Mason Schweizer examines a handful of things to look for from the Daily Journal area once the football season starts.

Four playoff teams from a year ago got together in Manteno Thursday, as the Panthers hosted Illinois Central Eight rival Peotone and the Vermilion Valley Conference's Clifton Central and Momence for live scrimmages.

Peotone, Clifton Central and Momence traveled to Manteno for football scrimmage action Thursday, July 24, 2025.

Former Central coach and Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer Dean Cappel will be inducted into the Central Athletics Hall of Fame at halftime of the Comets' home opener against Momence on Sept. 5.

The Herscher football team hosted Bradley-Bourbonnais, Central, Dwight and Iroquois West for some 11 on 11 scrimmages on Tuesday night as the teams continue to ramp up for the regular season.

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Central Citizens’ Library District invites the community to be part of its history through an engraved brick fundraiser.

With the IHSA releasing the state’s football schedules on Friday, here are the top games to watch in the Daily Journal area for the 2025 season.

A total of 16 teams took part in the annual Central 7 on 7 and Lineman Challenge on what was a busy Saturday of football at Central High School in Clifton.

Longtime Central girls track and field and girls basketball coach Rebecca Swigert-Fenton had her team with the Comets come to and end this spring as she takes a step back from coaching duties.

Anchored by strong athletes both on the track and in the field, check out this year's Daily Journal All-Area Boys Track and Field team.

From dominant freshmen to speedy seniors and everything in between, there's plenty of state pedigree on this year's Daily Journal All-Area Girls Track and Field Team.

Whether at the plate, on the mound or in the field, top-tier players abound on this year's Daily Journal All-Area Baseball Team.

With 27 all-state standouts and several more all-conference selections that helped fuel spostseason runs, the Daily Journal All-Area Softball Team is as good as it gets.

The Daily Journal coverage area once again boasted some of the state's best softball talent this spring, earning a total of 27 Illinois Softball Coaches Association All-State nods.

A look at the area baseball and softball athletes that were named to All-River Valley Conference and All-Iroquois County teams this season.

Kankakee's Naomi Bey-Osborne put a bow on one of the best athletic careers in school history with three more medals, Reed-Custer's Sophia Burciaga won gold in the pole vault and more from the Daily Journal area at the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Finals.

The Kankakee girls track team qualified for the state finals in the 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay and 4x400 relay and had Naomi Bey-Osborne qualify in the 400 meters, and more in Friday's Daily Journal Roundup

Thanks to a combined six-hit shutout from Jacob Lotz and Preston Payne, Bishop McNamara's early surge was enough to get past Central in Thursday's Class 2A Herscher Regional semifinal.

Storylines to watch for in the 2025 baseball postseason, including intriguing potential matchups between local Class 2A teams and a Bradley-Bourbonnais team looking to recapture some of last season's playoff magic.

From Beecher battling through a challenging Class 2A Seneca Sectional to Bradley-Bourbonnais looking for a regional four-peat in 4A, here are some storylines to look for as the 2025 postseason gets underway.

The Coal City baseball team extended its winning streak to four games with a nonconference win at Kankakee and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Herscher junior Keira Ahramovich homered twice and tripled Wednesday as the Tigers picked up a home win over Central in the final days of the regular season.

Herscher earned a 13-6 victory over Central on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Herscher High School.

Tristin Woods hit a home run and had five RBIs for the Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team in their SouthWest Suburban Conference win over Stagg, and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Cody Freitas hit two home runs to lead Bradley-Bourbonnais to an 18-7 win in SouthWest Suburban Conference play and more in Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Wilmington baseball team held Kankakee to just one hit in a 12-0 win, the Wildcats third shutout win in a row, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bishop McNamara baseball team got another shutout win to sweep St. Edward in a Chicagoland Christian Conference series and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Jacob Vinardi tossed a no-hitter in the first game of Kankakee's doubleheader with Thornridge and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Five events on the boys side of the Herscher Invite were won by area athletes on Friday as the end of the outdoor track and field season nears its final stretch.

A total of 13 local track and field programs competed in the Herscher Invite on Friday, with area athletes on the girls side winning eight events and Wilmington freshman McKenna Van Tilburg winning three.

A dozen schools competed in the Herscher Invite track and field meet Friday, May 2, 2025. Buy photos here: https://heraldnews.smugmug.com/April-2025/Herscher-Invite

The Beecher softball team beat Central 10-0 on Thursday to clinch the RVC title for the 24th season in a row and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Central baseball team beat Beecher 9-3 in a matchup of the top two teams in the River Valley Conference standings and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Ava Lorenzatti had 15 strikeouts in a one-hit shutout Tuesday as Beecher bounced back from its first loss of the season to beat Central 7-0 in River Valley Conference play.

Beecher softball stays unbeaten in RVC play with a 7-0 win over Central. In baseball, Central came out on top, earning a 9-3 win over Beecher.

The Bishop McNamara boys and Central girls both picked up team wins at the Manteno Invite on Friday.

The Bishop McNamara earned another blowout win in Chicagoland Christian Conference play, beating Aurora Christian 22-2, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bishop McNamara softball team beat Wheaton Academy 16-8 to improve to 7-0 in Chicagoland Christian Conference play and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team lost an extra-inning SWSC battle to top-ranked Lincoln-Way Central, Beecher's Ava Lorenzatti and Taylor Norkus were dominant in a doubleheader sweep and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Central took down Gardner-South Wilmington 9-2 on the road on Tuesday to improve to 7-0 in River Valley Conference play.

Central claimed a 9-2 win over Gardner-South Wilmington to keep a perfect River Valley Conference record (7-0) on Tuesday, April 22.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team beat Lincoln-Way East on the road Monday to avenge last week's loss to the Griffins and more in Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Peotone's Sophie Klawitter threw a one-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts in the Blue Devils' win to cap off her dominant week, and more in Friday's Daily Journal Roundup

Bishop McNamara's Joslynn Dole and Kankakee's Kylee Cunningham both threw no-hitters Wednesday to lead their teams to wins and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal Roundup

The Bishop McNamara baseball team picked up its first Chicagoland Christian Conference win of the season, Peotone's Sophie Klawitter threw another no-hitter and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Herscher took advantage of some early Central defensive woes with timely hits and an 11-1 start to the season Friday.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team fell 5-4 to Sandburg in their SouthWest Suburban Conference opener and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Beecher pitcher Taylor Norkus threw a perfect game Thursday as the Bobcats improved to 6-0 on the season, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Kankakee baseball team blew out Thornton 19-0 at home and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Central outlasted St. Anne-Donovan in a pitchers' duel on Tuesday, improving to 3-5 on the season with the 1-0 win.