Norris City-Omaha-Enfield will make its second visit to Redbird Arena in four years after outlasting Altamont in a Class 1A supersectional at (Bridgeport) Red Hill. By Zachary RaineySpecial to Illprepvb.com There was no quit in Norris City-Omaha-Enfield.The Norris City-Omaha-Enfield Fighting Cardinals lived up to their name Friday, defeating the Altamont Lady Indians, 25-21, 25-27, 25-21, at the IHSA Class 1A supersectional at Bridgeport (Red Hill).“They didn’t quit,” said Norris City-Omaha-Enfield coach Jaclyn Melton. “They stepped up. We...
Sterling repeats as Class 3A champion; Nazareth downs U-High for third place
Joliet Catholic's Bella Ray (14) tries to hit through the block of Sterling's Brooklyn Borum (10) and Kierra Collins (15). Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com NORMAL – Sterling believed all season. Now the Golden Warriors are back-to-back IHSA Class 3A champions. Brooklyn Borum bashed 16 kills, and what Grace Egan imagined came through as the freshman outside hitter added 11 kills and 5 digs, as Sterling stopped Joliet Catholic with a 25-16, 25-19 victory Saturday in the Class 3A championship match at R...
Wednesday, November 6 results
Wednesday, November 6 results At Back of the YardsDe La Salle def. Richards 25-16, 25-15De La Salle (31-6 overall): Nyiah Penny (10 kills, 2 blocks), Francesca Bertucci (8 digs, 2 aces). At BolingbrookBenet def. Waubonsie Valley 25-19, 25-17Benet Academy (38-1 overall, 6-1 East Suburban Catholic Conference) Rachael Muisenga (2 kills, 30 assists, 2 digs) Sophie Gregus (7 kills), Maeve Nelligan (2 kills, 5 blocks), Colleen McGuire (5 kills, 1 block), Kayla Kenney (9 kills, 2 digs), Ann Marie Remmes (5 kills, 4 blocks, 1 dig), Hattie Monson (...
Going out on a limb (without a net) and picking the 16 supersectional winners
Orion has dropped only four sets all season, but the Chargers will have their hands full when they face Decatur St. Teresa Friday at Farmington. Some surprising names are among the teams that will be watching from the stands Friday when supersectional play begins, including Quincy Notre Dame, Montini, Belleville Althoff and Crystal Lake Central.A few more could join them after Friday.Our former mentor at the Daily Herald – the venerable Bob Frisk – picked each quarterfinal, semifinal and championship game of the boys’ state basketball tourn...
St. Teresa eases past Mater Dei for 2A crown; Newark goes back-to-back in 1A
Sophomore Tori Mohesky had 8 kills for Breese Mater Dei in its Class 2A championship loss to Decaur St. Teresa. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) NORMAL – Decatur St. Teresa and Breese Mater Dei were no strangers before taking the floor at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University for the Class 2A championship game, having met at the Quincy Notre Dame tournament on October 22."It was helpful that we played them a couple of weeks ago,” said Decatur St. Teresa setter Lexie Huck. “We knew what they were going to bring, and we knew w...
Kenney, Benet share the ball, defeat Waubonsie Valley to advance to supersectional
Benet's Kyla Kenney (left) and libero Hattie Monson confer during the Redwings' sectional semifinal victory. Kenney led Benet with 9 kills Wednesday against Waubonsie Valley. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). Kyla Kenney doesn’t see the ball as much as last year when she led Benet in kills. But that’s OK with her. “Volleyball is a team sport,” said the 5-foot-10 junior outside hitter. “Last year, I felt like Ally (graduated setter VanEekeren) was setting me the whole time. I'm glad to know that we have other players who can score as well.“It's ni...
Saturday, November 16 results
Illini Bluffs' Emma Hicks (13) tries to get past the Newark block during the Class 1A championship game Saturday in Normal. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Saturday, November 16 IHSA finalsat Redbird ArenaClass 1AThird placeAthens def. Norris City-Omaha-Enfield 24-26, 25-16, 25-9Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (38-4 overall): Mattie Wells (22 assists, 12 digs), Hollan Everett (1 dig), Evie Duncan (8 kills, 19 digs), Emilee Bishop (7 kills, 9 digs, 1 block), Sophie Neal (9 kills, 1 assist, 9 digs), Kennedy Cook (4 kills, 1 assist, 3 digs), Abby Blac...
Benet stops two-time defending champ Marist; WW South reaches 4A final
Benet's Sophie Gregus hits over the block of Marist's Ellie Kurpeikis and freshman Kamryn Chaney (Photo by Dave Ruggles). NORMAL – The Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." Benet coach Brad Baker had his own spin on preparation Friday in the catacombs of Redbird Arena. “It’s one thing to know what to do, it’s another thing to do it,” he said. Benet did it. Behind a smothering Game 1 defense and an 11-4 run in Game 2 that wiped out a 17-11 deficit, Benet defeated two-time defending Cl...
Marist’s balance, determination too much for Mother McAuley in sectional final
Marist defeated Mother McAuley for the third time this season to win the Class 4A sectional at Marist. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMarist took care of business. Displaying the balanced attack and fortitude that made them a two-time defending IHSA Class 4A champion, the host RedHawks toppled Mother McAuley, 25-21, 25-13, Wednesday in the title match of the Class 4A sectional at Marist. The victory was the 24th consecutive win for Marist (37-2), which will face Sandburg at 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the Eisenhower supe...
Normal U-High hustles past scrappy Rochester to win program’s 15th sectional title
Normal University High defeated Rochester at Mahomet-Seymour on Wednesday to advance to Friday's supersectional at Taylorville against Centralia. By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.com Back-to-back blocks by Rochester, which had trailed by as many as 9 points, helped the Rockets pull within 22-20 in Game 1 against Normal University High in the Class 3A sectional final Wednesday at Mahomet-Seymour. “It’s probably the most demoralizing thing in volleyball,” said U-High coach Mike Bolhuis, whose team shrugged off those blocks en route to a 2...