The 2025-26 high school sports season opened on a couple area golf courses Thursday, with Seneca's girls and Somonauk's Alex Wold both victorious.

High school boys soccer practices opened up across Illinois this week. Here are five storylines we’ll be watching in 2025 across The Times coverage area.

Two-time Times All-Area Softball first-teamer RayElle Brennan has committed to continue her education at Olivet Nazarene University and her softball career with the Tigers.

High school girls volleyball practices opened up across Illinois this week. Here are five storylines we’ll be watching in 2025 across The Times coverage area.

While the Land of Lincoln has its share of Bulldogs, Eagles, Tigers and other standard nicknames, we also have some more unusual prep mascots. Here are the stories behind some of the most interesting ones

Serena graduate and Times All-Area Softball first-teamer Maddie Glade has committed to continue her education at Illinois Valley Community College and her softball career with the Eagles.

Beau Raikes has signed on to continue his education at Danville Area Community College and his baseball career at the NJCAA Division II level with the Jaguars.

Multiple-sport Times All-Area first-teamer Jenna Setchell has committed to continue her education at Illinois Valley Community College and both her basketball and softball careers with the Eagles.

Serena graduate Nicollette Walsh has signed on to continue her education at Knox College in Galesburg and her volleyball career at the NCAA Division III level with the Prairie Fire.

A collection of 40 of the top prep baseball players this past spring from across The Times' 13-school coverage area.

The Times Sports staff is proud to present our picks for 40 of the top prep softball players across the area, the 2025 Times All-Area Softball Team.

The schools of The Times area sent plenty of athletes to the IHSA Girls Track and Field State Meet. Here are those state qualifiers, the 2025 Times Girls Track and Field All-Area Honor Roll.

Marquette baseball's Alec Novotney has been named the Tri-County Conference Player and Pitcher of the Year, while the Interstate 8, Illinois Central Eight, Little Ten, Kishwaukee River and Heart of Illinois Conferences have released all-league baseball teams.

The Ottawa softball team had four of its members named to the Interstate 8 All-Conference team, while the Little Ten and Kishwaukee River Conferences released all-league teams.

The Serena softball team scored four runs in the top of the first inning but couldn't stop LeRoy from scoring the next nine and taking control of Monday's Class 1A Wesleyan Supersectional.

LeRoy defeated Serena 9-5 on Monday, June 2, 2025 du the Class 1A Supersectional game at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington.

Ottawa's Weston Averkamp qualified for Saturday's Class 3A finals in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles during Friday's preliminaries at the IHSA Track and Field State Meet, while Sandwich's Petter Popp in the shot put and Jacob Ross in the pole vault will move on in 2A.

The Serena softball team defeated Marquette 6-2 in Friday's Class 1A sectional championship game to advance to Monday's Illinois Wesleyan Supersectional.

Serena defeated Marquette 6-2 to win the Class 1A Sectional title on Friday, May 30, 2025 at Serena High School. The Lady Huskers will play LeRoy in the Supersectional on Monday at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington at 4:30p.m.

Somonauk, Fieldcrest and Seneca all had advancers at the Class 1A state track and field preliminaries, while Ottawa's state-qualifying boys tennis doubles team got a pair of wins in the suburbs. This and more in The Times Thursday Roundup.

Jenna Setchell was hitless in Serena's two conference meets with Newark this season. But the Huskers' senior shortstop came up huge Tuesday with three hits, reached base four times and drove in three runs in a 9-5 win in a Class 1A Serena Sectional semifinal.

Ottawa's Adam Swanson blasted a walk-off homer against Geneseo on Saturday, while Streator softball dropped a doubleheader and the Pirates state-bound tennis duo of Evan Krafft and Noah Gross placed 4th at the 1A sectional.

The Seneca softball team - behind the pitching and hitting of Tessa Krull - won a 2A regional title on Friday, Sandwich's Sunny Weber advanced to the 1600-meter run finals at state, and the Ottawa doubles team of Evan Krafft and Noah Gross clinched a state tennis berth.

The Serena softball team - with senior pitcher Maddie Glade allowing just two hits and striking out 10 in a complete game effort - defeated Gardner-South Wilmington 4-0 in the Friday's championship game of the Class 1A Serena Regional on Friday.

