While the Land of Lincoln has its share of Bulldogs, Eagles, Tigers and other standard nicknames, we also have some more unusual prep mascots. Here are the stories behind some of the most interesting ones

High school football practice officially starts Monday, and the opening night for the season for local teams is Aug. 29. Here are Joe Aguilar's five storylines to watch this season in McHenry County.

Can anybody take down Huntley in the FVC? How far can Richmond-Burton extend its KRC winning streak? Here are five girls volleyball storylines to watch in McHenry County in 2025.

How will Prairie Ridge follow up a historic season? Who are the top FVC and KRC contenders? Which returning players have the most scoring power? Here are five boys soccer storylines to watch in McHenry County in 2025.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area baseball team.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area Softball Team.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald Girls Soccer All-Area Team.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference baseball team, as selected by coaches.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference softball team, as selected by coaches.

Hampshire's Bria Riebel, Crystal Lake Central's Oli Victorine, Prairie Ridge's Ady Kiddy and Reese Mosolino and Harvard's Tallulah Eichholz were named to the Illinois Coaches Association All-State first team in Class 3A and 4A, released late Sunday.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference girls lacrosse team, as selected by coaches.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference girls soccer team, as selected by coaches.

Woodstock North brothers Mason and Austin Nicolai placed 18th at the IHSA Bass Fishing State Finals, which concluded Saturday at Lake Shelbyville in Shelbyville. 

Hampshire was handed a 5-0 defeat by Barrington in Wednesday's Class 4A Barrington Sectional semifinal.

Hampshire's record-breaking season ended Wednesday with a 5-2 loss to Barrington in the Class 4A McHenry Sectional semifinals. The Whip-Purs finished with a program-record 28 wins.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference boys lacrosse team, as selected by coaches.

A number of McHenry County-area girls soccer players and coaches earned honors from the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association for the 2025 season. Here's the full list of winners.

Hampshire and Burlington Central baseball each won regional titles, Dundee-Crown's upset bid of Barrington fell just short, and Prairie Ridge's Tim Jones and Cole Palese finished sixth at the IHSA Class 1A Boys Tennis State Meet.

Hampshire softball won its second regional title in three seasons, Cary-Grove battled top-seeded Antioch but fell short in a 6-3 loss, and Huntley boys lacrosse almost upset No. 1 Barrington, falling 18-17, in a sectional title match.

Crystal Lake Central, the defending Class 3A state champion, upset Lakes in their playoff opener. Jacobs, Huntley and Dundee-Crown also earned wins to reach regional finals, and more in Thursday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Burlington Central's Chase Powrozek threw a no-hitter to lead the Rockets to an 8-0 win over Rochelle in a Class 3A regional semifinal, Hampshire and McHenry baseball threw combined no-hitters, plus more postseason scores in Wednesday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Addison DeSomer hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, lifting Cary-Grove's softball team to a 2-1 win in a Class 3A regional semifinal. Prairie Ridge's Reese Mosolino and Crystal Lake Central's Oli Victorine threw no-hitters. Plus, more in Tuesday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Woodstock North baseball beat Harvard in their Class 3A playoff opener, while Huntley boys volleyball, Hampshire, Huntley and Cary-Grove boys lacrosse and Crystal Lake Central co-op and Huntley girls lacrosse all advanced in postseason action Monday.

A look back at the last week in sports in the Northwest Herald by photographers Gregory Shaver, and Patrick Kunzer for the Shaw Local News Network.

Tears couldn't wipe the smile off the face of Huntley's Dominique Johnson on Saturday in downstate Charleston. Johnson and her 4x200 relay teammates were disqualified, but the Miami commit won two Class 3A state titles, including her third straight in the triple jump.

Jacob Kim (singles) and Tim Jones and Cole Palese (doubles) led Prairie Ridge boys tennis to a sectional title, Drake Lenckus scored seven goals for Crystal Lake South boys lacrosse in a sectional win over McHenry, and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Charlie Eastland scored three goals as Johnsburg girls soccer rolled to a 7-0 victory over Cristo Rey St. Martin to reach the Class 1A Richmond-Burton Sectional final. Crystal Lake Central girls soccer won a regional title, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Huntley senior Dominique Johnson is in position to secure her third triple jump championship in a row at the IHSA Class 3A Girls Track and Field State Meet. Plus all of Friday's 2A and 3A preliminary results from the Northwest Herald area in the state track roundup.

