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.

Lydia Hammond struck out 11 batters in six shutout innings as the BBCHS softball team won on the road in SWSC play, Milford's baseball team picked up its second straight blowout win and more in Wednesday'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.

Bishop McNamara softball got four home runs on the day, including two from Vivian Dole, Reed-Custer baseball got a win on a Chase Isaac walk-off hit and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Boilermakers won the TJ Shirley Blue Smoke Invite, Nevaeh Brown made school history on the girls side, Bishop McNamara's baseball team slugged at the Pleasant Plains Invite and more in Saturday'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.

As the MLB and MLS seasons have kicked off in recent weeks, several area natives are continuing their professional careers.

Wilmington wrapped up a series sweep over Herscher with an 8-1 home victory on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

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.

A grand slam from Cooper Holman highlighted a six-run sixth inning for Wilmington in Tuesday's game against Herscher, one where Ryan Kettman threw a gem and had three hits to lift the Wildcats to a two-game sweep of the Tigers.

Bishop McNamara ran away with a 15-2 win in its Chicagoland Christian Conference softball opener, Reed-Custer's Sophia Moyers threw a five-inning no-hitter in a conference win for the Comets, and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bradley-Bourbonnais fought back for a 4-3 victory over Herscher on Monday, April 6, 2026.

Harper Tollefson scored three goals, including a go-ahead score with 18 minutes to play, to help lead Bradley-Bourbonnais to a 4-3 comeback win at home over Herscher on Monday.

Addie Wilkins had another shutout to help keep Herscher girls soccer undefeated, Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball won a slugfest against Oak Forest and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bryce Deany and Devin Arbour came up clutch to give the Kankakee baseball team its first win, Abbie Hofbauer led the Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team to its eighth straight victory and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Sophie Klawitter struck out 15 in a complete game while Mary Klawitter slugged a homer to lead Peotone, Gianni Jaime netted a hat trick for Herscher and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Both Wilmington and Reed-Custer completed Illinois Central Eight Conference softball sweeps, with Wilmington beating Coal City 11-8 and Reed-Custer downing Herscher 14-3, and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

Bishop McNamara's Malachi Lee, Wilmington's McKenna Van Tilburg and Manteno's Klarke Goranson, Olivia McElroy and Briggs Cann all won indoor state titles at the Illinois Top Times Championships, and more in Saturday'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.

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 Reed-Custer 6-1 for its second win in a row, Beecher scored early and often in a 16-4 win over Kankakee, and more in Tuesday'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.

Bradley-Bourbonnais had 11 players record at least one hit Monday, providing plenty of support to five shutout innings from junior Abbie Hofbauer, in a 17-0 road win over Herscher.

Bradley-Bourbonnais pulled away from Herscher in the fifth inning for a 17-0 win on Monday, March 23, 2026, at Herscher High School.

Nash Brubaker hit a pair of solo home runs to lead Herscher on the road, Bishop McNamara and Bradley-Bourbonnais both lost by a run, Beecher's Taylor Norkus threw a three-inning perfect game and more in Saturday'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.

Herscher picked up its second win in a row and improved to 2-1 on the season with a 7-0 win over Kankakee on Friday, with the Tigers getting four one-hit innings from Brock Berns to hand the Kays a loss in their season opener.

Bradley-Bourbonnais senior Lydia Hammond opened the season with a one-hit shutout of Oak Forest, striking out 10 batters in an 11-0 win for the Boilermakers, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Take a look at the boys and girls wrestlers named to the Daily Journal All-Area team for the 2025-26 season,

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

As the prep softball season begins Monday, here are five storylines from the Daily Journal area to keep an eye on.

Bishop McNamara will play for its second straight regional title Friday after beating Herscher 71-42 in Wednesday's IHSA Class 2A Herscher Regional semifinal.

Bishop McNamara earned a 71-42 victory over Herscher in the IHSA Class 2A Herscher Regional semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Check out photos from the game.

Herscher opened up the postseason with a 56-51 win over Reed-Custer on Monday, advancing to play on its home floor in Wednesday's IHSA Class 2A Herscher Regional semifinals against Bishop McNamara.

With the clock ticking down the final seconds of overtime, junior sixth man Sharonn Morton was not the Streator boys basketball team's top scoring option. Tuesday, though, he was the winning option in a 36-34 victory over Herscher.

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.

Coal City became the only team in Illinois to have all 14 wrestlers punch their tickets to the state finals, while seven more area teams had 12 additional wrestlers advance out of the IHSA Class 1A Coal City Sectional.

Lincoln Williams set Kankakee's single-season scoring record, and EJ Hazelett reached 1,000 career points in a win over Thornton, in which the pair scored 21 apiece to lead the Kays to a 12-0 conference season, and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

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.

Herscher senior guard Pippa Dunnill sank six 3-pointers, four coming in the opening quarter, and finished with a game-best 20 points to help the Tigers snap a seven-game losing streak with a 35-31 road triumph over Streator on Monday.

Herscher defeated Streator 35-31 on Monday, Feb. 3, 2026 in Pops Dale Gymnasium at Streator High School. Check out photos from the game by Tom Sistak.

Bradley-Bourbonnais tied for second in the co-ed division at the IHSA Competitive Cheer State Finals, Clifton Central/Iroquois West's Payton Temple won the 170-pound title at the Normal Community West Regional and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

All three All-City schools are sending a girls bowler to the sectional round, Momence won in the first round of the River Valley Conference Boys Basketball Tournament and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Grant Park's Taylor Panozzo recorded a unique triple double in a win over Gardner-South Wilmington, Watseka/Milford's Christa Holohan and Reed-Custer's Alyssa Wollenzein each hit 1,000 career points and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

Kankakee clinched the Southland Athletic Conference title outright with a 20-point road win over Crete-Monee, its 15th win in a row, and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bishop McNamara's Trinitee Thompson helped the Irish to a win at Marian Central, Ava Johnson and Malea Harrison powered Kankakee over Morgan Park and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.