Leena Ajibola (12) had 5 kills in Lockport's victory over Crete-Monee Tuesday at Lockport. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThe last time Joliet West won a regional title was in 2016. That season, the Tigers defeated Lockport in the regional championship match. They will have an opportunity to repeat that feat in the title match of the Class 4A Lockport regional Thursday at 6:00 p.m. The Tigers defeated crosstown rival Joliet Central, 25-7, 25-13, in Tuesday’s second semifinal, and Lockport took ca...
Who were some of the best of the best? We asked the coaches, and the nominees are:
New Trier junior Peter Brown led the Trevians to a third-place finish in the IHSA Boys Volleyball Tournament. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com asked boys' volleyball coaches statewide to nominate players for this year's all-state team. The Player of the Year will be announced Saturday and the all-state team will be announced Sunday. These are some of the players who were nominated by their coaches for the all-state team: Sammy Adkisson, 5-10, Sr., L, Vernon HillsThe Player of the Year in the Central Suburban North, Adkisson ama...
'Stronger together' – merger of Wildcat Jrs., Division 1 offers new opportunities
Division 1 and Wildcat Juniors recently merged, creating more training and participation opportunities for athletes who live in the North Shore area. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThe COVID-19 pandemic has played havoc with youth sports.One of the hardest-hit sports has been volleyball, which saw the cancellation of the Illinois boys’ high school season last spring, the cancellation of the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships and a scaled-down AAU Junior National Championships this summer, and the postponement of the IHSA...
Illprepvb.com presents 200 reasons we can't wait for volleyball in the fall: Liberos
Libero Gillian Grimes was an anchor for Nazareth during its drive to Redbird Arena last fall. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, Illprepvb.com begins its look at 200 reasons we’re looking forward to girls high school volleyball resuming in the fall.Of course, there is no guarantee that Illinois schools will re-open by mid-to-late August or early September, and the IHSA will most likely follow the lead of state government before it OKs high school sports in the fall. But if schools do re-open, and the IHSA gives the go-ahead to fall sport...
Belvidere North, Sterling get acquainted before potential supersectional showdown
Defending Class 3A champion Sterling may have to get past Belvidere North in the supersectional if the Golden Warriors hope to repeat ... provided both teams make it that far. Last year, behind Air Force recruit Brooklyn Messenger, Belvidere North went 34-4 including 18-0 in the NIC-10 before running afoul of St. Charles East in a Class 4A sectional semifinal.But like what seems to be a countless number of schools affected by the IHSA’s enrollment reclassification, Belvidere North dropped down to Class 3A this season.So instead of teams li...
At last … here's a look at the abbreviated, unconventional 2021 girls high school season
While there will thankfully be a girls high school volleyball season, Newark and Sterling will not have an opportunity to win a third consecutive IHSA championship and Benet and Decatur St. Teresa will not be able to defend their state titles. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) https://youtu.be/VOoUVp6BJXE Better late than never? More than seven months since the 2020 series was scheduled to begin, the girls high school season is finally here. It will be a season like no other. Hopefully, we will never see another like it. No state tour...
York graduate Sarah Rose fighting the biggest battle of her life off the court
Former York setter Sarah Rose took the court February 27 and served an ace in Marquette's three-set sweep of Iowa State. (Photos courtesy of Marquette University Athletics). Sarah Rose By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comSarah Rose has spent her entire volleyball career handing out assists, first as a star setter at York and later at Marquette.But this season, the senior has been receiving assistance of a different, life-saving kind.Last September, Rose was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, and is curre...
Holubek, Pluskota power Lincoln-Way West past pesky Plainfield North
Lincoln-Way West will meet Minooka for the third time this season in a sectional semifinal Friday at Plainfield North after beating the Tigers Thursday at Oswego. Louden Moran had 4 kills, 6 digs, 2 blocks and an ace for the Warriors Thursday at Oswego. Lincoln-Way West got what it wanted, and probably a little more than it bargained for.Six-foot-2 rightside hitter Tyler Holubek and 5-11 outside hitter Ben Pluskota each had 11 kills and 6-1 setter David Flores distributed 28 assists to go with 11 digs as the Warriors held off Plainfield...
Marist takes care of business; Glenbard West, Oak Park, New Trier advance at Hoffman Estates
Marist's Rocky Mayer had 4 kills and 6 digs during the RedHawks quarterfinal win over Minooka Friday at Hoffman Estates. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Marist's Nyherowo Omene (left) and Rocky Mayer. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com“Takin’ Care of Business”The Marist volleyball team probably didn't listen to the classic song by that name before its IHSA quarterfinal match Friday at Hoffman Estates. But that's exactly what the RedHawks did ad they took care of their end of business and coasted to a 25-14, 25-15 victory over Minook...
Glenbrook North feels the energy late, hands Vernon Hills its first loss
Vernon Hills took a 9-0 record into its Central Suburban League crossover Friday at Glenbrook North, and left with its first loss of the young season, 25-23, 25-16. What makes Glenbrook North so good?“We’re high energy,” said the Spartans’ 5-foot-10 senior setter Louie Batang. “We thrive on energy. Any energy. When we get big bounces, big blocks, anything we can do, we use that. We use that momentum.”Vernon Hills pulled the plug on that energy throughout much of the first set and through the first half of the second, but once Glenbrook Nort...