See the best suburban sports photos of 2023 from Daily Herald staff photojournalists.
The Lake Zurich High School football team and coaches line up on the goal line for the National Anthem before a game in Mundelein on Friday, October 13, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Willowbrook’s Elle Bruschuk dives for a Barrington hit in the Class 4A girls volleyball state third-place match at Illinois State University in Normal on Saturday, October 11, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Streamwood's Nick Weaver, left, and pitcher Miguel Rodriguez, right, celebrate their win over South Elgin during Tuesday’s baseball game in Streamwood. One of their coaches takes a tumble during the excitement. (Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com)
Geneva's Jimmy Rasmussen (15) and Glenbard West's Jack Oberhofer (44) react after Rasmussen knocked down a three as time ran off the clock to win the IHSA Class 4A Geneva regional championship game Friday February 24, 2023 in Geneva. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
Elgin’s Xavier Salinas (17) celebrates his first-half goal with teammate Alberto Gayten during the boys Class 3A boys soccer supersectional match against Glenbrook North at Barrington Tuesday. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Fremd’s Sam Tyska runs in a touchdown to make the score 20-13 in the second quarter against Hoffman Estates in a football game in Hoffman Estates on Friday, October 20, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Hoffman Estates’ Peyton Young reacts with teammates Ziya Cooks and Bhavya Muthu, right, after defeating Buffalo Grove in the first set of the regional championship match in Buffalo Grove on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Fremd shortstop Anna Poss tags out Barrington’s Emma Kavanaugh as she tries to steal second base in a softball game in Palatine on Monday, April 24, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Libertyville's Cole Lockwood is tagged out at home by Stevenson catcher Luca Morelli during a baseball game in Lincolnshire. (Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com)
Rain spirals off the soccer ball as Naperville North's Sam Hess (3) collides with Collinsville's Dane Compton (2) in an attempt to head the ball during the IHSA Class 3A East Aurora boys Super sectional Tuesday October 31, 2023 in Aurora. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
Neuqua Valley’s Vytis Lewitan drags down Palatine’s Dominik Ball with hel[p from Hayden Foley in a Class 8A first round playoff football game in Naperville on Friday, October 27, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Neuqua Valley’s Zawadi Brown celebrates after her team won the class 3A 800-meter relay during the girls state track and field finals in Charleston. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Palatine's Ryan Donnelly (18) and Palatine's Connor May (10) celebrate a touchdown over St. Charles North's Michael Hyde (7) Friday August 25, 2023 in St. Charles. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
Lake Zurich’s Bryce Erkman pulls down Stevenson’s Armand Burris by the shirt tail in a football game in Lincolnshire on Friday, September 8, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Barrington's Brendan Beals (1) stomps on home plate as he scores on a passed ball during the IHSA Class 4A Mundelein baseball sectional semifinal Thursday June 1, 2023. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
Glenbrook North’s Owen Giannoulias, left, tries to strip the ball from Glenbrook South’s RJ Davis Jr. during a game in Glenview. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Glenbrook South’s Katie Willits, right, reacts after finishing a close second to New Trier’s Anna Rivera in the 800-meter relay during the Central Suburban League South indoor girls track meet at Glenbrook South High School in Glenview. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Glenbrook South’s James Hiltebrand crosses the finish line while competing in the 800-meter run during the Glenbrook South John Davis Titan boys track invite in Glenview. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Nazareth pitcher Cooper Malamazian celebrates after the Roadrunners defeated Grayslake Central 7-2 in the Class 3A state championship baseball game in Joliet. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Glenbrook North’s John Ihrke wins the 800-meter run during the Deerfield Class 3A boys track sectional. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Glenbrook South's Noah Chen leaves the starting block in the 200-yard individual medley during a swimming meet in Northbrook. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Joe Lewnard/Daily Herald
Naperville Central players warm up with the setting sun before a football game in Aurora against Waubonsie Valley on Friday, September 15, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Glenbrook North players cheer for a teammate who entered the contest as a late-game substitution and scored during the Class 4A girls basketball regional final against York. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
A pass to Montini's Josiah James, middle, is broken up by Byron's Ashton Henkel, left, as the Tigers’ Byron’s Kye Aken helps with coverage during the Class 3A semifinal game in Lombard. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Mother McAuley's Becca Enquist (1) tries to push the ball away from Stevenson's Camila Maya (16) during the IHSA State Water Polo state finals match Saturday May 20, 2023 at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
Glenbard East's Nathanial Schram (50) signals to the crowd as he is wheeled off the field on a stretcher during the IHSA Class 7A quarterfinals Saturday November 11, 2023 in Lombard. The Rams, lost starting guard Nate Schram to a serious leg injury in the second quarter. "That was tough on us -- we had to reshuffle our offensive line," Head Coach Walters said of Schram's injury. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
