High School Sports

While Zion Gross and Ethan Hillsman play like stars, eight players on the Tiger roster have received D1 interest and that depth is what they'll be leaning on this year.

Yorkville saw a seven-point lead slip away in the final 15 seconds of regulation, but the Foxes bounced back to beat Sycamore 63-61 in overtime to win the Strombom Holiday Tournament title.

Seneca uses defense to gain separation from Marquette and win the inaugural Husker Hardwood Tip-Off Tourney championship.

Dixon, Sterling and Rock Falls boys basketball won, A-FC girls took third at South Beloit, Sarah Doughty helped Sterling bowling take third and more in Saturday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Schaumburg’s boys basketball team followed the principle that defense travels during Saturday night’s 52-36 victory over St. Charles East in what turned out to be the championship game of the 64th annual RJ Thanksgiving Tournament.

The Ottawa boys basketball team used 7-0 runs early and late in the third quarter to eventually post a 54-38 victory over Streator in Saturday's championship game of the Dean Riley Shootin’ the Rock Thanksgiving Tournament.

A 57-53 win over Lemont on Saturday gave Bradley-Bourbonnais its first-ever WJOL Thanksgiving Classic title.

York faces Loyola in the state title game of the 2024 Class 8A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive editor Steve Soucie will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Batavia faces Mt. Carmel in the state title game of the 2024 Class 7A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive reporter Michal Dwojak will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Geneva faces East St. Louis in the state title game of the 2024 Class 6A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive editor Steve Soucie will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Nazareth faces Joliet Catholic in the state title game of the 2024 Class 5A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive reporter Michal Dwojak will have live updates, scores and news from the game

The Marquette Crusaders held off Serena to reach Saturday's 5:30 p.m. championship game against rival Seneca, also a winner Friday.

The Streator and Ottawa boys basketball teams picked up wins over Oak Forest and Sterling respectively in Friday night action at the Dean Riley Shootin’ the Rock Thanksgiving Tournament. The Bulldogs and Pirates will meet for the title at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Waubonsie Valley scored the game's first 13 points and cruised to a victory over Marmion in the 49th annual Ken Peddy Windmill Classic on Friday.

Vincas Buzelis hit a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to force overtime, but Hinsdale Central lost 79-76 to Rockford Guilford in the Hoops for Healing championship.

Dixon's Darius Harrington scored 40 points in a win over Rochelle, and George Jungerman (25 points), Evan Bushman (20 points) and Garrett Matznick (14 points) led Newman in a win in Friday's Sauk Valley roundup.

Led by sophomore standout Campbell Thulin’s game-high 23 points, Downers Grove Morth came back from an early deficit to register a 48-23 triumph over the hosts and its first title in the Lady Saxons Classic.

New-look Palatine handled short-handed York to advance to the championship game of the 15th annual Ed Molitor Thanksgiving Classic.

AJ Demirov had 19 points and 10 assists to lead Crystal Lake South to a 78-48 win over the host Skyhawks in the third-place game of the Johnsburg Thanksgiving Tournament.

DePaul Prep faces Mt. Zion in the state title game of the 2024 Class 4A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive reporter Michal Dwojak will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Montini faces Monticello in the state title game of the 2024 Class 3A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive editor Eddie Carifio will have live updates, scores and news from the game

JoJo Awinongya, 17, is set to graduate from University of St. Francis soon in order to continue training for the 2028 Olympics

Lena-Winslow faces Althoff in the state title game of the 2024 Class 1A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive editor Eddie Carifio will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Here are five of the top Sauk Valley area players to watch this season, including Dixon's Darius Harrington, Rock Falls' Kuitim Heald, Eastland's Parker Krogman, Sterling's Kaedon Phillips and Oregon's Kade Girton.

Flanagan-Cornell won an overtime thriller over Woodland, while St. Bede lost a late lead of its own in a defeat to Ridgeview in the final night of pool play of the Route 17 Classic.

Glenbard West boys basketball won the District 87 title, Cam Mercer scored 25 points to lead Riverside-Brookfield past Hinsdale South, and York, Wheaton Warrenville South and St. Francis boys basketball were all winners in Wednesday's roundup.

