Wheaton North, which defeated St. Charles North at the Joliet West invite earlier this season, needed overtime to beat the North Stars Tuesday in Wheaton. (File photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorVolleyball is a team sport, but every now and then, you need Clark Kent to put down his glasses, throw away his reporter’s notebook and don his Superman costume.Limited to just a pair of kills the first set, 6-6 outside hitter Aidan Syswerda put on his blue tights, his vibrant red, flowing cape with a stylized yellow and ...
Player of the Week Gabe Polyak is the driver behind Glenbard East’s success
Glenbard East's Gabe Polyak earned all-tournament honors while leading the Rams to the championship game at Springfest last weekend. Notice: You may not distribute, modify, transmit, reuse, re-post, or use the content of the Site for public or commercial purposes, including the text, images, audio, and video, without Illprepvb.com, LLC’s written permission. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Glenbard East's opponents rue the day Gabe Polyak received his driver’s license. “I been playing sports my whole life,” said Polyak, th...
Glenbard West avoids bucking tradition, rallies past Glenbard East at Springfest
Glenbard West's Otis Yahn (19) works off the block attempt by Glenbard East's Gabe Polyak (3) and Michael Hoffman (13) during Saturday's championship game at Springfest. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) https://youtu.be/T0Jre5TVCGg By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorFew can remember when Glenbard West didn’t win Springfest at Glenbard East. Entering this weekend, Glenbard West had won nine of the last 10 tournaments and six in a row (the 'Toppers' only hiccup during that span was 2017 when they lost to Lake Park, 25-23, 17-25, 25-22).Bu...
A victory 20 years in the making: T.F. United gets first win against Oak Lawn
Thornton Fractional United defeated Oak Lawn for the first time in program history Thursday in Calumet City. (Photo by Randy Whalen) By Randy Whalen Special to Illprepvb.com The Thornton Fractional United boys' volleyball team did something it had never done on Thursday.Defeat Oak Lawn. Behind veterans Eartis Booth and Yahir Silva, United pulled away down the stretch and toppled the Spartans, 25-18, 25-23, in a South Suburban Conference match Thursday in Calumet City. It was a nice bounce-back win by Thornton Fractional U...
Barrington’s bigs (and not-so-bigs) throw up a major roadblock against New Trier
Barrington's (from left) Dennis Kukovski, Garrett Rohlwing, John Kane, Matt Kravstov and Robbie Jensen led the Broncos to a 25-15, 25-20 victory over New Trier Wednesday in Barrington. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThat lineup Barrington fielded during its opening weekend at the Niles Invitational? You can throw it out the window.“Putting Garrett (6-9 junior Rohlwing) in the middle … doesn't that make a difference?” said Barrington coach Charlie Spry. “And Darius (6-1 setter Voth) is a fine blocker, and Robbie’s (6-1 rightside h...
Glenbard West rides momentum swings to a win over York in battle of unbeatens
Glenbard West defeated York in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division opener for both teams Tuesday in Elmhurst. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor In a match with more swings than a park district playground, Glenbard West was the swingingest. Six-foot-3 sophomore Chris Cudzilo had 11 kills and 6 digs, 6-5 sophomore middle hitter Jack Belda added 9 kills and a block, and 5-10 setter Andrew Fanella had 18 assists, 7 digs and an ace as the Hilltoppers handed York its first loss of the season, 25-20, 21-25, 25-23, in both teams’...
Here are the most recent Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Boys H.S. Rankings
Bolingbrook libero Ryan Saravia (11) reaches to make a dig in the Raiders' victory over the hosts at Saturday's West Aurora invitational. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Ch-ch-ch-changes. There’s plenty of them in the latest Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Boys H.S. Rankings. Play your way in. Play your way out. Shuffling at the top. Juggling at the bottom. But some things never change. Like the IHSA awarding a team a virtual bye in their sectional assignments. Yes, it’s good to be the king. At...
The wait continues for Top Notch 17s, but VC United’s second chance reaps USA bid
Top Notch 17U Elite fell just short in its bid to qualify for nationals at this weekend's 2026 adidas Windy City National Qualifier 11-17s at McCormick Place. https://youtu.be/Oxgv2nX6JsI By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorTop Notch 17U Elite will have to wait another week, but the wait is over for VC United 171 Elite.Top Notch 17U Elite and VC United 171 Elite were among the hundreds of teams that converged on McCormick Place this weekend for the 2026 adidas Windy City National Qualifier 11-17s.Both were among teams either seeking ...
Nicolas Pasala, Taft Eagles soar past field, host Cougars to win Conant tournament
The Taft Eagles out of the Chicago Public League defeated the host Cougars to win the Conant tournament Saturday in Hoffman Estates. https://youtu.be/zq00wxzB2o0 By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Someone asked Taft’s junior standout outside hitter Nicolas Pasala if his arm was a little worse for wear after playing five games in one day Saturday. “Kind of,” he said. “Wow. That game was insane.” Sore arm or no, Conant coach Drewann Reibel was impressed. “Number seven (Pasala) hurt us,” she said. “He’s a good player.”Pa...
DeKalb is the latest addition to growing list of boys volleyball programs in Illinois
DeKalb's first-ever boys volleyball team will begin its historic debut season by competing in the Belvidere North JV Quad on Saturday By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.com DeKalb juniors Joey Stratton and Grady Fowler are going to make history in more than one way on April 4.When they take the court at the Belvidere North JV Quad, it will mark the first time the Barbs have competed in boys volleyball at any level. That won’t be the only noteworthy thing about the Barbs’ debut. Like all of the other 32 players in DeKalb’s new pr...