Ending yet another wrestling campaign by claiming plenty of silverware in both individual and team events, IC Catholic Prep and Montini are both well stocked in advance of what each club hopes to be a sensational 2025-2026 season.

Israel Abrams threw four touchdown passes, two on long ones to Luca Florio, and Montini beat Rochester 47-33 in the Class 4A state final for its second straight state title, eighth overall, and completed the program's second undefeated season with its 24th straight win.

Montini's Angelo DeSensi grew up on the Chicago Bulls, and once had NBA dreams. Now the 6-foot-5, 280-pound senior left tackle and ace student is the anchor of the unbeaten Broncos' offensive line as they go for the program's eighth state title Friday night.

The two remaining undefeated CCL/ESCC programs, Mount Carmel and Montini, will look to complete their perfect seasons during the IHSA state championship games this weekend. Montini will face Rochester in 4A on Friday night. Mount Carmel will battle Oswego in 8A on Saturday.

Join hosts Joel Boenitz and Josh Welge as they preview the Illinois high school football state title games for the west suburban schools

As the 2025-2026 boys basketball season tips off this week, here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Luca Florio had a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a 53-yard TD reception to help lead Montini to the Class 4A state title game with a 47-27 win over Morris

The Oswego and Lockport football teams met Saturday in a state football semifinal game.

The Montini football team hosted Morris Saturday afternoon in an IHSA state football semifinal matchup.

Powerhouses remain prominent in Class 4A, with three of the four teams no stranger to deep playoff advancements. Steve Soucie breaks down the semifinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 4A Playoffs.

Here are previews and picks for semifinal games for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

How Tanner Glock is making an impact for St. Francis at multiple positions, junior center Michael Lombardo an unsung hero for Montini and Nazareth-Fenwick showdown set in Bob Narang's Suburban Life football notebook.

Nine CCL/ESCC schools, including defending champions Mount Carmel, Nazareth and Montini will be competing in the IHSA state football semifinals this weekend. Below are all of the semifinal matchups featuring CCL/ESCC teams.

Mount Carmel dominated Lincoln-Way East, Nazareth rallied to stun Lake Zurich and Fenwick controlled Burlington Central to set up a 6A semifinal between the Roadrunners and Friars. Montini won its 22nd straight game and Providence knocked off top seed Washington.

As the 2025-2026 girls basketball season tips off this week, here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Montini started slow but finished strong in its Class 4A quarterfinal with Coal City, topping the Coalers 35-0 to advance to face Morris next weekend.

The Montini and Coal City football teams met Saturday in a quarterfinal playoff game.

Here are previews and picks for quarterfinal games for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

There are some programs in the 4A draw that we aren't used to seeing there and many of them are shaping the quarterfinal round of the 4A playoffs. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 4A Playoffs.

CCL/ESCC football players from Mount Carmel, Marist, Nazareth, Fenwick, Joliet Catholic, Providence, St. Francis, Marian Catholic, Montini and IC Catholic Prep were named to the 2025 IHSFCA All-State team. Quentin Burrell, Jake Cestone and Israel Abrams were among the winners.

St. Francis junior running back Tivias Caldwell takes his game to another level in the playoffs, Montini set for trip down memory lane with matchup with Coal City and more in Bob Narang's Suburban Life football notebook.

Mount Carmel and Lincoln-Way East are set to square off in the Class 8A state quarterfinals. Defending champions Nazareth and Montini are still in the hunt after two rounds. Here are all of the quarterfinal matchups featuring CCL/ESCC programs.

Downers Grove North senior Philip Cupial, York sophomore Karlin Janowski and Montini senior Sydney Gertsen all won cross country state titles Saturday in school record times, Downers North's boys were second in Class 3A, St. Francis girls second in 2A and York girls third in 3A.

The Montini defense needed a little while to dig in and find its footing against a high-scoring Peoria Notre Dame offense. The Broncos offense, on the other hand, needed no such thing in a 47-17 Class 4A victory Saturday in Peoria.

