Jake Thies' basket with 3.7 seconds left gave Fenwick a win over Brother Rice, OJ Powell poured in 26 points for Willowbrook in a win over Proviso East, and IC Catholic, Benet, Downers Grove South, Wheaton Warrenville South and Hinsdale Central were also winners Friday.

Willowbrook senior OJ Powell, who scored 25 points in a win over Wheeling and in the process, passed Everett Stubblefield III as Willowbrook’s all-time leading scorer with 1,451 points and counting, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Read more about him.

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.

Willowbrook senior Marli Smrz, who threw for over 3,600 yards and 72 touchdowns in leading the Warriors to a 22-1 record and third place in the state, is the Suburban Life girls flag football Player of the Year. Read more about her in this Q&A interview.

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

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

Glenbard West scored eight touchdowns in the first half en route to a 63-21 win over Willowbrook in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs Saturday.

Addison Trail dominated Willowbrook 35-0 on its way to the West Suburban Gold Division title Friday night.

The Willowbrook flag football team bounced back from a tough semifinal loss to beat Perspectives 30-0 in the state third-place game Saturday.

Mckenzie Edison made a fingertip grab of a 29-yard touchdown pass from Marli Smrz with 10 seconds left, sending Willowbrook to the flag football state semifinals with a thrilling 20-14 win over Kenwood.

Willowbrook hosted Kenwood for a varsity flag footbal quarterfinals game on Friday, Oct. 17.

Willowbrook senior Marli Smrz, who threw for three touchdowns in the regional final and sectional semifinal wins, and threw for six TDs and had an interception defensively in the sectional final, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Read more about her!

Marli Smrz threw three touchdown passes, highlighted by a 48-yard TD to Janell Adams, as unbeaten Willowbrook shut out Naperville Central 28-0, while Sarahi Carlos threw a scoring pass in overtime to Gracie Del Toro as West Aurora beat Oswego East 8-6 in the sectional semifinals.

Willowbrook's girls flag football team kept its perfect season alive and won its second straight regional championship Wednesday with a 37-12 win over St. Edward.

Willowbrook senior Anthony Leo, who rushed for 230 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries and had nine tackles, four tackles for loss and a sack in a 45-14 win over Hinsdale South, is the Week 6 Friday Night Drive Team of the Week MVP. Here is his Q&A with Sports Editor Josh Welge.

Fresh off of winning the Plainfield North Tournament on Saturday, Glenbard West extended its winning streak to seven games after a 2-1 win at Proviso West on Tuesday. That plus notes on Lyons, Morton, Willowbrook, Glenbard South and York in Chris Walker's soccer notebook.

Downers Grove South's Daniel Mensah took center stage after a halftime featuring a 7-minute fireworks show, scoring three of his four touchdowns to power a 35-23 win over visiting Willowbrook for the Mustangs' first win.

A play after a dropped interception, Glenbard East's Montii Perry scooped up a fumble and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown with just over seven minutes left, the game-winning score in the Rams' 28-21 win over Willowbrook.

Here are team-by-team breakdowns, five players to watch, five can't miss games and Steve Soucie's predictions for the West Suburban Conference.

The 2025 boys soccer season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 girls volleyball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Over 200 high schools in Illinois are expected to have girls flag football teams this year as the sport's popularity continues to rise. "There’s no shortage of opportunities."

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

In on the ground floor of girls flag football, Willowbrook co-coaches Rachel Karos and Nick Hildreth are heading to the national stage. They’ll coach some of the top girls in the nation at the USA Football National Team Development Program Select Bowl June 18-21 in Los Angeles

Willowbrook graduate Chris Roycroft pitched to Princeton’s Jett Wedekind at Aurora University in 2018 and 2019, both named Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference All-Conference for the Spartans. Five years later, Roycroft broke in with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Wheaton Warrenville South senior Amari Williams broke 37 seconds for the first time to defend his Class 3A state title, Downers Grove North broke the Class 3A 4x800 state record to defend its title and Glenbard South junior Kyle Quaid-Bowman won the Class 2A pole vault.

Vince Yario did not allow a hit after giving up a run in the first inning to lead No. 8 Bartlett to an 8-1 win over No. 1 Willowbrook in the Class 4A Willowbrook Regional championship Saturday.

Westmont junior Kyla Babb pulled off an impressive distance double on Saturday at the state track and field meet, taking second in the Class 1A 3,200 meters and third in the 1,600. Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South and Wheaton North were among other schools with medals.

How will St. Francis' record-setting distance crew line up in Charleston? Can Westmont's Kyla Babb pull off the distance double? Here are five storylines to watch for Suburban Life area athletes at the IHSA girls state track and field meet.

After winning a combined 62 games the last two seasons, Downers Grove North is enjoying another successful spring, closing in on the 20-win mark. That, Riverside-Brookfield in the hunt for the Upstate Eight Conference title and more in Bob Narang's baseball notebook.

Downers Grove South senior Kailee Rodeck soars to record pole vault, Vanderbilt commit Finn Richards chasing Benet track records from 50 years ago, and Willowbrook's Amelie Ojeda breaks her school 3,200 record. That and more in Bill Stone's track and field notebook.

Expectations were very high for the Willowbrook baseball team this season. Thus far, after 20 games this spring, the Warriors are right on track to reach most of their goals. That, plus Lemont on the right track in Bob Narang's baseball notebook.

Willowbrook senior distance standout Amelie Ojeda and Wheaton North’s Sophia Dalrymple had stellar individual days, while Glenbard West took third place as a team at its Sue Pariseau Invitational.

Sonia Ruchala lost most of her junior season with a freak injury – she broke her tibia and ankle in a home run celebration. Now the Willowbrook senior shortstop is back, as good as ever. That, plus notes on Nazareth and York in Joshua Welge's softball notebook.

Here are previews of boys track and field teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The track and field season is heading outdoors and here are previews of girls teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 high school soccer season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 high school softball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2025 high school baseball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Willowbrook's OJ Powell scored a team-high 34 points and added a game-high 16 rebounds to lift the Warriors to a 75-67 West Suburban Conference Gold victory over rival Addison Trail on Friday night.

Willowbrook senior Naomi Campbell, who won the all-around and vault, took second on beam and floor and third on bars at the Willowbrook Regional, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Joshua Welge.

Glenbard West's gymnastics team won its ninth straight regional title while Willowbrook senior Naomi Campbell won the all-around at Thursday's Willowbrook Regional.

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

Willowbrook was just 7 for 28 from the field and 1 for 10 on 3s in the first half. Jaylon Griffin added 11 points and Filip Palutkiewicz had nine for the Warriors.

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

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.

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.

Pushing Catholic League power St. Rita to the limit, Willowbrook did eventually succumb 21-9 in a Class 7A second-round matchup in Villa Park.

St. Rita faces Willowbrook in Round 2 of the 2024 Class 7A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive correspondent Scott Schmid will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Willowbrook senior Amelie Ojeda, who finished the 2.9-mile Legge Memorial Park course in 16:35.58 to win the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional, becoming Willowbrook’s first girls cross country sectional champion, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote.