Woodstock North’s Ben Weir placed third overall as the Thunder took third out of 12 teams to open the season at the Sandwich Boys Golf Invite. Johnsburg girls golf won its season opener in Wisconsin.

The girls golf season is already underway. Check out our team-by-team preview with top returners, newcomers and info on each local team from the Northwest Herald area.

Check out our five top girls golfers to watch in the Northwest Herald area for the 2025 season.

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.

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.

Marengo players work out during football practice on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Marengo High School, as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Marengo defensive end Brady Kentgen enters his fourth varsity season with big goals for his senior season. Marengo will rely on a physical defense as it tries to build on last year's 5-5 record.

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.

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 All-Kishwaukee River Conference girls soccer team for the 2025 season, 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. 

Sandwich's Braden Behringer was named the Kishwaukee River Conference Player of the Year and Johnsburg's Evan Pohl earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Here is the rest of the 2025 All-KRC baseball team, as selected by coaches.

Marengo's Kylee Jensen was named the Kishwaukee River Conference Player of the Year and Richmond-Burton's Hailey Holtz earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Here is the rest of the 2025 All-KRC softball team, as selected by coaches.

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.

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.

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.

Morrison answered a solo home run by Marengo's Kylee Jensen in the top of the fourth inning with six runs on six hits in the bottom half, and pitcher Bella Duncan shut down the Indians the rest of the way for a spot in Friday's Class 2A Marian Central Sectional final.

Morrison faces Marengo in the IHSA Class 2A Sectional Semifinal softball game on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at Marian Central High School in Woodstock.

Newman takes on Marengo in Mendota in the Class 2A Sectional semifinal matchup Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Newman won a well-played game 5-3.

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.

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.

Marengo faces Rockford Christian in IHSA Class 2A Regional Championship baseball game on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Richmond-Burton High School in Richmond.

Marengo overcame a rocky fourth inning to beat Rockford Christian 14-5 and win the Class 2A Richmond-Burton Regional championship on Saturday, the program's second regional title in three seasons.

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.

Marengo faces Aurora Central Catholic in the IHSA Class 2A Regional Championship softball game on Friday, May 23, 2025. at Marengo High School.

Ari Rodriguez hit a go-ahead home run in the fourth inning, Gabby Christopher ripped two doubles and drove in three runs, and Marengo beat Aurora Central Catholic 6-3 on Friday for the Indians' 25th regional title.

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.

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 sophomore Macy Noe made 32 saves in goal, and sophomore Mackenzie Westwood scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime, as the Indians earned their first regional championship since 2012 with a 3-2 victory over Richmond-Burton.

Richmond-Burton faces Marengo in the IHSA Class 1A Marengo Girls Soccer Regional championship on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at Marengo High School.

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.

Prairie Ridge, Johnsburg, Genoa-Kingston and Woodstock rounded out the top five teams at the Class 2A Genoa-Kingston Sectional Friday behind team champion Rockford Boylan, with all four schools sending athletes to next week's state meet in Charleston.

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.

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.

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.

Woodstock's Ellery Shutt placed first in the 3,200 and 1,600 meters, and the Blue Streaks' depth shined to win their third Kishwaukee River Conference Boys Track and Field Meet in four years on Tuesday.

Area athletes compete in the Kishwaukee River Conference boys Track and Field Meet on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Richmond-Burton High School in Richmond.

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.

Woodstock North crowned five champions en route to winning the Kishwaukee River Conference Boys Tennis Tournament.

Behind a two-hitter from Iowa State commit Hailey Holtz, Richmond-Burton prevented Marengo from winning the Kishwaukee River Conference outright with a 10-0, six-inning victory. Now, it’s the Rockets who are in control of the race with two games left.

Marengo faces Richmond-Burton in a Kishwaukee River Conference softball game on Monday, May 12, 2025, at Richmond-Burton High School in Richmond.

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