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To subscribe, please click here Want a copy of today's edition? Here is a map of single-copy locations Follow The News-Gazette on TikTok here Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what's going on around the area: Three reasons we love sports today ➜ 1. Illinois wide receiver Jayshon Platt is one of 44 players on the Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation released on Wednesday. ➜ 2. The Illinois Media high school football preseason rankings for the 2026 season were unveiled on Wednesday, with six area teams ranked. In Class 3A, St. Joseph-Ogden is third, Unity is fourth and Monticello is sixth. In 2A, Westville is ninth and in 1A, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond is eighth and Oakwood is ninth. ➜ 3. On Friday, we’ll unveil The News-Gazette's No. 1 area high school football team and a new concept for the upcoming season: an area Top 25 poll instead of just an area Top 10 poll like we’ve done previously. Numbers game: 1,061 rushing yards by Aidan Laughery in his Illinois football career. The fifth-year senior from Gibson City is one of six captains for this season’s Illini football team, the program announced on Wednesday. Laughery joins defensive back Matthew Bailey, wide receiver Collin Dixon, quarterback Katin Houser, center Jake Renfro and defensive back Xavier Scott as captains based on a team vote. Crowd control Three events I’m paying attention to ➜ 1. Cincinnati at Illinois soccer. It’s Pride Night for the Illini (0-0-1) when they host the Bearcats (1-0) at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Demirjian Park in Champaign. Family Night arrives for Illinois on Sunday when it hosts Illinois-Chicago at 5 p.m. ➜ 2. Danville at Champaign Central football. Danville hasn’t won a season opener since 2022, with Central last winning its opener in 2016. Something has to give on Friday when the two Big 12 teams kick off at 7 p.m. at Tommy Stewart Field. ➜ 3. Morton at Mahomet-Seymour football. An intriguing opener between the two quality nonconference opponents happens at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Frank Dutton Field in Mahomet. Ask an athlete Three questions with Bryson Houchens, a 2026 St. Joseph-Ogden graduate and a two-time All-Area First Team selection in baseball by The News-Gazette. Houchens will play baseball at Morton College during the 2027 season: ➜ 1. Three athletes I’d like to have dinner with are ... Bryce Harper, Phil Mickelson and Jose Canseco. ➜ 2. The TV show I most like to binge-watch is ... “Friends.” ➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is ... loud chewing.