Marian Central’s Addie Leitzen advanced to the state finals of the triple jump after taking ninth in the preliminaries on Thursday at Eastern Illinois. Plus more track and field, baseball, softball, boys lacrosse and bass fishing scores.

Cary-Grove junior Logan Abrams, who had foot surgery last November, is "almost there" as he showed in the Class 3A Huntley Boys Track and Field Sectional Thursday. He won the shot put and discus, convincingly, while Kaneland comfortably won the team title.

Prairie Ridge won the Class 2A Marmion Sectional team title after qualifying four individuals and three relay teams to the IHSA state meet. Plus more boys and girls lacrosse, girls soccer, baseball and softball scores.

Marengo's Kylee Jensen hit two home runs, including a walk-off grand slam, to lift the Indians to an 11-1 win over Byron in their playoff opener. Plus girls soccer postseason results in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock's Megan Kuiper threw a perfect game with 18 strikeouts to beat Round Lake, Marian Central baseball won its playoff opener over Genoa-Kingston, plus more in Monday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock North's Parker Neff and Tristan Schaffter both hit home runs as the Thunder won big, Marengo girls soccer won its regional semifinal, and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Burlington Central baseball edged Huntley, Crystal Lake Central softball hit five homers to beat Hampshire, Crystal Lake South and Richmond-Burton girls soccer won their playoff openers, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Hampshire senior Bria Riebel hit four home runs and drove in 13 runs during a 4-1 week for the Whip-Purs. Riebel was selected as the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week in an online vote.

Huntley's boys track and field team had a lot to clap about during the Fox Valley Conference meet Thursday. The host Red Raiders overcame a deficit with two events left to beat Jacobs by one point and earn their third FVC championship in a row.

Jacobs' boys tennis team crowned four champions to win back-to-back Fox Valley Conference Tournament titles, Marian Central girls track and field advanced five entries to the Class 1A state meet, and more in Thursday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Huntley, with 159 points, easily rolled to the Class 3A Huntley sectional championship Wednesday night. Dominique Johnson paced the Red Raiders with first-place efforts in the triple jump and long jump.

McHenry baseball won a share of the Fox Valley Conference title with a 5-2 win over Prairie Ridge on Wednesday in a matchup between the conference's top-two teams. Plus more baseball, softball and girls soccer scores.

Crystal Lake Central's co-op girls lacrosse team won the FVC title again, while Gabby Wojtarowicz scored four times to become the Jacobs girls soccer team's all-time leading goal scorer. Plus more in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Prairie Ridge softball won at least a share of the Fox Valley Conference championship with a 1-0 win over Burlington Central on Monday. Plus more softball, baseball, girls soccer and girls lacrosse scores.

A look back at the last week of high school sports in the Northwest Herald by photographers Gregory Shaver, Patrick Kunzer for the Shaw Local News Network, and Ryan Rayburn for the Shaw Local News Network.

Harvard's Tallulah Eichholz hit two home runs and struck out 11 while her sister Leona hit a walk-off, two-run blast to beat Dundee-Crown, Prairie Ridge's Reese Mosolino struck out 10 in a shutout against Marengo, plus more in Saturday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Jacobs edged McHenry in baseball, Hampshire topped Burlington Central, Dundee-Crown's Oreoluwa Sobodu won three events at the Kane County Boys Track and Field Meet, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Elena Fetzer set a meet record in the shot put, Miami-bound Dominique Johnson won the long jump and ran on a winning relay, and host Huntley won the Fox Valley Conference girls track and field championship Thursday for the fourth year in a row.

Crystal Lake Central's Oli Victorine struck out 17 in a one-hit shutout, Kylee Nicholson pitched Woodstock North past Richmond-Burton, Hampshire's Bria Riebel hit two homers, Huntley's Maizie Nickle scored six goals, and more in Thursday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Local athletes compete in the Fox Valley Conference Girls Track and Field Meet on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at Huntley High School.

Crystal Lake South baseball scored four runs in the sixth to rally and beat McHenry, Burlington Central edged Prairie Ridge, Cary-Grove shut out Huntley, and more baseball, softball and lacrosse results in Wednesday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Alice Sondergaard hit a three-run, walk-off home run as Hampshire softball beat Huntley, McHenry's Natalie Bender threw a complete game in a 1-0 win over Burlington Central, plus more results in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.