Clifton Central's baseball team extended its winning streak to eight with an 8-4 road win over Kankakee Monday, putting together a hot start and withstanding a late rally from Kankakee that saw the tying run come to the plate in the seventh.

Clifton Central bested Kankakee 8-4 on Monday, May 11, 2026, at Kankakee Community College.

Coal City's boys track team took first place at the Illinois Central Eight Conference Meet on Thursday, the Coaler girls took second, Wilmington's McKenna Van Tilburg and Manteno's Klarke Goranson each won four individual ICE titles and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

The IHSA released the 2026 softball postseason brackets on Wednesday. Bradley-Bourbonnais is one of the top seeds at its host sectional, and the local Class 2A field remains as strong as ever and more.

Lydia Hammond hit a two-run home run and pitched seven one-run innings to lead the Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team to a 4-1 win over Lincoln-Way East, its seventh SouthWest Suburban Conference win in a row, and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Herscher Invite was held Friday, where Wilmington's McKenna Von Tilburg won all four of her events and Tigers seniors like Kelly O'Connor and Jeremy Szepelak ran their final home meets.

Bradley-Bourbonnais' softball team secured its sixth straight SouthWest Suburban Conference win with an 11-1 victory over Stagg, Kankakee softball won another high-scoring Southland Athletic Conference game 24-17 over Bloom and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

After coming from behind for a home win Tuesday, the Gardner-South Wilmington softball team picked up a 13-8 road win over Clifton Central on Thursday to finish off its fourth River Valley Conference sweep of the season.

Beecher and Momence both walked off with wins in River Valley Conference play, Herscher's softball team did the same in Illinois Central Eight Conference play and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Preston Payne threw a one-hitter and had three hits of his own for Bishop McNamara, Sophie and Mary Klawitter helped Peotone end Grant Park's undefeated start in softball and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Athletes from a dozen area teams met up at the Manteno Invite on Friday, getting in some valuable work with the outdoor season already starting to wind down.

A grand slam highlighted KaLeah Jackson's memorable day for Kankakee, the Bradley-Bourbonnais girls water polo team won in three overtimes and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team rallied for an extra-inning conference win over Sandburg, Bishop McNamara bounced back to beat Marian Central behind seven one-run innings and a two-run home run from Joslynn Dole and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Gianni Jaime hit 100 career goals in Herscher's win over Coal City, the Tiger softball team topped the Coalers in extras and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Reed-Custer's Sophia Moyers had 12 strikeouts and Peotone's Sophie Klawitter had 19 as each threw 11 innings in a wild pitchers' duel, one that Reed-Custer won 2-1, and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bishop McNamara continued its dominant start to Chicagoland Christian Conference play with an 18-2 win, Beecher ace Taylor Norkus had 23 strikeouts in 12 innings in a doubleheader sweep of Gardner-South Wilmington and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Callaghan O'Connor belted three home runs and Nick Pignatiello had two, including a go-ahead grand slam in the top of the seventh, to lead Bishop McNamara to a wild 18-14 conference win and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Khloe Picard's sixth-inning home run was the difference for Coal City, Beecher and Grant Park both stayed undefeated and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Boilermakers won the TJ Shirley Blue Smoke Invite, Nevaeh Brown made school history on the girls side, Bishop McNamara's baseball team slugged at the Pleasant Plains Invite and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Peotone's Sophie Klawitter, coming off a seven-inning no hitter against Milford/Cissna Park on Thursday, struck out all 15 batters in a five-inning perfect game against St. Anne, and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Sophie Klawitter threw a no-hitter to power Peotone softball, while Bradley-Bourbonnais and Coal City both took sixth-inning leads that turned into wins. Those games and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Kays avenged a loss to Crete-Monee, the Fightin' Irish had another dominant conference outing and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Grant Park's Cheyenne Hayes had 18 strikeouts in a no-hitter against Clifton Central, Beecher's Taylor Norkus threw a four-inning perfect game in a doubleheader sweep of St. Anne and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bishop McNamara ran away with a 15-2 win in its Chicagoland Christian Conference softball opener, Reed-Custer's Sophia Moyers threw a five-inning no-hitter in a conference win for the Comets, and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bryce Deany and Devin Arbour came up clutch to give the Kankakee baseball team its first win, Abbie Hofbauer led the Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team to its eighth straight victory and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Reed-Custer softball came out on top of a wild one with Herscher, all three city softball teams earned wins and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bishop McNamara's Malachi Lee, Wilmington's McKenna Van Tilburg and Manteno's Klarke Goranson, Olivia McElroy and Briggs Cann all won indoor state titles at the Illinois Top Times Championships, and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Meet the members of this year's Daily Journal All-Area boys basketball team.

