Kankakee hosts Nazareth for the first of two games with state champions to open the season while Bradley-Bourbonnais and Bishop McNamara also start their seasons at home. Check out previews on those games, as well as the rest of the Week 1 slate for the Daily Journal area.

Kankakee made a strong statement to start the boys soccer season and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Take a look at five Daily Journal area girls volleyball players to watch as the season starts this week.

Team-by-team previews of the Daily Journal area's girls volleyball teams for the 2025 season.

The Cissna Park volleyball team is heading into the 2025 season looking to follow up on back-to-back appearances in the state finals, with its experienced senior core leading the way.

Mason Schweizer looks at a handful of storylines to keep an eye on during the upcoming girls volleyball season.

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.

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.

Wilmington’s Kyle Farrell and Ryan Nelson, Coal City’s Landin Benson and Milford-Cissna Park’s Caleb Clutteur are all set to take place in the 2025 Shrine Game to wrap up their high school football careers.

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.

Bishop McNamara’s Trinity Davis, Kankakee’s TaLeah Turner, Bradley-Bourbonnais’ Nick Allen, Watseka’s Megan Martin and Reed-Custer’s Jacob Reardon all participated in the IBCA All-Star Games on Pontiac in Saturday.

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

Wilmington pitcher Kyle Farrell did not allow a hit for the first 6 1/3 innings Wednesday, finishing with a one-hit shutout for the Wildcats in the IHSA Class 2A Coal City Regional semifinals, and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal Roundup

Rhaya DePaolo and Bishop McNamara held off Reed-Custer's upset attempt in softball regional quarterfinal action and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

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.

Kendyl Christon hit a walkoff two-run single to give the Kankakee softball team a huge conference win over Bloom and more in Friday'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.

Lydia Hammond threw a nine-inning shutout and hit a walk-off double against Benet and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Kankakee saw Jaden Villafuerte's pinch-hit two-run double tie it before Alexander Grill's walk-off single against Bloom and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bradley-Bourbonnais was an out away from an SWSC loss Monday when Cody Freitas put them ahead with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh and more in Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Josh Barta was two walks from a perfect game in his no-hitter and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

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.

The Bishop McNamara baseball team scored three runs in the fifth inning to win a Chicagoland Christian Conference contest over Wheaton Academy 3-2, and more in Thursday'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

After falling behind 13-4 in the third inning, Milford-Cissna Park mounted a comeback attempt that came up short in a slugfest with Oakwood Wednesday.

Wilmington baseball kept its perfect ICE record in tact, Peotone's Sophie Klawitter threw a perfect game and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Kankakee girls track and field team placed third at the JJK/AL Joyner Classic and more in Saturday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team picked up a 5-2 road win over Sandburg for their first conference victory and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Jocelyn Sanche's five-goal day led Kankakee girls soccer to a dominant win and more in Monday'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.

Manteno baseball made it a 5-0 start to the season with Monday's win over rival Peotone and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Daily Journal 2024-25 All-Area boys basketball team.

Bradley-Bourbonnais softball rallied from its first loss of the season to salvage a doubleheader split with Huntley and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Boilermakers improved to 4-0 on the young season behind Lydia Hammond's 14-strikeout effort and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bishop McNamara's Trinity Davis and Cissna Park's Addison Lucht were recognized as All-State girls basketball players by the Illinois Media.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team won 17-4 in Alabama to improve to 2-1 on the season and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bishop McNamara's Callaghan O'Connor struck out every batter he faced and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Daily Journal 2024-25 All-Area girls basketball team.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais boys track and field team competed in the SouthWest Suburban Conference Boys Indoor Meet, placing ninth as a team, and more in Friday's Daily Journal Roundup.