High school football practice officially starts Monday, and the opening night for the season for local teams is Aug. 29. Here are Joe Aguilar's five storylines to watch this season in McHenry County.

Can anybody take down Huntley in the FVC? How far can Richmond-Burton extend its KRC winning streak? Here are five girls volleyball storylines to watch in McHenry County in 2025.

How will Prairie Ridge follow up a historic season? Who are the top FVC and KRC contenders? Which returning players have the most scoring power? Here are five boys soccer storylines to watch in McHenry County in 2025.

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.

The IHSA released football schedules for the 2025 season, and Week 1 features a matchup between the past two Fox Valley Conference champions, as Prairie Ridge will visit Cary-Grove. Check out the top games to watch each week in McHenry County.

After three years at Burlington Central, Ted Juske officially took over as the Crystal Lake Central athletic director July 1.

In the 25th annual “Battle of the Big Butts” Lineman Challenge, host West Aurora walked away with top team honors among 24 teams after winning three team events for the second consecutive season.

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

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

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area baseball team.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area Softball Team.

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

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald Girls Soccer All-Area 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.

The All-State baseball teams have been released, and the Northwest Herald coverage area is well represented.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference baseball team, as selected by coaches.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference softball team, as selected by coaches.

Hampshire's Bria Riebel, Crystal Lake Central's Oli Victorine, Prairie Ridge's Ady Kiddy and Reese Mosolino and Harvard's Tallulah Eichholz were named to the Illinois Coaches Association All-State first team in Class 3A and 4A, released late Sunday.

History tends to repeat itself in regards to the IHSA Football Playoffs, but the new enrollment numbers could lead to a bracket that looks a lot different in the next postseason chase. Here is Steve Soucie's 2025 IHSA football preseason playoff projection.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference girls lacrosse team, as selected by coaches.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference girls soccer team, as selected by coaches.

Woodstock North brothers Mason and Austin Nicolai placed 18th at the IHSA Bass Fishing State Finals, which concluded Saturday at Lake Shelbyville in Shelbyville. 

Merrick broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning, while Jake Rifenburg allowed zero earned runs over eight-plus innings to help Benet get a 3-0 victory over Burlington Central in a Class 3A sectional semifinal.

Benet faced Burlington Central in a Class 3A Kaneland Sectional semifinal on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Maple Park.

Burlington Central senior Chase Powrozek, who faced the minimum 21 batters in a no-hitter, and also went 3 for 3 with a double, home run and three RBIs in a Class 3A regional semifinal game against Rochelle, was voted as the Kane County Chronicle Athlete of the Week.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference boys lacrosse team, as selected by coaches.

A number of McHenry County-area girls soccer players and coaches earned honors from the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association for the 2025 season. Here's the full list of winners.

Hampshire and Burlington Central baseball each won regional titles, Dundee-Crown's upset bid of Barrington fell just short, and Prairie Ridge's Tim Jones and Cole Palese finished sixth at the IHSA Class 1A Boys Tennis State Meet.

Hampshire softball won its second regional title in three seasons, Cary-Grove battled top-seeded Antioch but fell short in a 6-3 loss, and Huntley boys lacrosse almost upset No. 1 Barrington, falling 18-17, in a sectional title match.

Crystal Lake Central, the defending Class 3A state champion, upset Lakes in their playoff opener. Jacobs, Huntley and Dundee-Crown also earned wins to reach regional finals, and more in Thursday's Northwest Herald roundup.

For more than 86 minutes, Kaneland senior goalie Natalie Myers made save after save to keep it a one-score game. But Boylan connected twice in the final 2:30 for the 3-0 win in the Class 2A Belvidere Sectional semifinals.

Burlington Central's Chase Powrozek threw a no-hitter to lead the Rockets to an 8-0 win over Rochelle in a Class 3A regional semifinal, Hampshire and McHenry baseball threw combined no-hitters, plus more postseason scores in Wednesday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Addison DeSomer hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, lifting Cary-Grove's softball team to a 2-1 win in a Class 3A regional semifinal. Prairie Ridge's Reese Mosolino and Crystal Lake Central's Oli Victorine threw no-hitters. Plus, more in Tuesday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Woodstock North baseball beat Harvard in their Class 3A playoff opener, while Huntley boys volleyball, Hampshire, Huntley and Cary-Grove boys lacrosse and Crystal Lake Central co-op and Huntley girls lacrosse all advanced in postseason action Monday.

Tears couldn't wipe the smile off the face of Huntley's Dominique Johnson on Saturday in downstate Charleston. Johnson and her 4x200 relay teammates were disqualified, but the Miami commit won two Class 3A state titles, including her third straight in the triple jump.

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.

Carmie Winkelhake immediately answered a goal by Izzie Segreti as Burlington Central held off Sycamore 3-1 to claim a regional title on Saturday.

Jacob Kim (singles) and Tim Jones and Cole Palese (doubles) led Prairie Ridge boys tennis to a sectional title, Drake Lenckus scored seven goals for Crystal Lake South boys lacrosse in a sectional win over McHenry, and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Charlie Eastland scored three goals as Johnsburg girls soccer rolled to a 7-0 victory over Cristo Rey St. Martin to reach the Class 1A Richmond-Burton Sectional final. Crystal Lake Central girls soccer won a regional title, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Huntley senior Dominique Johnson is in position to secure her third triple jump championship in a row at the IHSA Class 3A Girls Track and Field State Meet. Plus all of Friday's 2A and 3A preliminary results from the Northwest Herald area in the state track roundup.

Marian Central’s Addie Leitzen advanced to the state finals of the triple jump after taking ninth in the preliminaries on Thursday at Eastern Illinois. Plus more track and field, baseball, softball, boys lacrosse and bass fishing scores.

Cary-Grove junior Logan Abrams, who had foot surgery last November, is "almost there" as he showed in the Class 3A Huntley Boys Track and Field Sectional Thursday. He won the shot put and discus, convincingly, while Kaneland comfortably won the team title.

Prairie Ridge won the Class 2A Marmion Sectional team title after qualifying four individuals and three relay teams to the IHSA state meet. Plus more boys and girls lacrosse, girls soccer, baseball and softball scores.

Marengo's Kylee Jensen hit two home runs, including a walk-off grand slam, to lift the Indians to an 11-1 win over Byron in their playoff opener. Plus girls soccer postseason results in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock's Megan Kuiper threw a perfect game with 18 strikeouts to beat Round Lake, Marian Central baseball won its playoff opener over Genoa-Kingston, plus more in Monday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock North's Parker Neff and Tristan Schaffter both hit home runs as the Thunder won big, Marengo girls soccer won its regional semifinal, and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Burlington Central baseball edged Huntley, Crystal Lake Central softball hit five homers to beat Hampshire, Crystal Lake South and Richmond-Burton girls soccer won their playoff openers, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Huntley's boys track and field team had a lot to clap about during the Fox Valley Conference meet Thursday. The host Red Raiders overcame a deficit with two events left to beat Jacobs by one point and earn their third FVC championship in a row.

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.

Jacobs' boys tennis team crowned four champions to win back-to-back Fox Valley Conference Tournament titles, Marian Central girls track and field advanced five entries to the Class 1A state meet, and more in Thursday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.