The 2025 football season is just around the corner. Here's a preview of where the teams in the DuKane Conference stand, as well as five players to watch, five can't miss matchups, and Steve Soucie's conference predictions.

Wheaton North senior shortstop and Brown commit Reagan Crosthwaite, who set single-season and career records for homers and RBIs and led the Falcons to their second straight sectional final, is the 2025 Suburban Life Softball Player of the Year.

Here is the 2025 Suburban Life All-Area softball team.

Sabrina Zamora hit a two-run tying double and Kennedy Gengler followed with a go-ahead two-run double, and Oswego scored five runs in the fifth to rally past Wheaton North 5-2 and win the Class 4A Oswego Sectional title.

Hana Stoner had singles to start two Wheaton North scoring rallies, Hannah Wulf struck out four in a four-hitter and the Falcons turned the tables on two regular-season losses to Wheaton Warrenville South with a 4-1 win in the Class 4A Oswego Sectional semifinal.

Junior all-stater Simon Bratt made sure Wheaton Warrenville South would make an appearance at this weekend’s boys volleyball state finals at Hoffman Estates High School. Bratt’s 19 kills and 4 aces propelled the Tigers to a 25-12, 25-21 win over crosstown rival Wheaton North.

Westmont junior Kyla Babb pulled off an impressive distance double on Saturday at the state track and field meet, taking second in the Class 1A 3,200 meters and third in the 1,600. Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South and Wheaton North were among other schools with medals.

Wheaton North won its sixth straight DuKane Conference tennis championship on Saturday.

Even with one event remaining, Batavia used six wins to successfully defend it's DuKane Conference championship. St. Charles North and Wheaton-Warrenville South rounded out the top three.

Wheaton Warrenville South softball beat Wheaton North 1-0 in a wild ending, Sophia Rosner struck out 11 and homered for Benet softball, plus the rest of the baseball, softball soccer and volleyball results in Wednesday's Suburban Life roundup.

St. Francis girls Margaret Andrzejewski, Erin Hinsdale, Elena Mamminga and Allie Sheldon, who set a Class 2A state finals record in the 4x800 last spring, are running faster than ever this spring. Question is, what events will they run in Charleston?

Riverside-Brookfield freshman pitcher Amelia Pytel starred for the Brookfield Little League 12-Under All-Star team that won a state championship in 2023. Now she's the ace for a Bulldogs' team that just won seven in a row. That plus notes on Wheaton North and York.

After losing the DuKane Conference indoor girls track and field title in heartbreaking fashion, St. Charles North used five victories on the day to win its first conference title in program history.

Oswego hit four consecutive homers in a six-run seventh inning, Jaelynn Anthony hitting the go-ahead shot, as the Panthers rallied for a stunning 14-12 win at Wheaton North in a sectional final rematch between state-ranked teams that featured 10 homers.

Wheaton North hosted Oswego varsity softball on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

Wheaton North senior pitcher Jake Williams scattered seven hits while walking two and striking out seven in a complete-game shutout that led the host Falcons to a 3-0 win over DuKane Conference rival Wheaton Warrenville South, snapping the Tigers' four-game win streak.

Glenbard West took second behind Evanston at its Jim Arnold Invite on Saturday, with Wheaton North, Lake Park and Naperville North rounding out the top five. Meanwhile Glenbard South's Kyle Quaid-Bowman soared to a win in the pole vault.

Wheaton North junior Alex Popham, who struck out 10 in a complete-game, eight-inning one-hit shutout in Wheaton North’s 1-0 win over Batavia, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is his Q&A with Joshua Welge.

Conditions weren't ideal for hitting on Wednesday, but Wheaton North's Reagan Crosthwaite delivered enough for the Falcons to edge out Glenbard North 3-0.

Wheaton Warrenville South scored a dominating 25-16, 25-15 DuKane Conference boys volleyball win at Wheaton North on Tuesday night.

Wheaton Warrenville South shut off entry to its goal in claiming a 2-0 win over Wheaton North on Thursday.

Cale Zoeller allowed just four hits and had a career-high 10 strikeouts to help Wheaton North avoid the series sweep with a 7-0 victory against St. Charles East on Wednesday.

St. Charles East faced Wheaton North in varsity baseball on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

Wheaton North hosted St. Charles East in varsity Softball on Monday, April 21, 2025 in Wheaton.

Wheaton North senior Reagan Crosthwaite, who hit a three-run game-winning home run to beat Glenbard West and also homered against Oak Park-River Forest and Fremd, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Joshua Welge.

Junior Izzy Barnhart led Wheaton to victory with a game-high four goals as the United snapped a three-game losing streak with their 10-6 win on Tuesday at St. Francis.

South Carolina commit Hannah Wulf tossed a two-hit complete-game shutout as Wheaton North started DuKane Conference play strong with a 3-0 victory over St. Charles North.

St. Charles North hosted Wheaton North in varsity softball on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 in St. Charles.

Here are previews of boys track and field teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Talia Kaempf finished the game with two goals and added an assist to help the Wheaton North to a 4-0 victory over the St. Charles North to begin conference play.

St. Charles North hosted Wheaton North in girls varsity soccer on Thursday, April 10, 2025.

The track and field season is heading outdoors and here are previews of girls teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Both Wheaton North and Wheaton Warrenville South's softball teams are off to a fast starts, in large part because of stellar pitching from Hannah Wulf and Presley Wright. That, plus Montini continues strong start during 5-0 spring break in Joshua Welge's softball notes.

Wheaton North junior Hannah Wulf, who threw a two-hit shutout with two strikeouts in Wheaton North’s 1-0 win over Huntley and also shut out Xaverian 7-0, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Joshua Welge.

Led by a four-win day from Elizabeth Wende, Batavia held off a big effort from St. Charles North to secure its fifth consecutive DuKane Conference indoor title.

Batavia pulled off seven victories to help claim its third DuKane Conference boys indoor track and field title in four seasons.

Hana Allen scored off a scrum in front of the net to lift Glenbard West to a 1-0 win over Wheaton North on Thursday.

The 2025 high school soccer season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 high school softball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 high school baseball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Wheaton North senior Sara Abdul, who had 23 points, six steals and five assists to lead Wheaton North St. Charles North to the regional championship, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

In a game where their role players followed the game plan, Batavia came away with a 55-25 victory over Wheaton North in a Class 4A sectional semifinal game at St. Charles East to advance to their third straight sectional championship.

Batavia girls basketball faced Wheaton North in the Class 4A St. Charles East Sectional semifinal on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 in St. Charles.

Sara Abdul led all players with 23 points, six steals and five assists, and Wheaton North continued its surge in the second half of the season with a 52-45 win over St. Charles North in Thursday's regional final.

Sara Abdul had a game-high 23 points and Brigitte Noyes had 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead Wheaton North to a 67-61 win over Plainfield North

St. Charles East sent a dozen wrestlers into the finals of Saturday’s Class 3A St. Charles East regional in claiming a regional crown. Glenbard North was second and DeKalb third.

Illinois State football recruit Brady Goken powered in 24 points, and Wheaton Warrenville South's defense held visiting Wheaton North without a made field goal for the entire third quarter in a 58-41 DuKane Conference win Friday.

Wheaton Warrenville South hosted Wheaton North in a crosstown boys basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 in Wheaton.

Lake Park outscored St. Charles Wednesday at the DuKane Conference Meet, but it wasn’t enough to wrest the overall conference championship from St. Charles.

Natalie Warner dropped 18 points off five 3-pointers and added four steals in her return from a two-game absence to help Batavia to a 48-24 victory over Wheaton North