Top ten plays is a list of the best highlights the 2020-2021 season. A display of the best our six local high schools have to offer.

Team of the Year is awarded to a formidable squad who ran the gauntlet in an unusual and extremely difficult year to compete.

Most Improved Team is a unique award this year, with some of our teams getting two years to restock the cupboard with talent.

Female Athlete of the Year is a category stacked with veteran-laden talent, all of whom have made their presence felt in the local area.

Newcomer of the year is a razor-thin close category with many deserving recipients in a challenging season for emerging athletes.

Male Athlete of the Year is always a fierce category and it was no different this year, with six tremendous competitors for the top spot.

Another new category added to this years award show is the Newcomer of the Year! Check out the four young stars presented by Edward Medical Group.

In order to be nominated for NSW’s Team of the Year, you had to win a state title. By those qualifications there are five Team of the Year nominees.

We’ve got some hardware up for grabs as we have the 3rd place game for girls lacrosse. The Benet Academy Redwings looks to finish off their best season ever on a high note but standing in the way are the Red Devils from Hinsdale Central.

Benet Academy girls lacrosse attempts to do what no Redwing team has done before — make it to state, but first Glenbrook South.

Benet Academy arrives in style for the supersectionals at Streamwood High School. The Redwings are in search of their first ever trip to state, but to make that happen they have to get by the Conant Cougars.

We’ve got the girls soccer Super-sectionals as Lockport High School plays host to the Naperville North Huskies and the O’Fallon Panthers.

The girls track and field state final is back at Eastern Illinois after missing out on the 2020 season. Five of our area teams are ready for a scorching hot day on the blue track.

Fresh off a 23-11 victory in the semifinal, Benet girls lacrosse looks to capture their first ever sectional championship. Standing

At this point there should be little surprise to this girls soccer sectional final matchup between Naperville North and the DVC Champions, Naperville Central.

Benet Academy girls soccer attempts to continue its 2019 title defense after winning in 2A but now faces undefeated Lyons Township.

The final day of a bizarre, shortened athletic season wraps up with the boys track and field 3A state meet on a sweltering Saturday.

We are down to the final 8 boys lacrosse teams as Neuqua Valley takes on York in the Lockport Super-Sectional. Neuqua coming off a 13-5 win over Lincoln-Way while York took down Glenbard West 11-4.

The final day of the IHSA 1A and 2A boys tennis meets are here at Hersey High School. Both Benet and Naperville Central competing in the final four.

We’ve got another sectional final on our hands as the Neuqua Valley boys lacrosse team hosts the Lincoln-Way Lacrosse Club. During the regular season the Wildcats won this matchup 13-9.

Neuqua Valley boys lacrosse gets local rival The Valley in the sectional bracket for the right to move on, playing through  sweltering heat.

15 schools meeting up on a hot and muggy afternoon for the Naperville North boys track and field sectional meet.

Naperville North boys lacrosse has has a strong season, making it to the IHSA sectional semifinals but now has to face a tough York team.

Benet Academy boys lacrosse has state title aspirations but has to first advance to the sectional final by way of beating Glenbard West.

Nicolas Dovalovsky finishes his high school career on top, a state champion as an individual and as a Wildcat team at Eastern Illinois.

Karly Keating was a force to be reckoned with all season long, and especially in the post-season push for a 4th place finish.

Lucy Iverson scores arguably the biggest goal in her soccer career, netting the game winner in the sectional final against Central.

Daanyal Saeed and Blake Roegner combine forces to take down competitors every step of their way on their way to a state title.

Max Mitchell may only be a junior, but the sprinter crushes a field of seniors at the DVC meet winning the 200 and 400m races.

Colette Casey appears to be gearing up to pass, instead unleashing a long range bomb that hits the posts top shelf for the goals.

Johnny Mou overcomes the odds and takes the #1 singles DVC title over a competitive field despite being a freshman on varsity.

Megan Kennedy does it all in a nail-bitter win for Waubonsie. A big catch and then the big blast to walk it off in extras.

Gary Goforth has spent the last 42 years at Benet Academy, the last 30 as Athletic Director, but now steps away and into retirement.

Ammenhauser is quickly becoming synonymous with success at Neuqua Valley with Riley and James dominating the track season.

Athletic Directors from our local high schools have been dealing with the chaos caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and spring schedule.

Benet Academy girls soccer is on an improbable journey to repeat as state champs in two different divisions, a rare feat.

Outdoor wrestling is a rare sight in the Midwest, but after the COVID-19 pandemic moved the season, Central and North competed outside

Will Kastelic successful became the first boys gymnast to represent Benet Academy in a meet, making it all the way to state in the all-around.

Mike Stine has a state championship to his name as a football coach and will soon be leaving Central as its football and girls track coach.

Max Rivera is a senior at Neuqua Valley and one of their top sprinters, even though he hasn’t had a chance to display it until now.

Benet Academy girls lacrosse made it deep into the post-season on the strength of a deep offensive attack and a stingy defense.

Niko Gordon decided to use his birthday this year as the catalyst for a good cause — shaving his head to raise money for St. Judes.

Jalen Johnson is on cruise control, crushing his competition and creating the opportunity to capture an individual state title.

Sarah Griffith has continued the legacy of soccer talent originating from Waubonsie. Learn more in this Where Are They Now

Special Olympic basketball players from our local area finally compete after waiting to play for more than a year and a half.

Neuqua Valley boys water polo is in an unprecedented season, claiming the top sectional seed and advancing to the state series.

Tommy Coyne spent his prep days dominating opponents on the lacrosse field at Naperville Central. Now at Rutgers, the domination has continued.

St. Yves twins have been busy in high school, competing on the track, playing music and earning their Eagle Scout at Metea Valley.

Girls Soccer Sectionals have been hard to come by, even with a number of fantastic programs in the local area the last few years.

Girls Water Polo has been dominant for years in our local area, but Naperville North just won the first state championship in 2021.

Andy McWhirter, Naperville North girls water polo coach, details the obstacles his state winning team had to overcome in 2021.

Jeff Steinberg gives his reaction to the Benet Academy boys volleyball team winning a tight contest against Metea Valley in a non-con match.

Chris Stanicek discusses how he tries to get the most out of his gymnast inside the Naperville North gym over his years as coach.

Boys Lacrosse programs have been elevating their games over the last 14 years and now sit on the verge of earning the area’s first state title.

Chris Whaley, Metea Valley girls soccer coach, gives his take on how to navigate a season with a youthful roster in a difficult year.

James Thornton is the Head Coach of the Neuqua Valley Wildcat baseball teams and he shares his thoughts on summer ball vs high school ball.