Nazareth baseball rallied from a six-run deficit for a 10-9, 10-inning win, DePaul commit Claire Bolda struck out 15 in a Glenbard East softball win, Wheaton Warrenville South baseball scored seven runs in the sixth for a comeback win and more in the Suburban Life roundup.

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.

Addison Yurchak singled in Jordan Balsavich for a Downers Grove South softball walk-off win, Wheaton Warrenville South's Avery Arnold fired a 12-strikeout shutout, Jack Slightom struck out 11 in a Lyons baseball win, and Connor McKay threw a complete-game two-hitter for Nazareth.

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.

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

Jimmy O'Connor homered and drove in five runs as Nazareth baseball beat Morton to stay undefeated, James Sobkowiak's huge day keyed a Downers Grove South win, and Lemont, Glenbard West, Willowbrook and IC Catholic Prep baseball were also winners in Monday's roundup.

Cannon Madej struck out 14 batters over six innings in a Lemont baseball win, Lou Ratcliffe hit two of four homers in a Lyons baseball win, Landon Thome homered in a Nazareth baseball win and Montini, Wheaton Warrenville South, Wheaton Academy and York were also winners.

Nazareth senior Stella Sakalas, who led the Roadrunners to the Class 4A state championship earlier this month, was named Illinois Media Class 4A co-Player of the Year along with Naperville Central senior Trinity Jones in voting released Monday.

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.

Here is the 2025-2026 Suburban Life All-Area girls basketball team.

Sophia Towne scored 17 points and hit four of Nazareth's eight threes, the Roadrunners blew open the game with a 16-0 run and beat Loyola in a matchup of the state's top two teams 55-23 in the Class 4A final for Nazareth's second state championship in the largest-ever 4A margin.

Nazareth defeated Loyola 52-31 to win the Class 4A State girls basketball championship on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at CEFCU Arena in Normal.

BYU recruit Stella Sakalas scored 30 points, 19 coming in the first half, and Nazareth pulled away to beat Belleville East 54-36 in Friday's Class 4A state semifinal.

Nazareth takes on Bellville East in the Class 4A girls basketball state semifinal Friday, March 6, 2026, at CEFCU Arena in Normal. Nazareth took the win 54-36 and will play for the state title Saturday.

Nazareth held Illinois State recruit Danyella Mporokoso to nine points and Waubonsie Valley to a season-low total as a team, and the Roadrunners used a 17-3 run in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 54-42 win in Monday's Class 4A Lyons Supersectional.

Nazareth turned in yet another sparkling defensive effort in a 53-26 victory over Downers Grove North at the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Sectional on Thursday.

Nazareth senior Stella Sakalas, who had 33 points, five rebounds and five steals in a win over Young in the regional final, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

Campbell Thulin and Downers Grove North beat Hinsdale Central for the fourth time this season in Tuesday's sectional semifinal, while Nazareth pulled away late to beat St. Ignatius in the first semifinal.

Nazareth juniors Chris Kasky and Luke Injaychock have picked up several offers from Power 4 schools since the conclusion of the 2025 season. Trenton Walker, a senior and three-star prospect, has signed to play at Murray State.

Stella Sakalas scored 25 points to lead four players scoring in double figures as Nazareth rolled by Lincoln-Way West.

It was smooth sailing for Bridget Rifenburg and Benet for two months during a 20-game winning streak. And then bad luck came in waves, injuries to four of their top seven players and three losses. Now the Redwings look to ramp back up for the postseason that starts next week.

Nazareth head coach Eddie Stritzel reached a major milestone with the Roadrunners' 69-19 win over Kankakee on Tuesday, their 17th in a row and the 500th of Stritzel's career.

Stella Sakalas scored 19 points and Sophia Towne 17 to lead Nazareth past St. Viator, and Benet pulled away late to beat York in Monday's roundup.

Callie Hardtke has always known Wade Hardtke as "dad," but also as coach too since 4-year-old park district ball. Now the Glenbard South senior has her dad, the long-time Raiders' boys coach, back on the sidelines as the girls assistant for 22-4 Glenbard South.

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will face off against each other in Super Bowl LX and there will be plenty of Illinois connections. Here is a list of players and coaches participating in the Super Bowl who have a connection to Illinois or the Chicago Bears.

Sam Austin, part of Nazareth's stellar defense Wednesday, rarely shoots – but her go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:31 left was the biggest shot of the game as the third-ranked Roadrunners beat No. 1 Benet 44-37 to snap the Redwings' 20-game winning streak.

Nazareth junior Sam Austin may not fill up the stat line, but she is vital to what the 19-3 Roadrunners do defensively. That, plus Ava Thomas playing key role as one of Benet's 'tater tots' in Joshua Welge's basketball notebook.

Nazareth junior Sophia Towne, who scored 16 points in a win over Bolingbrook and had 12 points, four assists and four steals in a win over Maine South, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

Stella Sakalas scored 20 points to lead Nazareth past St. Viator, Benet rolled past Marist to its 20th straight win and Wheaton Warrenville South girls basketball knocked off St. Charles East in Wednesday's roundup.

Stella Sakalas scored 29 points to lead Nazareth past Homewood-Flossmoor at the Coach Kipp Hoopsfest, Cameron Mercer's 32 points paced Riverside-Brookfield to its seventh straight win, and Benet and York boys basketball were also winners in Monday's roundup.

A 22-2 run to open the game set the stage for Nazareth's no-doubt win over Maine South at Coach Kipp's Hoopesfest at Maine West on Saturday.

Stella Sakalas scored 26 points in her return to the lineup for Nazareth, leading the Roadrunners past Marist. That and more in Wednesday's Suburban Life roundup.

Junior guard Sophia Towne scored all but one of her baskets in a 16-point effort after BYU recruit Stella Sakalas went down with an apparent ankle injury, leading Nazareth past visiting Bolingbrook 52-39 in Monday's nonconference game in La Grange Park.

Danny Snyder scored his 1,000th career point in a Glenbard East win, Joseph Lubbe poured in 30 in a York win, Benet boys basketball rolled at the Pappas Shootout, Stella Sakalas scored 22 in a Nazareth girls basketball win and more in Saturday's roundup.

Ellie Noble played a key supporting role last year for Glenbard West's first sectional champion in 26 years. Now, with seven seniors graduated, Noble is the star for a Hilltoppers team off to a 17-1 start. That, Benet No. 1 in first AP rankings and Coach Kipp's Hoopsfest lineup.

BYU-bound senior Stella Sakalas scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as Nazareth rolled past Carmel 46-23. Mia Gage also had a double-double in the victory.

OJ Powell scored 25 points and became Willowbrook's career scoring leader, passing Everett Stubblefield III, in the Warriors' win over Wheeling, Downers Grove North also won at the WSC/MSL Showdown and Nazareth girls basketball rolled to a win in Wisconsin in Saturday's roundup.

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.

Here are Jon Cunningham's photos from Saturday's game between Benet and Nazareth.

Ava Thomas scored 11 points to help Benet hand Nazareth its first loss of the season on Saturday, 58-36.

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

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

After going 31-3 last season, Nazareth has begun the year 8-0 with a 68-32 win over Joliet Catholic on Wednesday being the latest win.

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.

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

Jamen Williams threw for 283 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, while Jake Thies posted over 100 rushing and 100 receiving yards as Fenwick shocked Nazareth 28-27 in overtime to win its 6A state semifinal and end Nazareth's bid for four straight state championships.