St. Francis outside hitter Anna Paquette tries to slip a kill past a pair of Nazareth defenders during the Spartans' victory in the Class 3A championship game Saturday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – Addy Horner wasn't afraid to step up with the match on the line.The sophomore setter/rightside hitter delivered a championship for St. Francis. Horner hammered the match-winning kill as the Spartans scored the final 3 points of the match and nudged Nazareth, 25-23, 25-23, in the Class 3A championsh...
Staniskis powers Benet past Naperville North; Mother McAuley turns back Marist
Benet Academy defeated Naperville North, 25-12, 25-17, to win its 10th sectional championship since 2008. At Plainfield NorthWednesday, it was Gabi’s turn.“You never know who it’s going to be,” Benet Academy coach Brad Baker said. “You never know who to gameplan for. It’s not like we have one person we go to all the time. We just go to whoever we have to.”Wednesday in the Plainfield North Class 4A Sectional championship match, that “whoever” was 6-1 outside hitter Gabija Staniskis.Staniskis had 14 kills, including 6 in the second set after...
Presenting the 2022 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Girls All-State Team
All that stood between Chillicothe IVC's Kenna Wollard and the top spot on the IHSA all-time career kill list was a COVID-shortened season in 2020. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we are pleased to announce the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com 2022 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 classroom as high school student-athletes, not on any future potential or current recruitment sta...
Benet, McAuley headed for 4A title game; Falduto keeps IC Catholic's hopes alive
St. Charles East's Kate Goudreau had 20 kills in the Saints' Class 4A semifinal against Mother McAuley. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) NORMAL – The feeling never gets old.“That’s what you want to do,” said Benet Academy coach Brad Baker. “You want to come down here, win on Friday, and play for a championship. Only two teams get to play for it, and we’re one of them.”Benet Academy punched its ticket to the IHSA championship game at 8:30 p.m. Saturday by defeating Barrington, 25-21, 25-16, in the first Class 4A semifinal Friday at Redbird Arena.Ben...
Saturday, November 12, IHSA final results
Aquin junior Ainsley Stovall had 13 kills in the Class 1A championship match. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Saturday, November 12, IHSA championship resultsClass 4AChampionship Benet sophomore libero Aniya Warren gathers one of her 23 digs in the Class 4A championship match under the watchful eye of coach Brad Baker. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Mother McAuley def. Benet Academy 25-22, 17-25, 25-14Mother McAuley (39-3): Sam Falk (1 assist, 18 digs), Gigi Navarette (4 assists, 20 digs), Olivia Klapp (20 assists, 5 digs), Ellie White (20 kills, 1 ...
Sixteen teams, four classes, one weekend at Redbird Arena – and so it begins
Nobody has won more IHSA championships during the past 10 years than Benet Academy coach Brad Baker, who guided the Redwings to Class 4A titles in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2019. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) (Cover photo courtesy of Papa Bear) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL -- It all comes down to this. Here is a brief look at the 16 teams that will compete for four IHSA championships this weekend at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal: IHSA Semifinal Pairings, Friday, November 11(in bracket order) ...
Friday, November 11, IHSA Class 1A-4A semifinals
Benet Academy freshman Lynney Tarnow tries to slip a kill past the block of Barrington's Hope Regas (8) and Berkeley Ploder (10). (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Friday, November 11, IHSA semifinal results Class 1A Norris City-Omaha-Enfield's Hayden Knight (13) goes up for a kill against Springfield Lutheran's Makenna Cox (14) and Madelyn Cox (12). (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Aquin def. Newman Central Catholic 25-13, 25-16Aquin (40-1): Ainsley Stovall (6 kills, 1 dig), Hannah Broge (1 kill, 1 assist, 5 digs), Bentleah Stovall (5 kills, ...
Friday, November 4 IHSA Supersectional pairings
Sophomore Grace Kreutz (13) and the Loyola Ramblers seek their first trip to Redbird Arena since 2014 when they face St. Charles East on Friday at Hinsdale Central. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Friday, November 4 Supersectional Pairings(in bracket order)Class 1A(Elgin) Harvest Christian SupersectionalGrant Park vs. Aquin, 6:00 p.m.Grant Park (28-10 overall, 8-1 in the River Valley Conference).Aquin (38-1 overall, 12-0 in the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference).(Lanark) Eastland SupersectionalAugusta Southeastern vs. Newman Central Catholic, 6...
Wednesday, November 2 IHSA sectional championship pairings
Maddie Saad (left) and Sydney Kushner compose two-thirds of Naperville North's stingy back row defense. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Sectional Championship Pairings (in bracket order)(all matches at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday)Class 1A(Elgin) Harvest Christian SupersectionalMilford SectionalCissna Park vs. Grant ParkCissna Park (28-6 overall, 10-2 in the Vermilion Valley Conference).Grant Park (26-10 overall, 8-1 in the River Valley Conference).Pecatonica SectionalAquin vs. GalenaAquin (37-1 overall, 12-0 in the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference).Gale...
IHSA Semifinal Pairings, Friday, November 11
Six-foot-1 middle hitter Natalee Rush (9) and her St. Charles East teammates will take on Mother McAuley at 8:30 p.m. Friday in an IHSA Class 4A semifinal. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) IHSA Semifinal Pairings, Friday, November 11Redbird Arena, Illinois State University, Normal(in bracket order)Class 1AAquin vs. Newman Central Catholic, 9:00 a.m.Aquin (39-1 overall, 12-0 in the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference).Newman Central Catholic (29-7-1 overall, 12-0 in the Three Rivers Conference).Springfield Lutheran vs. Norris City-Omaha-Enfield, 10:...