The Illinois high school football season kicks off later this month, and official practices begin Monday. Here are five storylines we here at The Times have our eyes on this coming fall.

Woodland's Nick Plesko has committed to continue his education at Monmouth College and his basketball career with the Fighting Scots.

With the release of the 2025 IHSA football schedules, here is a week-by-week look at the can't-miss games across The Times coverage area.

Woodland graduate and 2024 Times All-Area Girls Volleyball first-teamer Malayna Pitte has signed on to continue her education and volleyball career at Illinois Valley Community College.

Recent Woodland graduate and Times All-Area Football first-teamer Aydan Radke has selected to continue his education and football career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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.

Reed-Custer High School was the site of the Braidwood Shootout on Wednesday and Thursday, where 32 teams faced off for a little summer basketball action.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

In a 6-1 victory, Gardner-South Wilmington freshman Case Christensen pitched a seven-inning, complete-game victory over WFC to send the Panthers into Wednesday’s Class 1A Dwight Regional semifinals.

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 Dwight softball team scored two runs in the top of the first inning and held the lead throughout an 8-5 Tri-County Conference victory over Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell on Tuesday at Woodland High School in each sides regular-season finale.

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.

WFC, Marquette and Seneca (twice!) all recorded Tri-County Conference softball wins, plus baseball and boys tennis in The Times Monday Roundup.

More from the sideline of pitches around the area in The Times Girls Soccer Notebook.

The Ottawa softball team split a doubleheader with Dunlap on Saturday, while Seneca stayed unbeaten on the season with victories over Princeton and Fieldcrest. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Seneca baseball and softball teams each defeated Streator on Friday, while Somonauk/Leland softball scored late to top Plano. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

Streator beat Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell 13-3 on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at Woodland High School.

Marquette boys track, FCW girls track, Streator baseball and Earlville softball were among the winners in a loaded Times Thursday Roundup.

The Streator High softball team was locked in a pitchers' duel with crosstown rival Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell until the Bulldogs struck with an 8-run sixth inning to pull away.

The Sandwich baseball team - behind the pitching of Braden Behringer - topped Richmond-Burton in Wednesday's Kishwaukee River Conference game. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The Ottawa boys tennis team started, then had their Interstate 8 Conference dual with host La Salle-Peru on Tuesday before rain forced a postponement. Plus, more results from around The Times area.

Streator, Seneca, Earlville and Serena all secured softball victories, plus plenty of baseball and girls soccer in The Times Monday Roundup.

Marquette has put together another fantastic start this season, while Streator’s Isaiah Weibel, Woodland-Flanagan-Cornell’s Brezdyn Simons and Serena’s Beau Raikes have been key players for their respective teams in The Times Baseball Notebook.

The Ottawa softball team swept a doubleheader at Yorkville Christian on Saturday, while Seneca's Tessa Krull fired a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts against Newark. Plus, more results from around the Times area.

The host Fighting Irish girls scored a second-place team finish Friday in the Seneca Irish Invitational, plus more Good Friday action from around The Times area.

Putnam County defeated Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell 10-5 on Thursday, April 17, 2025 at Woodland High School.