Photos: January Prep Sports Photo Gallery
Daily Herald photographers worked in so many high school gymnasiums in January to bring you the peak moments of prep sports events.
Loyola’s Marycait Mackie gets her nose squished as she battles for the ball with Naperville Central’s Erin Hackett and others in a girls basketball game in Naperville on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Carmel coach Benjamin Berg in a girls basketball game in Mundelein on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Waubonsie Valley's Danyella Mporokoso tries to take possession of the ball and stay inbounds but a Naperville North player managed to get to it before her during Thursday’s game in Aurora.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Barrington’s D.J. Young, right, and Hersey’s Jake Nawrot reach for a loose ball in a boys basketball game in Barrington on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Glenbard East’s Keenan House, left, gets fouled by Glenbard South's PJ Lehr during Friday’s game in Glen Ellyn.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Stevenson’s Rocco Pagliocca shoots over Warren’s Javin Griffin in a boys basketball game in Gurnee on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Geneva's Ainslee Olds competes on the balance beam during the Lake Forest Straus Invitational girls gymnastics meet on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 in Lake Forest.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Grayslake Central’s Cordell Johnson reacts to a foul called against him in a boys basketball game against Wauconda in Wauconda on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2025.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Naperville Central’s Annabelle Kritzer grabs a rebound against Waubonsie Valley in a girls basketball game in Naperville on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Hersey's Lexi Miyares, right, steals the ball from Barrington's Simra Alam during Thursday’s game in Arlington Heights.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Hoffman Estates' Bryce Smith, right, blocks a shot by Buffalo Grove's Caleb Kim during Friday’s game in Buffalo Grove.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Hoffman Estates' Torey Baskin makes a move to the basket against the Buffalo Grove defense including Ethan Fajardo, but he was called for an offensive foul on the play during Friday’s game in Buffalo Grove.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Wheaton Academy’s Donell Ausley Jr. steals the ball from Aurora Christian’s Luke Baumann in a boys basketball game in West Chicago on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Neuqua Valley's Danny Mikuta attempts a shot as he goes against Normal Community defender Mitchell Potts during the Wheaton Warrenville South Martin Luther King basketball showcase on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 in Wheaton.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Jake Colleran, of Maine South wrestles Nolan Variano of Hersey at 144-pounds during the Clint Arlis Invitational boys wrestling invite Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 in Batavia.
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
Prospect's Danny Simon (23) and Lake Park's Brennan Shannon (34) stretch for a rebound during the MLK boys basketball tournament Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 in Geneva.
Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
Vernon Hills' Keira Thomas holds a commemorative ball as she is recognized for reaching 1,000 career points during a brief pre-game ceremony Tuesday.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Vernon Hills' Keira Thomas heads toward the basket after stealing the ball during Tuesday’s game against Wauconda.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Prospect's Alli Linke tries to make a move to the basket between Maine South's Gianna LaVecchia, left, and Hayden Fahy during Wednesday’s game in Mount Prospect.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Palatine's Tony Balanganayi, right, makes a strong move to the basket against Hersey's Jake Nawrot during Thursday’s game at Palatine.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Geneva’s Heidi Clesen battles St. Charles North’s Brianna Buono for the ball in a girls basketball game in St. Charles on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Glenbard North’s Oturo Redento gets his finger caught in the net as he battles for a rebound against Batavia in a boys basketball game in Glen Ellyn on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Glenbard North’s Lamari Carpenter crashes to the flor after colliding with Batavia’s Evan Blankenship in a boys basketball game in Glen Ellyn on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Declan Sons, of St. Charles East wrestles Danny Hyde of Wheaton North at 126-pounds during the DuKane Conference boys wrestling tournament Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 at Wheaton North High School in Wheaton.
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
Fremd’s Isabella Del Mar shoots against Hersey’s Emily Hany and Sadie Marks, right, in a girls basketball game in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Libertyville’s Alex Kuehn competes on floor exercise during the North Suburban Conference girls gymnastics meet at Libertyville High School Thursday.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Hoffman Estates' Ramon Rosario, left, and Schaumburg's Alden Patterson go to the floor for a loose ball during Friday’s game at Hoffman Estates.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Dundee-Crown’s Teigen Moreno celebrates his win over Lake Zurich’s Rocco DiCanio in the 215-pound final of the Fremd Class 3A wrestling meet, which took place at Harper College on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 in Palatine.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com