Aaron Sovern, who has been at Yorkville Christian for 13 years, started the boys basketball program there in the 2014-2015 school year and coached the Mustangs to the 2022 Class 1A state championship, is stepping down as coach and athletic director to move to Arizona.

Here is the 2025-26 All-Interstate 8 Conference girls basketball team, as voted on by I-8 coaches.

Here is the 2025-26 All-Interstate 8 Conference boys basketball team, as voted on by I-8 coaches.

Plainfield North beats Neuqua Valley in baseball and more in the Herald-News Monday Roundup

Sterling's Layla Wright pitched a perfect game and had four RBIs in a road win. Newman, Oregon and Rock Falls softball also had wins. Newman, Sterling and Dixon baseball won, plus track & field results and more in Monday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Bishop McNamara beat Peotone 17-2, scoring nine in the top of the sixth innings to secure its first win of the season, and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

In a marquee matchup against Peotone All-Stater Sophie Klawitter, Bishop McNamara's Joslynn Dole threw a two-hit shutout and was supported by some timely Fightin' Irish hits in a 2-0 win in McNamara's season opener.

Nazareth senior Stella Sakalas, who led the Roadrunners to the Class 4A state championship earlier this month, was named Illinois Media Class 4A co-Player of the Year along with Naperville Central senior Trinity Jones in voting released Monday.

Bradley-Bourbonnais had 11 players record at least one hit Monday, providing plenty of support to five shutout innings from junior Abbie Hofbauer, in a 17-0 road win over Herscher.

Bradley-Bourbonnais pulled away from Herscher in the fifth inning for a 17-0 win on Monday, March 23, 2026, at Herscher High School.

Elijah and Malachi Bell are on the move after earning All-Fox Valley Conference honors for Jacobs' basketball team this winter. The brothers plan to transfer to Marian Central, where they will play for their dad, Lafeyette, who's the boys head coach.

With the boys tennis season upon us, here is a look at the season ahead for a number of teams across the Herald-News area.

Here is a preview look at each softball team across the Sauk Valley coverage area as the 2026 season gets underway.

There will be a lot of familiar faces in the Sterling softball lineup this spring. After losing only three senior starters from 2025, expectations are high for the Golden Warriors.

Here are five storyline to know about this soccer season in the Daily Chronicle coverage area.

Dixon boys and girls track & field both had invite wins. Dixon, Milledgeville and Forreston baseball also won. On the softball diamond, Sterling beat Erie-Prophetstown 9-1 in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Nash Brubaker hit a pair of solo home runs to lead Herscher on the road, Bishop McNamara and Bradley-Bourbonnais both lost by a run, Beecher's Taylor Norkus threw a three-inning perfect game and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Naz Dean doubled home two runs in the eighth to power DeKalb to a win over Hall, Maddie Swanson got a shutout and scored as Genoa-Kingston won its opener, Hunter Kriese shut down Marmion in DeKalb's opener and more in the roundup.

Lemont stunned defending Class 4A softball champ Oswego, Joliet West baseball won twice in southern Illinois and more in Saturday's Herald-News Roundup.

In a battle of state-ranked Class 4A teams, Marist managed to top Bradley-Bourbonnais' softball team 13-6 Saturday.

Take a look at the players named to the Daily Journal All-Area team for the 2025-26 girls basketball season.

Manteno junior Maddie Gesky has been named the 2025-26 Daily Journal Girls Basketball Player of the year after leading the Panthers to the winningest season in program history while also setting both the career and single-season records for points, rebounds and blocks.

The 2026 boys lacrosse season is officially underway. Here are five players to watch in the McHenry County area.

The 2026 boys lacrosse season is underway. Here are this year's season preview capsules for McHenry County area teams.

Joliet Catholic beats De Smet Jesuit in baseball and more in the Herald-News Friday roundup.

Grant Park improved to 2-0 while handing Kankakee a loss in its season opener, Reed-Custer's Mackenzie Foote hit for the cycle and drove in eight runs for the Comets and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Wyatt Cassens was 4 for 4 in Sterling's 13-3 win over E-P. Newman, Fulton and Eastland baseball won, Dixon and Rock Falls softball won and more in Friday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Herscher picked up its second win in a row and improved to 2-1 on the season with a 7-0 win over Kankakee on Friday, with the Tigers getting four one-hit innings from Brock Berns to hand the Kays a loss in their season opener.

Oskar Freund and Mason Klimek delivered clutch hits in the seventh inning, Dylan Dumele struck out three batters to earn the save and Cary-Grove rallied to beat Fremd 3-2 in its season-opening baseball game Friday evening.

Bella Jacobs struck out 14 in five one-hit innings while Callie Countryman and Ellison Hallahan homered in a Sycamore win, Kennedy Latimer had a pair of hits and drove in a run in a DeKalb win and more in the roundup.

Crystal Lake Central faces Wauconda in a nonconference softball game on Friday, March 20, 2026, at Crystal Lake Central High School.

Huntley girls basketball coach Steve Raethz is stepping down after 27 seasons and 505 career wins with the Red Raiders.

Here are five of the top returning baseball players to watch in the Sauk Valley area as the 2026 season gets underway. Newman, Sterling, Fulton and Forreston are among the teams with key seniors back.

The 2026 girls lacrosse season is officially underway. Here are five players to watch in the McHenry County area.

The 2026 girls lacrosse season is underway. Here are this year's season preview capsules for McHenry County area teams.

Morrison softball edged Sterling 2-1 as Ava Duncan pitched a complete game with 13 strikeouts. Sterling baseball beat Princeton 9-7, while Fulton softball and baseball beat Polo in Thursday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Bradley-Bourbonnais senior Lydia Hammond opened the season with a one-hit shutout of Oak Forest, striking out 10 batters in an 11-0 win for the Boilermakers, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Ryan Cooling threw a no-hitter for Joliet Central in a 12-0 baseball win over East Aurora and more in Thursday's Herald-News Roundup

Woodstock junior basketball player Max Beard announced this week that he will be transferring to Darrow School in New York. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds a game this season in leading the Blue Streaks to the Kishwaukee River Conference championship.

Here are five boys volleyball players from the Will County area to keep an eye on during the 2026 season.

Coal City softball beats Plainfield South and more.

St. Charles East sophomore Brooklyn Schilb, who earned Class 4A Second Team All-State honors and led the Saints to a sectional title, is the Kane County Preps 2025-26 Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Here is the 2025-2026 Suburban Life All-Area boys basketball team.

Here is the 2025-2026 Kane County Chronicle Girls Basketball All-Area team.

Yorkville Christian senior guard and SIU-Edwardsville commit Jayden Riley, who became the second player in program history to score 2,000 career points and led the Mustangs to 23 wins, regional title and sectional final, is the Record Newspapers Player of the Year.

Here is the 2025-2026 Record Newspapers All-Area boys basketball team.

Benet senior guard Jayden Wright, who led the Redwings to a 36-2 season and second place in Class 4A a year after winning the state championship, is the Suburban Life Player of the Year.

We take look at each DeKalb County area girls soccer team and what to expect out of their 2026 seasons.

Five players to watch this girls soccer season: A record-chasing senior at Kaneland. A motor in the Sycamore midfield. A historic Genoa-Kingston leader. Two defensive anchors ready to compete.

Gardner-South Wilmington's baseball team got two home runs from Reed-Millette and Watseka's softball team got a two-run outing from pitcher Lilly Kingdon, with both teams picking up season-opening wins in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.