decision at 132 pounds over state champion Rocco Cassioppi.

“They decided that they were going to do it for each other, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Marmion coach Anthony Cirrincione said. “In 25 years of coaching, I’ve never witnessed such a team performance, and it was so cool.”

Twice as nice for individual wrestling champs

Three of the state’s best wrestlers reside in Kane County, and each of them won their second state championships in 2025.

After winning each of his first three matches at the IHSA boys wrestling individual state meet via technical fall, St. Charles East’s Dom Munaretto managed to get one final tech-fall, defeating Schaumburg’s Brady Phelps 19-3 in 4:19 to secure his second state title in three seasons.

After winning the 106-pound title his freshman season, Munaretto fell short of the 113-pound crown as a sophomore, losing by decision to Marmion’s Nicholas Garcia.

“This wasn’t just a win physically, this was a win mentally too,” Munaretto said. “It showed myself that I can do it.”

Meanwhile, Garcia ended up winning his second straight state championship up in the 126-pound class after getting a 14-1 major decision over Marist’s Michael Esteban.

At the IHSA girls state tournament, Kaneland sophomore Angelina Gochis wrapped up a perfect 36-0 season with her second state title, winning by technical fall in 4:21 over Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth in the 110-pound final.

Kaneland basketball wins first sectional since 1982

Led by Freddy Hassan, Marshawn Cocroft and Jeffrey Hassan, Kaneland boys basketball won 31 consecutive games and its first sectional title since 1982.

The last part was not without a little drama.

The IHSA Board of Directors overturned a decision by Executive Director Craig Anderson that would have forced the Knights to forfeit the Class 3A Rochelle Sectional final, in addition to seven other games because they supposedly used an ineligible player in their previous seven games.

The composed Knights went out and played unfazed and fired up.

They built a lead late in the first quarter and maintained it the rest of the night in holding off Crystal Lake South 49-37, avenging a 31-point loss in the same game at Kaneland from the previous year.

“It just was more fuel to come out and win it,” Freddy Hassan said. “We hadn’t won a [sectional title] in 43 years, so it just means a lot to come out here and be able to do it.”

Kaneland’s season came to an end with a supersectional loss to eventual state champion DePaul Prep – but the Knights, with Cocroft and Jeffrey Hassan back, are off and running this season with a 12-0 start.

St. Charles North swimming second at state

In a down-to-the-wire girls state swimming meet, St. Charles North took second to Stevenson 236-227. The North Stars trailed the Patriots by just one point with three events left before Stevenson made a late push.

Still, a tremendous accomplishment by the North Stars, one that senior Kate Farrell said she would remember for a lifetime.

“Our team had a lot of heart,” said Farrell, who was fastest of all in the 200-yard individual medley (1:59.84) and the 500 freestyle (4:50.9). “Personally, we’ve never had a better season and we’ve supported each other all year. We all came to do our best and we did really well. I couldn’t be prouder of this team.”

Sophomore Thea Bike gave a big boost to her team’s medal-winning performance with a triumph in the 100 backstroke, posting a winning time of 53.66 seconds. The North Stars also took the final event of the day, the 400 freestyle relay.

St. Francis football wins state title

The first-ever IHSA football playoff game in December was a memorable one for St. Francis.

Senior quarterback Brock Phillip took in a 1-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal with 11 seconds left.

His fifth touchdown run, the third lead change of the fourth quarter, was the final play in a 17-play drive – and proved the game-winner.

St. Francis beat Providence 39-35 in the Class 5A final at Illinois State for the program’s second state championship.

Phillip, who transferred to St. Francis from Geneva for his senior year, was gutty in victory, rushing for 144 yards and the five touchdowns on 23 carries. He also threw for 226 yards and a TD to Dario Milivojevic.

“It was incredible, to be honest with you,” Phillip said. “Couldn’t be more happy with my team. The line did amazing, got together in the second half. We knew what we were supposed to do, and we got the job done.”