Watseka Preps

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

Bishop McNamara’s Trinity Davis, Kankakee’s TaLeah Turner, Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Nick Allen, Watseka’s Megan Martin and Reed-Custer’s Jacob Reardon all participated in the IBCA All-Star Games on Pontiac in Saturday.

Bradley-Bourbonnais' Malachi Lee, Coal City's Julian Micetich and Manteno's Briggs Cann all medaled at the state track and field meet Saturday.

Bradley-Bourbonnais' Malachi Lee, Coal City's Julian Micetich and Manteno's Briggs Cann advanced past Friday's preliminary round of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State meet.

The Kankakee girls track team qualified for the state finals in the 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay and 4x400 relay and had Naomi Bey-Osborne qualify in the 400 meters, and more in Friday's Daily Journal Roundup

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

Rhaya DePaolo and Bishop McNamara held off Reed-Custer's upset attempt in softball regional quarterfinal action and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

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 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.

Kendyl Christon hit a walkoff two-run single to give the Kankakee softball team a huge conference win over Bloom and more in Friday'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.

Beecher's Taylor Norkus threw a no-hitter to escape a pitchers' duel with Peotone's Sophie Klawitter and more in Wednesday'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.

Five events on the boys side of the Herscher Invite were won by area athletes on Friday as the end of the outdoor track and field season nears its final stretch.

Lydia Hammond threw a perfect game with 17 strikeouts as Bradley-Bourbonnais won a pitchers' duel with a ranked Fremd team and more in Saturday's Daily Journal Roundup.

A total of 13 local track and field programs competed in the Herscher Invite on Friday, with area athletes on the girls side winning eight events and Wilmington freshman McKenna Van Tilburg winning three.

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

A dozen schools competed in the Herscher Invite track and field meet Friday, May 2, 2025. Buy photos here: https://heraldnews.smugmug.com/April-2025/Herscher-Invite

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.

Bradley-Bourbonnais was an out away from an SWSC loss Monday when Cody Freitas put them ahead with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh and more in Monday'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 Bishop McNamara softball team beat Wheaton Academy 16-8 to improve to 7-0 in Chicagoland Christian Conference play and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

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

Wilmington baseball kept its perfect ICE record in tact, Peotone's Sophie Klawitter threw a perfect game and more in Monday'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.

The Coal City baseball team beat Peotone for its 10th straight win and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

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

Manteno baseball made it a 5-0 start to the season with Monday's win over rival Peotone and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Manteno freshman Klarke Goranson won both the girls Class 2A 800 meters and 1,600 meters at the Illinois Top Times Championships and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

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

The Boilermakers improved to 4-0 on the young season behind Lydia Hammond's 14-strikeout effort and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team won 17-4 in Alabama to improve to 2-1 on the season and more in Tuesday'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.

Seven area girls basketball players earned all-state recognition by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.

Trinity Davis' half-court buzzer beater to end the first half gave Bishop McNamara plenty of momentum to pull away from Watseka-Milford and win Thursday's IHSA Class 2A Herscher Sectional championship.

Bishop McNamara claimed a 69-38 victory over Watseka-Milford in the IHSA Class 2A Herscher Sectional championship game on Thursday, Feb. 27.

Behind Ray Lee's 37 points, Manteno got past rival Peotone in double overtime while Bishop McNamara earned a regional championship rematch and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

After Watseka-Milford opened the Class 2A Herscher Sectional semis Tuesday with a 14-0 run over Reed-Custer before never looking back, Bishop McNamara used a second-half outburst to down Seneca and set up Thursday's championship.