Gardner South Wilmington Preps

Whether at the plate, on the mound or in the field, top-tier players abound on this year's Daily Journal All-Area Baseball Team.

With 27 all-state standouts and several more all-conference selections that helped fuel spostseason runs, the Daily Journal All-Area Softball Team is as good as it gets.

Here is a look at some of the best softball players the area had to offer in the 2025 season, the 2025 Herald-News All-Area Softball Team.

See if your favorite player made the 2025 Herald-News All-Area Baseball Team, featuring the best of the best across the Will/Grundy County area.

The Daily Journal coverage area once again boasted some of the state's best softball talent this spring, earning a total of 27 Illinois Softball Coaches Association All-State nods.

A look at the area baseball and softball athletes that were named to All-River Valley Conference and All-Iroquois County teams this season.

The Serena softball team - with senior pitcher Maddie Glade allowing just two hits and striking out 10 in a complete game effort - defeated Gardner-South Wilmington 4-0 in the Friday's championship game of the Class 1A Serena Regional on Friday.

Serena defeated Gardner-South Wilmington to win the Class 1A Regional title on Friday, May 23, 2025 at Serena High School.

Wilmington pitcher Kyle Farrell did not allow a hit for the first 6 1/3 innings Wednesday, finishing with a one-hit shutout for the Wildcats in the IHSA Class 2A Coal City Regional semifinals, and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal Roundup

In a 6-1 victory, Gardner-South Wilmington freshman Case Christensen pitched a seven-inning, complete-game victory over WFC to send the Panthers into Wednesday’s Class 1A Dwight Regional semifinals.

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 Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team dropped a close SouthWest Suburban Conference game to top-ranked Lincoln-Way Central and more in Friday's Daily Journal Roundup.

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.

The Kankakee girls track and field team led the local charge on the first day of the postseason and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

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 Bishop McNamara softball team swept a doubleheader to finish Chicagoland Christian Conference play with a perfect 14-0 record and more in Saturday'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.

Lincoln-Way Central and Lemont, state powers in Class 4A and 3A, respectively, enjoy meeting each other on the field. Read about that and more in this week’s The Herald-News softball notebook.

Lydia Hammond threw a nine-inning shutout and hit a walk-off double against Benet and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

Kankakee saw Jaden Villafuerte's pinch-hit two-run double tie it before Alexander Grill's walk-off single against Bloom and more in Wednesday'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.

Josh Barta was two walks from a perfect game in his no-hitter and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

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 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.

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

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.

The Bishop McNamara baseball team scored three runs in the fifth inning to win a Chicagoland Christian Conference contest over Wheaton Academy 3-2, and more in Thursday'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.

A 12-run fourth inning fueled the Kays in Southland Athletic Conference action and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team picked up a 5-2 road win over Sandburg for their first conference victory and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Behind six walks, six hits and a hit-by-pitch, Gardner-South Wilmington put together a 12-run third inning at home Wednesday to seal an 18-0 win over Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell.

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

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

Here is the 2024-2025 Herald-News boys basketball All-Area team.

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.

Bishop McNamara's Callaghan O'Connor struck out every batter he faced and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

Jacob Onnen had the go-ahead RBI single and earned the win on the mound and more in Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.

A preseason look at the 2025 prep baseball season across the Herald-News coverage area.

The Grace Christian boys basketball team won its first postseason game as IHSA members with Monday's regional victory and more in Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.