Friday Night Drive is highlighting some of the top returning players at each position for the 2026 IHSA football season. Here are 10 of the top defensive linemen to watch as the 2026 season approaches.

Zane Schneider's single capped off Lemont baseball's six-run rally in the sixth to beat Montini, Riverside-Brookfield's Amelia Pytel struck out 13 and Montini's Cameron Fox struck out 15 in wins, Benet soccer stayed unbeaten and Wheaton Academy's Gianna Hughes had a hat trick.

Aubry Raffen homered, doubled and drove in seven runs in a Montini softball win, Westmont's C.J. Balcer struck out 10 in a five-inning perfect game, Colin Doyle led Downers Grove North baseball past York and Glenbard East baseball and Nazareth softball were other winners Monday.

Montini four-star junior quarterback Israel Abrams announced his commitment to Miami (FL) during a broadcast of The Pat McAfee Show Friday afternoon. Abrams threw for 4,072 yards and 40 touchdowns in 2025, leading Montini to the IHSA Class 4A state title.

John Louise, Julio Ayala and Kameron Cox each had two hits in a Montini baseball win, Aubry Raffen had a two-run double in Montini softball's 10-run inning in a win and Annie Fitzgerald had two goals and an assist in a Benet soccer win in Thursday's roundup.

Boys track and field teams head outdoors soon, and here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Friday Night Drive is highlighting some of the top returning players at each position for the 2026 IHSA football season. Here are 10 of the top returning offensive linemen to watch as the season approaches.

Girls track and field teams head outdoors soon, and here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Nazareth softball banged out 11 hits in a win over Morton and Montini, Downers Grove North and Willowbrook baseball were all winners Tuesday.

Nick Kois got a game-ending strikeout with the tying run at third base as Montini baseball won at Joliet Catholic and Jack Slightom and two Lyons relievers combined on a two-hit shutout at

A standout wrestler, Montini junior lineman Gavin Ericson-Staton has emerged as a three-star prospect and will be a top player for the Broncos in 2026. Blake Pohlman, a MaxPreps Freshman All-American, is a player to watch on defense.

The last two weeks Friday Night Drive has highlighted notable quarterbacks and running backs returning to Illinois prep gridirons next fall. This week is all about the receivers, with 10 pass-catchers to keep an eye on this coming fall.

Montini softball's Cameron Fox struck out 15 in a two-hitter, Lily Bobor and Avery Arnold paced a Wheaton Warrenville South softball win, Landon Thome homered in a Nazareth baseball win and more in Thursday's Suburban Life sports roundup.

The 2026 girls soccer season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2026 baseball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2026 softball season is underway this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Marmion overcame rival Montini to repeat as the IHSA Class 3A state champion on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, as St. Charles East battled to claim third place over Oak Park-River Forest.

In the final showpiece of the wrestling season, Marmion lifted its second consecutive Class 3A dual-team championship trophy Saturday night at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington, scoring the last 21 points to top Montini 36-22. St. Charles East was third.

IC Catholic Prep’s Max Cumbee and Brody Kelly became two-time state champions and Frank Nitti and Aiden Arnett won titles for the first time during Saturday’s IHSA boys wrestling state finals at Champaign’s State Farm Center.

Here are the Suburban Life-area qualifiers for the IHSA individual state wrestling meet.

Marmion crowned seven individual champions and had 10 individuals qualify for the state meet in Champaign, with Montini close behind with nine qualifying individuals and three sectional champions.

Defending state champion Downers Grove co-op overcame a flu B epidemic among the team to win with 144.2 points. Hinsdale South/Lemont co-op (138.5) and Valley co-op (132.625) were fourth and sixth at the Oswego Sectional.

Here are Karen Naess' photos from Marmion and Montini's matches at Thursday's Class 3A Marmion Sectional.

Marmion used eight bonus-point victories to secure a 46-23 victory over Mount Carmel, while Montini rebounded from a 13-point deficit to take home a 35-27 victory over Marist to each secure a spot at the dual team state meet.

Montini dominated the eight-team Naperville North Regional, finishing in first place with 235.5 points to outlast Naperville Central (199 points), Naperville North (144.5) and Lyons (107.5).

Several CCL/ESCC athletes, including FND Defensive Player of the Year Kameron McGee and FND Offensive Player of the Year Israel Abrams, were selected to the 2025 MaxPreps All-American Teams.

Here is the 2025 Friday Night Drive Team of the Year.

Montini junior quarterback Israel Abrams, who threw for over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns and led the Broncos to a 14-0 record and the Class 4A state championship, is the 2025 Friday Night Drive Offensive Player of the Year.

Kent State commit Madelyn Kiper put on a show with 27 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, and Minooka – in its debut at the Montini Christmas Classic – rolled past the host Lady Broncos 49-29 in Monday's first-round game.

With the 2025 Early Signing Period over, we take a look at some of the top Class of 2027 prospects the CCL/ESCC has to offer. Carmel's Trae Taylor, Montini's Israel Abrams and Mount Carmel's Quentin Burrell are among the league's top junior players.

Nazareth is headed to Florida once again for the holidays, Montini Christmas Tournament that starts Monday has a new Hoosier State flavor and IC Catholic's Mary Kate Hilgart hits a career milestone in Joshua Welge's girls basketball notebook.

As the IHSA announced an expansion of the football playoffs starting next season, Suburban Life-area coaches offered their reactions. "I'm excited about the opportunities our kids might get. It is a net positive for us."

Here is Friday Night Drive's 2025 All-CCL/ESCC football team, with players from all 24 member programs.

Montini junior quarterback Israel Abrams, who threw for over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in leading the Broncos to a 14-0 season and second straight state championship, is the Suburban Life Player of the Year.

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

Wednesday marked the beginning of the 2025 Early Signing Day Period for NCAA Division I football. Here is a list of CCL/ESCC players who will be playing Division I FBS and FCS football next year.

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.