Bishop McNamara junior Malachi Lee won the 1A high jump title and Bradley-Bourbonnais senior Lyzale Edmon won three medals on Saturday in the 3A meet.

Blake Chandler and Brayden Meents combined on a shutout as Clifton Central won the rubber game with conference rival St. Anne/Donovan 2-0 in the Class 1A Clifton Central Regional final for the program's first regional championship since 2019.

Bishop McNamara's Malachi Lee, Cale Hamilton and Brock Clott were three of six area boys track and field athletes to advance to Saturday's state finals from the Class 1A prelims at Eastern Illinois University. This and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Maddie Simms had 17 strikeouts to lead Gardner-South Wilmington softball to a win in the IHSA Class 1 Indian Creek Sectional semifinals, Clifton Central baseball walked off Momence in the 1A Clifton Central Regional semifinals and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Wilmington's McKenna Van Tilburg advanced to Saturday's state finals in four events and Milford/Cissna Park's Addison Lucht advanced in three to lead a group of Class 1A girls track and field athletes in Thursday's prelims. That and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bishop McNamara's Malachi Lee, Bradley-Bourbonnais' Lyzale Edmon and Kankakee's George Noble are all headed to boys track and field state next week, with all three schools qualifying multiple relay teams as well. That and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Alina Mkhwanazi had a hat trick while Yailen Torres and Rachel Sanchez-Aguilar also scored in Kankakee's regional semifinal shutout, Bradley-Bourbonnais' postseason softball journey began and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Iroquois West and Momence softball teams opened regional play with commanding quarterfinal wins, with Iroquois West beating Hoopeston 18-8 and Momence beating Illinois Lutheran 10-1, and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Clifton Central tallied a 9-3 win over St. Anne in the IHSA Class 1A Dwight Regional quarterfinals on Monday, May 18, 2026, at Central High School to open postseason play.

The Clifton Central softball team opened postseason play with a 9-3 win over St. Anne in the IHSA Class 1A Dwight Regional quarterfinals, giving the Comets their sixth win in the last seven games following a 3-18 start to the season.

Meet this week's Daily Journal Athlete of the Week, Clifton Central's Blake Chandler.

The Beecher softball team got a one-hitter from Taylor Norkus in its regular season finale Saturday, downing Lemont 3-1 to finish off the first undefeated regular season (29-0) for the program since 2006, and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team wrapped its regular season with a 15-5 win over Stagg in SouthWest Suburban Conference play, giving the Boilermakers their most conference wins in a season since 2019, and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team will host a regional on its bid for a third straight plaque. Look at that and more in the Daily Journal's baseball regional preview.

Kankakee's Dominic White split the Southland high jump title and was joined by Kymani Billings, Phillip Turner and George Noble on the winning 4x100 relay team. At the SWSC meet, Bradley-Bourbonnais' Lyzale Edmon won the 200. That and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Herscher's Gianna High tied the girls soccer IHSA single-game record with seven assists in a 9-0 Tigers win, Bishop McNamara's softball team defeated ranked Class 3A Providence Catholic with an 11-4 win and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

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,