(Photos of Wednesday's South Suburban Conference match between Bremen and Shepard by by Dave Ruggles) Wednesday, May 19 results Alton Marquette def. Belleville West 25-21, 25-22Deerfield def. Niles North 16-25, 25-20, 25-15Glenbard West def. Lake Park 22-25, 25-18, 26-24Glenbard West (19-2 overall, 4-1 in the West Suburban Silver): Tommy Lohman (28 assists, 4 kills, 17 digs, 3 blocks, 1 ace), Danny Pasinksi (18 kills, 6 digs, 1 block), Gavin Swartz (6 kills, 4 dig, 1 block), Quinn Hardesty (4 kills, 2 blocks), Nick Jones ...
Benet's Muisenga named Gatorade Illinois Volleyball Player of the Year
Benet Academy's Rachel Muisenga (18, far left) led the Redwings to a 51-1 record and an IHSA Class 4A championship during her two years as the team's setter. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year Rachel Muisenga of Benet Academy. CHICAGO (May 6, 2021) — In its 36th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Rachel Muisenga of Benet Academy as its 2020-21 Gatorade Illinois Volleyball Player of the Year. Muisenga is the second Gatorade Illinois Volleyball Player of the Year to...
Presenting the Illprepvb.com/Sports Performance VBC Girls H.S. Player of the Year
Rachel Muisenga led Benet to a 51-1 record during her two years as the Redwings' setter, capped by a 23-25, 25-11, 25-22 victory over Marist in the East Suburban Catholic Conference Tournament championship game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Benet's Rachel Muisenga By Matt Le CrenSpecial for Illprepvb.comThere is an aura that all great athletes project during competition.They play with a self-assuredness that ensures no challenge is too large for them to overcome, and no task too small for them to complete.For those fans who get to watch...
Sandburg makes Lincoln-Way East work overtime for share of conference title
(Photos of Wednesday's South Suburban Conference match between Bremen and Shepard by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comFor Lincoln-Way East, boys volleyball conference titles are old hat.But this one is extra special.Wednesday in Frankfort, the Griffins rallied past Sandburg, 20-25, 25-23, 25-19, to clinch at least a share of the Southwest Suburban Conference championship. It's the 12th conference championship for Lincoln-Way East since the league formed in the fall of 2005. But it's also the Griffins’ first since wi...
Downers South has one goal in mind: adding another plaque to the gym wall
Downers Grove South's 6-3 junior middle hitter Hugo Hu had 2 blocks and a kill Tuesday against visiting Hinsdale Central. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). There is a large wooden plaque hanging on the west side of the Downers Grove South gymnasium honoring the 2013 state championship boys’ volleyball team.That plaque is getting lonely, and if given the opportunity, Dominic Fallara and his teammates would like to change that.“We’re waiting to get the ‘go’ on state,” said Fallara, a 6-foot senior setter. “That’s what we’re pushing for. We’re here t...
Tuesday, May 25 results
Michael Sobkowicz slams a kill past a pair of Glenbard South defenders during Rolling Meadows' 25-14, 26-24 victory Tuesday in Glen Ellyn. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Tuesday, May 25 results Carmel def. Marian Catholic 25-11, 25-15Carmel (14-2 overall, 6-2 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference): Dylan Franada (3 kills), Zach Marcheschi (6 kills, 2 aces), Timmy Harvey (2 kills), Will Niese (2 kills), Mario Durnil (6 assists, 3 aces), Bobby Szamocki (7 assists, 1 ace).Next up: Home vs. Stevenson on Tuesday, June 1, and at Loyola on Thur...
Wednesday, May 12 results
(Photo by Dave Ruggles) Wednesday, May 12 results Bartlett def. Benet 21-25, 32-30, 25-22Bolingbrook def. Romeoville 26-24, 24-26, 25-21Bolingbrook (3-6 overall, 2-5 in the Southwest Suburban Conference): Elijah Fleming (8 kills, 2 blocks), Andy Stone (6 kills), Carson Harris (5 kills, 2 blocks), Junior Nunez (19 assists, 3 aces), Gabe Escario (3 aces), Byron Montgomery (3 blocks).Bremen def. Tinley Park 25-13, 25-15Tinley Park (2-4 overall). Edwardsville def. Alton Marquette 25-16, 19-25, 25-15Edwardsville (6-0 overall, 4-0 in the South...
Merk stands tall for a not-so-tall Loyola crew in a crossover win at Montini
Montini continues to lead the Chicago Catholic League White Division despite the loss to Loyola Tuesday in Lombard. Loyola’s Ryan Merk has been waiting a long time for this opportunity.“I’ve been telling (Loyola head coach Lionel Ebeling) since freshman year that I wanted to hit,” said Merk, who has earned a reputation as one of the top liberos, if not the top libero, in the state. “He finally gave me the chance, and I love it.“It’s fun to hit,” he added. “I’ve been waiting four years for this. We’re doing really well right now, so …”Merk...
Here are the Illprepvb.com/1st Alliance VBC Boys High School Volleyball Rankings
Three years ago, St. Francis coach Mike Lynch won his 500th career game. Is this the year he wins his first IHSA championship? Game on. Last week, the IHSA board OK’d a state tournament series for boys’ volleyball in anticipation of the relaxing of Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines on June 11. Sectional assignments have already been announced, and seeding is scheduled for Wednesday, May 19. The state finals will take place Friday-Saturday, June 18-19, at a yet-to-be-disclosed location.“We are excited to be able to of...
Saturday, May 1 results
Wheaton Warrenville South's Trey Closset (8), shown here in an earlier match against Naperville Central, had 27 kills in a match against Neuqua Valley on Friday, the third most in program history and tops in the rally-scoring era. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). Saturday, May 1 results Glenbard North def. Glenbard East 25-17, 23-25, 25-10Glenbard East (3-2 overall, 1-0 in the Upstate Eight Conference): Connor Soto (18 assists, 1 ace, 5 digs, 1 block), Trevor Real (6 kills, 6 digs), Bartek Kwidzinski (4 kills, 5 digs), Jack Austin (3 kills, 1 ...