For the second time in as many weeks, the Bears' attempt at a seventh fourth-quarter comeback this season failed. They lost to the Lions 19-16 in their regular-season finale Sunday at Soldier Field. Here are three moments that mattered. What worked? What didn't work?

Professional mixed martial arts “superfights” with athletes from around the country return to McHenry County Saturday in McHenry after a successful debut in Crystal Lake last year.

EJ Hazelett and Lincoln Williams both eclipsed the 20-point mark in a runaway win for Kankakee in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Bradley-Bourbonnais opened up the second half of the season with a 66-32 loss at home against Southwest Suburban Conference opponent Sandburg on Saturday.

The boys basketball teams for Iroquois West and Milford each dropped a Vermilion Valley Conference game to open the 2026 portion of the schedule in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Cary-Grove faces Lakes in a nonconference girls basketball game on Friday Jan. 2, 2026, at Lakes high School in Lake Villa.

The Chicago Bears will end the regular season against the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar share the latest news from Halas Hall, break down Sunday's game, and what's at stake for the playoffs

Eight sports figures with local ties will be part of the Illinois Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026, which will be inducted at the Bank of Springfield Convention Center on July 25.

The big news coming out of the IHSA was an expansion of the football playoffs from 256 qualifying teams to 384.

Huntley faces Mundelein in a Komaromy Classic girls basketball tournament game on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville.

Coal City's boys wrestling team dominated its way to a first-place finish at Abe's Rumble in Springfield, a pair of local girls wrestlers finished second at the Ottawa Holiday Hootenanny and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Kankakee Holiday Tournament celebrated its 75th anniversary with a 75-player All-Tournament Team.

Mylee Hulstedt and Mackenzi Shere, athletes from Stillman Valley High School, have been selected to compete in the 30th annual international fastpitch event known as The Cup held in the Netherlands.

The Chicago Bears fell a play short in a 42-38 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar break down the loss and what's next with a week left in the regular season

Newman faces off against Riverdale Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, for the title at the Cliff Warkins Memorial boys basketball tournament at Erie High School. Newman took the win 79-73.

Trinitee Thompson scored 23 points to lead Bishop McNamara to a 54-40 win at the State Farm Classic, snapping a six-game losing streak for the Fightin' Irish, and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Hampshire faces South Elgin in a Komaromy Classic girls basketball tournament game on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville.

Bureau Valley FFA and Bureau County Farm Bureau will host a free weather preparedness seminar on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 5:30 p.m. at Ag View FS in Walnut

In a back-and-forth battle that also saw Lincoln Williams set the Kankakee career scoring record, Cedric Terrell III's go-ahead 3-pointer and free throws at the end closed out a Kays win over Lincoln-Way Central in the Kankakee Holiday Tournament maroon championship.

Manteno had its hopes of a Kankakee Holiday Tournament blue division three-peat dashed with a 65-52 loss to Christ the King in Sunday's championship game.

The newly crowned NFC North champion Bears played the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and played another thriller, losing this time 42-38. Here are three moments that mattered. What worked? What didn't work?

Manteno's girls basketball team defended its Chicago Christian Tournament title and grew its win streak to 14, Wilmington's boys finished fifth at the Seneca Shipyard Showdown and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Crystal Lake Central faces Richmond-Burton in the Marengo E.C. Nichols boys basketball championship on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, at Marengo High School.

After Clifton Central's upset bid against blue bracket top seed Christ the King came up a bit short Saturday night, the host Kays closed out the second day of the Kankakee Holiday Tournament by reaching their seventh maroon bracket championship game in the last eight tournaments.

Photo editor Scott Anderson selected some of the best sports photos from 2025 in the Illinois Valley.

Kankakee earned a blowout win in its Kankakee Holiday Tournament opener in the maroon bracket while Manteno downed rival Peotone 60-49 in the blue bracket, where St. Anne, Clifton Central, Momence and Grant Park also saw tournament action.

