IC Catholic Preps

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

Dreams finally became a reality for Timothy Christian. After consecutive years of having to watch IC Catholic Prep celebrate, the Trojans finally were able to flip the sectional script Thursday.

IC Catholic outlasted Richmond-Burton 25-21, 20-25, 27-25 in the first semifinal at the Class 2A Marian Central Sectional, and Timothy Christian swept Rockford Christian 25-17, 25-21 to set up a third straight sectional title match between the crosstown rivals.

The CCL/ESCC announced its 2024 season awards for each of the six divisions. Here are all the coach and individual awards, including all-conference honors.

Abby Vander Wal was raised on Timothy Christian girls volleyball, and this year the Texas recruit has reached 1,300 career kills while leading a record-breaking Trojans' team that has won 33 consecutive matches. That, plus notes on IC Catholic Prep and more from Bill Stone.

Here are the first-round matchups for each CCL/ESCC team. Dates and times will be updated when confirmed.

Here are previews and picks for Week 8's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

With one week left to earn playoff qualification, there are plenty of CCL/ESCC teams battling for a spot. Here are where teams stand before Week 9 kicks off.

There is only one week left to earn a spot in the postseason, and plenty of Suburban Life area teams still are battling for a spot. Here are where teams stand before Week 9 kicks off.

Here are previews and picks for Week 8's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

There’s two weeks left to earn playoff qualification and there are plenty of CCL/ESCC teams battling for a spot. Here are where teams stand before Week 8 kicks off.

Loyola's defense has turned a corner over the past three weeks, highlighted in a 42-6 win over Providence on Saturday. Plus more CCL/ESCC notes on Marist, Mount Carmel, Joliet Catholic and playoff chances.

There are only two weeks left to earn a spot in the postseason, and plenty of Suburban Life area teams still are battling for a spot. Here are where teams stand before Week 8 kicks off.

Timothy Christian, which on Tuesday became the first outright winner in the Chicagoland Christian Conference, on Friday will face York in the "Battle of Elmhurst" under the Friday night lights. That, IC Catholic Prep's big win and Morton forward's four-goal night in soccer notes.

Here are previews and picks for Week 7's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Filling in for the injured TyVonn Ransom, Tivias Caldwell ran for 141 yards and a 2-yard TD with 2:03 left to lift St. Francis to a 21-13 victory over IC Catholic Prep on Friday.

Here are previews and picks for Week 6's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

John McAuliffe scored five touchdowns, four in the second quarter, as Marist held off IC Catholic Prep 34-26 to make former York coach Mike Fitzgerald a winner in his return to Elmhurst. ICCP quarterback Will Bryk threw for 304 yards in leading the Knights' rally.

Here are previews and picks for Week 5's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

For defensive back Garrett Reese and offensive tackle Sam Stec, the Nazareth football team’s 33-0 victory over IC Catholic Prep was especially sweet Friday. The seniors attended ICCP as freshmen before transferring schools.

Here are previews and picks for Week 4's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Here are previews and picks for Week 3's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Here is a previews and picks for Week 2's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Saturday was a special moment for Marist head coach Mike Fitzgerald as he returned to the RedHawks sideline. Plus more CCL/ESCC notes on St. Francis' defense, Carmel's Trae Taylor, Mount Carmel's and Loyola's defense and Brother Rice's young offense.

Nazareth's Sam Stec comes from a family of football players that played Division I college ball. The senior lineman is motivated to add to that legacy, and win a third title at Nazareth. That, plus IC Catholic's big win in St. Louis and more.

Join hosts Josh Welge and Joel Boenitz as they break down what happened in Week 1 in high school football in the western suburbs and look ahead to Week 2

Here is the schedule of upcoming games and matches for the week of Sept. 3 in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Here is a previews and picks for Week 1's games for the 2024 season for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

The 2024 girls volleyball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

There's still a lot of consistency in the year-to-year playoff field's qualifiers. But there's also been some recently injected variability into the equation which makes trying to projected the 2024 field even more chaotic.

The 2024 boys soccer season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.

Here is the schedule of upcoming games and matches for the week of Aug. 26 in the Suburban Life coverage area.

The Tigers are taking full aim to get past the quarterfinal hurdle this year. Should they not, however, PHS coach Ryan Pearson would not necessarily consider the season a failure.

Nazareth will try to win a third straight state championship for the first time in program history while IC Catholic, St. Francis and St. Rita look for deeper runs in the postseason.

Can Nazareth three-peat? Can York keep its resurgence going with a new head coach? Can Downers Grove North and Montini build off big seasons? And who are players to watch? Here are Joshua Welge's top football storylines to watch in the Suburban Life area for the 2024 season.

With the release of the 2024 statewide football schedule, here are the top games week by week to watch in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Illinois high school football teams and fans can finally set their falls schedules now that the IHSA released its statewide football schedule. These will be the top matchups to watch in the CCL/ESCC over the nine-week regular season.

Presenting the 2024 Suburban Life All-Area Softball Team.

Analisa Raffaelli is the 2024 Suburban Life Softball Player of the Year.

Senior shortstop and Colgate recruit Analisa Raffaelli of sectional champion IC Catholic Prep was named Class 2A All-State first team by the Illinois Coaches Association, leading area players earning All-State recognition in voting released this past weekend.

Lexi Russ continued her sensational freshman year by singling and scoring IC Catholic Prep's first run and doubling in the go-ahead run, but North Boone rallied with three runs in the fifth to beat the Knights 5-3 in the Class 2A Benedictine University Supersectional.

Westmont's Abraham Johnson, Wheaton Warrenville-South's Amari Williams, Hinsdale Central's Aden Bandukwala, and Downers Grove North's Philip Cupial and 4x800-meter relay team each came away from Saturday's meet with a state title.

Wheaton North softball is zeroing in on its first conference and regional titles since 1986, as the Falcons take a one-game lead into the final week of DuKane play and have earned a No. 1 sectional seed. That, and notes on Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South and IC Catholic.

Led by "three little studs" — freshmen Kelly Cahill, Ariani Zito and Lexi Russ — IC Catholic Prep is 20-3 on the season, averaging over 10 runs a game. That, plus notes on York and record-breaking Wheaton North shortstop Reagan Crosthwaite in Joshua Welge's softball notes.

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

The 2024 girls track and field season goes outdoors soon. Here are previews of teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

IC Catholic Prep senior shortstop Analisa Raffaelli, who is hitting .676 with nine extra-base hits and 18 runs scored through eight games and led the Knights to a 5-0 record in their trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote.

A huge junior class led by All-State forward Ashlyn Adams, coupled with young talent, has Wheaton Warrenville South off to a 2-0 start. That, plus notes on Hinsdale Central, Glenbard West and IC Catholic Prep in Chris Walker's Suburban Life soccer notes.

York seniors Gavin Schaer and Lainey Paul enjoy record-breaking weekend in the pole vault, plus York, Hinsdale South, IC Catholic Prep and Lemont athletes win events at Top Times in Bill Stone's track and field notebook.

The 2024 high school softball season starts this week. Here are previews of teams from around the Suburban Life coverage area.