Preseason

Preseason

Rolling Meadows senior Max Christie, one of the best basketball players in the country who is signed to play at Michigan State, says he’s happy to be able to play a season, even if it’s shorter than normal and without a state tournament.

At least they can play: High school athletes happy they've now got a season

There won't be madness in March. And masks will be required, even in competition. But at least high school basketball players in Illinois will have basketball again.
Longtime Naperville Central coach Dick Smith with one of his former players, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, and Saints QB Drew Brees.

Smith remembered for decades of impact on Naperville athletes

Dick Smith, who coached a variety of sports at Naperville Central High School from 1950-1984, died recently at the age of 98.
Brett Kuczynski, a former Montini football player, now plays for New Smyrna Beach High School in Florida. He made the decision to leave Montini when the IHSA football season was moved to

'I think I made the right decision': Former Montini lineman Kuczynski is playing football in Florida

Fridays feel like Fridays again for Brett Kuczynski. The senior is playing high school football. In the fall, even though fall football in Illinois has been shut down due to COVID-19. The former Montini student moved to his grandfather's vacation home in Florida and is now a student and football player at New Smyrna Beach High School.
Glenbard West’s Braden Spiech passes the ball against Hinsdale Central last season.

A fall without football: Local seniors tell us their thoughts

Friday was supposed to be opening night for the 2020 high school football season. But due to COVID-19 restrictions, the IHSA has postponed the season to the spring of 2021. We asked five local seniors to write their thoughts about not playing football this fall.
Craig Anderson

IHSA postpones board meeting, will meet with state agencies Friday

Illinois High School Association executive director Craig Anderson said on Tuesday that the association's board meeting scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed to July 29.
With growing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 high school football season might not happen this fall.

It's time for fall season in some sports to be put on hold

The time has come for the state and Illinois High School Association to put some fall sports on an indefinite hold.
Scott and Kristy Miller with their son, Scotty, and his wife, Jenna. The Barrington High School grad is a wide receiver for the Super Bowl-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Scotty Miller's dad: 'He failed every eye test when he was 17'
Even though their seats were in the rafters of Lambeau Field in Green Bay last Sunday, the cheers from Scott and Kristy Miller were likely heard all the way back in Barrington.
Could the triple option offense work at Illinois? Jeff Monken coaches it at Army and is on the list of potential candidates to replace Lovie Smith as the Illini’s new head coach.
Illinois struggles to recruit in-state kids. Could Jeff Monken's triple option fix that?
Ted Monken, part of one of the most successful high school football coaching families in Illinois, talks about why the state school has had such a hard time recruiting, and about someone he knows well who could help improve it.
Warren High School football coach Bryan McNulty talks with Daily Herald sports writer Patricia Babcock McGraw about the delayed season due to COVID-19 restrictions.
No Friday Night Lights: Warren players feel the void
Members of the Warren football team, which advanced to the Class 8A state championship game in 2019, talk about what they are missing most about Friday Night Lights and what they are doing to keep themselves prepared for a possible season in the spring of 2021.
Wheaton Warrenville South football coach Ron Muhitch says his program will not host the Red Grange Classic 7-on-7 tournament this summer.
No ignoring reality that Red Grange Classic won't happen
Wheaton Warrenville South's annual Red Grange Classic is regarded as one of the state's top 7-on-7 tournaments. It won't take place this summer, however, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to delay the return of football.
Barrington High School football coach Joe Sanchez shares a moment with Scotty Miller, a 2015 graduate, now a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, after the Bucs’ final regular-season game Jan. 3 against Atlanta.
Barrington coach Sanchez: Miller has remained a part of the community
Humble, grateful and a part of the community. That's how Barrington head football coach Joe Sanchez describes 2015 graduate Scotty Miller, a wide receiver for the Super Bowl-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
COURTESY OF DICK QUAGLIANO Fremd’s Jack Walsh, sitting, signed his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday to play football at the University of Wyoming. He was joined at the signing by his family, including brother Jimmy, from left, dad John, mom Kathy and brother Stephen.
Local football players ink National Letters of Intent
The following local football players are signing a Division I National Letter of Intent during the three-day early signing period that began Wednesday and runs through Friday. There also is a second signing period in February. Information was supplied by school athletic directors.
Former Burlington Central and Northern Illinois standout Dan Sheldon is being featured on NFL games in a Pepsi commercial.
Pepsi commercial puts Elgin native Sheldon back in front of the camera
Life in the fast lane has always suited Dan Sheldon. The former Burlington Central High School and Northern Illinois University football standout is now living in Southern California and recently was featured in a Pepsi commercial during NFL games.
Elk Grove’s Ken Grams would have celebrated 55 years announcing football games at the school on Friday night until the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the season.
Elk Grove's Grams will miss not being in booth for 1st time in 55 years
Elk Grove's Ken Grams would have been in the press box Friday night for the 55th straight year, announcing the school's first football game of the season, a season postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brady Seaburg and his father Brad pose at the Missouri Western football stadium. Brady, 14, created a website featuring more than 250 football stadiums he and his family have visited. Brad Seaburg is the head football coach at Cary-Grove High School.
Family vacation: Cary-Grove's Seaburg family knows how to do it right
Brady Seaburg, the 14-year old son of Cary-Grove football coach Brad Seaburg, has created a website featuring photos of more than 250 football stadiums across the country the family has visited.
Texas to delay high school football for big schools amid coronavirus pandemic
The University Interscholastic League, which administers high school sports in the state of Texas, announced Tuesday that the high school football seasons for schools with large enrollments will be delayed by one month while smaller schools will be allowed to start their football seasons at their usual time.
Jacobs tabs Zimmerman as interim head coach
Brian Zimmerman has been named Jacobs' interim head football coach
Bill Mitz, a Hall of Fame football coach at Jacobs and Stevenson high schools, stepped down as Jacobs’ head coach Tuesday.
Jacobs football coach Mitz steps down
Jacobs High School is looking for an interim head football coach after Bill Mitz resigned Tuesday.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Preseason Videos