After missing his junior season to an ACL injury, Montini's Laddie Asay watched the Broncos finish 12-2 and win the IHSA 3A state championship. Now healthy and a team captain, Asay is motivated to lead to Broncos to a second straight state title.

Illinois recruit Will Vala has taken on an expanded role for a Downers Grove North team without injured quarterback Owen Lansu, playing some running back and receiver. That, Lemont takes care of business to move back to .500 and kids keying Montini's 4-0 start in football notes.

Providence and Marmion are rolling into divisional play, Joliet Catholic stunned Marist on a scramble-drill touchdown and Nazareth held off IC Catholic Prep on a game-winning field goal. Montini held off Fenwick to stay unbeaten and Mount Carmel rolled over St. Ignatius

A failed two-point try that could have tied it was the difference as Montini bested Fenwick 31-29 Friday night.

The Montini football team hosted Fenwick Friday night in Lombard.

Montini and IC Catholic are 3-0 after wins over bigger schools, Loyola exacted its revenge on St. Francis and Brother Rice nabbed a ranked win over St. Rita in Chicago. Also included in this week's notebook are updates on the CCL/ESCC White and Red Divisions.

Led by seniors Philip Cupial and Will Surratt, Downers Grove North is aiming to become the first Class 3A boys cross country team to win three straight state championships since York’s last title streak with legendary coach Joe Newton from 2002-06.

Nazareth, St. Francis and Fenwick are three notable Week 2 winners primed for big matchups in the CCL/ESCC this coming weekend.

The number of teams undefeated through two weeks is about the same, but some of the names of the teams on the list are a bit surprising. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 2.

Here are highlights and notes from Week 1 results around the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference.

Johnny Louise kicked two 42-yard field goals to account for all of Montini's points in the second half and had a key deflection on an interception late in the Broncos' 20-16 win over three-time defending Michigan state champion Lumen Christi.

The wait is over. The many, many questions that teams have for the 2025 season are about to begin getting answered. Steve Soucie takes a look at the games to watch in the first week of the IHSA football season.

The 2025 boys soccer season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 girls volleyball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The “memorandum of understanding” creates access and opportunity for high school students across the Diocese of Joliet to enroll at USF in Joliet, according to a release announcing the agreement.

Izzy Abrams has had a calendar year that would make a young man dizzy. The Montini quarterback was not even promised playing time going into last season. And then he led the Broncos to the Class 3A championship. A recruiting circus followed, and now he has upwards of 20 offers.

Team breakdowns, five players to watch, five can't miss games and Steve Soucie's predictions for the CCL/ESCC White.

The Illinois high school football season gets underway Monday, Aug. 11, with the start of preseason practices. Here are some of the top storylines to watch in the Suburban Life area this season.

Here is the 2025 Suburban Life All-Area softball team.

Nazareth senior Jaden Fauske and junior Landon Thome, York senior Josh Fleming, Downers Grove North senior Brady Schallmoser and Glenbard East senior Josh Ziemer were among those named Class 4A All-State by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association just announced.

The magical postseason run by the Montini softball team came to a heartbreaking end Monday at the Class 3A Benedictine Supersectional at the hands of St. Laurence.

Montini lost to St. Laurence softball in a Class 3A Benedictine Supersectional on Monday, June 9, 2025 in Lisle.

Montini stampeded its way to a Class 3A sectional softball championship on its home field with a 13-2 run-rule victory over St. Francis in five innings on Friday evening in Lombard.

Westmont junior Kyla Babb pulled off an impressive distance double on Saturday at the state track and field meet, taking second in the Class 1A 3,200 meters and third in the 1,600. Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South and Wheaton North were among other schools with medals.

How will St. Francis' record-setting distance crew line up in Charleston? Can Westmont's Kyla Babb pull off the distance double? Here are five storylines to watch for Suburban Life area athletes at the IHSA girls state track and field meet.

Nazareth senior Chase Zidlicky was slated to be the staff ace this spring, but a rash of injuries has put additional stress on him to pitch deeper into games. Zidklicky, 7-0 with a 1.73 ERA, has been up to the task. That and notes on Riverside-Brookfield and more from Bob Narang.

Wheaton Warrenville South softball beat Wheaton North 1-0 in a wild ending, Sophia Rosner struck out 11 and homered for Benet softball, plus the rest of the baseball, softball soccer and volleyball results in Wednesday's Suburban Life roundup.

Marmion baseball took off from the first pitch with a seven-run first and never looked back in earning an 11-1 triumph Tuesday over Montini.

Wheaton Warrenville South is among a handful of Class 3A teams that remain undefeated this season heading into a challenging week. That, plus notes on Downers Grove South, Montini, Westmont and more in Chris Walker's soccer notebook.

Here are previews of boys track and field teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The track and field season is heading outdoors and here are previews of girls teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Both Wheaton North and Wheaton Warrenville South's softball teams are off to a fast starts, in large part because of stellar pitching from Hannah Wulf and Presley Wright. That, plus Montini continues strong start during 5-0 spring break in Joshua Welge's softball notes.

Lemont, Class 3A runner-up last season, lost Ohio State recruit Jacob Parr to a high ankle sprain before the season, but the team has shaken off the early adversity and is enjoying a spring break trip to Florida. That, plus notes on Nazareth, Montini and Riverside-Brookfield.

Here is the 2024-2025 Suburban Life All-Area boys wrestling team.

Nikki Kerstein scored a game-high 21 points, including five in the final 1:17, as banged-up Montini outlasted St. Ignatius 50-44 in the Class 3A state championship game on Saturday evening at CEFCU Arena in Normal. 

The 2025 high school soccer season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 high school softball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 high school baseball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Here is the 2024-2025 Suburban Life All-Area girls basketball team.

Montini girls basketball defeated St. Ignatius to win the Class 3A state championship on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at CEFCU Arena in Normal.

All five Montini seniors played all 32 minutes of Thursday’s late night Class 3A state semifinal game.  Their reward? They will be playing for a state championship.

Montini’s bid for its first sectional championship fell short Friday night with a 44-28 loss to Christ the King in the Class 2A Christ the King Sectional championship in Chicago.

Montini Catholic played Quincy Notre Dame on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. Montini will play St. Ignatius College Prep for the Class 3A State championship on Saturday at 6p.m.

Montini's boys basketball team won a sectional game for only the second time in program history, beating Chicago Clark 52-46 in a Class 2A Christ the King Sectional semifinal on Wednesday in Chicago.

Montini faced Grayslake Central in a Class 3A supersectional on Monday, March 3, 2025 in Arlington Heights.

Montini recovered and never wavered after Grayslake Central had surged from 18 points down to take the lead, and the Lady Broncos made nine free throws – seven from Nikki Kerstein – to survive Monday's supersectional 51-45 to return to state.

IC Catholic Prep, after a dramatic semifinal win over rival Montini, knocked off two-time defending champion Washington 46-17 in the Class 2A final for the first state dual team championship in program history.

Montini cut the nets down for the fourth straight season following a 64-43 victory over IC Catholic Prep as they claimed another regional championship at its home gym on Friday night in Lombard.

Missouri commit Nikki Kerstein turned in a masterful effort with 24 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and three steals, leading Montini past DePaul Prep 48-31 to the 21st sectional title in program history.

Brody Kelly erased the bittersweet experience of last year's narrow defeat with an emphatic win in the Class 2A 175-pound final, leading IC Catholic Prep's three state champs while Montini won two titles and Lemont's Judah Heeg sprung a stunning upset in the 190-pound final.