Brother Rice defensive lineman King Liggins, a two-time All-CCL/ESCC player who helped the Crusaders finish 13-1 and win the IHSA 7A state championship this season, has signed to continue his football career at Illinois. "I feel like I can motivate the guys around me..."

As the IHSA announced an expansion of the football playoffs starting next season, Suburban Life-area coaches offered their reactions. "I'm excited about the opportunities our kids might get. It is a net positive for us."

IHSA schools split on Proposal 19: Sycamore backs expanded playoffs, Genoa-Kingston resists, DeKalb sees new hope. Scheduling relief or more lopsided games? Local ADs weigh the trade-offs.

A day after the IHSA announced that a proposal had passed to expand the football playoffs by 128 teams, Kendall County-area coaches reacted to the news. "More kids get a chance to play high school football one extra week.”

Forty-four of the top football players from Seneca, Marquette, Fieldcrest, Ottawa, Streator, FCW and Sandwich, here is the 2025 Times All-Area Football Team.

After stepping into the featured back role for the best football team in the area, Seneca senior Cam Shriey is the 2025 Times Football Player of the Year.

The Sycamore School District 427 Board on Wednesday announced that Rob Stover will follow Joe Ryan as the head coach of the Spartan football team.

The IHSA announced Tuesday that the state football playoffs will be expanding from 256 to 384 teams starting in 2026. The Northwest Herald reached out to several local coaches, and here are their reactions.

Of the 18 Bureau County area schools to respond about the IHSA's Proposal 19 calling for football playoffs expansion, eight said they are voting in favor of it, while nine voted against it, with one school voting “no opinion.”

A Day 1 varsity starter as a running back his freshman year, Prairie Ridge senior Luke Vanderwiel developed into an all-state quarterback. He is the 2025 Northwest Herald Football Player of the Year after leading the Wolves to an undefeated regular season.

Richmond-Burton's Mike Noll won his 300th game and led the Rockets to within one win of a state championship game berth. Noll is the 2025 Northwest Herald Football Coach of the Year.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area football team.

One of the most decorated offensive, defensive and special teams players in Bradley-Bourbonnais history, Lyzale Edmon is the 2025 Daily Journal's Football Player of the Year.

Take a look at the players selected for the 2025 Daily Journal All-Area Football Team.

Here is the 2025 Record Newspapers All-Area football team.

Montini junior quarterback Israel Abrams, who threw for over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in leading the Broncos to a 14-0 season and second straight state championship, is the Suburban Life Player of the Year.

Here is the 2025 Suburban Life All-Area football team.

Oswego senior defensive back/receiver Mariano Velasco, who caught nine touchdown passes and also had six interceptions, four returned for touchdowns, in helping lead the Panthers to the Class 8A state championship, is the Record Newspapers Player of the Year.

Keagen Trost, a 2019 Kankakee graduate, was named a first-team All-SEC offensive lineman earlier this week after a standout season as Missouri's right tackle. His former Kays teammate Jyaire Hill and Manteno native Josh Gesky received All-Big Ten recognition.

Pat New, a Benet alum who won 92 games and made 10 IHSA playoff appearances as the school's head football coach, is retiring after 16 seasons. "It was difficult at first... but I knew that I made the right decision.”

A look at the top football players in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

Here’s a look at Bureau County all-time rushing records as compiled by BCR Sports Editor Kevin Hieronymus over the years

La Salle-Peru senior Nick Hachenberger went from never playing defense in youth football to a tackling machine at linebacker, averaging 10.1 stops per game this fall. He is the 2025 NewsTribune Defensive Football Player of the Year.

Princeton senior Casey Etheridge is the NewsTribune Offensive Football Player of the Year for the third time after running into the record books this fall.

With standouts from across the greater Will/Grundy county area, we are proud to present the 2025 Herald-News Flag Football All-Area Team.

