Rockford Lutheran's Lauren Spangler hits against the block of St. Teresa's Addison Newbon (35) and Valerie Nutakor (25). (Photo by Dave Ruggles) NORMAL – Breese Mater Dei coach Chad Rakers didn’t have time to think about what went right. “I’m still thinking about all the things we have to fix (before tomorrow),” he said. The first thing, he said, is nerves. “This can be a big, scary place at times,” he said. It was almost a chamber of horrors for his Knights. Breese Mater Dei watched St. Joseph-Ogden erase an 18-11 deficit in Game 2, the...
U-High, Sterling and Belleville Althoff win, lose and learn Saturday in Normal
Belleville Althoff defeated Normal U-High and lost to Sterling in a triangular Saturday in Normal which saw all three teams finish the day 1-1. Normal I-High beat Sterling. Sterling beat Belleville Althoff. Belleville Althoff beat Normal U-High. Everybody goes home happy … sort of. Sterling, Belleville Althoff and Normal U-High got together Saturday in Normal to iron out a few rough edges before the IHSA tournament gets underway Monday. All three teams walked away 1-1, but winning and losing was secondary. Sterling “never got off the bus,” ...
IHSA finals preview: who will raise a championship trophy this weekend?
Camryn Hannah (6) and her Marist teammates will go for their third consecutive Class 4A championship this weekend at Redbird Arena. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Wheaton Warrenville South’s Bill Schreier has won more state titles than any other Illinois volleyball coach … on the boys’ side.But the veteran coach has not taken a girls’ team to the IHSA semifinals since 2002, when the Tigers finished fourth. That changed last Friday when Wheaton Warrenville South (32-8) overcame deficits of 8-2 in Game 1 and 18-10 and 21-13 in Game 2 to defeat Huntl...
Downers North’s Wolkow impresses, but Neuqua Valley wins Plainfield South title
Neuqua Valley defeated Downers Grove North 25-27, 25-23, 25-22, to win the Plainfield South tournament. As a 6-foot freshman last fall, Gwen Wolkow played second fiddle to Margaret Mahlke and Jade Casper as Downers Grove North reached the Class 4A championship game.Now, still only a sophomore, Wolkow is not only the string section, she is the woodwinds, brass and percussion. Saturday in the championship match of the Plainfield South tournament, Wolkow collected 25 kills, including 11 kills and 2 aces as the Trojans rallied from a 15-12 defi...
Naperville Central’s road warriors do it again, this time at Neuqua Valley
Naperville Central celebrates its Class 4A regional championship Thursday at Neuqua Valley. (Photos by Dave Ruggle) Naperville Central felt right at home playing on the road in a Class 4A regional championship match Thursday.After all, on the road is where the Redhawks have played 32 of their 37 matches this season.“If we just keep working hard, we’re good no matter where we go,” said Naperville Central outside hitter Madeline Bylak.Bylak had 10 kills, 3 digs and a block, and Kayla Closset had 10 kills, 10 digs and 2 aces as Naperville Cent...
Thursday, April 25 Results
Thursday, April 25 Results Argo def. Shepard 25-16, 25-16Argo (8-15 overall, 2-3 in the South Suburban): Cincere Colber (4 kills, 3 aces), Gavin Akoto (2 kills, 2 blocks), Cesar Ramirez (3 kills), David Mulica (10 assists).No. 12 Barrington def. Schaumburg 25-12, 25-9Barrington (17-7 overall, 6-1 in the Mid-Suburban West): Ved Anand (7 kills, 2 blocks), Gabe Hartke (5 kills, 7 digs, 2 aces), Ben Ridgway (5 kills, 1 block), Ricky Gibson (4 kills, 2 blocks), Kyle Vasquez (20 assists), Chris Babicz (15 digs), Clark Parker (8 digs), Luke Ko...
Friday, November 8 results
Friday, November 8 resultsAt Freeport AquinNewark def. Dakota 25-23, 25-12Newark (39-2 overall): Madi Malone (19 kills, 10 digs, 2 blocks), Taylor Christian (22 assists), Mattie Chapman (3 blocks), Megan Williams (4 kills, 1 block), Naomi Sweeney (1 kill, 7 digs), Meggie Scott (17 digs). At Hinsdale SouthJoliet Catholic d. De La Salle 25-15, 25-20Joliet Catholic (25-15 overall): Jillian Gray (9 kills, 6 digs), Bella Ray (6 kills, 3 block kills), Riley Hungate (5 kills, 8 digs), Ryan Hinshaw (16 assists, 3 service points, 1 ace, 1 kill), Erin O...
Faoro powers Homewood-Flossmoor to first regional title since 2002
Homewood-Flossmoor avenged a regional semifinal loss to Shepard in 2018 by defeating the Astros Thursday in Flossmoor. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comAllison Faoro was born in 2002.That was the last time that Homewood-Flossmoor won a regional championship. Until Thursday night.Faoro finagled a match-high 9 kills and added 5 digs as the host Vikings defeated Shepard, 25-16, 25-20, in the title match of the Class 4A Homewood-Flossmoor Regional. Homewood-Flossmoor (30-6) will face Andrew Monday in the second semifinal of the ...
Decker, Hurta punch Nazareth’s first-ever ticket to IHSA semifinals
Izzy Decker (3) had 14 kills to help lead Nazareth over St. Francis in a Class 3A supersectional Friday in Wheaton. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Nazareth is going to state. It’s going to take a little while for that to sink in. The Roadrunners advanced to the IHSA semifinals for the first time in school history by knocking off St. Francis, 25-19, 25-21, Friday to win the Class 3A supersectional in Wheaton. Nazareth (27-7) will play Sterling at 4:00 p.m. next Friday at Redbird Arena in Normal. “It feels unr...
Friday, September 27 results
Friday, September 27 results Mother McAuley def. Riverside Brookfield 25-9, 25-13 Mother McAuley: Emily Weber (8 assists, 4 digs, 1 ace), Abby Sarich (3 kills), Connie Lebel (4 kills, 4 digs, 4 aces), Gigi Navarette (7 digs). Mother McAuley def. Andrew 26-24, 25-17Mother McAuley: Abby Sarich (5 kills, 3 blocks), Connie Lebel (7 kills, 2 blocks), Amia Owolabi (5 kills, 2 blocks), Emily Weber (12 assists), Devyn Petrowski (7 assists, 6 digs), Gigi Navarette (10 digs). Mother McAuley def. Downers Grove South 25-11, 25-14Mother McA...