Mason Schweizer examines a handful of things to look for from the Daily Journal area once the football season starts.

Four playoff teams from a year ago got together in Manteno Thursday, as the Panthers hosted Illinois Central Eight rival Peotone and the Vermilion Valley Conference's Clifton Central and Momence for live scrimmages.

Peotone, Clifton Central and Momence traveled to Manteno for football scrimmage action Thursday, July 24, 2025.

Momence hosted reigning Class 2A state champions Chicago Christian for 7 on 7 workouts and scrimmages on Friday night.

With the IHSA releasing the state’s football schedules on Friday, here are the top games to watch in the Daily Journal area for the 2025 season.

Steve Soucie and Mason Schweizer discuss the upcoming IHSA football schedule release and how it affects teams in Kankakee County on the latest Friday Night Drive podcast

Anchored by strong athletes both on the track and in the field, check out this year's Daily Journal All-Area Boys Track and Field team.

From dominant freshmen to speedy seniors and everything in between, there's plenty of state pedigree on this year's Daily Journal All-Area Girls Track and Field Team.

Whether at the plate, on the mound or in the field, top-tier players abound on this year's Daily Journal All-Area Baseball Team.

With 27 all-state standouts and several more all-conference selections that helped fuel spostseason runs, the Daily Journal All-Area Softball Team is as good as it gets.

Reed-Custer High School was the site of the Braidwood Shootout on Wednesday and Thursday, where 32 teams faced off for a little summer basketball action.

A look at the area baseball and softball athletes that were named to All-River Valley Conference and All-Iroquois County teams this season.

Wilmington pitcher Kyle Farrell did not allow a hit for the first 6 1/3 innings Wednesday, finishing with a one-hit shutout for the Wildcats in the IHSA Class 2A Coal City Regional semifinals, and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal Roundup

Despite taking first in only one event, the Seneca boys track and field team won the championship at the Class 1A Seneca Sectional

Rhaya DePaolo and Bishop McNamara held off Reed-Custer's upset attempt in softball regional quarterfinal action and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Storylines to watch for in the 2025 baseball postseason, including intriguing potential matchups between local Class 2A teams and a Bradley-Bourbonnais team looking to recapture some of last season's playoff magic.

From Beecher battling through a challenging Class 2A Seneca Sectional to Bradley-Bourbonnais looking for a regional four-peat in 4A, here are some storylines to look for as the 2025 postseason gets underway.

The Bishop McNamara and Herscher girls soccer teams both won their regional semifinal games Saturday to set up a matchup in the regional championship and more in Saturday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Teams from Aurora Christian, Beecher, Dwight, Earlville, Hinckley-Big Rock, Kankakee-McNamara, Lisle, Momence, Newark, Marquette, Seneca, Indian Creek, Somonauk, Westmont, Wilmington and Yorkville all competed during the Class 1A Sectional track meet on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Seneca High School.

The Kankakee girls track and field team led the local charge on the first day of the postseason and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Kendyl Christon hit a walkoff two-run single to give the Kankakee softball team a huge conference win over Bloom and more in Friday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Wilmington baseball team held Kankakee to just one hit in a 12-0 win, the Wildcats third shutout win in a row, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bishop McNamara baseball team got another shutout win to sweep St. Edward in a Chicagoland Christian Conference series and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Jacob Vinardi tossed a no-hitter in the first game of Kankakee's doubleheader with Thornridge and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Five events on the boys side of the Herscher Invite were won by area athletes on Friday as the end of the outdoor track and field season nears its final stretch.

A total of 13 local track and field programs competed in the Herscher Invite on Friday, with area athletes on the girls side winning eight events and Wilmington freshman McKenna Van Tilburg winning three.

The Central baseball team beat Beecher 9-3 in a matchup of the top two teams in the River Valley Conference standings and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Bradley-Bourbonnais was an out away from an SWSC loss Monday when Cody Freitas put them ahead with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh and more in Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Bradley-Bourbonnais' Cody Freitas hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday to end the Boilermakers' 12-2 win over Herscher and more in Saturday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bishop McNamara boys and Central girls both picked up team wins at the Manteno Invite on Friday.

Josh Barta was two walks from a perfect game in his no-hitter and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Bishop McNamara earned another blowout win in Chicagoland Christian Conference play, beating Aurora Christian 22-2, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bishop McNamara softball team beat Wheaton Academy 16-8 to improve to 7-0 in Chicagoland Christian Conference play and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais softball team lost an extra-inning SWSC battle to top-ranked Lincoln-Way Central, Beecher's Ava Lorenzatti and Taylor Norkus were dominant in a doubleheader sweep and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team beat Lincoln-Way East on the road Monday to avenge last week's loss to the Griffins and more in Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Kankakee girls track and field team placed fifth at the Kays Co-ed Meet Saturday with Herscher placing seventh, while on the boys side Herscher placed sixth and Kankakee placed seventh, and more in Saturday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Peotone's Sophie Klawitter threw a one-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts in the Blue Devils' win to cap off her dominant week, and more in Friday's Daily Journal Roundup

The Bishop McNamara baseball team scored three runs in the fifth inning to win a Chicagoland Christian Conference contest over Wheaton Academy 3-2, and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bishop McNamara baseball team picked up its first Chicagoland Christian Conference win of the season, Peotone's Sophie Klawitter threw another no-hitter and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Wilmington baseball kept its perfect ICE record in tact, Peotone's Sophie Klawitter threw a perfect game and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team picked up a 5-2 road win over Sandburg for their first conference victory and more in Thursday's Daily Journal Roundup.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais baseball team fell 5-4 to Sandburg in their SouthWest Suburban Conference opener and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Jocelyn Sanche's five-goal day led Kankakee girls soccer to a dominant win and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Alaina Clark scores four goals and Audrey Powlick added three as Wilmington beat Momence 9-0 for its first win of the season.

Wilmington picked up its first win of the season Friday, scoring early and often in a 9-0 win at Momence.

The boys and girls teams from Bradley-Bourbonnais placed first in the Boilermaker Invite on Thursday to open up the outdoor season along with Momence, Herscher and Bishop McNamara.

Bradley-Bourbonnais' Boilermaker Invite hosted local schools Bishop McNamara, Herscher and Momence in the annual track & field event.

The Kankakee baseball team blew out Thornton 19-0 at home and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Daily Journal 2024-25 All-Area boys basketball team.

The Momence baseball team earned a comeback win over Peotone at home on Friday while Peotone picked up a win over Momence on the softball field.