Five softball storylines to watch in Kane County in the 2025 season

The softball season is approaching as winter sports come to an end. Here are five storylines to watch in Kane County for the 2025 season.

Can St. Charles North repeat as state champion?

St. Charles North capped its 2024 season in grand fashion, winning the Class 4A state title with a 7-2 victory over Marist for its second championship in three seasons.

The last time the North Stars attempted a title defense, they fell just short, losing in the sectional championship to Lake Park in 2023.

Can they avoid a similar fate and make it back to Peoria this time around?

The pieces are there to make it happen. The North Stars return seven of their 11 starters from last year’s title game, including reigning Kane County Chronicle Softball Player of the Year Paige Murray in the circle, as well as outfielder and Loyola commit Mack Patterson to lead the offense.

Coach Tom Poulin and his players know there will be a target on their back, especially with the Illinois Coaches Association ranking the North Stars as the No. 1 team in Class 4A in the preseason rankings. Poulin is hoping his team can take each game one pitch at a time all the way to winning another state title.

What can we expect from St. Charles East junior Hayden Sujack this season?

Hayden Sujack has established herself as one of the best players in Kane County in her first two seasons at St. Charles East.

Last season, the South Carolina commit batted .415 and had an .887 slugging percentage. She hit 11 home runs and 17 doubles and had 39 RBIs on her way to earning first-team All-State honors.

So what’s in the cards for Sujack as she hits her upperclassmen seasons?

Besides the expected offensive prowess, there’s a chance she will change positions. After losing catcher Sam Gaca to graduation, Sujack, who’s played in the outfield the past two seasons, seems the most likely fit to be the replacement behind the plate.

Can Kaneland keep its regional streak alive?

Despite finishing the regular season with a sub-.500 record, Kaneland still managed to pull off back-to-back upsets of Crystal Lake Central and Woodstock North to win its ninth consecutive regional title last season.

Can they make it 10 in a row?

The Knights have a favorable draw heading into the season. The team is ranked 14th best in Class 3A in the ICA preseason rankings.

Kaneland’s pitching firepower comes from junior Brynn Woods. In her sophomore season, she finished with 154 strikeouts, 18 walks and a 1.75 ERA.

Will we see a rumble from Aurora Central Catholic?

Aurora Central Catholic has been a team on the rise.

The Chargers finished last season with a 23-6 record, their best under coach Mark Pasquilini, and enter the 2025 season as the No. 13th-ranked team in Class 2A.

A lot of it has to do with the returning talent. The Chargers have three of their four All-State honorees coming back – offensive standouts Kate Gambro and Sophia Delgado and Corina Miller in the circle.

The Chargers have not won a regional title since 2019, which is also the last time they won a sectional crown. Will this be the year they break their spell?

Can Burlington Central take another jump?

When Bill Morrow took over as coach of Burlington Central in January 2024, he said he wanted to return the program to prominence.

In his first season, he led the Rockets to a 15-19 record and 7-11 mark in the Fox Valley Conference, both improvements from the previous season.

Can the Rockets continue to rise in their second season under Morrow?

Junior pitcher Isabelle Reed finished last season with a 3.13 ERA and 110 strikeouts over 76 innings and the Rockets have plenty of returners on offense including Olivia Sutton, Mei Shirokawa and Allie Botkin.