Willowbrook Preps

Sonia Ruchala lost most of her junior season with a freak injury – she broke her tibia and ankle in a home run celebration. Now the Willowbrook senior shortstop is back, as good as ever. That, plus notes on Nazareth and York in Joshua Welge's softball notebook.

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

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

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.

Willowbrook's OJ Powell scored a team-high 34 points and added a game-high 16 rebounds to lift the Warriors to a 75-67 West Suburban Conference Gold victory over rival Addison Trail on Friday night.

Willowbrook senior Naomi Campbell, who won the all-around and vault, took second on beam and floor and third on bars at the Willowbrook Regional, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Joshua Welge.

Glenbard West's gymnastics team won its ninth straight regional title while Willowbrook senior Naomi Campbell won the all-around at Thursday's Willowbrook Regional.

Here is the 2024 Suburban Life All-Area girls volleyball team.

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.

As the girls basketball season tips off this week, here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Lyons senior wide receiver/defensive back Travis Stamm and Downers Grove North senior linebacker/running back Jake Gregorio were among Suburban Life area football players named to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State teams released Wednesday.

Downers Grove North's boys cross country team, ranked No. 1 since preseason, ran away with a dominating repeat Class 3A state championship, while in a tight 3A girls race York took second and Downers Grove North third. And Benet's Finn Richards won the Class 2A boys state title.

Pushing Catholic League power St. Rita to the limit, Willowbrook did eventually succumb 21-9 in a Class 7A second-round matchup in Villa Park.

St. Rita faces Willowbrook in Round 2 of the 2024 Class 7A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive correspondent Scott Schmid will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Willowbrook senior Amelie Ojeda, who finished the 2.9-mile Legge Memorial Park course in 16:35.58 to win the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional, becoming Willowbrook’s first girls cross country sectional champion, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote.

York senior linebacker Evan Gaughan, after missing most of last season with a broken collarbone in Week 4, had made an impact in his return, leading the Dukes in tackles. That, Willowbrook's big Round 1 win and more in Bob Narang's football notes.

Here are previews and picks for all the second-round games for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Willowbrook senior Amelie Ojeda, sidelined outdoor track season after being struck in the eye by an errantly thrown baseball, continued her return Saturday, becoming her school's first girls cross country sectional champion. Meanwhile Downers Grove North swept the team titles.

Here are previews and picks for all the first-round games for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Here are previews and picks for Week 8's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Hannah Kenny still has a few more matches as one of the greats in Willowbrook girls volleyball history before graduating early in December and playing for the University of Louisville. The four-year starter is more enthusiastic about contributing to the Warriors’ greatest era.

There is only one week left to earn a spot in the postseason, and plenty of Suburban Life area teams still are battling for a spot. Here are where teams stand before Week 9 kicks off.

Here are previews and picks for Week 8's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Marli Smrz intercepted four passes and threw two touchdown passes, her dominant two-way play sending Willowbrook past West Aurora 16-0 in Wednesday's sectional final and sending the Warriors to the first IHSA flag football state finals this weekend at Willowbrook.

There are only two weeks left to earn a spot in the postseason, and plenty of Suburban Life area teams still are battling for a spot. Here are where teams stand before Week 8 kicks off.

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Week 7 of the 2024 high school football season

Here are previews and picks for Week 7's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Here are previews and picks for Week 6's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Downers Grove South hosted Willowbrook in girls volleyball on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024.

Sylvia Masiulionis had back-to-back kills, the second for set point, to turn away Willowbrook's late comeback, and Downers Grove South went on to beat the visiting Warriors 27-25, 25-18 to snap Willowbrook's 29-match West Suburban Gold win streak.

'It's changing football.' Willowbrook and Addison Trail are among the well over 100 schools embracing the first year of IHSA-sanctioned girls flag football.

Hannah Kenny had 10 kills and 14 assists as Willowbrook volleyball rallied past Hinsdale Central in three sets, Benet volleyball beat Glenbard West to stay unbeaten and Timothy Christian and Glenbard East were also winners in Thursday's roundup.

Here are previews and picks for Week 5's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Coming on in relief after starting quarterback Aidan Kanazawa was shaken up on a hit, Dominic West led Downers Grove South to a come-from-behind 18-16 West Suburban Gold conference win over Willowbrook in Villa Park.

Willowbrook hosted Downers Grove South on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024 in Week 4 football.

Timothy Christian and Willowbrook volleyball were both winners, and Willowbrook boys golf won its Ryder Cup Quad in Thursday's Suburban Life sports roundup.

Here are previews and picks for Week 4's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Congratulations to these 22 high school football players who made the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week for Week 3 of the 2024 season

Willowbrook ran for 309 yards Friday in a win over Addison Trail.

Here are previews and picks for Week 3's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Glenbard North improved to 2-0 on the season, outlasting Willowbrook 19-7 Friday night in Carol Stream in a game defined by gritty defense and clutch performances on both sides of the football.

Willowbrook junior Marli Smrz, who contributed passing, receiving and on defense in wins over Morton and Freeport, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Joshua Welge.

Here is a previews and picks for Week 2's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Join hosts Josh Welge and Joel Boenitz as they break down what happened in Week 1 in high school football in the western suburbs and look ahead to Week 2

Here is the schedule of upcoming games and matches for the week of Sept. 3 in the Suburban Life coverage area.

After a 57-yard kickoff return by Amonte Cook, Michael Nee found Muhammad Musleh for a 23-yard score with two seconds left to give visiting Glenbard East an improbable 30-23 victory at Willowbrook Friday in a wild finish.

Willowbrook hosted Glenbard East in the first week of the 2024 football season on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.

Glenbard East faces Willowbrook to open Week 1 of the 2024 IHSA football season. Friday Night Drive correspondent Scott Schmid will have live updates, scores and news from the game