Nazareth's Lauren Salata flicks a kill down the line in Friday's Class 3A semifinal victory over Joliet Catholic. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – When a volleyball team such as Belvidere North has more weapons, it behooves setters like Jayden Flynn to use them.The senior did just that, notching 24 assists as four of her hitters had 6 or more kills in a 25-18, 25-17 victory over Normal West in a Class 3A state tournament semifinal at Redbird Arena on Friday.Ranked No. 1 in 3A by Illprepvb.com, Belvide...
College of DuPage names coaching staff for new men’s volleyball program
West Aurora boys' volleyball coach Tolis Koskinaris (left) and Oswego's Frankie Martinez will lead the new men's volleyball program at College of DuPage. A familiar coaching staff will lead the Chaparral men's volleyball program when it opens in 2022-23. Head women's volleyball coach Tolis Koskinaris and assistant Frank Martinez will hold those respective positions for the athletic department's new sport when it gets underway next season.“Both of us are excited to begin a sport that is well received at the high school level here in DuP...
Montini rains on Pleasant Plains to claim 'inevitable' Class 2A championship
Pleasant Plains' Sienna Hadley (15) tries to beat the double block of Montini's Sienna Skarda (15) and Isabel Evenson (10) during Saturday's Class 2A championship game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Class 2ABy Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Death, taxes (for all but most major U.S. corporations) and Montini winning the Class 2A championship Saturday at Redbird Arena.Inevitable.From the time the IHSA released the enrollment ranges for the various fall sports back in late summer, there was very little short of an act of the Almighty ...
Little Aquin makes a little history by beating Milford at 1A Willows supersectional
Aquin will make its first appearance in the state semifinals at Redbird Arena after defeating Milford at the Willows Academy supersectional Friday. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThink the powers that be will give the (Freeport) Aquin student body the day off from classes next Friday so they can attend the Class 1A semifinals at Redbird Arena in Normal?All 75 of them?Sixty-one if you subtract the 14 girls on the volleyball team. They made certain Friday that they'd be going.Aquin defeated Milford, 25-12, 25-14, on Friday to win the C...
Willowbrook, Linnig stun WW South; Metea Valley, Mother McAuley move on
Willowbrook continued its amazing run through the 2021 season Wednesday, defeating Wheaton Warrenville South, 19-25, 25-21, 27-25, at the Class 4A Bartlett Sectional. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe last point.When would it come?Who would it come from?How about the least likely person on the court?“I just felt like, ‘Should I do it?’” said Willowbrook’s 5-7 setter Katie Linnig. “I did it once in the beginning (of the match), but not toward the end. I thought, ‘We’re winning this game.’ I knew they weren’t going to get to it.“I b...
IHSA tournament results for Wednesday, November 3
Metea Valley defeated Plainfield North at the Class 4A Oswego Sectional on Wednesday to win the first sectional championship in girls' program history. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). Wednesday, November 3 tournament resultsClass 4A At Bartlett sectionalWillowbrook def. Wheaton Warrenville South 19-25, 25-21, 27-25Willowbrook (37-1): Hannah Kenny (10 kills, 11 digs, 7 assists), Calli Kenny (9 kills, 10 digs, 1 block, 2 aces), Katie Linnig (2 kills, 10 digs, 17 assists), Elle Bruschuk (4 kills, 3 blocks), Hope Reckamp (3 kills, 2 blocks, 1 dig,...
Presenting the Michio Chicago VBA Illprepvb.com 2021 Girls All-State Team
Willowbrook is the 2021 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Team of the Year after starting the season with 30 consecutive wins, handing eventual Class 4A champion Metea Valley one of its two losses and reaching the sectional finals at Class 4A runner-up Mother McAuley. Today, we are pleased to announce the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com 2021 Girls All-State Volleyball Team. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the clas...
Pickering, Montini breeze past Mater Dei; Pleasant Plains exploits Chicago Christian
Montini had a lot to celebrate Friday, rolling past Breese Mater Dei, 25-10, 25-11, in an IHSA Class 2A semifinal at Redbird Arena. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). Class 2A Class 2A By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNormal – Can anyone stop Montini?Breese Mater Dei certainly couldn’t.“You just watched the best team in the state dominate a team that was really, really strong,” said Breese Mater Dei coach Chad Rakers after watching his team succumb to the Broncos, 25-11, 25-10, in an IHSA Class 2A semifinal Friday at Redbird Arena.Montini s...
Aquin runs out of gas against St. Thomas More; Stephens, Suns set on Lutheran
Springfield Lutheran's Makenna Cox tries to tip around two Augusta Southeastern defenders in the second IHSA Class 1A semifinal won by the Suns, 25-16, 25-23. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Class 1ABy Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – The little engine that could ran out of steam.After surprising No. 1-ranked (Champaign) St. Thomas More in the first set, (Freeport) Aquin fell behind in each of the next two sets and could never quite catch the Sabres, falling 19-25, 25-22, 25-18 in the first IHSA Class 1A semifinal Friday at Redbird Arena...
St. Thomas More denies Augusta Southeastern its Cinderella finish
Freeport Aquin's Lucy Arndt had 15 kills to lead ther Bulldogs past Springfield Lutheran in the IHSA Class 1A third-place game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Class 1A By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – For one brief shining moment …Tiny Augusta Southeastern, drawing from the communities of Augusta (population: 900), Bowen (500), West Point (200), Plymouth (350), Colmar and Huntsville in the far west central county of Hancock, faced off against St. Thomas More, which draws from the city of Champaign (population: 87,636) and surroundi...