South Elgin football players (in white) join with their coaches and members of the Glenbard East football team and staff for a moment of silence for two South Elgin students who were killed in a crash Thursday. Players gathered on the 50-yard line before the start of the game in Lombard on Sept. 01, 2023. (Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com)
Benet Academy reacts after losing to O’Fallon during the IHSA Class 4A girls basketball championship game at the CEFCU Arena on the campus of Illinois State University Saturday March 4, 2023 in Normal. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
Heat two of the 100m hurdles during the DuKane Conference girls Outdoor Championships Thursday May 4, 2023 in Wheaton. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
Barrington girls basketball coach Babbi Barreiro celebrates her 500th career victory with her team following the Fillies’ 70-64 win over Prospect. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Grayslake North’s Uros Mitrovic holds his shoe as play continues in a boys basketball game against Grayslake North at Central High School no Tuesday, January 24, 2023. His shoe came off when he was stepped on at the other end of the court. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
The girls junior varsity race starts as the sun sets at 6:30 at the Naperville Twilight Cross Country meet at Naperville North High School on Wednesday night, October 4, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Hersey center fielder Connor Kave makes a diving catch to end the first inning during the MSL baseball championship game at Barrington. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
A fan arrives to find available seating in the rain at Mundelein High School before a game against Lake Zurich on Friday, October 13, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Lakes' Ray Sundquist (3) celebrates a point with her teamates moments before winning game one of the regional girls volleyball championship against Carmel in Mundelein. (Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com)
Glenbrook South’s Josh Wolf stretches for a layup between Glenbrook North defenders including Ryan Cohen, right, during a game in Glenview. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Glenbrook South’s Courtney Carlson dives into the plate and past the catcher's helmet as she scores during a softball game against Glenbrook North. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
New Tier players reacts to the Trevians’ 42-40 victory over Glenbrook South during the Class 4A boys basketball New Trier sectional semifinal in Northfield. Evan Kanellos, top, scored the game-winning basket on a buzzer-beater. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Benet comes together as Mother McAuley celebrates thier win in the Class 4A girls volleyball state championship match at Illinois State University in Normal on Saturday, October 11, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Naperville North’s Alessandra Woods runs under an overcast sky at dusk during the junior varsity race at the Naperville Twilight Cross Country meet at Naperville North High School on Wednesday night, October 4, 2023. She placed second overall. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Warren’s X’ Zavion Montgomery catches a pass for a touchdown ahead of South Elgin’s Stewart Williams during the Class 8A second-round football game at South Elgin. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Glenbard North right fielder Kaiden Feinstein is fired up after making a diving catch for a Geneva out during a baseball game in Carol Stream. (Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com)
Barrington’s Devan Van Ness leads the Broncos in the school fight song after they defeated Naperville Central in a second round of Class 8A playoff football game in Barrington on Saturday, November 4, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Despite getting poked in the nose, St. Charles North’s Colin Ross gets a rebound against Naperville North’s Grant Montanari in a boys basketball game in St. Charles on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
John Starks
Rolling Meadows goalkeeper Marceli Okonski takes control of a Palatine corner kick in a boys soccer game in Palatine on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Hersey’s Victoria Wrona struggles to control the ball against Conant in the MSL championship girls water polo match in Mount Prospect on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. (John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com)
Round Lake goalkeeper Gio Ayala makes a save in the net during an IHSA class 3A sectional semifinal boys soccer game against Streamwood in Round Lake. (Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com)
Elgin’s Grace Tetrev, 9, makes a diving attempt to catch a shot to center field during the Larkin softball slugfest Saturday April 15, 2023 at the Elgin sports softball complex. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
From front left, Glenbrook South’s Gina Davorija, Anna Rosenberger, Loyola Academy’s Kelsey Langston and the Titans’ Christina Korompilas try to take possession of the ball during the final seconds of the game in Glenview. (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com)
Ashley Huang of Wheaton North competes in the pole vault during the DuKane Conference girls Outdoor Championships Thursday May 4, 2023 in Wheaton. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
Larkin's Jasavion Rogers-Sowers (2) loses the ball after colliding with Elgin's Kristian Davis (25) Friday January 13, 2023 in Elgin. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)
Brian Hill/Daily Herald
Brady Johnson of West Chicago competes in the Boys 100 Yard Backstroke during the IHSA Boys state swim finals Saturday February 25, 2023 in Westmont. (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com)