Crystal Lake Central edged Jacobs in a Fox Valley Conference match led by a 38 from Asher Johnson. Plus boys soccer, girls volleyball and golf scores in Tuesday's Northwest Herald Sports Roundup,.

With the kickoff of the high school football season days away, here is the Friday Night Drive preseason Top 25. Who is No. 1?

Check out our team-by-team boys soccer preview with top returners, key newcomers and info on each local team for the 2025 season in the Northwest Herald area.

Richmond-Burton's girls volleyball team began defense of its Kishwaukee River Conference title by beating Johnsburg in two sets, while Crystal Lake Central golfer Giuliana Dickson shined at RedTail Golf Club. Plus more in Monday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

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 Northwest Herald area.

The girls tennis season got underway this week. Check out our team-by-team preview with top returners, newcomers and info on each local team from the Northwest Herald area.

Check out our team-by-team girls swimming preview with top returners, newcomers and info on each local team for the 2025 season.

Marengo junior Kiley Brady recorded a hole-in-one on No. 11 at Marengo Ridge, while Prairie Ridge's girls and Marian Central's boys picked up wins in Wednesday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Chase Garden led Jacobs boys golf past McHenry in FVC action, while Maggie Hanson had the top score for Marengo's girls in a win against Genoa-Kingston. And more in Tuesday's Northwest Herald roundup.

A look at the Fox Valley Conference for the 2025 season, including team-by-team preview capsules, players to watch, five can't miss games and Steve Soucie's predicted order of finish.

The boys golf season is already underway. Check out our team-by-team preview with top returners, newcomers and info on each local team from the Northwest Herald area.

The girls golf season is already underway. Check out our team-by-team preview with top returners, newcomers and info on each local team from the Northwest Herald area.

Check out our five top girls golfers to watch in the Northwest Herald area for the 2025 season.

Cary-Grove's football team is ready to pick up where it left off after a second-straight trip to the Class 6A state semifinals, and senior linebacker Oliver Antonelli plans to make sure the Trojans are prepared.

Cary-Grove prepares for the 2025 season during its first fall football practice on Monday, August 11, 2025, at Cary-Grove High School.

The Cubs have been one of the best teams in Major League Baseball this summer, and 'Locked On Cubs' podcast partners Matt Cozzi and Sam Olbur, both of whom grew up in the Chicago suburbs, have kept fans up to date after every game

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.

Cary-Grove graduate Quinn Priester is enjoying a breakout season with the Milwaukee Brewers and has a been a key contributors as the Brewers battle the Cubs for first place in the National League Central Division.

Cary-Grove graduate Quinn Priester started the Milwaukee Brewers’ second-half opener Friday night and struck out 10, including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in the first inning, and completed six scoreless innings in a 2-0 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area baseball team.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area Softball Team.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald Girls Soccer All-Area Team.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area Boys Tennis Team.

Here are six Northwest-Herald football players poised for big 2025 seasons.

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

Crystal Lake Central co-op junior Anna Starr already cemented herself as one of the state's best players. But Starr took her game to yet another level, earning her the Northwest Herald Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year for a third straight season.

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.

Troy Triad defeated Cary-Grove 3-1 to win the IHSA Class 3A state third-place game on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at Duly Health and Care Field in Joliet.

Charlie Taczy turned in a gutsy performance on the mound, and Brock Iverson was 3 for 3, but Cary-Grove's baseball team lost to Troy Triad 3-1 in the Class 3A third-place game Saturday morning in Joliet.

Benet Academy sophomore Quinn Rooney isn’t going to finish the baseball season where he started it, the JV team. His two-run triple highlighted a five-run seventh, giving Benet an 11-6 win over Cary-Grove and a berth in Saturday's Class 3A state title game.

First-year Cary-Grove coach Kyle Williams always thought the Trojans could qualify for the IHSA state finals for the first time since 2009. Here's how his leadership helped the Trojans overcome adversity to get there.

Cary-Grove defeats St. Patrick in the IHSA Class 3A supersectional baseball game on Monday, June 9, 2025, at Wintrust Field in Schaumburg.

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. 

Hinsdale Central sophomore Maggie Conley scored 10 points, consisting of a hat trick and seven assists, to lead the Red Devils to an 18-6 win over Crystal Lake Central co-op and a third-place finish at the state tournament Saturday.

Junior right-hander Kaden Norman finished what he started, and Cary-Grove beat rival Crystal Lake South 7-1 Saturday to capture the Class 3A Grayslake Central Sectional championship. It's the Trojans' first sectional title since 2009.

Cary-Grove defeats Crystal Lake South in the IHSA Class 3A Grayslake Central Sectional Championship baseball game Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Grayslake Central High School.

Charlie Taczy's one-run complete game Wednesday powered Cary-Grove past Prairie Ridge and into Saturday's Grayslake Central Sectional championship game.

Prairie Ridge faces Cary-Grove in the IHSA Class 3A Grayslake Central Sectional semifinal baseball game Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at Grayslake Central High School.

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.

Huntley's Tommy Nitz became the second Red Raider in as many weekends to win a state title. The senior capped his high school career in grand style with a first-place finish in the Class 3A 1,600-meter run at Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Field.

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.

Cary-Grove's Oskar Freund delivered a two-out, two-run single in the first inning, and the Trojans' bats never slowed down in a 13-3, six-inning victory over Antioch for their third consecutive regional championship.

Cary-Grove's Logan Abrams qualified for the IHSA Class 3A Boys Track and Field State Meet finals in the shot put and discus, Huntley's Tommy Nitz clocked the fastest 1,600 time, and Johnsburg's Brett Centnarowicz sits in second place in the 2A discus.

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.

Huntley senior Bobby Pupich, who missed last week's regular-season finale against Cary-Grove, scored a career-high nine goals Wednesday to lead the Red Raiders to a 15-7 win over the Trojans in a sectional semifinal.