Oswego grabbed the first game Thursday against Downers Grove South in the regional finals at Benet Academy, but the Mustangs prevailed in three sets. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). Thursday, June 10 results Regional finals (in bracket order) Marist Sectional At BolingbrookMarist vs. BolingbrookAt CorlissHomewood-Flossmoor def. Hinsdale South 25-23, 24-26, 25-22Homewood-Flossmoor (13-11 overall): Kenyon Haynes (21 assists, 2 aces, 12 digs, 3 blocks), Nevin Adams (5 kills, 5 digs, 1 block), Luis Lampley (2 digs, 2 blocks), Christian Van Vo...
Hurlburt finds a way to balance both of his loves – family and volleyball
Former Glenbard East standout Alex Hurlburt helped to establish 630 Volleyball in the western suburbs. He now coaches individuals one-on-one so he can spend more time with his growing family. He sees individual coaching as complementing, not competing with, club volleyball, and works with boys and girls. https://youtu.be/Mk-32b5wX1A By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comAlex Hurlburt has coached at nearly every level of volleyball during the past six years, from high school to club to college.He has even worked with USA Volleyb...
Powered by the Stovall ladies, tiny Aquin is the little school that could
Thought the IHSA lists its enrollment as 88.5 students, (Freeport) Aquin has an actual enrollment of 75 students this fall. Fourteen of them participate in the volleyball program. Bentleah Stovall By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comWhen (Freeport) Aquin coach Robyn Stovall went to dinner with her family one recent Friday night, she had one request.“I said no volleyball talk,” Stovall said.That’s easier said than done considering she coaches her daughters, Bentleah and Ainsley, and the Bulldogs soon could be the talk of the town afte...
Illprepvb.com presents 570 reasons to watch girls high school volleyball this fall, Pt. I
Marist's Mary Clare Brusek (5) is one of several returning starters for the perennial Class 4A power and one of the reasons the RedHawks will be favored to win their third championship in the last four IHSA tournaments. On the cover is Breese Mater Dei's Tori Mohesky. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Yes, the start of the 2021 fall girls’ volleyball season is still a few weeks away, but it’s never too early to speculate about what or who we’ll be seeing on high school courts across Illinois. Today, Illprepvb.com begins a look at 570 reasons ...
Friday, April 30 results
(Photo by Dave Ruggles) Friday, April 30 results Belvidere def. Harlem 25-20, 26-24 Belvidere: Gavin McClenthen (19 assists), Nole Hefty (6 kills), Jack Maville (4 kills, 8 blocks), Mikey Loeding (16 digs). Benet def. Waubonsie Valley 25-16, 25-23Benet (3-1 overall, 1-1 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference): Auggie Mazza (6 kills, 1 ace, 1 assist), Drew Rogers (6 kills, 1 block, 2 aces), Nicholas Guth (7 assists), Nial Gallagher (3 kills, 2 blocks), Peter Shanley (1 kill), Ethan Sturm (3 kills, 1 block), Ryan Treacy (7 assists).Waubo...
Lincoln-Way East seniors get a little help from sophomore Ava Nepkin to win SWSC Blue
Lincoln-Way East team members pose with the championship plaque following the victory over Sandburg that gave them sole possession of the Southwest Suburban Conference Blue division title. Lincoln-Way East sophomores Jada James (left) and Ava Nepkin. Lincoln-Way East’s seniors will go out as Southwest Suburban Conference champions – the school’s first league title since 2017 and just the second since 2006.But they owe a huge debt of gratitude to 6-2 sophomore outside hitter Ava Nepkin, who almost single-handedly gift-wrapped the victory...
Marching to her own beat, Minooka's Jada Hampton kills it on bass drum, too
Middle blocker Jada Hampton (10, on right, with Desiree Anderson) was a big part of the 2019 Minooka team that went 32-8 and reached the supersectional before falling to eventual Class 4A state champion Benet. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comJada Hampton marches to the beat of a different drummer.Her own.Hampton is a standout middle hitter for the Minooka volleyball team. But the 6-foot-1 inch senior also does something else. She plays the bass drum in the Indian's marching band. "I've got many big respo...
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...
Thursday, October 21 results
Libertyville defeated Stevenson Wednesday in Lincolnshire to win the North Suburban Conference title. After starting the season 3-8, the Wildcats have won 19 of their last 24 matches and finished 6-1 in the conference. Thursday, October 21 resultsAquin def. Orangeville 25-9, 25-20Aquin (27-2-1 overall, 12-0 in the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference): Lucy Arndt (12 kills, 1 ace), Ava Hiveley (6 kills, 9 digs), Megan Holder (22 assists, 1 block).Beecher def. Illinois Lutheran 25-22, 21-25, 25-15Illinois Lutheran (17-13 overall; 10-2 in th...
Thursday, September 2 results
Sophomore Sienna Steines (10) and Hinsdale Central finished third at last weekend's Crimson Classic hosted by Plainfield North and Plainfield Central and sponsored by Illprepvb.com. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Thursday, September 2 resultsAquin def. Stockton 25-14, 25-14 Aquin (2-0 overall, 0-0 in the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference): Ava Hiveley (11 kills, 4 aces), Hanna Pizzolato (8 digs, 2 assists), Megan Holder (24 assists) Lucy Arndt (9 kills, 2 aces, 6 digs), Elyse Luecke (2 blocks). Benet Academy def. St. Charles North 25-22, 25-13Be...