High school football practice officially starts Monday, and the opening night for the season for local teams is Aug. 29. Here are Joe Aguilar's five storylines to watch this season in McHenry County.

Can anybody take down Huntley in the FVC? How far can Richmond-Burton extend its KRC winning streak? Here are five girls volleyball storylines to watch in McHenry County in 2025.

How will Prairie Ridge follow up a historic season? Who are the top FVC and KRC contenders? Which returning players have the most scoring power? Here are five boys soccer storylines to watch in McHenry County in 2025.

Woodstock North’s Parker Halihan was not immediately sold on the pitch to play quarterback. But the former wingback grew into the position, and last year led the Thunder to the most wins in program history. Now he's one of 19 starters back for first-year coach Jeremiah Homuth.

The IHSA released football schedules for the 2025 season, and Week 1 features a matchup between the past two Fox Valley Conference champions, as Prairie Ridge will visit Cary-Grove. Check out the top games to watch each week in McHenry County.

Yorkville, Dixon and Woodstock North were among the schools participating in a 7 on 7 football tournament on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at Kaneland High School in Maple Park.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area baseball team.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area Softball Team.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald Girls Soccer All-Area Team.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area Boys Tennis Team.

Here are six Northwest-Herald football players poised for big 2025 seasons.

Hampshire's Bria Riebel, Crystal Lake Central's Oli Victorine, Prairie Ridge's Ady Kiddy and Reese Mosolino and Harvard's Tallulah Eichholz were named to the Illinois Coaches Association All-State first team in Class 3A and 4A, released late Sunday.

History tends to repeat itself in regards to the IHSA Football Playoffs, but the new enrollment numbers could lead to a bracket that looks a lot different in the next postseason chase. Here is Steve Soucie's 2025 IHSA football preseason playoff projection.

Here is the All-Kishwaukee River Conference girls soccer team for the 2025 season, as selected by coaches.

Woodstock North brothers Mason and Austin Nicolai placed 18th at the IHSA Bass Fishing State Finals, which concluded Saturday at Lake Shelbyville in Shelbyville. 

Sandwich's Braden Behringer was named the Kishwaukee River Conference Player of the Year and Johnsburg's Evan Pohl earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Here is the rest of the 2025 All-KRC baseball team, as selected by coaches.

Marengo's Kylee Jensen was named the Kishwaukee River Conference Player of the Year and Richmond-Burton's Hailey Holtz earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Here is the rest of the 2025 All-KRC softball team, as selected by coaches.

Hampshire and Burlington Central baseball each won regional titles, Dundee-Crown's upset bid of Barrington fell just short, and Prairie Ridge's Tim Jones and Cole Palese finished sixth at the IHSA Class 1A Boys Tennis State Meet.

Cary-Grove's Logan Abrams qualified for the IHSA Class 3A Boys Track and Field State Meet finals in the shot put and discus, Huntley's Tommy Nitz clocked the fastest 1,600 time, and Johnsburg's Brett Centnarowicz sits in second place in the 2A discus.

Hampshire softball won its second regional title in three seasons, Cary-Grove battled top-seeded Antioch but fell short in a 6-3 loss, and Huntley boys lacrosse almost upset No. 1 Barrington, falling 18-17, in a sectional title match.

Crystal Lake Central, the defending Class 3A state champion, upset Lakes in their playoff opener. Jacobs, Huntley and Dundee-Crown also earned wins to reach regional finals, and more in Thursday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Burlington Central's Chase Powrozek threw a no-hitter to lead the Rockets to an 8-0 win over Rochelle in a Class 3A regional semifinal, Hampshire and McHenry baseball threw combined no-hitters, plus more postseason scores in Wednesday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Addison DeSomer hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, lifting Cary-Grove's softball team to a 2-1 win in a Class 3A regional semifinal. Prairie Ridge's Reese Mosolino and Crystal Lake Central's Oli Victorine threw no-hitters. Plus, more in Tuesday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Woodstock North baseball beat Harvard in their Class 3A playoff opener, while Huntley boys volleyball, Hampshire, Huntley and Cary-Grove boys lacrosse and Crystal Lake Central co-op and Huntley girls lacrosse all advanced in postseason action Monday.

A look back at the last week in sports in the Northwest Herald by photographers Gregory Shaver, and Ryan Rayburn and Patrick Kunzer for the Shaw Local News Network.

