High school football 2026: Storylines to watch in the Fox Valley

The ultimate prize for high school football teams as they begin practice Wednesday is the state title. But before postseason play begins, conference championships are at stake, and there are several Fox Valley area schools eyeing those titles.

Batavia, which has won or shared the DuKane title the past 3 seasons, once again headlines one of the state’s most competitive conferences. The Bulldogs are always looking for more, having reached the Class 7A state semifinals 3 consecutive years, including its state runner-up showing in 2024 (55-34 loss to Mt. Carmel.).

St. Charles North, a 7A state quarterfinalist last season, last captured the outright DuKane title in 2022, while Geneva, a Class 6A state runner-up in 2024, looks to contend in a conference that sent 4 teams to the state playoffs last season.

In the Fox Valley, defending champion Prairie Ridge remains the team to beat, having won 3 of the last 4 conference titles. Cary-Grove, which has captured 3 Class 6A state championships since 2018, won the outright FVC crown in 2024.

Burlington Central, a 6A state quarterfinalist last season, looks to break through atop the FVC following back-to-back second-place showings. Five FVC teams have reached postseason play in each of the last 3 seasons.

Aurora Christian, which tied for first place in the inaugural season of the Chicagoland Christian in 2023, hopes to unseat defending champion Kankakee McNamara.

Kaneland, second to Morris a year ago, looks for its first conference title in the Interstate Eight, which sent 4 of its 6 teams to postseason play the past 2 seasons.

The Upstate Eight West features champions South Elgin (2025) and West Aurora (2024).

New coaches: The list of new area head coaches includes Braden Foster (Hampshire), Jomari Villaluz (Larkin), and David Archibald (St. Edward).

Foster, a 2018 graduate of Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, was a standout offensive lineman for the Corsairs before joining older brother Sean at Iowa State. Foster is a 2023 graduate of Iowa State, then served as the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator the past 3 seasons at Carmel. Hampshire has made 1 playoff appearance since 2015 (2021).

Villaluz replaces Vincent Ray at Larkin, after Ray guided the Royals to a 5-22 record the past 3 seasons. Last year, Larkin finished 0-9 overall, 0-6 in Upstate Eight West play.

Villaluz, a 2019 graduate of Northern Illinois University, is a 2014 graduate of St. Charles North, where he played defensive back for the North Stars. Villaluz coached girls track at Larkin this past season.

Archibald brings added experience to St. Edward after serving as head coach at Brookfield Academy (Wis.) last season. Prior to that, he was the head coach at St. Viator for 9 seasons, guiding the Lions to a 38-45 record and 4 playoff appearances.

Players to watch: There are plenty of outstanding collegiate football prospects to keep an eye on this season.

That list includes Batavia senior quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren (Wyoming), Geneva senior signal-caller Ben Peterson (Eastern Michigan), and 4-star rated Vikings senior wide receiver Bennett Konkey (Illinois).

Additional players to make verbal commitments are Batavia senior wide receiver Darin Ashiru (Western Michigan), senior tight end Thomas Prescott (Wyoming), and senior wide receiver Brennon Zeng (Northern Illinois); West Aurora senior tailback Bryce Riley (Northern Illinois), Blackhawks senior long snapper Warren Flatt (West Virginia), Kaneland senior linebacker/running back Jackson Little (Minnesota-Duluth), Geneva senior tight end Lincoln Mercado (Bemidji State) and senior offensive lineman Mark Atkins (UW-Eau Claire).

Other players to watch include Geneva senior defensive back Tate Beran and senior linebacker Jameson Barbat; Burlington Central senior linebacker Ben Hultgren; South Elgin senior linebacker Patrick Belk; Dundee-Crown senior quarterback Isaac Grzynkowicz; Hampshire senior tight end/defensive lineman Roman La Salvia; Marmion senior wide receiver Colin McEniry; Streamwood senior running back/linebacker DJ Morris; St. Charles North senior running back Tommy Vendl; West Aurora senior punter/placekicker Darek Szczeblewski; St. Charles East junior offensive lineman Liam Barrett; Batavia junior defensive back Luke Gardner; Huntley junior quarterback Malik Carter and junior running back Chase Hojnacki; and Elgin junior defensive lineman Ja’Miere Moore and junior defensive back La’Marin Powell.

Intriguing matchups: Here are a few matchups to watch on the 2026 regular season schedule:

Week 1 — South Elgin at Orlando Oak Ridge (Fla.), Aug. 20; Maine South at Batavia; Jacobs at Cary-Grove, Aug. 21.

Week 2 — Oswego at Geneva; St. Charles North at South Elgin; West Aurora at Hinsdale Central, Aug. 28.

Week 3 — St. Charles North at Geneva; Burlington Central at Cary-Grove; South Elgin at Larkin, Sept. 4.

Week 4 — Jacobs at Burlington Central; Kaneland at Morris, Sept. 11.

Week 5 — Sycamore at Kaneland; Aurora Christian at Kankakee McNamara; St. Charles North at Batavia; Bartlett at South Elgin, Sept. 18.

Week 6 — Geneva at Batavia; St. Charles East at St. Charles North, Sept. 25.

Week 7 — Huntley at Prairie Ridge; West Aurora at South Elgin, Oct. 2.

Week 8 — Burlington Central at Huntley; Marmion at Montini; Aurora Christian at Wheaton Academy, Oct. 9.

Week 9 — Elgin at Larkin; South Elgin at Glenbard East, Oct. 16.

Interesting tidbits: Larkin, which last qualified for postseason play in 2022, will host games on its home campus for the first time this season at Ray Haley Field — named after the school’s first football coach and athletic director (1963). The Royals’ home opener will come in Week 3 against defending UEC West champion South Elgin.

Batavia looks for its 16th consecutive postseason berth — 15th straight under longtime coach Dennis Piron. Cary-Grove has reached postseason play in 20 of the past 21 seasons, while Aurora Christian, Kaneland, and South Elgin look to extend their playoff run to 9 consecutive seasons.

On the flip side, there are a handful of teams looking to snap postseason dry spells.

That list includes Streamwood (2011), Dundee-Crown (2013), St. Charles East (2019), and St. Edward (2019). Bartlett aims for its first playoff berth since 2021 following 4 consecutive 4-5 finishes.

Harvest/Westminster, coming off a 0-7 mark in its first year as a combined school, has changed its name to River Valley Christian. The Rams will compete in the 8-player North East Conference.