The softball season gets underway next week. Here are five players to watch in the Northwest Herald area for the 2025 season.

The softball season begins Monday. Check out our team-by-team preview with top returners, newcomers and info on each local team in the Northwest Herald area for the 2025 season.

The Northwest Herald softball preview will appear in print March 14 with info on each local team. Until then, here are five storylines to watch in McHenry County for the 2025 season.

Marengo’s Rob Jasinski was named the 2024 Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association High School Assistant Coach of the Year, the organization announced over the weekend.

Here is the 2024 All-Fox Valley Conference softball team, as selected by coaches.

Huntley's Red Raiders Fastpitch will host Premier Girls Fastpitch-sanctioned tournaments for ages 10U, 12U, 14U and 16U this weekend around the city.

Prairie Ridge junior shortstop Adysen Kiddy hit a school-record 14 home runs as the Wolves finished 25-6 in one of their best seasons. Kiddy is the 2024 Northwest Herald Softball Player of the Year.

Huntley's Mark Petryniec led the Red Raiders on another successful run this spring, finishing with an area-best 30-10 record and fourth straight Fox Valley Conference championship. Petryniec is the 2024 Northwest Herald Softball Coach of the Year.

Meet the 2024 Northwest Herald All-Area softball team.

Twenty-five McHenry County-area players were selected to the Illinois Coaches Association All-State softball team, including five named first team. Check out the full list of local players earning ICA All-State honors here.

Huntley fell just short of its third state appearance with a 2-1 loss to Mundelein in the Class 4A Rosemont Supersectional at The Ballpark at Rosemont on Monday. "We were a special team, but next year they can be just as special.”

Huntley defeats Barrington in the Class 4A Barrington Sectional softball Championship game on Friday, May 31, 2024, at the Barrington High School.

Huntley, eliminated by Barrington in each of the past two postseasons, defeated the Fillies 5-3 at Barrington's Field of Dreams Friday to capture its third sectional championship in program history.

Down a run in the top of the fourth inning in the Class 3A Sycamore Sectional final, Kairi Lantz and Faith Heil started a Sycamore rally with singles, and Ema Durst and Bella Johnson each had RBI singles for all of the Spartans runs in a 3-1 win against Prairie Ridge.

The Sycamore softball team took on Prairie Ridge Friday afternoon to decide the champion of the Class 3A Sycamore Sectional.