There is the close-in attack, led by Paula Strzelecki's nine points per game average with a stellar effort in a non-conference clash against Mother McAuley.

Also, teams have to contend with the outside shooting of Anna Campanelli and her 20 points per game average with a 32-point career best contest. Fellow senior Ava McFadden is also a steady sharp-shooter.

The Saturday fun began with contestants in the Christmas tree display putting the finishing touches on their entrants. It ended just past sundown when Santa Claus made his grand entrance, followed by Huntley Mayor Tim Hoeft flipping the switch for the Christas light display and then fireworks rounded out the day.

The group of downtown Huntley residents, Friends of Downtown Huntley, who reside on Second Street and Church Street, were hopfeul to get the most votes on their tree.

Huntley senior Sheldon Aniagyei Bonsu made the adage true with a slam dunk as Huntley pulled away from Hampshire for a 60-53 win in Fox Valley Conference play Dec. 6. HHS was 2-4 overall, 2-0 FVC after the victory.

“It's one of our staple plays, but we originally were going to run it for Christian Wilson," Huntley coach Collin Kalamatas said.

The varsity team members took their Sharpies, signed their name and posed for photos. It was a good ending to a successful night after the Red Raiders dominated Cary-Grove, 50-38 to begin Fox Valley Conference play. HHS is off to a 5-0 start, 1-0 FVC.

The younger Huntley girls would do well to take a pointer on pressure defense and long range shooting from their elders.

The eight Red Raiders selections were: senior quarterback Braylon Bower; junior wide receiver Wyatt Fleck; senior offensive and defensive lineman Carter Pope; junior defensive lineman Mason Maldonado; senior offensive lineman Kelley Gassner; senior linebacker Charles Condon III; junior offensive and defensive lineman Ryan Wabel and senior wide receiver Jordan Oruche.

The Red Raiders finished 5-4 FVC, 5-5 overall. Head coach Mike Naymola's team made the Class 8A playoffs for the third straight season.

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Erica DeBello, daughter of head coach Eric DeBello, edged Fremd's Lana Verseegh, with a 941-937 series score for top honors at the Schaumburg Invitational Nov. 30. The Red Raiders' 3,956 team pins total was third in the 18-team meet.

In addition to DeBello, senior Pria Waters rolled an 862 series for 12th place and senior Katie Scaletta had an 804 series for 20th.

Slaughter last season at 105 pounds, had a 29-3 final record, and advanced to the IHSA state championship final before a close loss. Slaughter, who was third at state as a freshman, expects to wrestle at 110 pounds this year.

Rohrbacher had a daunting task of five matches at state and was 4-1 at 130 pounds and brought home a third place medal.

“Experience will be our strength,” Huntley head wrestling coach BJ Bertelsman said. “We have lots of returning starters and will be good up and down the lineup. With two months of work, the kids did a good job coming in while also working with their wrestling clubs.”

Sophomore Radic Dvorak, who was an IHSA Class 3A State Qualifier last season at 157 pounds, 36-10 final record, returns.

“For me, it's always been about defense,” Serpe, a Huntley Class of 2024 alumna and now a McHenry County College Scot, said. “I would say for ever, since my junior year in high school. If there's a shot that's open, though, I'll take it.”

The Scots are off to a 5-1 start this season under the direction of new coach Kent Jones. MCC downed Joliet, 71-56 on Nov.

The Huntley senior scored 32 points, a new career high, in the Red Raiders' 53-35 triumph over Boylan Catholic at D-C Nov. 22. The Red Raiders annually play two tournaments plus one Fox Valley Conference clash in Carpentersville.

Campanelli, a D-1 Kent State University commit, had 13 field goals, all two-pointers, and was 6-for-7 from the free-throw line. She topped her previous best scoring game of 26 points.

The signing day took place the same week as Huntley kicked off its 2024-25 season against Hononegah Nov. 19. Campanelli led the Red Raiders with 14 points in a 36-28 win over the Indians.

HHS head coach Steve Raethz summed up the effort Campanelli has shown the past three seasons.

The senior leaders returning this year are: Fishman, Joey Humphrey, Austin Tenglin, Noah Waters, Landen Conforti, Nick Gaspari who return to show the way for a contingent which was 13-1 in duals. Gaspari's claim to fame last season was rolling a perfect 300 game in a dual match.

Georgia Watson, Mari Rodriquez and Jocelyn Erling will continue their careers next year in college. They helped lead the Red Raiders to reach the IHSA State semifinals and the team returned with a fourth place trophy and a 32-10 final record.

Just before the team's departure to Illinois State University's CEFCU  Arena, Watson and Rodriquez signed their letters of intent.

Watson selected to commit to the University of Kentucky, a D-1 Southeast Conference school.

Nitz finished in 11th place at the Class 3A Boys State Meet with a time of 14:25.70, at Detweiller Park in Peoria Nov. 9. The time was a personal best and beat his pre-state meet goal of 14:30. Nitz had finished 21st last year, also an all-state honor.

HHS cross country head coach Matt Kaplan commented on Nitz's state meet performance.

Students, school staff and veterans' family members gathered for breakfast and a Veterans Day salute, all said, in various ways, “Thank you, Veterans.”

“It's my favorite day of the school year,” Karey Miller, faculty advisor for Marlowe's Student Service Club, said. “The students ask a lot of great questions, and some have their grandparents or parents here. They learn how to meet veterans, shake their hands and thank them for their service.”

Senior Georia Watson's 402nd kill of the season, following an assist from Rachel Hein, put the exclamation point on the Red Raiders' 25-22, 25-16 victory over Palatine Fremd for the DeKalb super-sectional championship Nov. 11. Huntley's state tournament semifinal is against Benet Academy, at about 7 p.m.

"We may not know them all, but we owe them all," is one of the mottos which applies to the Saturday event.

American Legion Post 673 Commander Mike Stojak explained to a gathering that the Legion organized in 1920 after World War I ended.

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Huntley with a 31-8 record, has a chance to show the rest of the state their talents as they won the McHenry sectional with a 25-16, 25-23 victory over Libertyville. The triumph advanced HHS to the Class 4A super-sectional at DeKalb. Huntley battled Palatine Fremd (33-6 record) Nov. 11.

Libertyville, 25-13, battled to the end but could not top Huntley's true grit Nov. 7.