Here are Gary Duncan's photos from Downers Grove North's football practice on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025.

The Illinois high school football season gets underway Monday, Aug. 11, with the start of preseason practices. Here are some of the top storylines to watch in the Suburban Life area this season.

Downers Grove North senior Oliver Thulin has a good grasp of the recent history of the football program, the third Thulin brother to play for the Trojans. Now he is set to make a bigger mark as a two-way standout at wide receiver and defensive back.

Downers Grove North junior Colin Doyle is set to make his mark another sport this season. An established pitcher in baseball with next-level potential, the 6-foot-6 Doyle is looking to make waves in basketball. He was one of the Trojans' standouts during the June period.

Here is the 2025 Suburban Life All-Area baseball team.

Here is the 2025 Suburban Life All-Area softball team.

Downers Grove North rising senior Aiden Solecki, a three-star ranked defensive end by Rivals.com, gave Purdue his verbal commitment Sunday on the way back home from his official visit to the school. Also, St. Francis receiver Zach Washington recently committed to Michigan State.

Nazareth senior Jaden Fauske and junior Landon Thome, York senior Josh Fleming, Downers Grove North senior Brady Schallmoser and Glenbard East senior Josh Ziemer were among those named Class 4A All-State by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association just announced.

Downers Grove North rising senior tight end Will Vala announced his commitment to Illinois this week. Vala chose the Illini from over 20 offers, including Wisconsin, Purdue and Louisville.

Nick Lambert needed just 75 pitches, 50 for strikes, to throw a complete-game five-hit shutout, and 10th-seeded Waubonsie Valley beat top-seeded Downers Grove North 5-0 in the Class 4A Lockport Sectional final for the Warriors' first sectional title since 2005.

Brady Shallmoser had a four-hit day at the plate and Jimmy Reilly twirled a shutout as Downers Grove North got past Plainfield North in Thursday's Class 4A Lockport Sectional semifinal.

Downers Grove North senior Ashlynn Durkin, who tossed a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and had four hits with a homer and three RBIs in a regional final win over Willowbrook, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Joshua Welge.

Addie Bechler scored five goals, Fiona Lemke added three, and Crystal Lake Central's girls lacrosse team held off a fourth-quarter rally to beat Downers Grove North 10-8 on Tuesday and earn the program's first state berth.

Wheaton Warrenville South senior Amari Williams broke 37 seconds for the first time to defend his Class 3A state title, Downers Grove North broke the Class 3A 4x800 state record to defend its title and Glenbard South junior Kyle Quaid-Bowman won the Class 2A pole vault.

Will Downers Grove North go for a repeat in the 4x800 relay? Can Benet's Finn Richards get the distance double with a 3,200 title? And what about football stars from York and Wheaton Warrenville South? Here are 5 storylines to watch for Suburban Life-area athletes this weekend.

Ashley Poquette scored three goals Wednesday to spark the offense for Downers Grove North in an 11-7 win over Naperville North in the sectional semifinals.

Westmont junior Kyla Babb pulled off an impressive distance double on Saturday at the state track and field meet, taking second in the Class 1A 3,200 meters and third in the 1,600. Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South and Wheaton North were among other schools with medals.

Oswego sophomore Dontrell Young, after missing all of indoor season recovering from a torn meniscus, swept the 100, 200 and 400 titles at the Class 3A East Aurora Sectional, while Oswego East won its first team sectional title and NIU football recruit Zach Morrisroe swept throws.

How will St. Francis' record-setting distance crew line up in Charleston? Can Westmont's Kyla Babb pull off the distance double? Here are five storylines to watch for Suburban Life area athletes at the IHSA girls state track and field meet.

York hosted Downers Grove North varsity baseball on Monday, May 19, 2025 in Elmhurst.

York senior Jack Bodach threw a two-hitter with five strikeouts, overcoming a bloody bister in the fifth inning, to lead the Dukes to a 3-1 win over Downers Grove North.

Wheaton Warrenville South softball beat Wheaton North 1-0 in a wild ending, Sophia Rosner struck out 11 and homered for Benet softball, plus the rest of the baseball, softball soccer and volleyball results in Wednesday's Suburban Life roundup.

