Malaina Kurth scored 13 points as Cary-Grove's girls basketball team beat Lakes for the Trojans' fourth straight win.

A selection of the top sports photos in the Northwest Herald in 2025, by Shaw Local photographers.

Take a look back at some of the top sports stories from McHenry County in 2025.

Dundee-Crown and Huntley boys basketball won on the last day of the Chuck Dayton Holiday Classic, Hampshire girls finished 2-2 at the Komaromy Classic, Harvard girls took runner-up at the North Boone Christmas Tournament, and more in Tuesday's roundup.

Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic used a 35-second shot clock this year for the first time in the tournament's long history, and it made an impact. The shot clock will be mandatory next season for IHSA teams.

Harvard's Summer Jones scored a program-record 30 points to beat Alden-Hebron and lead the Hornets to the championship game of the North Boone Christmas Tournament. Plus more holiday tournament scores in Monday's Northwest Herald roundup.

McHenry boys basketball defeated West Chicago to win the Elgin Holiday Tournament consolation championship, Woodstock boys topped Antioch, Burlington Central girls moved to 10-3 with a win against Pecatonica at the Dixon Christmas Classic, and more in Saturday's roundup.

Richmond-Burton and Crystal Lake Central advanced to the title game of Marengo's E.C. Nichols Holiday Classic, Cary-Grove girls basketball placed third at the Libertyville Winter Classic, and more holiday scores in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Jacobs faces Grayslake Central in Hinkle Holiday Classic boys basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Jacobs High School in Algonquin.

Jacobs junior guard Elijah Bell scored his 1,000th career point, but Grayslake Central used a big second half to beat the Golden Eagles 60-45 on Day 3 of Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic on Tuesday in Algonquin.

Jacobs topped Grant behind 18 points and four 3-pointers from Elijah Bell, Johnsburg's Jayce Schmitt poured in 28 points in a win against Mundelein, Woodstock knocked off Plainfield Central behind a double-double from Max Beard, and more holiday basketball scores in the roundup.

Taqi Baker earned his 100th career win for Woodstock, Johnsburg wrestling won the 17-team title at Stillman Valley, Burlington Central wrestling was first at the Larkin Invite, holiday basketball scores and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Jacobs committed 28 turnovers in a 73-60 loss to Larkin in the first round of the Hinkle Holiday Classic on Saturday. Elijah Bell led the Golden Eagles with 24 points, including 20 points in the second half.

Area wrestlers compete in the Whip-Pur Women’s Classic girls wrestling tournament on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Hampshire High School.

McHenry's Natalie Corona, Hampshire's Samantha Diehl, Crystal Lake South's Annalee Aarseth, Crystal Lake Central's Cait Jones and Richmond-Burton's Madelyn Peterie brought home titles Saturday at the Whip-Pur Women’s Classic in Hampshire.

Huntley girls basketball beat Hampshire, Fabian Carreno propelled Alden-Hebron boys basketball past conference leader Christian Liberty, and Summer Toussaint led unbeaten Johnsburg past Fenton. And more in Friday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Harvard and Marengo split matches at the Sandwich boys wrestling triangular, plus more results from around the area in Thursday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Marian Central's girls basketball team hit a season-high eight 3-pointers in a win over Prairie Ridge, Marengo and Crystal Lake Central also picked up wins at the Northern Illinois Holiday Classic, and more in Wednesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock North guard Zaiden Vess scored a career-high 24 points against Johnsburg on Monday, and while the Thunder remain winless, the team stays positive. Plus, news on injured Richmond-Burton guard Gavin Radmer in the Northwest Herald boys basketball notebook.

Alden-Hebron's Hayden Smith tied a school record with 48 points against Westlake Christian in girls basketball, Max Haggerty led Woodstock's boys bowling team past Woodstock North, and more results in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

The IHSA announced Tuesday that the state football playoffs will be expanding from 256 to 384 teams starting in 2026. The Northwest Herald reached out to several local coaches, and here are their reactions.