Check out preview capsules for the Daily Journal area's prep baseball teams for the 2026 season.

Nash Brubaker hit a pair of solo home runs to lead Herscher on the road, Bishop McNamara and Bradley-Bourbonnais both lost by a run, Beecher's Taylor Norkus threw a three-inning perfect game and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Take a look at the players named to the Daily Journal All-Area team for the 2025-26 girls basketball season.

Grant Park improved to 2-0 while handing Kankakee a loss in its season opener, Reed-Custer's Mackenzie Foote hit for the cycle and drove in eight runs for the Comets and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bradley-Bourbonnais senior Lydia Hammond opened the season with a one-hit shutout of Oak Forest, striking out 10 batters in an 11-0 win for the Boilermakers, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Take a look at the boys and girls wrestlers named to the Daily Journal All-Area team for the 2025-26 season,

After winning the first state title in program history and going 40-0 on the season, Clifton Central-Irqouois West junior Payton Temple has been named the Daily Journal Girls Wrestler of the Year for the second year in a row.

Before the prep baseball season begins Monday, check out some notable names from the Daily Journal area to keep an eye on.

Check out preview capsules for the Daily Journal area's softball teams for the 2026 season.

In her third straight trip to the IHSA Girls Wrestling State Finals, Clifton Central junior Payton Temple became the school's first state champion on Saturday, winning the 170-pound title.

Payton Temple is now two wins away from an IHSA Girls Wrestling State championship in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Wilmington beat Bridgeview 84-55 and St. Anne beat Bowen 71-58 in regional semifinal action, with both teams advancing to regional title games on their home floors, and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Clifton Central earned a 59-32 victory over Milford in the quarterfinals of the Class 1A Hoopeston Regional on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Central High School.

Coal City's Aidan Kenney, Brock Finch and Cade Poyner and Wilmington's Logan Van Duyne will all wrestle for state titles after winning their semifinal matches and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Clifton Central fell to Roanoke-Benson 49-25 in the IHSA Class 2A Clifton Central Regional championship game, ending its winningest season in nine years, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Panthers bested Peotone, the Comets avenged multiple losses to Tri-Point and Cissna Park got past Hoopeston. Iroquois West's Amelia Scharp reached 1,000 career points in her final game, and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Clifton-Central's Payton Temple was crowned sectional champion and will be joined at state by Bradley-Bourbonnais Sophia Domont. The Boilers' Kayden Roach is also state-bound on the boys side, girls regional basketball action began and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Coal City became the only team in Illinois to have all 14 wrestlers punch their tickets to the state finals, while seven more area teams had 12 additional wrestlers advance out of the IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional.

St. Anne secured its second straight River Valley Conference Tournament title with a 60-49 win over Clifton Central in Friday's championship game, which also clinched a second straight unbeaten RVC season for the Cardinals.

St. Anne defeated Clifton Central 60-49 in the River Valley Conference Tournament title game on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.

When Henry Hines left his role of Clifton Central girls basketball coach more than a decade ago, he never thought he'd return to the bench. But that's exactly where he's found himself this season, and he couldn't be happier.

Tri-Point downed Clifton Central 51-31 in Thursday's River Valley Conference Tournament championship game, picking up its third win of the season over the Comets and wrapping a second straight season without a loss to an RVC opponent.