Sophomore Jakobi Lange (7) had 13 kills for Hinsdale Central, but it wasn't enough as Glenbard West prevailed, 25-21, 25-18, at the Hinsdale Central Sectional. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Glenbard West senior Danny Pasinski knew he was going to get a lot of work Tuesday against Hinsdale Central.The 6-foot-4 outside hitter was ready for it.“We knew from the scouting report that our outside was going to work a little bit more than our other positions tonight,” Pasinski said. “So I think I got ran a little bit more, which is nice.“I hit a load to...

Lake Park defeated Buffalo Grove, 25-19, 25-13, on Saturday to advance to Tuesday's finals of the Lake Park Sectional against Glenbard North. At Hinsdale CentralHinsdale Central senior AJ Hood chose an unusual way to prepare for what many assumed would be the final match of his high school career on Saturday.“I was driving around this morning before the match,” Hood said. “I drove around my town and all I could think of was I owe it to this town to make another state run.”Thanks in part to the play of Hood, the fourth-seeded Red Devils rode...

After dropping the first set, Aaron Marrs (3, far right) and Downers Grove South rallied to beat Oswego in the Benet Regional championship match. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Aiden Benson remembers.“Bad memories,” he said. “Bad memories all the way around.”Two years ago, led by 6-7 junior middle hitter Bryce Walker and a bunch of sophomores and vying for its first-ever berth in the IHSA state quarterfinals, St. Francis was the No. 1 seed in the Hinsdale South sectional. But the Spartans were stunned by No. 8 Hinsdale Central, 25-18, 25-16, in t...

Oswego (left) surprised Benet in a regional semifinal Tuesday in Lisle. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) https://youtu.be/b8pYfsg-cDk By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMary Brown has the video of the final point when her Lincoln-Way Central boy's volleyball team upset Lockport to win the regional title in 2017.The Knights will have an opportunity to add to Brown's video highlight collection Thursday. That's because they persevered in a wild and crazy match with a 25-23, 36-34 victory Tuesday over Plainfield East in the second semifin...

The names and faces on the court are not the same, but the goal is. Glenbard West is seeking its fourth state title in seven years as, after a one-year layoff, the IHSA tournament begins this week. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Someday, the IHSA will get this right.“Our regional? Are you kidding me?” said Timothy Christian coach David Barker. “We’re in the greatest sectional ever put together in the history of boys’ volleyball in the state of Illinois.”Barker, of course, was talking about the Hinsdale Central Sectional, where St. Francis, Glenba...

Ben Schwieger (9) had 18 kills, 2 blocks and 12 digs in his final appearance in a Waubonsie Valley uniform before he departs to begin his college basketball career Sunday at Loyola-Chicago. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Ben Schwieger donned his Superman cape … er, his Waubonsie Valley jersey … for the last time Thursday at Naperville North.He made his final game one to remember.The 6-foot-6 senior outside hitter, who will begin his college basketball career Sunday when he arrives on the campus of Loyola University-Chicago, pounded 18 kills to g...

Marist lost a second consecutive match for the first time since 2017 when it fell to visiting St. Francis on Monday. St. Francis' Aiden Benson (left) and Kevin Schuele. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comComing off its first loss of the season, St. Francis not only wanted to regroup, the Spartans  wanted to show they were still a top team.The Spartans did exactly that.Coming up with some huge plays down the stretch, St. Francis defeated Marist, 25-17, 25-23, in a scintillating matchup Tuesday on Chicago’s south side.St. Francis...