Fremd opened its 2025 season by defeating visiting Elk Grove, 25-19, 25-20, on Monday. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorCamden Seaver? Gone. Nate Caro? Gone. Brian Cochran? Gone. Sean Nolting and Jack Cioni? Also gone.“It’s a whole new crew,” said Fremd coach Tracy Harding.Well, not entirely new. Ethan Garst is back.Garst, a 6-2 outside hitter, is one of only four seniors on the Fremd roster this spring and the only starter back from last year’s team that finished 25-12 and reached the regional final at Conant before losing to the...
‘My love for the game kept me going;’ Fremd’s hidden gem sets in plain sight
Fremd's Victoria Belmonte overcame a devastating knee injury to lead her team to a Mid-Suburban West division title and an IHSA Class 4A sectional championship last fall. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Fremd/Adversity VBC setter Victoria Belmonte By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.com PALATINE – Victoria Belmonte never set out to become invisible. Some of the worst-timed knee injuries imaginable, however, have camouflaged the Fremd High School volleyball star’s considerable talent to the point of making her almost undetectable. Lo...
Monday, March 31 results
Monday, March 31 results Barrington def. Wheeling 25-18, 25-19Wheeling (0-1 overall, 0-0 in the Mid-Suburban East).Barrington (1-0 overall, 0-0 in the Mid-Suburban West): Jimmy Lau (24 assists, 3 digs, 2 aces), Sam Grozdic (8 kills, 1 block, 2 digs), Eli Rodda (6 kills), Aidan Gilmore (2 digs, 1 assist), Matt Louis (5 kills), Oliver Halvey (5 kills), Matt Kravstov (1 kill), Robert Jensen (1 dig), Eric Zastawny (2 kills).Belleville East def. Althoff Catholic 25-23, 25-15Althoff Catholic (6-2 overall, 0-0 in the Gateway Metro Confer...
MVP Donnelly, Marist roll at own invite; Syswerda leads Wheaton No. at Joliet W.
Wheaton North's Ben Boyce (10) attempts to hit over the block of Stevenson's Jatin Murukiti (2) and Dulguun Ankhbayar (8) in the championship match at Joliet West. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) https://youtu.be/lTjiG1Pmi7A By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Defending IHSA champion Marist entered this season with 10 seniors. So the RedHawks know if they want to repeat, they will have to get big contributions from all of them. That's what they got on Saturday as libero Rorey Donnelly was named tournament MVP. Donnel...
Saturday, March 29 results
St. Charles North's Logan Haycraft (35) hits past the block of Bolingbrook's Yashua Beals (4) and Tavares Campbell (6) during the third-place match Saturday at Joliet West. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Saturday, March 29 results At Joliet West Wheaton North def. Stevenson 25-20, 25-23 (championship)Wheaton North (6-1 overall, 0-0 in the DuKane Conference): Ben Boyce (6 kills, 1 assist, 1 block), Aidan Syswerda (12 kills, 1 block, 1 ace), Trey Hubner (14 assists, 2 kills), Peter Dey (3 kills, 1 ace), Alex Scribner (3 kills), Thant Zin (4 ...
Friday, March 28 results
Trevor Wardlow (2) and Bolingbrook won twice at the Joliet West Tiger Invite on Friday. (Illprepvb.com file photo by Dave Ruggles) Friday, March 28 results At Joliet West Bolingbrook def. Joliet Central 25-16, 20-25, 15-4Bolingbrook def. Lane Tech 25-23, 25-23Bolingbrook (2-0 overall, 0-0 in the Southwest Prairie Conference): Edison Ah-Yo (19 kills), Trevor Wardlow (9 kills, 2 aces, 7 digs), Dylan Barrera (2 blocks), Daniel Kaduthodil (25 assists, 7 kills, 2 aces, 8 digs), Dom Pietruszewski (10 assists), Nahya Scott (6 assists, 21...
Swiatkowski comes alive in second set to help Benet Academy stop Hinsdale South
Benet Academy improved to 2-1 on the young season with a 27-25, 25-18 victory Thursday over visiting Hinsdale South. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBenet Academy’s Matthew Swiatkowski had a quiet first set Thursday against visiting Hinsdale South. But boy, did he explode in the second.Swiatkowski slammed 6 kills and added a block in the second set as Benet Academy defeated previously unbeaten Hinsdale South, 27-25, 25-18, Thursday in Lisle.Benet Academy escaped a tight first set, breaking a 25-25 tie on a kill and a block by 5-11 se...
Lake Park’s Carter Gibbons makes York pay for last season’s sectional spanking
Lake Park avenged a 2024 sectional semifinal loss to York on Wednesday behind (from left) Saif Akhtar, freshman setter Jake Ellenbecker, junior Ethan Schnabel, Michael Ogorzalek, junior Nolan Cocat, Carter Gibbons, Dylan Roszak and junior Anthony Bellavia. (Cover photo by Mike Cocat) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorCarter Gibbons remembers something he’d much rather forget.“Coming back, especially in their home gym, and beating them was nice to get a little revenge for last year,” Gibbons said.Prior to Wednesday, the last time Lake Pa...
Thursday, March 27 results
Plainfield Central fell to 0-2 with a oss to Addison Trail on Thursday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Thursday, March 27 results Addison Trail def. Plainfield Central 27-25; 25-22Addison Trail (1-1 overall record, 0-0 in the West Suburban Gold): Juaquin Ruiz (10 kills), Richard Garcia (14 digs), Isaac Zurita (4 blocks, 5 aces).Plainfield Central (0-2 overall, 0-0 in the Southwest Prairie Conference).Benet Academy def. Hinsdale South 27-25, 25-18Hinsdale South (2-1 overall, 0-0 in the West Suburban Gold): Terrence Newell (6 kills, 3 blocks), Ke...
Rebuilding? No, ‘restructured’ Wheaton Academy turns back Ridgewood rallies
Wheaton Academy features (from left) sophomore libero Abram Lee, junior outside hitter Daniel Ciszek, freshman setter/rightside Kellen Saurer, sophomore middle hitter Kolby Saurer, middle hitter Michah Wilding, setter Joel Baarman and sophomore outside hitter Josiah Nichols. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWheaton Academy coach D.A. Nichols doesn’t like to use the term, “rebuilding.”“We’re restructuring,” said Nichols, who graduated nine seniors from last year’s 23-7 team and started four sophomores and a freshman Tuesday against visi...