Richmond-Burton's Luke Robinson scored 21 points and made two 3-pointers in a win against Antioch, Jacobs' Samson Averehi recorded 17 points, five assists and three steals in a victory over Lake Zurich, and more in Monday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock co-op girls wrestling won the Sandy Gussarson Invitational at Antioch, while Johnsburg's Summer Toussaint scored 33 points and broke a school record for 3-pointers made in a game with nine. Plus more in Saturday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area football team.

Samson Averehi found his offensive game in the second half, scoring 15 of his game-high 18 points, as Jacobs pulled away to beat host Dundee-Crown 51-34 on Friday night in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game in Carpentersville.

Jacobs faces Dundee-Crown in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game on Fri. Dec. 12, 2025, at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville.

Jacobs faces Dundee-Crown in a Fox Valley Conference girls basketball game on Fri. Dec. 12, 2025, at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville.

Burlington Central's girls and boys basketball teams won Fox Valley Conference thrillers against Crystal Lake South, and more results in Friday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Jacobs junior forward Olivia Schuster scored all 10 of her team's points in the first quarter and finished with a game-high 19 as the Golden Eagles cruised to a 55-23 Fox Valley Conference win over Dundee-Crown on Friday.

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

Jarrel Albea scored 16 points, and Johnsburg's boys basketball team beat Harvest-Westminster 71-45 for its third win in a row. Plus more basketball, swimming and bowling results in Thursday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Led by returning state medalist Radic Dvorak, Huntley recorded four pins and dominated both the middle and upper weight classes during its 48-24 Fox Valley Conference victory against Jacobs on Thursday evening.

Jacobs faces Huntley in a Fox Valley Conference wrestling meet on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, at Huntley High School.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area boys soccer team.

Dylan Dumele scored 16 points as Cary-Grove moved to 2-0 in the Fox Valley Conference with a win over Dundee-Crown. Plus more scores from around the area in Wednesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock junior Max Beard scored 24 points in a win against Harvard and surpassed 1,000 career points, Alden-Hebron's Hayden Smith had 38 points in an overtime loss to Hiawatha, and more in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area girls cross country team.

Marian Central's Julia Dovidio hit a go-ahead 3-pointer to lead the Hurricanes past Wheaton Academy, Alden-Hebron girls and boys earned wins, and more in Monday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock boys basketball improved to 5-0 with a win against Boylan, Richmond-Burton girls basketball beat Sandwich for its fifth victory, and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Crystal Lake South, Huntley, Cary-Grove and Prairie Ridge were FVC winners in boys basketball, Marengo's Myah Broughton and Macy Noe both scored 20 points in a win against Woodstock, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald sport roundup.

The boys swimming season is already underway. Check out our team-by-team preview with top returners, key newcomers and info on each local team for the 2025-26 season.

Gavin Radmer scored 25 to lift Richmond-Burton to its first win of the season. Skye and Summer Toussaint combined to score 41 to lead Johnsburg girls. Plus more scores in Thursday's Northwest Herald Sports Roundup.

Aidan Gibbs scored a career-high 27 points to lead Huntley past McHenry, Laken LePage had 19 points for Crystal Lake South in a win against Grayslake North, and more results in Wednesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area boys golf team.

Mikala Amegasse scored 18 points for Hampshire in a win against Jacobs, Woodstock's Alex Nowacki had 27 points to beat Harvard, and more in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area girls golf team.

Huntley's boys bowling team defeated Woodstock and Woodstock North, the Red Raiders girls bowling team beat Dundee-Crown, and more bowling and basketball results in Monday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Johnsburg's boys wrestling team took second out of 18 teams and Crystal Lake South crowned three individual champions at the Vernon Hills Cougar Thanksgiving Invite. Read about that and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

McHenry beat Antioch behind 22 points by Adam Anwar, Cary-Grove's Adam Bauer, AJ Berndt and Dylan Dumele each reached double figures in scoring in a win over Waukegan, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Dundee-Crown co-op's Rachel Johnson brought home the first two state medals of her career and helped lead her team to its second straight Fox Valley Conference title. Johnson is the 2025 Northwest Herald Girls Swimmer of the Year.