The Illinois high school football season kicks off later this month, and official practices begin Monday. Here are five storylines we here at The Times have our eyes on this coming fall.

Carol Bauer has retired after more than three decades coaching cross country, track and field and volleyball at the high school and junior high levels at Fieldcrest.

Fieldcrest football’s summer camp has been defined by strong senior leadership and growing team chemistry as the Knights gear up for the upcoming season.

With the release of the 2025 IHSA football schedules, here is a week-by-week look at the can't-miss games across The Times coverage area.

More than 40 of the state's top senior baseball players participated in the Illinois Coaches Association All-Star Games on Monday at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.

The Illinois Coaches Association held their 48th annual Senior Baseball All Star Game on Monday, June 30, 2025 at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.

A collection of 40 of the top prep baseball players this past spring from across The Times' 13-school coverage area.

Top high school baseball players from around the state will take the field one more time as prep players during the 48th annual Illinois Coaches Association Senior All-Star Games on Monday at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.

A look at the top boys track and field athletes in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

The Times Sports staff is proud to present our picks for 40 of the top prep softball players across the area, the 2025 Times All-Area Softball Team.

A look at the best girls track and field athletes in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

The schools of The Times area sent plenty of athletes to the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Meet. Here are those state qualifiers, the 2025 Times Boys Track and Field All-Area Honor Roll.

The schools of The Times area sent plenty of athletes to the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet. Here are those state qualifiers, the 2025 Times Girls Track and Field All-Area Honor Roll.

This week, the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association unveiled its 2025 All-State Team, celebrating standout athletes, including Class 1A champions Marquette’s Alec Novotney and Sam Mitre.

A look at the best baseball players in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

A look at the NewsTribune area's baseball stat leaders for the 2025 season.

A look at the top softball players in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

A look at the top softball players in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

Marquette baseball's Alec Novotney has been named the Tri-County Conference Player and Pitcher of the Year, while the Interstate 8, Illinois Central Eight, Little Ten, Kishwaukee River and Heart of Illinois Conferences have released all-league baseball teams.

The Tri-County and Heart of Illinois released their baseball and softball all-conference teams.

Henry's Lauren Harbison was named Class 1A First-Team All State in softball, other players from St. Bede, Princeton, Earlville, Henry and Fieldcreset also earned all-state honors and the Three Rivers announced its all-conference baseball team.

The Ottawa softball team had four of its members named to the Interstate 8 All-Conference team, while the Little Ten and Kishwaukee River Conferences released all-league teams.

Princeton's Ian Morris and Bureau Valley's Landon Hulsing won discus state titles, five area throwers brought home six medals and St. Bede's Greyson Marincic was runner-up in the 110 hurdles at the IHSA boys track and field state meet.

Ottawa senior Weston Averkamp had a day to remember at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field, as the EIU recruit finished third in the Class 3A 300 hurdles and seventh in the 110 hurdles for Ottawa's best state place since 2006.

Ottawa's Weston Averkamp qualified for Saturday's Class 3A finals in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles during Friday's preliminaries at the IHSA Track and Field State Meet, while Sandwich's Petter Popp in the shot put and Jacob Ross in the pole vault will move on in 2A.

Somonauk, Fieldcrest and Seneca all had advancers at the Class 1A state track and field preliminaries, while Ottawa's state-qualifying boys tennis doubles team got a pair of wins in the suburbs. This and more in The Times Thursday Roundup.

Putnam County junior Alex Rodriguez qualified for the state finals in discus and shot put, along with more state track and field and boys tennis state tournament results in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

The NewsTribune area is sending a strong contingent of throwers to the IHSA state boys track and field meet this weekend in Charleston.

We take a look at The Times area's boys track and field state qualifiers in Classes 1A, 2A and 3A, including past medalists Weston Averkamp of Ottawa and Simeion Harris of Sandwich.

Ottawa's Adam Swanson blasted a walk-off homer against Geneseo on Saturday, while Streator softball dropped a doubleheader and the Pirates state-bound tennis duo of Evan Krafft and Noah Gross placed 4th at the 1A sectional.

The Seneca softball team - behind the pitching and hitting of Tessa Krull - won a 2A regional title on Friday, Sandwich's Sunny Weber advanced to the 1600-meter run finals at state, and the Ottawa doubles team of Evan Krafft and Noah Gross clinched a state tennis berth.

Mendota's Mariyah Elam advanced to the 2A state finals in two events and L-P's Elli Sines qualified in one along with baseball and softball regional action in Friday's NewsTribune roundup.

St. Bede's Lily Bosnich and Henry-Midland's Daniella Bumber advanced to the finals in the Class 1A state track meet and more track, baseball and softball results in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

Ottawa senior Weston Averkamp won the 110- and 300-meter hurdles at the Class 3A Minooka Sectional on Wednesday to advance to the state meet in the events for the second straight year. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Henry-Senachwine and Earlville softball teams advanced in regional play, area boys track and field athletes qualified for state out of the El Paso-Gridley Sectional and more in Wednesday's NewsTribune roundup.

We take a look at all the area girls track qualifiers, including seven-time medalist Evelyn O'Connor of Seneca and four-time medalist Sunny Weber of Sandwich.

St. Bede's Lily Bosnich and Henry-Midland's Daniella Bumber will all be in contention for state titles this weekend at the IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Meet.

The Hall and Bureau Valley softball teams and Mendota baseball team won their regional openers and more baseball, softball and tennis results in Monday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Serena baseball team – behind the pitching of Tucker Whiteaker – defeated Earlville in a Class 1A regional quarterfinal on Monday, while the WFC and Fieldcrest softball teams had seasons come to an end. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Congratulations to The Times Athlete of the Week, Fieldcrest baseball’s Jordan Heider!

The Marquette baseball and softball teams both earned home wins over Forreston on Saturday, while the Seneca, Serena and Somonauk/Leland softball squads pick up victories. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The St. Bede baseball team finished the regular season with a victory and more baseball, softball and track and field in Saturday's NewsTribune roundup.

Serena softball won in eight innings, Seneca softball split two games to take its first loss of the season, and the area went winless on the baseball diamond. That and more in The Times Friday Roundup.

Fieldcrest's Pru Mangan and Macy Gochanour qualified for state track along with baseball and softball results in Thursday's NewsTribune roundup.

Newark, Ottawa, Serena all score softball victories, Fieldcrest sends two girls to state track and field, plus more in The Times Thursday Roundup.

From regional play-ins to state championships, here are the complete baseball and softball postseason schedules for Times-area teams Ottawa, Streator, L-P, Morris, Sandwich, Marquette, Seneca, WFC, Fieldcrest, Earlville, Newark, Serena and Somonauk/Leland.

Girls track and field athletes from L-P, Mendota, Princeton and Henry-Midland qualified for state along with baseball, softball and soccer results in Wednesday's NewsTribune roundup.

The Ottawa baseball team topped Rochelle in an I-8 game Wednesday, while a number of girls from Sandwich and Flanagan-Cornell punched their tickets to the state meet in sectional competition. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Seneca softball defeated St. Bede 5-2 to finish off a second straight undefeated Tri-County Conference season on Tuesday, while Marquette and Newark also earned wins. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Putnam County baseball team is using technology to communicate, L-P's Taylor Vescogni and Henry's Lauren Harbison reached strikeout milestones and more in the NewsTribune baseball/softball notebook.