St. Francis Preps

Marmion had four wrestlers fight their way to third place in the Class 3A while St. Francis' Jaylen Torres overcame a first-round loss to take bronze in the Class 1A 285-pound tournament. Plus, other results from the final day of the IHSA boys wrestling individual state meet.

Eighteen Kane County-area wrestlers advanced to the semifinals of the IHSA individual state tournament, while 12 more fell to the consolation bracket at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. on Thursday.

St. Francis junior Zachary Washington got a special opportunity when Michigan State offered him. He got a chance to play with his former high school quarterback. Plus more recruiting notes on Mount Carmel's Claude Mpouma, Carmel's Trae Taylor and Brother Rice's King Liggins.

Here is a list of CCL/ESCC football players who have committed to colleges at various levels and can sign their financial aid agreement or letters of intent starting on Wednesday.

Mark Balaskovits has made the most of his playing time in his senior season at St. Francis. Scoring 16 points, including three free throws in the final minute, Balaskovits' effort propelled the Spartans to a 55-49 win over Marmion on Friday night.

The CCL/ESCC will lose plenty of talented players to graduation, but there's plenty of talent left to watch this fall. Here are 10 CCL/ESCC players to watch for the 2025 season.

Fueled by senior point guard Niko Quaranta, St. Francis rallied from down eight at halftime to beat rival Wheaton Academy 56-49 on Thursday at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates.

St. Francis faced Yorkville on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024 in the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic boys basketball tournament in Elmhurst.

Rolling Meadows ripped off a 17-3 run in the second quarter and St. Francis struggled to 23% shooting in a 55-23 loss in the second round of the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic.

Mark Balaskovits scored 10 of his game-high 22 points in the first quarter and hit three of St. Francis' six first-half 3-pointers, and the Spartans built an 18-point halftime lead and held off Yorkville 62-55 in the first round of the 50th Jack Tosh Holiday Classic

Here is the 2024 Kane County Chronicle All-Area football team

Here is the 2024 Suburban Life All-Area football team.

Here is the Kane County Chronicle girls volleyball All-Area team.

Meet Friday Night Drive’s 2024 All-CCL/ESCC team, which was selected by the Friday Night Drive staff with input from coaches across the 24-team league.

Here's the 2024 Kane County Chronicle girls cross country All-Area team.

Here is the 2024 Suburban Life All-Area girls volleyball team.

Glenbard West boys basketball won the District 87 title, Cam Mercer scored 25 points to lead Riverside-Brookfield past Hinsdale South, and York, Wheaton Warrenville South and St. Francis boys basketball were all winners in Wednesday's roundup.

The 2024-2025 boys basketball season tips off this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life area.

Boys basketball season is almost here. Here are previews of teams from around the Kane County Chronicle coverage area.

Logan Malachuk threw three touchdown passes – two in a tone-setting first quarter – and Gabe Kaminski and Nazareth's defense forced four turnovers as the Roadrunners reversed the result from a Week 9 loss to St. Francis with a 40-21 win in a Class 5A semifinal.

Nazareth hosted St. Francis football in a Class 5A state semifinal on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 in La Grange Park.

St. Francis faces Nazareth in the semifinals of the 2024 Class 5A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive editor Josh Welge will have live updates, scores and news from the game

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

Jeremiah Peterson isn’t surprised at his outstanding season playing a leading role for Montini. But Peterson, who had 120 tackles and an interception return for a touchdown in his junior season, is surprised at one aspect – his position.

After leading St. Charles North back to the state tournament, while also being crowned DuKane Conference champion, freshman Kayla Beu is the 2024 Kane County Chronicle Girls Golfer of the Year. Plus the All-Area team.

While it was only the quarterfinal round of the IHSA football playoffs, the defense played a big part in helping Batavia, Geneva and St. Francis find themselves one step closer to winning the state title.

Mount Carmel's offense has clicked during the playoffs, averaging 51 points in three games and advancing the Caravan to the Class 7A semifinals. Plus more CCL/ESCC notes on DePaul Prep, St. Francis, St. Laurence and playoff numbers.

