Patrick McGavin

Oswego East's Erika Smiley, left, hugs teammate Anya Gulbrandsen after Gulbrandsen scored the first goal against St. Charles North during a game in the Naperville Invitational on Saturday, April 23, 2022.

Patrick Z. McGavin’s top 10 teams and 25 players to watch in the Aurora-Elgin area for 2023 girls soccer season

March 13, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.

Top 10 Teams 1. Metea Valley: Mustangs return six starters from their Class 3A state championship team, including three top scorers in senior midfielder Jordan Lange (North Central College), senior...

Metea Valley's Lucy Burk (23) defends against Lincoln-Way Central's Emma Vogler (9) during a Class 3A state semifinal game at North Central College in Naperville on Friday, June 3, 2022.

Pass-first Lucy Burk gets back to work for reigning state champ Metea Valley. ‘She really values relationships.’

March 13, 2023 at 10:21 a.m.

As far as forwards go, junior Lucy Burk breaks the mold for Metea Valley. Even though she can score goals, the Northern Michigan recruit is the rare attacking player who's...

Batavia's Sydney Perry, top, is all smiles as she gets close to a pin on El Paso-Gridley's Valerie Hamilton during the 145-pound state championship match in Bloomington on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023.

Batavia’s Sydney Perry is the 2022-23 Beacon-News/Courier-News Girls Wrestler of the Year: ‘I just try to keep true to myself.’

March 9, 2023 at 2:11 p.m.

It goes without saying that Batavia junior Sydney Perry is far from being your stereotypical suburban teenage girl. Her chosen sport immediately puts that notion to rest. At the same...

St. Charles East's Ben Davino, top, tries to control Libertyville's Caelan Riley during a 120 -pound match at the Wheaton Warrenville South Mega Duals in Wheaton on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021.

St. Charles East’s Ben Davino is the 2022-23 Beacon-News/Courier-News Boys Wrestler of the Year: ‘My goal is to be the best.’

March 9, 2023 at 1:06 p.m.

Being a face in the crowd does not appeal to St. Charles East junior Ben Davino. Yearning to find his place, Davino deduced that meant making it to the top...

All Stories

Patrick Z. McGavin’s top 10 teams and 25 players to watch in the Aurora-Elgin area for 2023 girls soccer season

Pass-first Lucy Burk gets back to work for reigning state champ Metea Valley. ‘She really values relationships.’

Batavia’s Sydney Perry is the 2022-23 Beacon-News/Courier-News Girls Wrestler of the Year: ‘I just try to keep true to myself.’

St. Charles East’s Ben Davino is the 2022-23 Beacon-News/Courier-News Boys Wrestler of the Year: ‘My goal is to be the best.’

Introducing the 2022-23 Beacon-News/Courier-News Wrestling All-Area Team

Making the supersectional inspired Marmion’s Jabe Haith. Regardless of outcome, it ‘meant the world to me.’

De La Salle’s Bryant Hedrick knows one day does not a season make. But this one did. ‘The coaches took us on a trip.’

Bartlett’s Emma Engels finds right angle to win program’s first state title. ‘She works overtime all the time.’

AJ Marino turns up the volume, sparks St. Charles East past Marmion for state title. ‘I was not going to lose.’

Ryan Johnson erupts as Oswego East tops West Aurora for 4th time, wins regional. ‘I’m trying to be that senior leader.’