Newark's Madi Malone puts down one of her 11 kills during Saturday's Class 1A championship match at Redbird Arena. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) NORMAL – When Hartsburg-Emden tied the second set of Saturday’s Class 1A championship game at 23-23, Newark’s 6-foot freshman outside hitter Megan Williams was ready. “I knew I was going to have to go in for one more play,” Williams said. “I felt confident in myself and in the passes that Meggie (Scott) was having. I knew it was going to get up to Olivia (Nelson), then whether it was me or Mattie Chap...
IHSA Girls State Volleyball Saturday’s Finals
St. Thomas More's Allie Trame (Photo by Dave Ruggles) IHSA Girls State Volleyball Tournament Saturday’s finals Class 1A Championship Newark def. Hartsburg-Emden 25-16, 25-23 Newark (40-2): Evelyn Martin (4 digs), Mattie Chapman (5 kills, 3 digs), Olivia Nelson (1 kill, 25 assists, 1 dig), Megan Williams (9 kills, 3 digs, 1 block), Alyssa Gittins (1 dig), Madi Malone (11 kills, 7 digs, 1 block), Maggie Scott (17 digs). Hartsburg-Emden (36-5): Emily Graig (1 ace, 2 digs), Grace Beekman (8 kills, 11 assists, 10 digs), Anna...
Sterling ‘golden’ against Joliet Catholic; Belleville Althoff passes Latin test
Defending state champion Belleville Althoff will face Sterling for the Class 3A state championship Saturday in Normal. By Randy Whalen Special to Illprepvb.com NORMAL – Sterling entered the season believing this was its year. Now the Golden Warriors are one win away. The trio of Borum sisters – Josilyn, Breelyn and Brooklyn -- banged 32 kills, and the Gould sisters – Gretchen and Grace – chipped in with 5 kills of their own as Sterling rallied down the stretch of the first set and went onto a 27-25, 25-20 victory over Joliet Ca...
Marist ends Downers Grove North’s magical run, repeats as Class 4A champion
Marist's 6-2 junior Camryn Hannah had 7 kills as Marist won back-to-back Class 4A state titles Saturday. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) NORMAL – Almost as much as it wanted a second consecutive Class 4A state championship for its volleyball team, the Marist fans wanted 5-foot-5 junior Tess Brennan. The diminutive defensive specialist didn’t disappoint. Inserted into the match to serve with Marist leading 22-11 in the second set, Brennan served out the match following consecutive hitting errors by Downers Grove North and a kill by 5-10 junior...
Marist’s practice makes almost perfect; Downers North’s remarkable run continues
Marist will defend its state championship Saturday after beating conference rival Benet 25-18, 25-15 in a Class 4A semifinal Friday. NORMAL -- This was not the same Marist team that lost to Benet 22-25, 25-22, 25-19 in an East Suburban Catholic Conference match in Lisle on October 16. “We’ve been practicing really hard these past three weeks,” said Marist coach Jordan Vidovic. “The girls were really motivated to improve and clean some things up. Tonight showed the kind of work we put in.” Marist (38-3) overcame an early 8-5...
Pleasant Plains stuns St. Thomas More; Galena romps in Class 2A semifinals
Pleasant Plains defeated defending Class 2A state champion St. Thomas More Friday in a semifinal at Redbird Arena. NORMAL – Down 24-23 in Game 3 of its semifinal against defending Class 2 State champion St. Thomas More Friday at Redbird Arena, Pleasant Plains found a way. A tip kill by 5-foot-8 junior middle hitter Anna Kanilakan, a service ace from 5-7 junior libero MacKenzie Houser and a kill to an open corner by 5-10 senior Allie Edwards gave Pleasant Plains a thrilling 25-22, 15-25, 26-24 victory over St. Thomas More and sent the ...
Hartsburg-Emden bounces St. Teresa; Newark routs Grayville in Class 1A semis
Hartsburg-Emden meets the media after defeating Decatur St. Teresa Friday at Redbird Arena. NORMAL -- Moments like these don’t come often for schools like Hartsburg-Emden, which has an enrollment of 75 students. Of course, it helps when one of those students is 6-foot senior outside hitter and University of Memphis recruit Anna Hayes. Hayes had 17 kills while hitting just a shade under .300 as Hartsburg-Emden (36-4) defeated Decatur St. Teresa 25-17, 25-14 to advance to the IHSA Class 1A state championship match Saturday at 10:30 a...
Friday, November 9 state semifinal results
Class 1ANewark def. Grayville 25-7, 25-15Newark (38-2): Evelyn Martin (2 kills), Mattie Chapman (2 kills, 1 block), Olivia Nelson (20 assists, 6 digs), Megan Williams (8 kills, 3 digs, 3 blocks), Alyssa Gittins (2 kills), Madi Malone (12 kills, 8 digs, 1 block), Maggie Scott (3 assists, 13 digs).Grayville (27-9): Callie Neeley (1 kill), Macy Knight (3 kills, 1 assist, 1 ace), Kinley Milligan (3 aces, 10 digs), Sidney Foster (5 kills, 5 digs), Carsyn Robinson (2 kills, 7 assists).Hartsburg-Emden def. Decatur St. Teresa 25-17, 25-14Hartsburg-Em...
Marist, Belleville Althoff seek to defend state titles this weekend at Redbird Arena
Belleville Althoff reached the state finals with a 25-18, 23-25, 25-16 supersectional victory over Mt. Zion. Durand coach Molly Kelsey was reminded last Friday what many fans of Illinois volleyball already knew – the most deserving teams don’t always get to Redbird Arena.Durand, which finished third in Class 1A in 2017 and returned every starter save one from that team, saw its 37-3 season end in a 25-23, 24-26, 25-20 supersectional loss to Newark last Friday at Westminster Christian. “I, like many others, believe that this was a state serie...
Downers Grove North ends 30-year drought at Bartlett supersectional
Downers Grove North beat St. Charles East 25-13, 25-17 Friday at Bartlett to earn its first state finals berth since 1988. A movie ticket cost $3.50. Postage stamps were 24 cents. The Dow Jones closed at 2,168. A former movie actor, Ronald Reagan, was president. And the first game under the lights was played at Wrigley Field. 1988. Yes, it’s been a long time since Downers Grove North advanced to the IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals. How long? Head coach Mark Wasik was in fourth grade. “This is a group of girls who are s...