The daily pitch from Sports Editor : Sept. 23, 2026

Sept. 23—Parkland, currently ranked fifth with a 24-1 record, will face off against Lewis & Clark, who have a 12-8 mark, in a home game on Wednesday evening. Coach, entering his 18th season, has led his team to an impressive 860-76 record, boasting a winning percentage of .919. Jillian Schlittler, a Unity graduate, has contributed 92 kills and 39 assists for Parkland. All 12 players on the Parkland roster hail from Illinois.

Several Illinois high school football teams remain undefeated, including Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond, Mahomet-Seymour, St. Joseph-Ogden, Sullivan, and Tuscola, who are all 5-0 entering Week 6. Their streak will likely end with a loss when ALAH takes on Sullivan at Wilson Field on Friday.

The University of Illinois Illini, currently 2-1, will host Ohio State Buckeyes, also 2-1, in an 11 a.m. Saturday showdown. Historically, the Illini have struggled against the Buckeyes, losing their last 10 encounters by an average of 23.8 points. It remains to be seen if that trend shifts in this matchup.

Illinois, riding a four-game win streak, faces the Gophers, who have won five straight and 11 straight in their series. The Illini have already set a single-season program record for most ties in their season. On Thursday night, the Illini (3-1-5, 0-1-2 Big Ten) will host host Boilermakers (8-1-1, 2-1) at Huff Hall, starting at 6 p.m.