By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, This week, I want to start out by saying, a warm welcome to the New Year, 2026. What has Father Time done? It seems like the years just fly by, as we get older. This year, marks the 250th year of our great country of
By Bobby Narang The Batavia High School boys basketball team entered the 51st Annual Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament with several questions marks. Was the Batavia Bulldogs early start a true indicator of their potential? The Bulldogs opened the season with two wins in their first seven games. Close losses to
Thursday, Jan. 8Non-conferencePlano at Morris, 7Riverside-Brookfield at Streamwood, 7 Friday, Jan. 9Catholic League Blue*St. Francis at St. Laurence, 7Catholic League White*IC Catholic at Providence-St. Mel, 7Leo at Montini, 7Marmion at St. Francis de Sales, 7DuKaneGeneva at Wheaton North, 7St. Charles East at Batavia, 7St. Charles North at Glenbard North, 7Wheaton-Warr.
Rick Armstrong, who has covered high school sports for newspapers in Illinois for approximately 50 years, will be presented with the IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award Friday, Jan. 9 at West Aurora High School, 1201 W New York St., Aurora, as a part of a varsity girls/boys basketball doubleheader between
Saturday, Dec. 13NCAA Division III quarterfinalNorth Central College 35, Bethel University 21NCAA Division III quarterfinalIllinois State 42, UC Davis 31NCAA Division III quarterfinalUW-River Falls 46, Wheaton College 21Celebration BowlSouth Carolina State 40, Prairie View A&M 38LA BowlWashington 38, Boise State 10 Tuesday, Dec. 16Salute to Veterans BowlJacksonville State 17, Troy
Thursday, Jan. 8Rutgers at Illinois, 7:30 p.m., BTNNorthwestern at Michigan State, 5:30 p.m, BTNTennessee Tech at Eastern Illinois, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+Tennessee State University at Western Illinois, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+ Saturday, Jan. 10Clemson at Notre Dame, 5 p.m., ESPN2DePaul at UConn, 11:30 a.m.Loyola Chicago at George Washington, 2 p.m., CBSSNUIC at
By Bobby Narang Glenbard East High School is on the right track. After a memorable showing last season followed by a strong effort in the summer, the Rams are among the top boys basketball teams in Chicagoland entering the new calendar year, Senior guard Keenan House is one of the
Friday, Jan. 2Non-conferenceRock Island at DeKalb, 7 Saturday, Jan. 3Non-conferenceDundee-Crown at Round Lake, noonEvergreen Park at Naperville North, noonGeneva at Belvidere North, 4:30Joliet Central at Sandburg, 11:30 a.m.Joliet West at Warren, 5:30Lake Park at Bartlett, 3Lockport at Plainfield North, 1Oswego at Brother Rice, 1:30Pecatonica at North Boone, 3Plainfield Cen. at
Thursday, Jan. 1Evansville at Illinois State, 2 p.m., ESPNBradley at Belmont, 6 p.m., ESPN+Murray State at UIC, 8 p.m.Eastern Illinois at Southeast Missouri, 7:30 p.m., ESPNWestern Illinois at UT Martin, 3:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2Notre Dame at Cal, 10 a.m., ESPN2Lewis University at McKendree University, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3Illinois
By Bobby Narang Glenbard East High School senior guard Keenan House is back on the court this season. The 6-foot-2 House has taken a unique journey in his varsity career. He played on the lower levels at Bolingbrook in his first two seasons, but his path took an odd turn
Aurora Christian High School’s Evelyn Klimek (3) goes up for a shot against Rosary December 20.
West Aurora High School’s Amon Greene rebounds while being defended by Streamwood’s Jesse Sanchez (13) and Damarion Smith (12) December 16.
Friday, Dec. 26Bloomington / Normal*Small SchoolsJoliet Catholic vs. Tri-Valley, 10:30 a.m.Aurora Christian vs. Rock Falls, 9:30 a.m.Large SchoolsMetea Valley vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais, 9:30 a.m.Peoria vs. Joliet Central, 10:30 a.m.Wheaton-Warr. South vs. Glenwood, noonEast AuroraFinalsElginSemifinalsHinsdale Central*St. Laurence vs. Wheaton Academy, 9:30 a.m.Schaumburg vs. Burlington Central, 11 a.m.Niles North vs. Lincoln-Way East, 12:30Plainfield
The Jewel Middle School Cheer Team took first place this year, earning a three-peat, and has finished in first place five out of the last six years the competition was held. (first place 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, third place in 2022, no competition due to COVID in 2020.) That
Monday, Dec. 29Southern at Illinois, 2 p.m., BTNNorth Central College vs. Lake Forest, 4 p.mIllinois Tech at UIC, 3 p.m., ESPNIllinois State at Drake, 8 p.m., Varsity NetEvansville at Bradley, 7 p.m., ESPN+ Tuesday, Dec. 30Howard at Northwestern Illinois, 4 p.m.Buffalo at Northern Illinois, 7 p.m., ESPN+Notre Dame at Stanford,
By Bobby Narang Montini Catholic High School junior quarterback Israel Abrams is looking to put a final touch on his illustrious career. Less than two years ago, in the middle of his sophomore season, Abrams was an unknown player. Although he shined in camps and his reputation as a potential
Thursday, Dec. 18West Suburban SilverDowners Grove N. at Hinsdale Central, 6:30Non-conferenceLake Forest at Benet, 7Orlando (Fla.)Aurora Christian vs. Lake View-Fort Oglethorpe (Ga.), 2 Friday, Dec. 19Catholic League White*Aurora Central at IC Catholic, 7:30Providence at Montini, 7Providence-St. Mel at Marmion, 7DuKaneBatavia at Geneva, 7Lake Park at Glenbard North, 7:30St. Charles North