A total of 12 CCL/ESCC football teams advanced to the second round of the 2025 IHSA state playoffs. Among the teams still in the hunt for state titles are defending champions Mount Carmel, Nazareth and Montini.

The Class 4A field was chock full of perennial powers on pairings night and most of them are still there as we head into Round 2. Steve Soucie breaks down the second round of the 2025 IHSA Class 4A Playoffs.

Coastal Carolina commit Dani Hopp took over with eight of her match-high 17 kills in the third set as Richmond-Burton rallied for a 13-25, 25-20, 25-21 victory against Montini in a Class 2A Boylan Sectional semifinal Tuesday.

C.J. Gray led Brother Rice over Jefferson, Zach Washington's kick return sparked St. Francis against Morgan Park and Israel Abrams tossed four TD passes to help Montini remain undefeated. Fenwick, St. Rita, Providence and IC Catholic Prep added first-round playoff wins.

The Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference has revealed its All-Conference honorees and award winners for the 2025 varsity football season. Click the link below to read this year's award winners.

Enrollment changes lead to the 4A draw looking a bit different than it has in the past few years. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 4A Playoffs.

Montini made history with a win over St. Laurence, Joliet Catholic stunned Providence to make the playoffs and St. Patrick defeated St. Viator in a matchup of former NFL players turned head coaches. Marian Catholic, Brother Rice and Carmel each added wins in Week 9.

There are over a dozen CCL/ESCC teams participating in the IHSA football playoffs this season. Among the playoff qualifiers are defending state champions Mount Carmel, Loyola, Nazareth and Montini. Here are all of the first-round matchups for CCL/ESCC teams.

Playoff spots and divisional championships are on the line as all 24 of the CCL/ESCC football teams prepare to take the field this evening. Here are all of tonight's CCL/ESCC Week 9 matchups.

Montini is 8-0 and eyeing historic achievements, while Joliet Catholic finds itself in unfamiliar territory with an Orange Division title game against Providence looming. Niles Notre Dame defeated Leo and snapped a five-game losing streak, setting up a pivotal clash with Marist.

Nine CCL/ESCC football teams including Mount Carmel, Montini, Nazareth and Brother Rice have won six or more games and secured automatic bids to the IHSA playoffs. Several teams including St. Rita, Loyola and St. Patrick are still in the mix with a week left.

St. Laurence took a crucial matchup against St. Patrick, while IC Catholic Prep and St. Francis inched closer to automatic playoff bids. Providence outlasted Loyola and multiple teams including St. Rita, Carmel, Brother Rice, Mount Carmel and Montini picked up victories.

Five CCL/ESCC football teams have secured automatic playoff bids through seven weeks of the IHSA regular season. Nazareth, Fenwick and Brother Rice all improved to 6-1, joining Mount Carmel and Montini in the postseason. Several five and four-win teams are still in the hunt.

Nazareth took down St. Rita, St. Patrick handled Benet and Marian Catholic knocked off Marmion as divisional races heat up in the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference. Leo rolled over De La Salle to earn its third win for the first time since 2021.

Mount Carmel and Montini clinched automatic playoff bids, while several CCL/ESCC teams including Brother Rice, Nazareth and Fenwick are sitting comfortably with three weeks left in the regular season. Four-win teams include Carmel, Loyola, St. Francis, Providence and more.

Saturday morning in the Pat Savage Invitational at Niles West, Montini senior Sydney Gertsen rolled to first place in the individual competition with a time of 17:29.39.

In a thriller that saw the two teams combine for over 1,000 yards of offense, Montini survived Carmel by one point on Friday.

Marist and St. Rita snapped their recent losing streaks, while Trae Taylor threw for 5 touchdowns as Carmel scored 70 points against Marian Catholic. Mount Carmel and Brother Rice each improved to 5-0, setting the stage for a massive CCL/ESCC Blue Division showdown.

Israel Abrams threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns, Luca Florio returned a punt 67 yards for a TD and Montini scored on its first five possessions and rolled past Marmion 47-0 for its 15th straight win dating back to last year.

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.