Jacob Kim (singles) and Tim Jones and Cole Palese (doubles) led Prairie Ridge boys tennis to a sectional title, Drake Lenckus scored seven goals for Crystal Lake South boys lacrosse in a sectional win over McHenry, and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Charlie Eastland scored three goals as Johnsburg girls soccer rolled to a 7-0 victory over Cristo Rey St. Martin to reach the Class 1A Richmond-Burton Sectional final. Crystal Lake Central girls soccer won a regional title, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Huntley senior Dominique Johnson is in position to secure her third triple jump championship in a row at the IHSA Class 3A Girls Track and Field State Meet. Plus all of Friday's 2A and 3A preliminary results from the Northwest Herald area in the state track roundup.

Marian Central’s Addie Leitzen advanced to the state finals of the triple jump after taking ninth in the preliminaries on Thursday at Eastern Illinois. Plus more track and field, baseball, softball, boys lacrosse and bass fishing scores.

Former McHenry boys basketball coach Tim Paddock has been named the new coach at Woodstock North. He has not coached since stepping down at McHenry in 2017.

Prairie Ridge won the Class 2A Marmion Sectional team title after qualifying four individuals and three relay teams to the IHSA state meet. Plus more boys and girls lacrosse, girls soccer, baseball and softball scores.

Marengo's Kylee Jensen hit two home runs, including a walk-off grand slam, to lift the Indians to an 11-1 win over Byron in their playoff opener. Plus girls soccer postseason results in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock's Megan Kuiper threw a perfect game with 18 strikeouts to beat Round Lake, Marian Central baseball won its playoff opener over Genoa-Kingston, plus more in Monday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock North's Parker Neff and Tristan Schaffter both hit home runs as the Thunder won big, Marengo girls soccer won its regional semifinal, and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Prairie Ridge, Johnsburg, Genoa-Kingston and Woodstock rounded out the top five teams at the Class 2A Genoa-Kingston Sectional Friday behind team champion Rockford Boylan, with all four schools sending athletes to next week's state meet in Charleston.

Burlington Central baseball edged Huntley, Crystal Lake Central softball hit five homers to beat Hampshire, Crystal Lake South and Richmond-Burton girls soccer won their playoff openers, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Jacobs' boys tennis team crowned four champions to win back-to-back Fox Valley Conference Tournament titles, Marian Central girls track and field advanced five entries to the Class 1A state meet, and more in Thursday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

McHenry baseball won a share of the Fox Valley Conference title with a 5-2 win over Prairie Ridge on Wednesday in a matchup between the conference's top-two teams. Plus more baseball, softball and girls soccer scores.

Woodstock's Ellery Shutt placed first in the 3,200 and 1,600 meters, and the Blue Streaks' depth shined to win their third Kishwaukee River Conference Boys Track and Field Meet in four years on Tuesday.

Area athletes compete in the Kishwaukee River Conference boys Track and Field Meet on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Richmond-Burton High School in Richmond.

Crystal Lake Central's co-op girls lacrosse team won the FVC title again, while Gabby Wojtarowicz scored four times to become the Jacobs girls soccer team's all-time leading goal scorer. Plus more in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Woodstock North crowned five champions en route to winning the Kishwaukee River Conference Boys Tennis Tournament.

Prairie Ridge softball won at least a share of the Fox Valley Conference championship with a 1-0 win over Burlington Central on Monday. Plus more softball, baseball, girls soccer and girls lacrosse scores.

Harvard's Tallulah Eichholz hit two home runs and struck out 11 while her sister Leona hit a walk-off, two-run blast to beat Dundee-Crown, Prairie Ridge's Reese Mosolino struck out 10 in a shutout against Marengo, plus more in Saturday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Jacobs edged McHenry in baseball, Hampshire topped Burlington Central, Dundee-Crown's Oreoluwa Sobodu won three events at the Kane County Boys Track and Field Meet, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Crystal Lake Central's Oli Victorine struck out 17 in a one-hit shutout, Kylee Nicholson pitched Woodstock North past Richmond-Burton, Hampshire's Bria Riebel hit two homers, Huntley's Maizie Nickle scored six goals, and more in Thursday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Crystal Lake South baseball scored four runs in the sixth to rally and beat McHenry, Burlington Central edged Prairie Ridge, Cary-Grove shut out Huntley, and more baseball, softball and lacrosse results in Wednesday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Woodstock, which sat in third place after 16 of 18 events, stormed back to win the Kishwaukee River Conference Girls Track and Field Meet championship Tuesday for the fourth time in five years.

Area athletes compete in the Kishwaukee River Conference Girls Track and Field Meet on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at Marengo High School.

Alice Sondergaard hit a three-run, walk-off home run as Hampshire softball beat Huntley, McHenry's Natalie Bender threw a complete game in a 1-0 win over Burlington Central, plus more results in Tuesday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.