Central (Clifton) Preps

Storylines to watch for in the 2025 baseball postseason, including intriguing potential matchups between local Class 2A teams and a Bradley-Bourbonnais team looking to recapture some of last season's playoff magic.

From Beecher battling through a challenging Class 2A Seneca Sectional to Bradley-Bourbonnais looking for a regional four-peat in 4A, here are some storylines to look for as the 2025 postseason gets underway.

The Coal City baseball team extended its winning streak to four games with a nonconference win at Kankakee and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Herscher junior Keira Ahramovich homered twice and tripled Wednesday as the Tigers picked up a home win over Central in the final days of the regular season.

Herscher earned a 13-6 victory over Central on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Herscher High School.

Tristin Woods hit a home run and had five RBIs for the Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team in their SouthWest Suburban Conference win over Stagg, and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Cody Freitas hit two home runs to lead Bradley-Bourbonnais to an 18-7 win in SouthWest Suburban Conference play and more in Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Wilmington baseball team held Kankakee to just one hit in a 12-0 win, the Wildcats third shutout win in a row, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bishop McNamara baseball team got another shutout win to sweep St. Edward in a Chicagoland Christian Conference series and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Jacob Vinardi tossed a no-hitter in the first game of Kankakee's doubleheader with Thornridge and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Five events on the boys side of the Herscher Invite were won by area athletes on Friday as the end of the outdoor track and field season nears its final stretch.

A total of 13 local track and field programs competed in the Herscher Invite on Friday, with area athletes on the girls side winning eight events and Wilmington freshman McKenna Van Tilburg winning three.

A dozen schools competed in the Herscher Invite track and field meet Friday, May 2, 2025. Buy photos here: https://heraldnews.smugmug.com/April-2025/Herscher-Invite

The Beecher softball team beat Central 10-0 on Thursday to clinch the RVC title for the 24th season in a row and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Central baseball team beat Beecher 9-3 in a matchup of the top two teams in the River Valley Conference standings and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Ava Lorenzatti had 15 strikeouts in a one-hit shutout Tuesday as Beecher bounced back from its first loss of the season to beat Central 7-0 in River Valley Conference play.

Beecher softball stays unbeaten in RVC play with a 7-0 win over Central. In baseball, Central came out on top, earning a 9-3 win over Beecher.

The Bishop McNamara boys and Central girls both picked up team wins at the Manteno Invite on Friday.

The Bishop McNamara earned another blowout win in Chicagoland Christian Conference play, beating Aurora Christian 22-2, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bishop McNamara softball team beat Wheaton Academy 16-8 to improve to 7-0 in Chicagoland Christian Conference play and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team lost an extra-inning SWSC battle to top-ranked Lincoln-Way Central, Beecher's Ava Lorenzatti and Taylor Norkus were dominant in a doubleheader sweep and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Central took down Gardner-South Wilmington 9-2 on the road on Tuesday to improve to 7-0 in River Valley Conference play.

Central claimed a 9-2 win over Gardner-South Wilmington to keep a perfect River Valley Conference record (7-0) on Tuesday, April 22.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team beat Lincoln-Way East on the road Monday to avenge last week's loss to the Griffins and more in Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Peotone's Sophie Klawitter threw a one-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts in the Blue Devils' win to cap off her dominant week, and more in Friday's Daily Journal Roundup

Bishop McNamara's Joslynn Dole and Kankakee's Kylee Cunningham both threw no-hitters Wednesday to lead their teams to wins and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal Roundup

The Bishop McNamara baseball team picked up its first Chicagoland Christian Conference win of the season, Peotone's Sophie Klawitter threw another no-hitter and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Herscher took advantage of some early Central defensive woes with timely hits and an 11-1 start to the season Friday.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team fell 5-4 to Sandburg in their SouthWest Suburban Conference opener and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Beecher pitcher Taylor Norkus threw a perfect game Thursday as the Bobcats improved to 6-0 on the season, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Kankakee baseball team blew out Thornton 19-0 at home and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Central outlasted St. Anne-Donovan in a pitchers' duel on Tuesday, improving to 3-5 on the season with the 1-0 win.

Central secured a 1-0 victory over St. Anne-Donovan in the River Valley Conference matchup on Tuesday, April 1. Purchase photos here: https://heraldnews.smugmug.com/April-2025/Central-vs-St-Anne-Baseball

Manteno baseball made it a 5-0 start to the season with Monday's win over rival Peotone and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Manteno freshman Klarke Goranson won both the girls Class 2A 800 meters and 1,600 meters at the Illinois Top Times Championships and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Daily Journal 2024-25 All-Area boys basketball team.

Bradley-Bourbonnais softball rallied from its first loss of the season to salvage a doubleheader split with Huntley and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Beecher picked up a pair of shutout wins over Gardner-South Wilmington on Thursday to open the season 2-0, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Wilmington beat Central 22-5 at home on Wednesday, scoring 11 runs in the fourth inning to improve to 4-1 on the season.

The Wilmington softball team beat Central 22-5 at home on Wednesday, scoring 11 runs in the fourth inning to improve to 4-1 on the season.

Wilmington pulled away for a 22-5 victory over Central on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team won 17-4 in Alabama to improve to 2-1 on the season and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

A handful of schools competed at Reed-Custer's Comet Classic over the weekend, with Bishop McNamara leading the local boys and the host Comets leading the local girls.

The Daily Journal 2024-25 All-Area girls basketball team.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais boys track and field team competed in the SouthWest Suburban Conference Boys Indoor Meet, placing ninth as a team, and more in Friday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Kankakee baseball team lost its season opener on Tuesday as St. Anne-Donovan's Carter Ponton flirted with a no-hitter, and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

After capping off her sophomore season with a state silver medal, Central-Iroquois West's Payton Temple is this year's Daily Journal Girls Wrestler of the Year.

The 2024-25 Daily Journal All-Area wrestling team.

Payton Temple's headed to the state semifinals in girls individual wrestling and Coal City's in the semis for boys team wrestling in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Behind Ray Lee's 37 points, Manteno got past rival Peotone in double overtime while Bishop McNamara earned a regional championship rematch and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.