Kankakee junior Ava Johnson reached the 1,000 career point mark in a State Farm Holiday Classic win, Bradley-Bourbonnais held on for a narrow win on the boys side and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

Crystal Lake South faces Lakes in a Hinkle Holiday Classic boys basketball game on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, at Jacobs High School in Algonquin.

Lexington defeated Marquette 63-56 to advance to the Shipyard Showdown Tournament Championship on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025 at Seneca High School. The Crusaders will play Hall in the third place game tomorrow at 6p.m. Check out photos from the game by Katy Arnold.

Cary-Grove faces Larkin in a Hinkle Holiday Classic boys basketball game on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, at Jacobs High School in Algonquin.

The Chicago Bears will travel to the west coast and play the San Francisco 49ers in front of a national audience on Sunday Night Football. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar break down the game and the Bears' chances to win the NFC North this weekend

Princeton the girls basketball team won the Ottawa Holiday Tournament with a 57-44 win over Metamora on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025 in Kingman Gymnasium at Ottawa High School. Check out photos from the game by Tom Sistak.

Reed-Custer defeated DePue 73-40 on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025 during the Shipyard Showdown at Seneca High School. Check out photos from the game by MaKade Rios.

Hall defeated Seneca 41-30 on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025 during the Shipyard Showdown tournament at Seneca High School. Check out photos from the game by MaKade Rios.

Ottawa defeated Pontiac 51-46 for third place in the Ottawa Girls Holiday Tournament on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025 in Kingman Gymnasium. Check out photos from the games by Katy Arnold.

Take a look back at some of the top sports stories from the Daily Journal area in 2025.

Bourbonnais residents and longtime basketball officiating partners Tom Hahs and Joe Ewers are among the latest members of this year's Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame class.

The Manteno girls basketball team extended its winning streak to a dozen games with a 75-13 dismantling of Christ the King at the Chicago Christian Christmas Tournament and more in Tuesday's Daily Journal roundup.

Jacobs faces Grayslake Central in Hinkle Holiday Classic boys basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Jacobs High School in Algonquin.

Johnsburg faces Boylan in Hinkle Holiday Classic boys basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Jacobs High School in Algonquin.

Meet this week's Daily Journal Athlete of the Week, Kankakee's Ava Johnson.

Four area wrestlers took first place finishes at the Boilermaker Battle, with host Bradley-Bourbonnais also placing second as a team, and more in Monday's Daily Journal roundup.

Cary-Grove faces Naperville North in Hinkle Holiday Classic boys basketball game on Monday, Dec. 21, 2025, at Jacobs High School in Algonquin.

The Chicago Bears came back and stunned the Green Bay Packers for a 22-16 overtime win on Saturday night at Soldier Field. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar break down the chaos and where it ranks all-time in the storied rivalry

Kankakee's boys basketball team went to St. Louis and downed five-time reigning Missouri state champs Vashon 60-53, the Kays' girls blew out Comer 76-20 in tournament play and more in Saturday's Daily Journal roundup.

Woodland defeated Marquette 58-43 on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025 in the Warrior Dome at Woodland High School.

The Bears, on Caleb Williams’ overtime touchdown pass to DJ Moore, came through with their sixth fourth quarter comeback of the season to beat the Packers in overtime 22-16 on Saturday at Soldier Field to put Chicago in the driver’s seat for the NFC North title at 11-4.

Area wrestlers compete in the Whip-Pur Women’s Classic girls wrestling tournament on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Hampshire High School.

Girls bowling teams from Ottawa, Streator Dixon, L-P, Mendota Hall and St. Bede girls all competed in the L-P Cavalier Classic on Saturday Dec. 20, 2025 at the Illinois Valley Super Bowl in Peru.

The Chicago Bears beat the Green Bay Packers 22-16 in an important NFC North battle Saturday night at Soldier Field in Chicago.