2025-26 Herald Cup: No. 2 Barrington

Editor’s note: Now that the 2025-26 high school sports year is over, it’s time to announce the top schools in the Herald Cup standings. We devised a points system based on team state finishes to measure which of the 80-plus high schools from the Daily Herald circulation area had the best athletic year. Last week we announced the top five small schools in the Herald Cup standings. This week we’re unveiling the top large schools, one per day, starting with No. 5 on Monday through No. 1 on Friday.

From the first IHSA state series of the school year to the last, Barrington never stopped winning titles.

It began with boys golf in the fall and ended with baseball in the spring. A total of 14 teams either placed in the top 10 in the state, brought home regional or sectional trophies, or advanced to the quarterfinals and beyond.

Barrington finished second in the 2025-26 Herald Cup large school standings with 135 points that were calculated by weighing team finishes throughout the fall, winter and spring.

How they did it

The girls cross country team won a second straight Class 3A title despite being without defending individual champion Mia Sirois due to an injury. Victoria Tarara placed eighth overall to lead the Fillies’ pack.

Football accounts for the highest number of Herald Cup point allocations, and the Broncos took advantage. They advanced to the quarterfinals with dominant victories over Elgin and Glenbrook South.

Barrington earned top-10 finishes in boys golf, girls tennis and girls track. Girls lacrosse advanced to the state semifinals while boys wrestling grappled its way into the quarterfinals.

Boys soccer, girls volleyball, girls soccer and boys water polo won regional titles, with baseball, softball and boys lacrosse claiming sectional crowns.

Who made it happen

After being unable to defend her cross country title, Sirois returned in the spring to win the 3A title in the 3,200 meters at the state track and field meet. The junior ran the race 10:02.96 to beat her second-place teammate, Tarara.

Only a sophomore, running back Lamar Osterhues rushed for 1,150 yards and 20 touchdowns to help lead the football team’s potent offense. Quarterback Luke Tepas threw for more than 2,000 yards.

Key stats

Katie Taraschewsky led the softball team on the mound and at the plate, notching a 32-1 pitching record while hitting .438 with 53 hits, 10 doubles, 10 home runs and 50 RBI. The senior won 91 games at Barrington.

Senior Emma Menke carried the girls lacrosse team to a third-place finish, scoring 111 goals to go along with 42 assists.

Key facts

The softball team raced to a 36-0 record while trying to become just the third team in the state since 2013 to finish unbeaten. Unfortunately for the Fillies, the season ended with a Class 4A supersectional loss to Oswego.

The baseball team was down to its final out in the bottom of the seventh inning against St. Charles North in the 4A sectional final, but Joe Mueller’s 2-run single gave the Broncos a 4-3 victory. Starting pitcher Jack Postma was the complete-game winner.

They said it

“They never panic and just kind of believed in each other,” baseball coach Paul Belo said after his team lost to Maine South in the supersectional. “They did the little things right and worked their way back into the ballgame. How do you say anything other than you’re proud of the kids?”

“It was a team race,” Barrington girls cross country coach Debbie Revolta said after the state meet. “Everybody did the job that they set out to do, and we just hit on the same day.”