Here's our 2025 All-BCR Football Team, representing players from Bureau Valley, Hall, LaMoille, Princeton and St. Bede.

Davon Grant will leave DeKalb as the most prolific receiver in school history. He heads to the University of Illinois as the all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards and is the Daily Chronicle 2025 Football Player of the Year.

From a couple of NIU commits at quarterback to dynamic players in the secondary, we look at the best football players in DeKalb County with the Daily Chronicle 2025 All-Area Football Team.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they recap the Illinois high school football state championship games for Class 8A-5A

A foundational offensive line group. A defensive line that will mostly be here in January. A linebacker that can fill some big shoes. Here are five takeways from NIU's 2026 signing class.

Wednesday marked the beginning of the 2025 Early Signing Day Period for NCAA Division I football. Here is a list of CCL/ESCC players who will be playing Division I FBS and FCS football next year.

Quinn Urwiler’s NIU career wasn’t just tackles, it was tone‑setting. The Batavia grad leaves as a leader who embodied grit, accountability, and culture in a season that tested the Huskies at every turn.

The Oswego football team played Mount Carmel Saturday to decide the IHSA Class 8A state championship in Huskie Stadium at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

The Brother Rice and St. Rita football teams played Wednesday in the IHSA Class 7A State Championship game in Huskie Stadium at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

Willowbrook senior Marli Smrz, who threw for over 3,600 yards and 72 touchdowns in leading the Warriors to a 22-1 record and third place in the state, is the Suburban Life girls flag football Player of the Year. Read more about her in this Q&A interview.

Oswego East junior quarterback Danielle Stone, who led the Wolves to Southwest Prairie Conference and regional titles, is the Record Newspapers girls flag football Player of the Year. Read more about her in this interview.

Marist 6-foot-7 wide receiver Stephen Brown, a two-sport standout with Division I football and basketball offers, has committed to play football at NC State. Brown, whose father Andre played at Miami (FL) and in the NFL, caught 63 passes for 1,035 yards and 10 TDs at Marist.

Fenwick defeated East St. Louis 38-28 on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025 in Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University in Normal.

Wheaton St. Francis defeated Providence Catholic 39-35 to win the Class 5A State championship on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025 in Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University in Normal.

Robbie Connor rushed for 96 yards and 3 touchdowns, Charlie Klass added 2 rushing touchdowns and Reid Hites threw for a touchdown as St. Ignatius took down Morgan Park 40-12 to win its second straight Prep Bowl.

Here are Joe Lewnard's photos from the Class 4A state championship game between Montini and Rochester.

Miss out on any of the high school football action in northern Illinois? Listen to the audio versions of our stories from the Class 4A-1A state title games of the 2025 IHSA playoffs

Morris's Caeden Curran (Offensive POTY), Mick Smith (Defensive POTY) and Kaneland's Jake Buckley (Lineman of the Year) are among the Interstate 8's All-Conference players for the 2025 season. Below are all of this year's winners, including Honorable Mentions.

Byron and Tolono Unity square up Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University for the 3A football title. Byron won a barnburner 56-50.

Wilmington and Maroa-Forsyth face off Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University for the 2A football title. Wilmington won 42-6.

Lena-Winslow and Brown County take the field Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University for the 1A football title. Lena-Winslow took the win 58-13.

Dario Milivojevic has not been afraid to do anything for St. Francis. And with one win separating the team from a state title, he's ready to do it one last time.

As the Wilmington offense enters Friday's IHSA Class 2A State championship game red hot, it's the offensive line where the Wildcats set the tone in their signature double-wing offense.

Montini's Angelo DeSensi grew up on the Chicago Bulls, and once had NBA dreams. Now the 6-foot-5, 280-pound senior left tackle and ace student is the anchor of the unbeaten Broncos' offensive line as they go for the program's eighth state title Friday night.

The Three Rivers announced its all-conference football team and L-P's Aubrey Duttlinger and Kelsey Frederick earned all-state honors in volleyball.