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.

Junior Carson Rowe and sophomore Malik Carter have spent the summer battling for the starting quarterback position at Huntley. And while it's so far unclear who has the advantage on the field, both have established themselves as leaders off of it.

The IHSA released football schedules for the 2025 season, and Week 1 features a matchup between the past two Fox Valley Conference champions, as Prairie Ridge will visit Cary-Grove. Check out the top games to watch each week in McHenry County.

Huntley's Izzy Whitehouse and Crystal Lake South's Logan Georgy fell in love with beach volleyball when they joined Team One Volleyball in Aurora. The juniors recently announced their verbal commitments to play beach at NCAA Division-I schools.

Batavia High School hosted teams from Geneva, Bolingbrook and Huntley in a 7 on 7 tournament on Thursday, July 10, 2025 in Batavia.

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.

Huntley junior Maizie Nickle made the most of her first healthy season this spring to help lead the Red Raiders to a historic season. For her efforts, Nickle was named the 2025 Northwest Herald Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

Huntley head coach Matt Lewandowski led his team to a historic season where the Red Raiders won their first Fox Valley Conference title since 2015. For his efforts, Lewandowski was named the Northwest Herald's Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area Boys Tennis Team.

Here are six Northwest-Herald football players poised for big 2025 seasons.

Huntley senior Dominique Johnson capped a stellar four-year varsity career by winning her third straight Class 3A triple jump state title and also won the long jump. The Miami-bound Johnson repeats as the Northwest Herald Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Huntley senior Tommy Nitz won all but one of his races this season, which he capped by winning the 1,600-meter run at the Class 3A Boys Track and Field State Meet. The Coastal Carolina-bound Nitz is the 2025 Northwest Herald Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Huntley senior Bobby Pupich added facilitator to his resume along with goal-scorer this season to help the Red Raiders win their fifth straight Fox Valley Conference title. Pupich is the 2025 Northwest Herald Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year.

The All-State baseball teams have been released, and the Northwest Herald coverage area is well represented.

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. 

Huntley didn't strike out but managed just three hits in a 2-0 loss to Barrington in the Class 4A Barrington Sectional final on Friday.

Huntley falls to Barrington in IHSA Class 4A Sectional Championship softball game on Friday, June 6, 2025, at the Fields of Dreams on the campus of Barrington High School.

As Kaden Wasniewski gets closer to a potential return to the mound for McHenry, the Warriors at least got their sophomore baseball star back on the infield Wednesday. His efforts, including a two-run double, helped McHenry beat Huntley 5-1 in a Class 4A sectional semifinal.

Huntley faces DeKalb in the IHSA Class 4A Sectional Semifinal softball game on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at Barrington High School in Barrington.

Ava McFadden had three hits, including a home run, as Huntley advanced to the Class 4A Barrington Sectional final with a 6-1 win over DeKalb on Wednesday, ending the Barbs' most successful season in almost a decade.

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.

Huntley's Tommy Nitz became the second Red Raider in as many weekends to win a state title. The senior capped his high school career in grand style with a first-place finish in the Class 3A 1,600-meter run at Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Field.

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.

A.J. Putty had a key hit late to spark Huntley past DeKalb for a regional title. The Barbs' got a strong pitching performance from Brodie Farrell and a homer from Cole Latimer in the loss.

Cary-Grove's Logan Abrams qualified for the IHSA Class 3A Boys Track and Field State Meet finals in the shot put and discus, Huntley's Tommy Nitz clocked the fastest 1,600 time, and Johnsburg's Brett Centnarowicz sits in second place in the 2A discus.

Addie Bechler, Anna Starr and Fiona Lemke each scored three goals, and the Crystal Lake Central co-op girls lacrosse team used a team effort to beat Huntley 14-8 in the Crystal Lake Central Sectional championship match Friday.

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 faces Huntley in the IHSA Sectional championship girls lacrosse match on Friday, May 30, 2025, at Crystal Lake Central High School.

Huntley executed its game plan of playing small ball to perfection Friday and defeated Grant 4-2 as the Red Raiders captured their 10th straight Class 4A regional championship.

Prairie Ridge's Jacob Kim and the Wolves' doubles team of Tim Jones and Cole Palese continued their Class 1A Boys Tennis State Tournament run Friday and have a chance to finish as high as fifth place when play resumes Saturday at Palatine High School.

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.

Prairie Ridge’s Jacob Kim and the Wolves’ doubles team of Tim Jones and Cole Palese enjoyed perfect days Thursday at the IHSA Class 1A Boys Tennis State Meet. Players from Crystal Lake South, Huntley, Jacobs and Johnsburg also advanced to Day 2.

Huntley senior Bobby Pupich, who missed last week's regular-season finale against Cary-Grove, scored a career-high nine goals Wednesday to lead the Red Raiders to a 15-7 win over the Trojans in a sectional semifinal.

Huntley faces Cary-Grove in the Marian Central Sectional boys lacrosse semifinal match on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at Marian Central High School in Woodstock.

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.

It was heartbreak city for the No. 2-seeded Huntley girls soccer team against Lake Zurich. The very evenly matched teams went to a shootout to decide the winner, with the Bears winning 4-3 to pick up the 1-0 victory.

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.