Take a look from above of the newly proposed sports complex behind John F. Kennedy School on the north side of town. Earlier this month, Gov. JB Pritzker announced a$245,000 grant funding through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to pave the way for a future sports complex in Spring Valley.

Hall of Fame basketball coach Russ Zick, who coached for 40 years, led Rochelle to six regional titles and also coached at Ashton-Franklin Center and Kaneland, died at age 72 on Jan. 13. He is remembered by former players and colleagues. 'He impacted so many people.'

The Chicago Bears had a memorable 2025 season in head coach Ben Johnson's first year in charge. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar look back at the season and look ahead to the offseason

Manteno clinched its second straight 20-win season with a 57-52 road win over Watseka/Milford on Wednesday in a battle between two of the top Class 2A teams in the state.

The Kays earned a one-point win on the mats, Cissna Park stayed perfect in Vermilion Valley Conference girls basketball action and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Huntley faces Prairie Ridge in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake.

Lisle played Streator during a girls and boys wrestling meet on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 at Streator High School.

Luis Maldonado's full-time return to the basketball court as he nears and end of cancer treatments has given the Grant Park community reason to celebrate one of their own.

Alyssa Wollenzein exploded for 30 points, including an 11-0 run of her own to put Reed-Custer on top through three quarters, but host Beecher did just enough to top the Comets by a two-point margin on Tuesday.

Kankakee had four players score between 14 and 20 points in a conference win over Thornridge, its 11th in a row overall, and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Jacobs faces Crystal Lake Central in a Fox Valley Conference wrestling meet on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at Crystal Lake Central High School.Wrestling, Jacobs vs. Crystal Lake Central.

L-P defeated Dixon 69-46 on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026 in Sellett Gymnasium at L-P High School.

From breezy afternoon games to tournament wins and travel-ready paddles, more people are embracing the growing sport of pickleball – whose quick learning curve and social energy keep drawing more players to the net. There are many places to play throughout northwest Illinois.

St. Bede defeated Dwight 57-46 during the Tri County Conference Tournament semifinals on Monday, Jan. 20, 2026 at Dwight High School. The Lady Bruins will play Mildand in the title game on Thursday at 8p.m. Check out photos from the game by MaKade Rios.

Bradley-Bourbonnais saw four girls wrestlers win individual titles on the way to a Rantoul Invite championship, Bishop McNamara's girls basketball team trounced Aurora Christian and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Cissna Park forced 22 turnovers on its way to a 48-38 road win over Manteno on Monday, making a statement in a battle between a pair of ranked teams.

Meet this week's Daily Journal Athlete of the Week, Bradley-Bourbonnais junior swimmer Eli Swafford.

The Chicago Bears ended their playoff run Sunday night with a 20-17 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC divisional round. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar break down the season-ending loss and what's next

The season finally ended for the "Cardiac" Bears, but not without more late-game drama befitting a team that had seven fourth-quarter wins this season. They lost to the Rams 20-17 in overtime Sunday night at Soldier Field. What worked? What didn't?

The Chicago Bears lost 20-17 to the Los Angeles Rams Sunday night in their NFC divisional playoff matchup at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Seneca defeated Sandwich 64-56 on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 at Seneca High School. Check out photos from the game by Tom Sistak.

After calling the fields at Slater Park home for more than 50 years, Bradley-Bourbonnais Little League will now play its games at Bradley's 315 Sports Park.

Reed-Custer hosted the Comet Classic Invite on Friday and Saturday, where 28 teams from across the state got a vital tuneup for the upcoming postseason.

Coen Demack went for 30 points to lead Bishop McNamara to victory, Kankakee's Lincoln Williams had 27 points in a Kays win and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

St. Bede defeated Marquette 50-38 on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 at St. Bede Academy. Check out photos from the game by MaKade Rios.

Marquette defeated St. Bede 65-60 on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 at St. Bede Academy. Check out photos from the game by MaKade Rios.

Bradley-Bourbonnais' boys bowling team advanced through the IHSA LaSalle-Peru Regional, as did Kankakee's Carson Meister and Reed-Custer's Mason Vasil. That and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Powered by 24 points from Braden Campbell and some clutch second-half 3-pointers from Dylan Polito, Manteno went to Wilmington and knocked off the Illinois Central Eight co-leaders on Friday.

Momence led by as many as 35 points in the third quarter of an eventual 50-31 road win over Grant Park in River Valley Conference play Friday night, its third win in the last four games.

Dundee-Crown faces Prairie Ridge in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake.

Teams from Bradley-Bourbonnais, Reed-Custer, Herscher, Kankakee McNamara, Kankakee High School, La Salle-Peru, Minooka, Ottawa, St. Bede, Hall, and Streator all competed during the IHSA boys bowling regionals on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 at the Illinois Valley Super Bowl in Peru.

For the second year in a row, the Manteno and Bishop McNamara boys basketball teams used their renewed rivalry to benefit the community. On Tuesday, the Panthers hosted Safe Harbor night to benefit

The Chicago Bears will host the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field on Sunday night in their NFC divisional matchup. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar share the latest news from Halas Hall and break down Sunday's playoff game

Just days after she joined the 1,000 career point club, Manteno junior Maddie Gesky continued her memorable week by becoming the school's career scoring leader in the Panthers' commanding home victory over Herscher on Thursday.

Watseka/Milford, Cissna Park and Iroquois West, three of the top four girls basketball teams in the Vermilion Valley Conference, continued their hot stretches of play and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Hampshire faces Crystal Lake South in a Fox Valley Conference boys wrestling match on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, at Crystal Lake South High School.

McHenry faces Crystal Lake South in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, at Crystal Lake South High School.

The Hinckley-Big Rock girls basketball team traveled to Somonauk Thursday to take on Somonauk/Leland.

The Upper Illinois River Valley Development Authority's board of directors on Tuesday unanimously voted to approve a resolution determining the intent to issue revenue bonds in an amount not to exceed $50 million.

Manteno got a pair of double-double efforts to take down Seneca, Cissna Park's Addison Lucht exploded for 25 points against Chrisman, the Iroquois West boys earned their first win and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bradley-Bourbonnais boys wrestling defeated Marquette 41-22 during a wrestling meet on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 in Bader Gymnasium at Marquette High School.

Five Kankakee players scored in double figures as the Kays picked up a 59-51 Southland Athletic Conference win over Rich Township and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

St. Anne held on for a 52-45 home win over Gardner-South Wilmington Tuesday night in a battle between teams that were unbeaten in River Valley Conference play – a win that put the Cardinals in the driver's seat for a conference title.

In the second year of the reignited nonconference local rivalry, Bishop McNamara started hot and stayed hot in a commanding performance at Manteno on Tuesday.

L-P defeated Streator 51-46 on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026 at Pops Dale Gymnasium in Streator.

Burlington Central faces Huntley in a Fox Valley Conference girls basketball game on Tuesday Jan. 13, 2026, at Huntley High School.

I loved to cover Stillman games because of the multi-dimensional ability of the offense and the defensive physicality. The big-play capability was omnipresent in their championship runs.

Reed-Custer's Alyssa Wollenzien recorded 23 points, eight rebounds and seven steals to help lead the Comets to a 50-43 win on the road against Illinois Central Eight Conference opponent Coal City on Monday.

Grant Park held Illinois Lutheran to just two points in girls hoops, Momence scored a one-point win over Gardner-South Wilmington and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Harvard faces Woodstock in a Kishwaukee River Conference girls basketball game on Monday Jan. 12, 2026, at Woodstock High School.