Yorkville took advantage of a short-handed St. Francis squad to roll to a comfortable win on the opening night of the Brenda Whitesell Thanksgiving Tournament at Hinsdale South on Tuesday.

Girls basketball season is almost here. Here are previews of teams from around the Kane County Chronicle coverage area.

St. Francis faces Sycamore in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Class 5A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive editor Eddie Carifio will have live updates, scores and news from the game

The Sycamore and St. Francis football teams met Saturday in a IHSA Class 5A quarterfinal matchup in Sycamore.

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

Here's a look at the three quarterfinal matchups for Kane County Chronicle teams.

Lyons senior wide receiver/defensive back Travis Stamm and Downers Grove North senior linebacker/running back Jake Gregorio were among Suburban Life area football players named to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State teams released Wednesday.

Six players from the Kane County area were named to the IFHSCA 2024 All-State team, with Geneva and St. Francis having two players nominated, while Batavia, Burlington Central and St. Charles North each having one.

St. Francis junior wide receiver Zach Washington is one of the top players in the state. His goal is to make St. Francis the TOP team in the state, but the Spartans have a tough test at Sycamore this week. That, York's offensive line paves path back to quarterfinals and more.

St. Laurence regained its explosivness at the beginning of the playoffs with the return of some key players. Plus more CCL/ESCC notes on Mount Carmel, Montini and CCL/ESCC numbers.

After rolling out new offensive threats for the postseason in each of the last two seasons, Batavia QB Michael Vander-luitgaren is the newest weapon. Plus, notes on Geneva and St. Francis' wins, as well as St. Charles North's season coming to an end.

Maizy Agnello had 17 kills, 12 digs, three aces and two blocks, and Prairie Ridge rallied to beat St. Francis 10-25, 25-10, 25-17 in the Class 3A Grayslake Central Supersectional on Monday night. The Wolves are headed to state for the first time since 2018.

St. Francis faces Prairie Ridge in the IHSA Class 3A Grayslake Central Supersectional volleyball match on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, at Grayslake Central High School.

Downers Grove North's boys cross country team, ranked No. 1 since preseason, ran away with a dominating repeat Class 3A state championship, while in a tight 3A girls race York took second and Downers Grove North third. And Benet's Finn Richards won the Class 2A boys state title.

Batavia sophomore Avery Hacker enjoyed a happy return to the Class 3A state cross country meet Saturday, finishing an All-State eighth to lead the Bulldogs to fifth place. Meanwhile in Class 2A Kaneland's Evan Nosek took third, becoming the Knights' first four-time All-Stater.

Prairie Ridge faces St. Francis in an IHSA Class 5A second-round football game on Saturday, Nov. 9, at St. Francis High School in Wheaton.

Despite falling behind on the game’s first drive, St. Francis built a halftime lead and its defense swarmed Prairie Ridge after halftime in a 30-21 victory in the Class 5A second-round playoffs.

Prairie Ridge faces St. Francis in Round 2 of the 2024 Class 5A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive correspondent Chris Casey will have live updates, scores and news from the game

After finishing 18th at the Class 3A meet a season ago, Batavia, led by a core of sophomores and juniors, is hoping to achieve a top-five finish at state this time around. Plus, a look into other Kane County teams and individuals racing in Peoria on Saturday.

After having two of their top 5 miss a month throughout the regular season, Kaneland is ready to comeback in full force at the Class 2A state meet. Plus, looks at the other teams and individuals running at Detweiller Park on Saturday.

St. Francis junior Mackenzie Krzus had to watch from the stands last season as the Spartans won the Class 3A state title. Krzus was very ready and so were her Spartans teammates as they swept Wheaton Academy 26-24, 25-20 Thursday to win the Class 3A sectional title.

York senior linebacker Evan Gaughan, after missing most of last season with a broken collarbone in Week 4, had made an impact in his return, leading the Dukes in tackles. That, Willowbrook's big Round 1 win and more in Bob Narang's football notes.

Here are previews and picks for all the second-round games for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.