Solecki showed off her improvement by winning the discus (36.53 meters) and the shot put (11.17) at the Class 3A Downers Grove South Sectional to stamp her ticket to next weekend’s state track and field meet in Charleston. Both winning tosses were personal bests for Solecki.

Downers Grove North girls varsity soccer hosted crosstown rival Downers Grove South on Saturday, May 10, 2025.

Lyons Township faced Downers Grove North in varsity baseball on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Downers Grove.

A bunt by Drake Cosenza in the bottom of the seventh inning led to the game-winning run as Downers Grove North rallied to steal a 3-2 win against Lyons on Monday.

Freshman Jordyn Sashin scored two goals, including the game-winner, to lead Downers Grove North to a 3-0 victory over Downers Grove South at Carstens Field for the Trojans' first crosstown win since 2013.

Downers Grove North, with six event champions, won its fifth straight West Suburban Silver championship – just the second time that has been done in conference history dating back to 1973. Glenbard West was second.

Timothy Christian's soccer team is on a roll going into this week, allowing just one goal during an eight-game winning streak. That, plus notes on Glenbard South, Downers Grove North and Nazareth from Chris Walker.

After winning a combined 62 games the last two seasons, Downers Grove North is enjoying another successful spring, closing in on the 20-win mark. That, Riverside-Brookfield in the hunt for the Upstate Eight Conference title and more in Bob Narang's baseball notebook.

Glenbard West led in the first set before faltering, but the Hilltoppers dominated Lincoln-Way East in the second set and edged them in the third to win the Lincoln-Way East Invitational.

Downers Grove South senior Kailee Rodeck soars to record pole vault, Vanderbilt commit Finn Richards chasing Benet track records from 50 years ago, and Willowbrook's Amelie Ojeda breaks her school 3,200 record. That and more in Bill Stone's track and field notebook.

With three straight 2-0 victories against West Aurora, Andrew and host Plainfield North, Glenbard West had a good showing in the Plainfield Classic tournament. That, plus notes on Lemont, Downers Grove South, Benet, Hinsdale South and Morton in Chris Walker's soccer notebook.

Downers Grove North won five of the field events and four on the track to take the team title at the Palatine Invite, while Cary-Grove freshman Alexandra Santoyo swept the 1,600 and 3,200 races.

Mya Leon has already broken the St. Charles East program record for most goals by a freshman, and scored her 29th Friday. Then she converted a penalty kick to clinch a hard-fought 2-1 shootout win over Downers Grove North in a Naperville Invitational game.

Downers Grove North freshman Macy Ermitage missed almost all of cross country season with a stress fracture – but she's back in a big way on the track. Ermitage won the 3,200 at Downers Grove North's Ritter Invitational, leading the Trojans to second place as a team.

Five players spiked at least four kills, four had aces, and three recorded blocks in Downers Grove North's 25-17, 25-17 nonconference victory over visiting Riverside-Brookfield.

Here are previews of boys track and field teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The track and field season is heading outdoors and here are previews of girls teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Lyons senior Tucker King, an all-conference pitcher last year, is showcasing a different version of himself this spring. And that's bad news for opponents. The Cincinnati commit is leading a strong Lions' staff. That and more in Bob Narang's baseball notes.

St. Charles East senior Kyli Dunn pitched 3⅔ scoreless innings of relief, while also laying the first of two consecutive RBI bunts to help her team to a 2-1 victory in a pitching duel against Downers Grove North.

St. Charles East hosted Downers Grove North in varsity softball on Friday, March 28, 2025.

The 2025 high school soccer season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 high school softball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 high school baseball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Here is the 2024-2025 Suburban Life All-Area girls basketball team.

A game after not playing at all, sophomore Edvardas Stasys came off the bench to help anchor Benet's sterling defensive effort as the Redwings beat Downers Grove North 44-32 in Friday's sectional final.

Benet boys basketball faced Downers Grove North in the Class 4A Benet Sectional final on Friday, March 7, 2025 in Lisle.

Downers Grove North slowed the game down and stunned Bolingbrook with a 29-26 victory in a Class 4A Benet Sectional semifinal Tuesday.

UW-Stevens Point commit Bobby Grganto was dominant inside with 20 points, Jack Crowley hit two big threes during a second half run and Downers Grove North locked down defensively to pull away and beat West Aurora 52-45 to win the Class 4A Downers Grove South Regional title.