Serena defeated Gardner-South Wilmington to win the Class 1A Regional title on Friday, May 23, 2025 at Serena High School.

Ottawa senior Weston Averkamp won the 110- and 300-meter hurdles at the Class 3A Minooka Sectional on Wednesday to advance to the state meet in the events for the second straight year. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Marquette baseball team used a fantastic, combined pitching performances from Anthony Couch and Alec Novotney in a 9-1 victory over Serena in Wednesday's Class 1A Marquette Regional semifinal at Masinelli Field in Ottawa.

We take a look at all the area girls track qualifiers, including seven-time medalist Evelyn O'Connor of Seneca and four-time medalist Sunny Weber of Sandwich.

The Serena baseball team – behind the pitching of Tucker Whiteaker – defeated Earlville in a Class 1A regional quarterfinal on Monday, while the WFC and Fieldcrest softball teams had seasons come to an end. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Marquette baseball and softball teams both earned home wins over Forreston on Saturday, while the Seneca, Serena and Somonauk/Leland softball squads pick up victories. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Serena softball won in eight innings, Seneca softball split two games to take its first loss of the season, and the area went winless on the baseball diamond. That and more in The Times Friday Roundup.

Newark, Ottawa, Serena all score softball victories, Fieldcrest sends two girls to state track and field, plus more in The Times Thursday Roundup.

From regional play-ins to state championships, here are the complete baseball and softball postseason schedules for Times-area teams Ottawa, Streator, L-P, Morris, Sandwich, Marquette, Seneca, WFC, Fieldcrest, Earlville, Newark, Serena and Somonauk/Leland.

The Ottawa baseball team topped Rochelle in an I-8 game Wednesday, while a number of girls from Sandwich and Flanagan-Cornell punched their tickets to the state meet in sectional competition. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Seneca softball defeated St. Bede 5-2 to finish off a second straight undefeated Tri-County Conference season on Tuesday, while Marquette and Newark also earned wins. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Marquette baseball team topped Midland to wrap up the Tri-County Conference on Monday, while the Ottawa boys and Streator girls track and field teams claimed titles at the Illinois Valley Invite. Plus more results from around the Times area.

The Marquette Academy baseball club earned wins No. 23 and 24 on the season in a round robin in Tolono, plus more in The Times Saturday Roundup.

The Earlville baseball team picked up a one-run win over Sandwich on Friday, while Seneca, Newark and Sandwich earned wins in softball. Plus more results from around the Times area.

The Seneca softball team topped Marquette in 10 innings on Thursday, while the Streator boys track and field team won the Illinois Central Eight Conference meet. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Marquette softball team - behind a big day at the plate by Makayla Backos - rolled past Pontiac on Wednesday, while the Ottawa girls soccer team - led by a hat trick from Chloe Carmona - blanked Rochelle. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Seneca girls capture the title of the Tri-County Conference track and field meet on Tuesday. Plus, more results from around The Times area.

Ottawa baseball and softball both won close ones, Streator softball shut out Lisle, the area saw multiple event winners in a five-school track meet in La Salle, plus plenty more in The Times Monday Roundup.

Many Times-area players are stepping up, making impacts and helping lead the way for their respective teams with the postseason around the corner in this week's softball notebook.

The Marquette baseball and softball teams each picked up wins over Hall on Saturday, while Serena softball swept AFC in a doubleheader. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Seneca scored two unearned runs to break a tied game with the Pirates (13-7) in the top of the seventh on Friday to stay undefeated on the season at 23-0. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Sandwich softball scored a senior-night win, Streator softball won on the road, Marquette and Earlville both won individual events in track and field action, plus more in The Times Thursday Roundup.

The Serena softball team defeated Newark to earn a split in the Little Ten Conference series on Wednesday, while Seneca softball improved to 22-0. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Marquette baseball team topped Putnam County on Tuesday, while Earlville's Audrey Scherer homered twice and drove in eight runs in the Red Raiders win over Indian Creek. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Newark softball team — with a number of key plays from freshman Rylie Carlson and the pitching of senior Dottie Wood — defeated Serena 1-0 Tuesday in a battle of unbeaten Little Ten Conference squads.

Newark picked up a win over Serena with a final of 1-0 on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at Newark High School.