Marengo faces North Boone in a nonconference softball game on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Marengo High School.

Prairie Ridge faces Richmond-Burton in a nonconference softball game on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at Richmond-Burton High School.

A few former Northern Illinois University football players got the chance to try and make an impression on scouts from the NFL Monday during pro day in the Chessick Practice Center at NIU in DeKalb.

People enjoy the ShamROCKS the Fox Parade along Green Street in McHenry on Saturday, March 15, 2025, in McHenry.

Crystal Lake South faces Kaneland in the IHSA Class 3A Rochelle Sectional championship basketball game on Friday, March 7, 2025, at Rochelle High School.

People receive ashes and prayers during a Drive-Thru Ash Wednesday Blessing on Wednesday, March 05, 2025, at the United Methodist Church of Libertyville. This was the first time the church has offered a Drive-Thru Ash Wednesday Blessing, that created a simple convenient way for individuals to receive ashes and mark the beginning of the Lenten season.

The Sycamore and Crystal Lake South boys basketball teams played a Class 3A sectional semifinal game Tuesday night at Rochelle High School.

About 10 acres burned in the predawn hours of Tuesday, March 4, 2025, south of McHenry. The Nunda Rural Fire Protection District responded along with mutual aid agencies.

Huntley faces Loyola Academy in the IHSA Class 4A Gurnee Warren Supersectional girls basketball game on Monday, March 3, 2025, at Warren Township High School in Gurnee.

A look back at some of Northwest Herald photojournalist Gregory Shaver's favorite pictures in the Northwest Herald from February 2025.

Images from the 2025 IHSA State Girls Swimming and Diving Championships on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 at FMC Natatorium in Westmont.

McHenry faces Warren in the IHSA Class 4A McHenry Regional championship basketball game on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, at McHenry High School.

Crystal Lake South faces Cary-Grove in the IHSA Class 3A Prairie Ridge Regional championship basketball game on on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake.

Huntley defeats Libertyville in the IHSA Class 4A Huntley Sectional Championship girls basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, at Huntley High School.

Northern Illinois University held a press conference Thursday at the Convocation Center to announce that they will be joining the Horizon League starting with the fall 2026 season for most sports other than football.