Willowbrook Preps

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

Lyons senior wide receiver/defensive back Travis Stamm and Downers Grove North senior linebacker/running back Jake Gregorio were among Suburban Life area football players named to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State teams released Wednesday.

Downers Grove North's boys cross country team, ranked No. 1 since preseason, ran away with a dominating repeat Class 3A state championship, while in a tight 3A girls race York took second and Downers Grove North third. And Benet's Finn Richards won the Class 2A boys state title.

Pushing Catholic League power St. Rita to the limit, Willowbrook did eventually succumb 21-9 in a Class 7A second-round matchup in Villa Park.

St. Rita faces Willowbrook in Round 2 of the 2024 Class 7A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive correspondent Scott Schmid will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Willowbrook senior Amelie Ojeda, who finished the 2.9-mile Legge Memorial Park course in 16:35.58 to win the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional, becoming Willowbrook’s first girls cross country sectional champion, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote.

York senior linebacker Evan Gaughan, after missing most of last season with a broken collarbone in Week 4, had made an impact in his return, leading the Dukes in tackles. That, Willowbrook's big Round 1 win and more in Bob Narang's football notes.

Here are previews and picks for all the second-round games for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Willowbrook senior Amelie Ojeda, sidelined outdoor track season after being struck in the eye by an errantly thrown baseball, continued her return Saturday, becoming her school's first girls cross country sectional champion. Meanwhile Downers Grove North swept the team titles.

Here are previews and picks for all the first-round games for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

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

Hannah Kenny still has a few more matches as one of the greats in Willowbrook girls volleyball history before graduating early in December and playing for the University of Louisville. The four-year starter is more enthusiastic about contributing to the Warriors’ greatest era.

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.

Marli Smrz intercepted four passes and threw two touchdown passes, her dominant two-way play sending Willowbrook past West Aurora 16-0 in Wednesday's sectional final and sending the Warriors to the first IHSA flag football state finals this weekend at Willowbrook.

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.

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Week 7 of the 2024 high school football season

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

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

Downers Grove South hosted Willowbrook in girls volleyball on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024.

Sylvia Masiulionis had back-to-back kills, the second for set point, to turn away Willowbrook's late comeback, and Downers Grove South went on to beat the visiting Warriors 27-25, 25-18 to snap Willowbrook's 29-match West Suburban Gold win streak.

'It's changing football.' Willowbrook and Addison Trail are among the well over 100 schools embracing the first year of IHSA-sanctioned girls flag football.

Hannah Kenny had 10 kills and 14 assists as Willowbrook volleyball rallied past Hinsdale Central in three sets, Benet volleyball beat Glenbard West to stay unbeaten and Timothy Christian and Glenbard East were also winners in Thursday's roundup.

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

Coming on in relief after starting quarterback Aidan Kanazawa was shaken up on a hit, Dominic West led Downers Grove South to a come-from-behind 18-16 West Suburban Gold conference win over Willowbrook in Villa Park.

Willowbrook hosted Downers Grove South on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024 in Week 4 football.

Timothy Christian and Willowbrook volleyball were both winners, and Willowbrook boys golf won its Ryder Cup Quad in Thursday's Suburban Life sports roundup.

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

Congratulations to these 22 high school football players who made the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week for Week 3 of the 2024 season

Willowbrook ran for 309 yards Friday in a win over Addison Trail.

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

Glenbard North improved to 2-0 on the season, outlasting Willowbrook 19-7 Friday night in Carol Stream in a game defined by gritty defense and clutch performances on both sides of the football.

Willowbrook junior Marli Smrz, who contributed passing, receiving and on defense in wins over Morton and Freeport, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Joshua Welge.

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

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.

After a 57-yard kickoff return by Amonte Cook, Michael Nee found Muhammad Musleh for a 23-yard score with two seconds left to give visiting Glenbard East an improbable 30-23 victory at Willowbrook Friday in a wild finish.

Willowbrook hosted Glenbard East in the first week of the 2024 football season on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.

Glenbard East faces Willowbrook to open Week 1 of the 2024 IHSA football season. Friday Night Drive correspondent Scott Schmid will have live updates, scores and news from the game

Hannah Kenny had 12 kills, 16 assists and 11 digs to lead Willowbrook volleyball past Young in three sets, and Nazareth won four of five doubles matches to beat Wheaton Academy tennis in a dual meet.

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.

Willowbrook, York and Glenbard South volleyball were all winners in Monday season openers.

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

Can Downers Grove North build off a 2023 season that ended in the state championship game? Can York keep rolling with a new head coach? Can Downers Grove South three-peat in the Gold? Team breakdowns, five players to watch, five can't miss games and Steve Soucie's predictions.

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

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.

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.

In a game with six combined hits, Lake Park took advantage of opportunities to beat Willowbrook 4-1 in the Class 4A Willowbrook Regional final.

Downers Grove North won six events Thursday on its way to the team title at the Class 3A Glenbard North Sectional.