Rob Oesterle

A young Joliet West softball team suffered a 16-8 loss to Sandburg to open the 2026 season on Thursday.

In an area loaded with softball talent and as the season gets underway, here are our picks for 5 Players to Watch in 2026 across The Herald-News coverage area.

Here is a look at the 2026 Herald-News-area softball teams, including ballclubs from across the greater Will and Grundy county area.

Here are five storylines to watch during the 2026 softball season across The Herald-News area.

Brady Pettigrew scored a game-high 25 points and Bolingbrook beat Neuqua Valley 68-53 in the Class 4A Bolingbrook Sectional

Providence Catholic lost for the first time this season to a Class 3A team, losing a supersectional contest to Washington on Monday, 73-47.

For the second year in a row, the IC Catholic Prep boys wrestling team won the Class 2A state championship Saturday after beating Providence 39-25 in the championship match at Bloomington’s Grossinger Motors Arena.

Led by TJ Williams' 22 points, Bolingbrook placed four players in double digits and another with nine to beat Plainnfield East 83-60 and win the Class 4A Oswego Regional title

Landrie Callahan had 38 points and 13 rebounds to lead Providence to a 72-44 win over Hillcrest in the Class 3A Hillcrest Sectional title game

Minooka's boys basketball team saw its season end with an 81-46 loss to Peoria Richwoods at the Class 4A Minooka Regional semifinals Wednesday night.

Gardner-South Wilmington, Romeoville and Coal City were among boys basketball regional winners in Monday's Herald-News Roundup

Morris' RJ Kennedy scored a career-high 28 points to lead his team to a 52-41 win over Sterling in the Class 3A Geneseo Regional.

Metamora's girls basketball team outscored Morris 22-3 in the second quarter and cruised to a 62-28 win in the Class 3A Metamora Regional title game on Friday night.

Moline's girls basketball team shot 13 of 25 in the second half and topped Minooka 57-49 in the Class 4A Minooka Regional title game

Lockport's Justin Wardlow, JCA's Jason Hampton and Coal City's Brody Widlowski are all searching for their fourth state medal this weekend in Champaign