Batavia forwards Jax Abalos (18 points, 14 rebounds) and Payton Wolff (16 points) lead the way to a big-time 78-41 victory over Marmion

Lemont tripped Joliet Central 67-34, while Minooka beat Plainfield Central 50-24 in WJOL Thanksgiving Classic action on Wednesday.

Atticus Richmond scored a game-high 15 points, all in the second half, leading Stevenson to a 46-28 win over Huntley at the Ed Molitor Thanksgiving boys basketball classic at Palatine.

Fulton picked up its second straight win and Rock Falls edged Kewanee, plus more scores from around the area.

Adam Anwar scored 22 points, Dylan Hurckes made 6-of-8 free throws in overtime, and McHenry beat Cary-Grove 55-52 to win the Hoops for Healing tournament at Woodstock North.

Join hosts Steve Soucie, Michal Dwojak and Josh Welge as they get you ready for the exciting matchups in the state title games of the IHSA football playoffs

The Ottawa and Oak Forest boys basketball teams earned victories over Plano and Princeton respectively during Tuesday's games at the Dean Riley Shootin’ the Rock Thanksgiving Tournament in Kingman Gymnasium.

Vincas Buzelis scored 25 points to lead three Hinsdale Central players in double figures, leading the Red Devils past short-handed Oswego East 69-57 at the Hoops for Healing Tournament.

Andrew Hill scored 26 points to pace IC Catholic Prep to a win, and York, Glenbard West and Downers Grove North boys basketball and Montini girls basketball were also winners in Tuesday's roundup.

The Dixon girls are 6-0, Oregon's Ella Dannhorn had 21 points in a win, Fulton's Wrenn Coffey had 14 points in a comeback win, Sterling wrestling picked up wins and more in Tuesday's SVM roundup.

Willowbrook was just 7 for 28 from the field and 1 for 10 on 3s in the first half. Jaylon Griffin added 11 points and Filip Palutkiewicz had nine for the Warriors.

Brett Bounds and Jack Wheeler combined for 47 points to lead Morris past G-SW.

Despite 24 wins, last season didn’t end the way Dixon wanted. That will fuel the fire for the Dukes this winter, even with quite a bit of turnover on the roster.

The boys basketball season is already underway. Check out our team-by-team preview with top returners, newcomers and info on each team in the Northwest Herald area for the 2024-25 season.

Here are five boys basketball players to watch in the Northwest Herald area for the 2024-25 season.

There's a new team at the top of the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings. See how things stacked up in the latest version of the Top 25.

Freshman Ethan Vahl scored 23 points in his first high school game to make a winner of new Oswego coach Nick Oraham as the Panthers rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Rockford Guilford 60-56 during Monday's Hoops for Healing tournament game.

The Marquette and Seneca boys basketball teams opened the season with wins over Erie-Prophetstown and Hall respectively at Monday's Huskers Hardwood Tip-Off Tournament at Serena High School.

TJ Williams scored 16 points to lead Glenbard West past Glenbard South, Matas Gaidukevicius scored 26 points and Gabriel Sularski 16 for Lemont in a win over Providence and Ellie Noble scored 12 points for Glenbard West in a win in Monday's roundup.

Ian Polonowski scored 15 points in the first half in Lyons' 60-26, season-opening victory over Morton on Monday night.

Tony Santarell had a game-high 20 points and eight rebounds to lead Crystal Lake South to a season-opening, 63-44 win over Buffalo Grove at Johnsburg.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they break down the semifinals of the IHSA football playoffs and look ahead to the state title games

Dixon and Sterling hoops opened the season with wins, Newman's John Rowzee scored 26 points in a win over Oregon, Kade Girton led the Hawks with 25, the Newman and Eastland girls picked up wins and more in Monday's SVM roundup.

Geneva senior Hudson Kirby started the game with a bang and then just kept popping shots. The 6-foot-6 forward scored on a layup 46 seconds after the opening tip on Monday night. He hit his first six shots and finished with a game-high 19 points in the Vikings' win.