Senior linebacker Max Hetlet hopped on a fumble with 45 seconds remaining, which led to Jack Swick booting the game-winning field goal to lead Glenbard West to a 31-28 walk-off victory over Batavia.

The Glenbard West football team traveled to Batavia Friday night where they opened the season against the Bulldogs.

The declaration most expected would be coming came on Thursday as East St. Louis officially declared that they would be playing up to Class 6A. By its natural enrollment, East St. Louis would have been classified in Class 5A.

Both Richards and St. Rita announced their intent to join Batavia among schools that are electing to "play up" from 6A to 7A for a two-year period of postseason play.

We take a look at the football games around the Kane County Chronicle area heading into the first week of the 2025 season.

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge as they preview an exciting Week 1 in Illinois high school football on the Friday Night Drive podcast

The wait is over. The many, many questions that teams have for the 2025 season are about to begin getting answered. Steve Soucie takes a look at the games to watch in the first week of the IHSA football season.

Join hosts Josh Welge and Joel Boenitz as they preview Week 1 in Illinois high school football for Kane and DuPage counties on the Friday Night Drive podcast.

The 2025 boys soccer season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Kane County Chronicle coverage area.

Batavia quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren became an unlikely hero for Batavia in its run to the Class 7A state title game in 2024. Now, he's ready to do it once again in his first full season under center.

Check out our team-by-team girls volleyball preview with top returners, newcomers and info on each local team for the 2025 season in the Kane County Chronicle area.

Catch up on the week’s top Kane County news and sports in minutes. Listen to the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

The 2025 boys golf season is underway. Here are previews of teams from around the Kane County Chronicle coverage area.

The 2025 girls golf season is underway. Here are previews of teams from around the Kane County Chronicle coverage area.

With its enrollment number teetering between Class 6A and Class 7A, Batavia decided to take the guesswork out of it and asked the IHSA to "play up" to Class 7A if the Bulldogs' enrollment number lands them in 6A when the final pairings are determined.

Catch up on the week’s top Kane County news and sports in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you

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.

Coming off of a second-place finish in Class 7A a season ago, Batavia's offensive line, led by guys like Princeton commit Ryan Myers and Steven Bannos are ready to help the team to its first state title since 2017.

Here are Karen Naess' photos from Batavia's football practice on Wednesday, Aug. 13.

Former Batavia girls basketball star Brooke Carlson hosted her second annual basketball camp Thursday with the focus of giving back to the community.

The Illinois high school football season gets underway Monday with the start of preseason practices. Here are some of the top storylines to watch in Kane County this season.

Girls wrestling was officially sanctioned four years ago by the IHSA, and the sport has continued to explode since then.

With the release of the IHSA 2025 statewide football schedule, here are the top games week by week to watch in the Kane County coverage area.

As college football players navigate the evolving financial landscape, NIU linebacker Quinn Urwiler insists on prioritizing passion over profit, embodying a resilient mentality that fuels this season's quest for greatness.

Friday Night Drive’s Josh Welge and Joel Boenitz discuss what the IHSA football schedule will look like in the western suburbs for the 2025 season, games they are looking forward to, and more

The annual "Battle of the Butts" Lineman Challenge was held on Thursday, July 10, 2025 at West Aurora.

Batavia High School hosted teams from Geneva, Bolingbrook and Huntley in a 7 on 7 tournament on Thursday, July 10, 2025 in Batavia.

Here is the 2024-2025 Kane County Chronicle All-Area Baseball Team.

Led by Kane County Chronicle girls soccer Player of the Year Mya Leon, here is the 2024-2025 All-Area team.

Headlined by Boys track and field Athlete of the Year Freddy Hassan, here is the Kane County Chronicle All-Area boys track and field team.

Headlined by Girls track and field Athlete of the Year Katie Kostro, here is the Kane County Chronicle All-Area girls track and field team.

A look back at the Kane County Chronicle's prep sports photos from the 2025 spring season.

Kaneland senior Freddy Hassan won his third All-State medal on Saturday at the state track meet in Charleston, tying for second place in the Class 3A high jump. Batavia also found success in field events, Isaiah Brown fourth in the triple jump and Gavin Pecor seventh in the shot.

St. Charles North, led by senior Matt Kelly, used a five-run first inning to propel them to a 10-2 victory over Batavia in a Class 4A regional semifinal.

St. Charles North baseball faced Batavia in a Class 4A Batavia Regional semifinal on Thursday, May 29, 2025 in Batavia.

Can Batavia continue its postseason success? Will St. Charles North's Nathan McLoughlin find gold? Will Kaneland have a three-time all-stater? Here are five storylines to watch for Kane County boys track and field athletes at state this weekend.

Rosary junior Katie Kostro soared to the Class 2A high jump state championship on Saturday, leading area medalists in Charleston. St. Charles North, St. Charles East, St. Francis, Aurora Central Catholic and Burlington Central also had medalists.

Led by doubles champions Cole Weddle and Ben Goddard, St. Charles North's tennis team won its third straight sectional title on Saturday.

St. Charles North junior Kaitlyn Nudera scored the tying goal late in regulation and Kaitlyn Glenn the game-winner in overtime as the North Stars turned away Batavia 2-1 for their 22nd consecutive regional title.

Batavia seems to have everything clicking at the right time, as the Bulldogs took home the Class 3A Lake Park boys sectional track and field Friday night title with 118 total points in Roselle.

St. Charles North's 4x800-meter relay team posted the top time in the Class 3A preliminary rounds to advance to the finals, while the North Stars' softball team secured a share of the DuKane Conference with a win over Geneva. That and more results in Friday's sports roundup.

Can St. Charles North replicate its team success for a chance at the Class 3A title? What can we expect from Batavia's young core? Here are five storylines to watch for Kane County-area athletes this weekend.

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.

Geneva and St. Charles North baseball each secured a series sweep, setting up a DuKane Conference-deciding series, which starts Saturday. Plus, Batavia baseball and girls soccer got big conference victories, and other sports results from Thursday.

St. Charles North's Alexzandria Richardson and a pair of North Stars' relays were among the state qualifiers from Thursday's Class 3A Hoffman Estates Sectional, which was delayed several times because of lightning and clock issues.

Geneva and St. Charles North baseball each got victories to stay atop the DuKane Conference standings, while Batavia softball secured the series sweep with a win against Geneva. That and more in Wednesday's sports roundup.

Paige Murray hit the go-ahead double and added 11 strikeouts in the circle to help St. Charles North softball to a low-scoring victory, Marmion and Kaneland baseball win thrillers and Batavia girls soccer upset St. Charles East on the road. That and more in the sports roundup.

Batavia baseball secured a series victory over St. Charles East, while Geneva and St. Charles North both won to secure a share of the lead in DuKane Conference play.

Kaneland junior Erin Doucette gave Kaneland a 2-1 lead with her record-setting 34th goal of the season with 13 minutes left, and Batavia junior Emma Wecker tied the game again with nine minutes remaining in a 2-2 thriller.