The Boilermakers opened postseason play with their best offensive output of the season, Kankakee girls soccer ended conference play undefeated and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Ryan Kettman's go-ahead triple helped Wilmington to a win in extra innings, Preston Payne allowed a hit in four scoreless innings for Bishop McNamara and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

Kankakee girls track and field won the Southland, Michael Clark, Nick Pignatiello and Gavin Jones combined for Bishop McNamara's second no-hitter this week and more in Wednesday'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.

Anna Lesage twirled a two-hitter for the Tigers softball team, Dylan Bayston and Gaige Brown combined for a shutout on the baseball field and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Aiden Fitzgerald had the game-tying RBI double and scored the winning run for the Boilermakers, McNamara got homers from Gavin Jones and Ian Irps, Herscher saw Keira Ahramovich and Lexi Crawford homer as part of their four-hit days and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

Kankakee's softball team rallied for 10 runs in the final two innings to down Bloom 14-8, Bishop McNamara stayed hot with its third straight win and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

Beecher's softball team won two games Saturday to improve to 17-0 on the season, Gardner-South Wilmington's baseball and softball teams each split a doubleheader with Serena, and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

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.

After starting the season 0-3, Wilmington has won its last 12 games. Read about that and more in this week's Herald-News softball notebook.

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.

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.

With standouts from across the greater Will and Grundy county area, see who made the 2025-26 Herald-News All-Area Boys Basketball Team.

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.

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.

Here are the top girls basketball players The Herald-News had to offer during the 2025-26 season.

Lydia Hammond threw her second no-hitter in the last four days for Bradley-Bourbonnais, Abigail Neukomm socked a walk-off homer for Watseka, and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bishop McNamara beat Peotone 17-2, scoring nine in the top of the sixth innings to secure its first win of the season, and more in Monday'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.

Gardner-South Wilmington's baseball team got two home runs from Reed-Millette and Watseka's softball team got a two-run outing from pitcher Lilly Kingdon, with both teams picking up season-opening wins in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Herald-News area saw plenty of representation in girls basketball All-State and All-Conference teams

See how each team throughout the area is expected to fare this season in baseball.

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

An entire lineup of nine standouts return to the diamond from last year's Daily Journal All-Area softball team.

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.

The Beecher, Gardner-South Wilmington and Cissna Park boys basketball teams all opened up the postseason with wins in their regional quarterfinals games and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

Bishop McNamara scored a senior night victory in a matchup of 20-plus win teams and Gardner-South Wilmington was defeated in a rivalry matchup with Dwight in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Meet this week's Daily Journal Athlete of the Week, Gardner-South Wilmington's Leondre Kemp.

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.

Gardner-South Wilmington took third place over Momence in the River Valley Conference Tournament, Beecher won a thriller at Tri-Point for fifth and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Ava Johnson exploded for 30 points and Malea Harrison set the school's single-game assist record as part of her triple-double to help the Kays to a two-point win over Crete-Monee, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Providence is a No. 1 sectional seed in Class 3A, while Minooka is a No. 2 seed and Bolingbrook No. 4 in Class 4A as the IHSA girls basketball postseason is set to begin.

Clifton Central held on for a 54-53 win at Gardner-South Wilmington in the River Valley Conference Tournament semifinals Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.

Blake Chandler's tie-breaking free throw with three seconds left ahead of a would-be game-winning buzzer-beater from Cooper Biros that swirled in and out allowed Clifton Central to top Gardner-South Wilmington 54-53 in a thrilling River Valley Conference Tournament semifinal.

Iroquois West outlasted St. Joseph-Ogden on the road for its sixth straight win, Wilmington upset Manteno in its Illinois Central Eight Conference finale and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.